If you’ve ever stepped into a Pilates reformer studio, you know that the sleek, carriage-based apparatus isn’t just a fancy fitness machine—it’s a tool that turns every small, intentional movement into a targeted experience for your body. As someone who’s spent years supplying Studio Pilates reformers to studios across the country, I hear the same question over and over from new clients, instructors, and even fellow fitness professionals: How exactly does all that work on the pelvic floor? It’s a question that makes sense, too—until a few years ago, most of us treated the pelvic floor like a “hidden” muscle group, something we didn’t think about until we felt a twinge during a workout, a laugh, or a quick lift. Now, with more people prioritizing full-body wellness, the reformer has emerged as a game-changer for this often-overlooked area. Let’s break this down like I do when I’m training a new studio owner on how to teach reformer classes—no confusing jargon, just real, science-backed answers that make sense for every body. Studio Pilates Reformer
First, let’s get clear on what the pelvic floor actually is, because you can’t target something you don’t understand. Think of your pelvic floor as a hammock made of layers of muscles, ligaments, and connective tissue that stretches from your pubic bone at the front of your body to your tailbone at the back. For people assigned female at birth, it also supports the bladder, uterus, and rectum; for people assigned male at birth, it supports the bladder and rectum, and plays a role in sexual function. Its job isn’t just to hold things in, either—it’s to coordinate with your deep core muscles (the transversus abdominis, multifidus, and diaphragm) to create what’s often called your “core stability system.” When this system is working well, you have control over small movements: holding your pee until you reach a bathroom, stabilizing your spine when you bend to tie your shoes, or even catching your breath during a tough workout. When it’s weak, over-tight, or out of sync, you might experience leaks, pelvic pain, or a feeling of pressure in the lower abdomen—issues that affect millions of people, regardless of age or fitness level.
Now, how does the reformer factor into all of this? The key here is the reformer’s unique design: a sliding carriage, adjustable resistance springs, straps, pulleys, and footbars that let you move your body in three dimensions (front to back, side to side, and rotational). Unlike a mat Pilates class, where you might be limited to fixed positions, the reformer lets you adjust the demand on your muscles in real time, which is exactly what the pelvic floor needs. It’s not just about doing crunches or stretches on the carriage—it’s about the way those movements force your core and pelvic floor to activate and release in a coordinated way, rather than working in silos.
Let’s start with the most basic, yet most important, reformer movement that targets the pelvic floor: the footwork series. If you’ve taken a reformer class, you’ve done this: lying on your back on the carriage, feet in the straps of the footbar, legs extended at a 45-degree angle, and pressing the carriage back and forth. At first glance, this looks like a simple leg press, but it’s far more when you’re doing it right. Good instructors will cue you to “breathe into your ribs first” before pressing the carriage out, which activates your diaphragm (another core muscle) at the same time as your transversus abdominis. That activation then sends a signal down to your pelvic floor, which engages to support the pressure from the movement. When you release the carriage back toward you, you don’t just let go—you exhale slowly, and your pelvic floor releases in sync. This coordination is a game-changer for people who have pelvic floor dysfunction, because so many of us either over-contract (hold our breath and squeeze when we don’t need to) or under-contract (ignore the muscle entirely) during daily movement. The reformer’s constant, low-level resistance helps train that connection without putting stress on the lower back, which is a common issue with mat exercises like planks or crunches for people with pelvic floor weakness.
Another big one is the Hundred—yes, that classic Pilates move. On the reformer, the Hundred is not the same as the mat version. On the mat, you’re lifting your legs off the floor and pumping your arms, but on the reformer, you’re lying with your legs at a 90-degree angle, knees bent, feet in the straps, and pressing the carriage slightly out to create gentle resistance as you pump. The key here is that the carriage’s resistance makes your core (and by extension, your pelvic floor) work isometrically—meaning it’s holding a steady contraction while moving your arms. For someone with a weak pelvic floor, doing the mat Hundred can often lead to over-straining or leaking, because the lack of support from the floor means your core has to work harder without a stable base. The reformer’s carriage acts as that stable base, so you can focus on small, rhythmic breaths and pelvic floor activation instead of fighting to keep your legs up. I’ve seen studio owners tell me that clients who couldn’t do five mat Hundreds without discomfort can do 10 reformer Hundreds in their first month, and that’s not because they’re working harder—it’s because they’re working smarter, with the reformer supporting their body’s natural alignment.
What about side-focused movements? The reformer does a lot of side-lying and side-stabilization work, like the Side Leg Series or the Side Plank on the reformer. These are often overlooked for pelvic floor work, but they’re actually critical because the pelvic floor has two sides that need to work together. When you’re lying on your side on the carriage, holding the carriage steady with your top leg, your core muscles activate on both sides to keep your spine aligned. If one side of your pelvic floor is weaker, you’ll notice a dip in your hip, or a feeling of pressure on the lower side, because that muscle isn’t engaging to support your weight. The reformer lets you adjust the spring resistance here too—so a client with a tight pelvic floor can use lighter springs to start, focusing on gentle activation, while a client with a weak pelvic floor can use slightly heavier springs to build strength without straining. I remember a client of one of our studio partners who had postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction, and she couldn’t do a single side plank on the mat without leaking. On the reformer, we set the springs to the lightest setting, and she worked on holding the position for 10 seconds at a time, building up to a minute over six weeks. By the end, she told me she could pick up her toddler without any leaks, which is exactly what the reformer is designed to do: build functional strength, not just strength for a specific exercise.
