Mat vs Equipment Pilates?

In general, there are two types of Pilates you will come across everywhere: Mat and Equipment Pilates.

Mat Pilates is done on the mat and includes 34 classical Joseph Pilates exercises or Contemporary Pilates schools’ (BASI Pilates, Polestar Pilates etc.) modifications of those 34 exercises that makes the exercises accessible to everyone.  Mat classes you can use small props such as Pilates rings, bands, small hand weights and Pilates balance balls.

Equipment Pilates includes more complicated original piece of Pilates equipment designed by Joseph Pilates. Today there are more advanced version of equipment you can come across in the Pilates market such as Cadillac, Reformer, Wunda chair, Spine corrector, Ladder barrel etc.

Mat is a signature of Pilates and Joseph Pilates originally developed his own classic 34 mat exercises to deal with his own issues in his body and then started to teach those exercises to Police force team in Germany and England. While he was in intern camp during WW1 in England, he created his early experiment of Cadillac, Wunda Chair and Reformer by working on people who were wounded during the war and were bed ridden in the camp.

Both Mat and Equipment Pilates are wonderful tools to improve muscle strength, flexibility, bone density and nervous system. Mat classes offer great alternative by working against your own body weight, with gravity, resistance to the springs, weights or using spring-like action using small equipment like magic rings.
Equipment Pilates is gaining popularity amongst Pilates lovers as it offers wider spectrum of exercises for a wide range of enthusiasts from professional athletes to people recovering from an injury. Each equipment allows you to challenge your body in a different way to advance and do more acrobatic moves, including hanging series.

By doing Equipment Pilates 2-3 times per week, you will get the best results possible.