Reformer Vs Mat: Yasmin Karachiwala Demonstrates How Pilates Can Be For Everyone

Celebrity fitness trainer Yasmin Karachiwala has once again underscored the adaptability and inclusivity of Pilates with her latest Instagram post. She has offered fitness enthusiasts an important reminder that effective workouts do not always require high-end equipment. In an Instagram video, Karachiwala is seen performing a Pilates exercise on a reformer machine, while her aide executes the same movement simultaneously on a yoga mat. The visual contrast conveys a simple yet impactful message: the goal remains the same regardless of the setup — building a stronger, more controlled body.

“Same exercise. Two ways. One goal — stronger body,” Karachiwala mentions in the caption, adding that whether one practises Pilates on a reformer or on a mat, the core fundamentals remain the same. “It's all about control, alignment, and consistency,” she notes.

Reformer machine Pilates and mat Pilates both emphasise controlled movement, flexibility, and core strength, but they take different approaches. Mat Pilates is more affordable and accessible, as it is done on the floor using body weight and minimal support. It focuses on posture, balance, and foundational strength.

Reformer Pilates uses a specialised apparatus with pulleys and springs that provide support and resistance, enabling greater intensity and a wider range of exercises. It allows for deeper muscle engagement and can be customised for advanced training or rehabilitation, while mat Pilates builds a solid foundation.

By demonstrating both versions side by side, Karachiwala aims to dispel the belief that reformer Pilates is the only effective option. She also urges her followers to continue their fitness routines even without access to equipment. “If you don't have access to a reformer, try mat Pilates,” she notes, reinforcing that consistency matters more than equipment.

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Over the years, Karachiwala has coached several Bollywood actors, including Katrina Kaif, Deepika Padukone, and Alia Bhatt, as well as sportspersons. She often uses her platform to advocate conscious and sustainable fitness practices. Her recent post also highlighted that Pilates exercises are suitable for women of all ages.

"Real women do Pilates at any age," she wrote in the post's caption. In the video, Karachiwala conducted 16 exercises with women of all ages (20s to 80s) to improve physical strength, balance, focus, precision, flow, and overall body awareness.

The different Pilates exercises include footwork, side-lying leg exercise, footwork on the footbar, leg press series, lunge exercise, extension exercise, mid-back series, bridging exercise, tabletop exercise, and seated stretching.

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