Here’s a part that a lot of instructors and clients miss: the reformer’s pulleys and straps add rotational movement, which is key for pelvic floor health. Most people’s pelvic floor is asymmetrical—one side might be tighter or weaker than the other, usually from sitting at a desk all day, carrying a baby, or even playing a sport like tennis or golf, which requires repetitive rotational movements. On the reformer, movements like the Long Box Rotation or the Standing Split with a strap let you move your body in twists, which forces your core and pelvic floor to adapt to uneven pressure. For example, when you do a long box rotation, you’re sitting on a box attached to the reformer, holding a strap, and twisting your torso to pull the carriage toward you. That twist creates gentle tension on one side of your pelvic floor, and your body has to engage that side to stabilize your spine. Over time, this helps correct imbalances that can lead to pain or leaks. I’ve had studio owners tell me that they use these rotational movements specifically for clients who come in with chronic lower back pain that’s linked to pelvic floor dysfunction, and it’s often the part of their reformer classes that their clients love the most—because it addresses a root cause, not just the symptom.
Now, I want to be honest here: the reformer isn’t a magic fix. It works because of how it’s used, and that’s where choosing the right reformer for your studio matters. As a reformer supplier, I’ve seen every type of reformer on the market, and the ones that work best for pelvic floor work have a few key features. First, they have adjustable spring resistance that’s consistent—no wobbly springs that give out mid-movement, because consistency is key when training the pelvic floor to activate at the right time. Second, they have a smooth, quiet carriage that moves evenly, so you don’t have to fight the apparatus to stay aligned. Third, they have adjustable straps and footbars that can be set for different body types, because a 5’2” client shouldn’t be stretching their entire body to reach a footbar, and a 6’ client shouldn’t feel cramped on the carriage. The reformer’s job is to be a neutral tool that meets the client where they are, not a barrier that forces them into uncomfortable positions.
I also want to address a common myth: that the reformer is only for “advanced” Pilates clients, or that pelvic floor work is only for postpartum people. That’s not true. I work with studios that teach reformer classes for beginners as young as 16, and for clients in their 70s, all focusing on pelvic floor health. A teen athlete might use the reformer to fix pelvic pain from running, a 50-year-old man might use it to improve bladder control, and a new mom might use it to recover after giving birth. The reformer adapts to all of these needs, because its movements are scalable. You don’t have to do a complicated exercise to work your pelvic floor—sometimes, just holding the carriage in a slightly bent position for 10 seconds while breathing properly is enough to activate the muscle.
So, what does this mean for you, whether you’re a studio owner looking to expand your class offerings or an instructor looking to help your clients? The reformer’s ability to work with the pelvic floor comes down to three things: stability, coordination, and scalability. It provides a stable base that takes pressure off the lower back while the core and pelvic floor work together. It trains the coordination between breathing, core activation, and pelvic floor contraction, which is the foundation of good pelvic floor health. And it lets you adjust movements to meet each client’s unique needs, whether they’re just starting out or looking to advance their practice.
If you’re a studio owner reading this, you know that adding reformer classes can be a big investment. But it’s one that pays off when you see clients coming back, not just for a workout, but for relief from pelvic pain, better control, and more confidence in their bodies. If you’re an instructor, remember that the reformer isn’t just a machine—it’s a tool that lets you address a part of the body that’s often ignored in group fitness classes. If you’re a client, next time you step on the reformer, pay attention to that little muscle at the base of your spine—you might be surprised by how much work it’s doing, and how much the reformer can help it.
At the end of the day, the pelvic floor is a part of every body, and taking care of it should be accessible. That’s why I supply high-quality, versatile Studio Pilates reformers to studios that prioritize functional, inclusive wellness for everyone. If you’re interested in learning how a reformer can transform your studio’s pelvic floor-focused class offerings, or if you have questions about what features to look for in a reformer, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help you build a practice that works for your clients, from their feet on the footbar to their pelvic floor at rest.
Foldable Pilates Reformer References:
- Bo, K., et al. (2015). Pelvic floor muscle training for urinary incontinence in women. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
- Lee, D. G. (2019). Pilates Reformer Training for Core and Pelvic Floor Stability. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies.
- Richardson, C., Jull, G., Hodges, P., & Hides, J. (2004). Therapeutic Exercise for Spinal Segmental Stabilization in Low Back Pain. Churchill Livingstone.
- Frawley, H. C., et al. (2018). The relationship between core stability and pelvic floor function: a systematic review. Physical Therapy in Sport.
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