Citizen Pilates

Pilates Reformer Vs Megaformer: Which Is Better?

Have you ever taken a Pilates class? Have you ever used a Pilates Reformer? What about the Megaformer?  

If you live in the fitness world, you’ve probably heard of both of these machines. But do you know the difference between the Pilates Reformer and the Megaformer?

Well, stick around because this article is going to answer all your burning questions such as…

1. What IS the Megaformer?
2. What IS the Pilates Reformer?

1. What is the difference between the Pilates Reformer Machine and the Megaformer design?
2. What muscles does the Pilates Reformer work?
3. What muscles does the Megaformer work?
4. What are the benefits of the Pilates Reformer?
5. What are the benefits of the Megaformer?
6. Which is right for me: The Pilates Reformer Machine or the Megaformer?

What is the Megaformer?

When you look at the Megaformer, you may think, “Oh, that’s just a really intense Pilates Reformer.” But that’s where you’d be wrong. While the two machines look similar, they were created with very different goals in mind. 

The Megaformer was created by Sebastion Lagree with the goal of combining Pilates with cardio. The Megaformer uses traditional Lagree fitness practices which use core Pilates concepts but adds cardiovascular and muscle-building exercises. In short, the Megaformer is a machine that will push you beyond your limits in cardiovascular endurance, muscle endurance, and muscle strength. ⁽¹⁾

What is the Pilates Reformer?

While the Megaformer focuses on total body intensity, the Pilates Reformer only zones in on the traditional Pilates concepts of lengthening the muscles, increasing core strength, and finding balance. Where the Megaformer focuses more on high-intensity exercises to increase your heart rate, the Pilates Reformer Machine focuses on building and toning muscles. Essentially, the Pilates Reformer machine is just what it calls itself: a machine that gives you all the tools you need to get a high-end Pilates workout without going into a class.

Design 

Pilates Reformer

The Pilates Reformer is simply made and easy to use. With a sliding carriage attached to a table with springs, ropes, and pulleys, the Pilates Reformer uses body weight and resistance to engage and lengthen muscles as with regular Pilates exercises. When using the Pilates Reformer, you explore different positions, such as kneeling, standing or supine, while sliding the carriage and using the ropes and pulleys to engage different muscle groups.

The Megaformer

The Megaformer is often called the Pilates Reformer on Steroids. Similarly to the Pilates Reformer, The Megafromer still uses a sliding carriage with springs and ropes, but the Megaformer has many more intricate tools such as levers, straps, pulleys, springs, etc that allow for Lagree muscle exhaustion methods.  Overall, the Megaformer design is more complex than the Pilates Reformer.

What Muscles Are Being Worked?

The Pilates Reformer

The Pilates Reformer gives you all you want from a Pilates exercise in a machine. The Pilates Reformer focuses mainly on sculpting core, back, and pelvis although it does focus in on smaller muscle groups in the arms and legs to lengthen and tone muscles, increase flexibility, and find balance. Overall, the Pilates Reformer is going to give you a less intense cardiovascular workout but a more intense small muscle toning and stretching workout.

The Megaformer

As mentioned earlier, The Megaformer combines Pilates concepts with Lagree Fitness methods which allow for both core engagement and high-intensity workouts. The Megaformer workout works large muscle groups throughout the body including the upper body, lower body, and core while keeping the heart rate high for an extreme cardiovascular exercise. Overall, the Megaformer workout is going to give you a higher-intensity workout than the Pilates Reformer as it uses lagree fitness principles.

Overall, the Pilates Reformer is for toning and lengthening muscles whereas the Megaformer is for building muscle and increasing heart rate.

Intensity Levels

Pilates Reformer

The Pilates Reformer focuses on typical Pilates core concepts by giving you a top-notch Pilates excerise. While the Pilates Reformer can increase heart rate, the main benefits of the Pilates Reformer come from lower impact exercises that focus on engaging muscles, breath work, flexibility, balance, coordination, and core strength. While the Pilates Reformer may not get your heart rate to its max, it will give you sculpted muscles throughout your entire body.

The Megaformer

Although the Megaformer was born from traditional Pilates concepts, the Megaformer does incorporate many Lagree fitness principles to increase the intensity of the workout. The Megaformer is designed to increase your heart rate and build your muscles, meaning the Megaformer workout allows for a higher intensity experience than the Pilates Reformer by keeping the body in a constant state of increased heart rate.

Lagree Fitness Vs. Traditional Pilates

The Megaformer is a mixture of the Lagree Fitness Method and Pilates while the Pilates Reformer Machine is solely Pilates based. So what is the Lagree Fitness method? And what are the core concepts of traditional Pilates?

Lagree Fitness Method 

What is the Lagree Method? The Lagree Fitness method is a high-intensity, low-impact exercise method created by Sebastion Lagree. The goal of Lagree Fitness exercises is to work as many muscles of the body at a time to build your muscles, increase muscle endurance and increase your heart rate in a short amount of time. Essentially, Lagree fitness exercises are intense, quick sessions aimed to get you fit quickly. ⁽²⁾ 

Traditional Pilates 

Joseph Pilates created Pilates to be both a physical exercise as well as an exercise in mind, body, and spirit connection. In order to do this, he created 6 simple principles that allow you to infuse each movement together with each other and your mind and body. What are those 6 core principles?

1. Centering→ Focusing on the center of your body.
2. Concentration→ Giving your full attention to each exercise and movement.
3. Control→ Purposefully taking control of your body and mind.
4. Precision→Perfecting the technique of each movement.
5. Breathe →Breathing fully through your entire body.
6. Flow→Merging each movement, moment, and thought together.

The Pilates Reformer expands on these 6 principles by intentionally giving you typical Pilates moves, goals, and exercises to integrate your body, mind, and spirit. While the Megaformer is based off of these concepts, the Megaformer machine expands on these principles by adding new goals and concepts such as endurance, high intensity, and quick movement. ⁽³⁾

So, Which Is Better?

The short answer: neither. Each of these machines was created with very different goals in mind. Both are excellent workout machines that will give you a fabulous full-body workout if you put in the time and effort.

The one thing to keep in mind is what is YOUR goal?

Are you wanting…

• Low intensity?
• Toned & lengthened muscles?
• Mind, body, and breath work?
• A core-centered exercise?
• A full-body stretch?

If so, try out the Pilates Reformer Machine!

Are you wanting…

• High intensity?
• Increased heart rate?
• Muscle endurance and strength?
• A quick, intense workout?

If so, try out the Megaformer!

Or better yet, try both! See which one works for your goals: The Pilates Reformer or the Lagree Megaformer.

Are you ready to kick-start your fitness?

Or…

Are you looking to increase your fitness level?

If so, we’d love to help you.

Start Your Fitness Journey HERE!

Sources:

1 “About Lagree Fitness | The Evolution and Future of Lagree Fitness.” Lagree Fitness, https://www.lagreefitness.com/what-is-lagree-fitness#sec1. Accessed 7 June 2023.

2 “Lagree Fitness Megaformers | Meet the Megaformer.” Lagree Fitness, https://www.lagreefitness.com/megaformer. Accessed 6 June 2023.

3 Ogle, Marguerite. “6 Pilates Principles to Integrate Mind, Body, and Spirit.” Verywell Fit, 21 May 2021, https://www.verywellfit.com/six-pilates-principles-2704854. Accessed 7 June 2023.