What happens in your first Reformer Pilates class?

Your instructor will show you how the Reformer works before the class begins — how the carriage moves, where your feet go, how the springs create resistance, and how to set the machine up for your body. The class itself runs for 50 minutes and covers the foundational movement vocabulary of the Reformer: footwork, leg press, abdominal work, hip mobility, spinal articulation, and arm work with the straps. Every exercise is cued individually throughout.

What should I do before my first Reformer Pilates class?

Wear fitted, comfortable clothing and bring grip socks, or plan to pick up a pair at the studio. If your hair is long, tie it back. Aim to arrive five to ten minutes before your class to get settled, drop your things, and meet your instructor before you begin. Let your instructor know about any injuries or physical history they should be aware of before the class starts.

Is the first Reformer Pilates class hard?

Most new clients find it more demanding than they expected, but in a good way. The Reformer asks for more awareness and intention than most forms of exercise, and you will likely feel muscles you did not know needed attention. The pace in a Reformer Fundamentals class is measured and intentional — the goal is to begin understanding how the machine works and how your body responds to it, not to get everything right first time.

Your First Reformer Pilates Class: What to Expect

Q: What will I feel after my first Reformer Pilates class?

Most people feel the class in their deep abdominals and hip stabilisers in the day or two after their first session. These are muscles that most forms of exercise do not reach directly, and they let you know they have been working. The sensation tends to be much less pronounced by the third or fourth class, as those muscles develop and the movement becomes more familiar.

Reformer Fundamentals Pilates class in progress at Luma Pilates, Edinburgh New Town — A Reformer Fundamentals class at Luma, Edinburgh. Exactly what you'll walk into on your first visit

Short answer

Your instructor will show you how the machine works before the class begins. The session covers the foundational movement vocabulary of the Reformer: footwork, spinal articulation, hip mobility, abdominal work, and arm work with the straps. Everything is cued individually throughout. Most first-timers want to come back before they have even reached the door.

Before you arrive

Wear fitted, comfortable clothing and bring grip socks, or plan to pick up a pair at the studio. We stock crew grip socks at £12 and ballet grip socks at £10. If your hair is long, tie it back.

Aim to arrive five to ten minutes before your class. This gives you time to get settled, drop your things, and meet your instructor before you begin. Read our full guide on what to wear to Reformer Pilates for more detail.

Arriving at Luma

Luma is at 15 Northumberland Street North East Lane in Edinburgh's New Town. It’s a quiet lane just off Northumberland Street, and the studio entrance is clearly marked once you get to the bottom of the lane. If it’s your first visit and you’re not sure where to find us, get in touch and we’ll help.

When you arrive you'll be shown where to leave your things. There's space for coats and shoes, and a water dispenser if you need to top up before class. It's worth arriving a few minutes early. The reception area is a good place to meet other clients, and the community at Luma is one of the things people mention most when they talk about why they keep coming back.

A few steps along the corridor and you're in Studio A, the Reformer room.

Please turn your phone off or set it to silent before you go in, including vibration. It makes a real difference to the quality of the session for everyone in the room.

Meeting your instructor

Your instructor will introduce themselves and ask about any injuries, physical history, or conditions they should be aware of. Please be honest about this. The more your instructor knows about your body, the better they can support your practice from the very first session.

If you are in a Reformer Fundamentals class, which is where we recommend all new clients begin, your instructor will take time at the start to show you how the Reformer works before the class begins.

Max Howarth and Lucia Poulter teaching a Reformer Pilates class at Luma Pilates, Edinburgh New Town — Max and Lucia cueing clients through Reformer work at Luma Pilates, Edinburgh. Every class is small enough for real-time instruction

Setting up the Reformer

The Reformer is adjustable and your instructor will set it up for your body before you start. The headrest, the spring resistance and the footbar height are all configured for you. You do not need to know how to do this yourself at the beginning. Learning how to set up your own Reformer is part of what the early classes teach.

The class itself

A Reformer Fundamentals class at Luma runs for 50 minutes. The pace is measured and intentional. You will move through a sequence of exercises that cover the foundational movement vocabulary of the Reformer: footwork, leg press, abdominal work, hip mobility, spinal articulation, and arm work with the straps.

Every exercise has a specific purpose and a specific alignment. Your instructor will cue you through each one, explaining what the exercise is designed to do and what you should be feeling. If something doesn’t feel right, please say so. Your instructor will adjust the exercise or the setup until it works for your body.

And don’t worry about keeping up or getting everything right. In a first class, the goal is simply to begin to understand how the machine works and how your body responds to it. Most clients find they are surprised by how much they felt, and by which muscles were working hardest.

What you’ll feel afterwards

Most people feel the class in their deep abdominals and their hip stabilisers in the day or two after their first session. These are muscles that most forms of exercise do not reach directly, and they let you know they have been working.

This isn’t a reason to worry. It is a sign that the Reformer found what it was looking for. The sensation tends to be much less pronounced by the third or fourth class, as those muscles develop and the movement becomes more familiar.

Lucia Poulter, Luma's lead instructor with 26 years of experience and Comprehensive BASI certification, puts it simply: "Most people arrive slightly anxious and leave slightly addicted . The Reformer has that effect – it asks something of you and gives something back in return."

What comes next

After your first class, your instructor will talk you through the progression path and help you understand which class to book next. For most new clients, that means continuing with Reformer Fundamentals for a few sessions before moving into Reformer Fundamentals Progressing and eventually into the levelled classes.

Lucia Poulter, lead instructor at Luma Pilates Edinburgh, instructing on the Reformer — Lucia Poulter, lead instructor at Luma, with 26 years of teaching experience. She'll be guiding you through your first class

Our introductory offer of 3 Reformer or Tower classes for £48 is designed around exactly this early phase. Three sessions is enough to move past the unfamiliar and start understanding what the practice is genuinely about.

View our class schedule, browse all classes, or get in touch if you have any questions before you book. We are always happy to help you find the right starting point.

Written by Lucia Poulter

Lucia Poulter is lead instructor and co-founder at Luma Pilates. She holds Comprehensive BASI certification and has been teaching Pilates for 26 years, working with clients at every level from complete beginners to experienced practitioners. Her approach to first classes is the same as her approach to everything: clear, unhurried, and built around what your body actually needs. She has introduced hundreds of new people to the Reformer. In her experience, the ones who arrive most uncertain tend to leave most surprised.

What Happens in Your First Reformer Pilates Class?