With several smart Pilates machines now available for in-home use, you may be wondering how to choose the best one to meet your household’s needs. Here are some of our recs on what to consider when purchasing a smart reformer, so you get the most out of your investment. 

Will the reformer fit in your space?
One of the first things to consider is can your designated workout space accommodate the machine? Something that people often overlook is that you need to account for both the size of the reformer and the space you need to practice the exercises. Ideally, you want to have a minimum of one foot (12") of space on the head and foot ends, and two feet (24") of space on either side of the reformer. 

For comparison’s sake, the Flexia Reformer’s dimensions are 30”x90”x14,” which makes us 2-22” shorter than other smart Pilates Reformers.

How easy is the machine to move and store?
Depending on how you use the room that you keep your reformer in, you may want to invest in one that can be easily moved around the room and stood up on its end when not in use. 

It’s important to note that not all smart reformers have this option. Some have transport wheels, but cannot be stood up on one end, while others don’t even have transport wheels. Conversely, the Flexia Reformer has transport wheels and can be stood up on one end as long as your ceiling is at least 8’ high, which makes it the easiest reformer to store that is currently on the market. 

Can the reformer be easily adjusted to fit you and your household members
If more than one person in your household plans to use the machine, it’s important that it can be easily adjusted to fit each person’s proportions for comfort and safety, which isn’t an option for all smart reformers. This is why we designed our reformer with fit in mind.

Here are four key ways the Flexia™ Reformer can be intuitively adjusted:
+ Removable, 4-position Padded Footbar
+ One-hand adjustment, 3-position Springbar
+ Adjustable, 4-position Shoulder Rests
+ Easily adjustable ropes

We also provide resources on how to choose your personalized settings for the best workout. Learn how to Find your FitTM, here.

Can you do all of the Pilates reformer exercises and lie down comfortably on it?
If you are a Pilates enthusiast, then you know one of the most enjoyable aspects of the workout is that you can do a lot of the workout lying down. After all, who doesn’t love feet in straps? 

If you want to be able to experience all of the Pilates exercises, then you should look for a smart reformer that has a carriage large enough to lie down on, which isn’t an option for every reformer. 

Additionally, you’ll want to consider if you and all of your household members can comfortably fit on the reformer. As mentioned above, some connected reformers have smaller than average carriages, which means most people cannot lie down on them comfortably, especially if they are tall, have a long torso, or are larger bodied. Our reformer has the widest and longest carriage on the market, and can fit most individuals between 5’0 and 6’6. 

What are the technological capabilities of the smart reformer?
We believe that a smart reformer is more than just a screen. Ideally, that technology can give you feedback in real time, so you know if you’re doing the exercises correctly to get the most out of your workout. 

At this time, different brands of smart reformers have varying degrees of technological capabilities. Some come with a screen, but no feedback beyond that, whereas others can calculate the amount of time under tension that you use. 

The Flexia Reformer is equipped with a sensor driven by AI technology that calculates how much weight you’ve moved during a session and detects how much control you have during each exercise. It’s also able to score your consistency of movement across each repetition and can provide a speedometer to help you find the optimal pace for each movement. 

After your workout, our tech is able to quantify the data from your workout as a Movement Quality Score (MQS). This allows you to track your progress across multiple classes and see your improvements in a single class if you repeat it in the future. Flexia’s technology can also give you smart recommendations based on your performance, so you never have to guess on what to do next to make progress. 

 

Can you customize the place of the screen?
Screens have become synonymous with smart reformers, but during the design phase, we realized that a fixed screen detracted from your workout. For example, a screen at the foot end of a reformer would obstruct many of the exercises and would be hard to see when lying down or facing away. It would also make it more difficult to store your reformer without risking scratching or damaging the screen.

This is why we don’t have a screen attached to the end of the reformer, which is one of the more popular placements for smart reformers. Rather, you have the option of using your own screen, so you have flexible display options and can move it around the room during your workout, so you can easily see it at all times without running into it. 

How much value do you get for the price of the smart reformer?
Value ultimately is determined by what you are personally looking to get out of a smart reformer. That being said, we’ve included a chat for easy reference, so you can see how the different smart reformers stack up.