Pilates Studios & Equipment
Ballet Austin offers Pilates at two locations — our Downtown Pilates Center at 501 W. 3rd St. and Pilates @ the Dell JCC at 7300 Hart Ln. Both studios are equipped with state-of-the-art Balanced Body reformers, chairs, barrels, and towers, offering private, duet, and group sessions. We practice classical-based Pilates as designed by Joseph Pilates almost 100 years ago — preserving the rich tradition with a fresh and motivating approach.
Pilates Equipment
Pilates equipment can be grouped into two general categories:
- Larger apparatus — the Pilates Reformer, Pilates chairs, barrels, the tower, and the Cadillac.
- Smaller props — magic circles, weights, resistance bands, and Pilates springs.
The Studio Reformer
There is probably no piece of Pilates equipment more well-known than the Pilates reformer. For more than 30 years, the world’s most respected Pilates instructors have used and recommended the Balanced Body Pilates Studio Reformer.
It is a bed-like frame with a flat platform on it, called the carriage, which rolls back and forth on wheels within the frame. The carriage is attached to one end of the reformer by a set of springs. The springs provide choices of differing levels of resistance as the carriage is pushed or pulled along the frame.
The Reformer Springs
The springs provide the resistance on the Reformer. The remaining resistance is provided by your own body weight. Each spring hooks onto a single spring bar, allowing for graded resistance. Unhooking springs will either increase or decrease the total resistance.
The springs are one component of the Pilates ‘secret sauce’ — providing resistance that can be used for challenge or for support. Spring resistance can even change the muscular focus of an exercise. The Pilates springs help you to move well.
The Cadillac
The Cadillac (also known as the Trapeze Table) is one of the most effective and versatile pieces of exercise equipment ever engineered. Originally devised by Joseph Pilates to rehabilitate bedridden patients, the apparatus has evolved since the makeshift bed spring days — but it continues to be a bridge between exercise and physical therapy.
Pilates Chair
Designed to strengthen muscle groups not easily reached by more traditional techniques and equipment, Chair workouts focus on upper and lower body strength and conditioning and enhance stability, body control, and balance.
Pilates High Barrel
Combines ladder rungs with a barrel surface on which stretching, strengthening, and flexibility exercises can be performed.
Pilates Wall Tower
Wall Tower is free-standing, giving you the flexibility of using it with a Reformer or a mat. Gives a three-in-one exercise system: Reformer, mat station, and Tower. A tremendous variety of exercises can be performed on this versatile piece of equipment.
Pilates Magic Circle
The magic circle is a Pilates tool created by founder Joseph Pilates intended to help you find your center. It is said that Joseph Pilates made the first magic circle from the ring of a keg. It is used in a variety of ways and can be used in both equipment and mat classes.
