Guide · Pilates in Luxembourg
Mat vs Reformer Pilates:
which one to choose?
Not sure whether to book a mat Pilates class or a Reformer class? Here are the real differences, without jargon, to help you choose the practice that suits you.
What is Reformer Pilates?
The Reformer is the best-known piece of Pilates equipment. It has a frame, a carriage that slides on rails, springs of different tensions, a footbar and straps for the hands or feet.
By changing the springs, the teacher makes an exercise harder or more assisted. The moving carriage creates instability that you have to control. As the story is often told, Joseph Pilates designed his first spring-based apparatus to help bedridden people move.
Today the Reformer is common in fitness studios, often in group classes with one machine per person.
What is mat Pilates?
Mat Pilates is done on the floor, on a mat, with no machine. It is the foundation of the method: the exercises Joseph Pilates described in his book Return to Life Through Contrology (1945) are mat exercises.
Nothing guides or supports you: your body creates the stability. Your "centre" — deep abdominals, pelvic floor, back muscles — works all the time. Small props such as a ring, a ball or a band add variety and challenge.
Well taught, mat Pilates suits beginners and athletes alike, and what you learn on the mat you can do anywhere.
Mat vs Reformer Pilates: side by side
The two practices complement each other. Here is what actually sets them apart.
| Mat Pilates | Reformer Pilates | |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment | A mat and a few small props | One spring machine per person |
| Resistance | Body weight, gravity, props | Adjustable springs |
| Stability | You create it: deep muscles work hard | The machine guides the movement |
| Beginners | Yes, with an attentive teacher | Yes, the guidance is reassuring |
| Practice at home | Yes, with no equipment | Hard: costly, bulky machine |
| Usual format | From private classes to small groups | Often group classes |
| Price | Usually more affordable | Often higher (cost of machines) |
At Pilates with Anne: mat Pilates only, in private or duo classes — two people at most.
The benefits of mat Pilates
A truly strong core
With no machine to support you, the deep abdominals and back muscles work in every movement.
Strength for everyday life
Lifting, bending, sitting for hours: mat work carries straight over to everyday movements.
Better posture
Alignment and breathing help ease the back, neck and shoulders, often strained by desk work.
Practise anywhere
At home, travelling, at the office: all you need is a mat. You keep the benefits between classes.
Progressive
Every exercise has gentler and harder versions, adapted to your level, any pain and your goals.
The teacher's eye
In a small setting, every movement is watched and corrected in real time. That is where results come from.
When the Reformer can be a good choice
To be fair, the Reformer is an excellent tool. The guidance of the machine can help in rehabilitation, after some injuries, or if you enjoy working with adjustable resistance.
If that is what you are looking for, a studio with Reformers will suit you better. And if you already do Reformer, mat Pilates is a great complement: many Reformer exercises come straight from the mat repertoire.
Which one for your goal?
You're a beginner
Private mat Pilates is ideal: we build the basics (breathing, centre, alignment) at your pace.
Mat Pilates is idealYou have back pain
Slow, controlled mat work strengthens the back gently. In a small setting, every exercise is adapted to you.
Mat Pilates is idealYou want to practise at home too
Only mat Pilates is easy to repeat at home, with no equipment.
Mat Pilates is idealYou already do Reformer
Mat work is a demanding complement: without a machine, you'll find stabilising muscles you didn't know you had.
Both workYou want a class for your team
Mat Pilates fits in any room at your company: no machines to bring in.
Mat Pilates is idealYou want to get back in shape
Both work. What matters is regular practice and a teacher who corrects your movements.
Both work“No gadgets, just a mat, your body and full attention. What you learn on the mat is yours: you can do it anywhere.”
— Anne Krust
4 classic mat Pilates exercises
These movements belong to the original repertoire. They look simple… until you do them properly.
The Hundred
Lying on your back, legs raised, you pump your arms in rhythm with your breath. It warms up the whole body and wakes up the core.
Roll Up
You roll up one vertebra at a time, from lying to sitting. It takes abdominal strength and a mobile spine.
Single Leg Stretch
One knee drawn to the chest, the other leg long, you switch while keeping the upper body still. It trains coordination and the abs.
Swan
Lying on your front, you lift your chest while lengthening the spine. It strengthens the back and opens the chest.
Learn these exercises with a teacher before practising alone, especially if you have any pain.
What a class with Anne looks like
Discovery session
55 minutes, €50, no commitment. We get to know each other and talk about your goals, your body and any pain.
A programme for you
Each session is built around your level. Nothing is generic: we adapt and progress.
Two people at most
Private or duo, every movement is watched and corrected. That is what makes mat Pilates so effective.
At the studio or at work
At the studio, 4 rue de Rollingergrund near Place de l'Étoile, or at your company in Luxembourg.
Frequently asked questions
No. Pilates with Anne offers mat Pilates only, in private or duo classes, at the studio near Place de l'Étoile or at your company. If you have done Reformer before, you will find the same principles and many familiar movements.
It is often more demanding than people expect. On the Reformer, springs can assist the movement; on the mat, you work against your own body weight and create the stability yourself. But every exercise has beginner-friendly versions.
Pilates is not an intense cardio workout: its main aim is deep strength, posture and mobility. It tones and lengthens the body, and combined with endurance exercise and a balanced diet, it helps you feel better in your body.
Yes, it is one of the most common reasons to start. Slow, controlled work strengthens the muscles that support the spine. If the pain is severe or you have a medical condition, ask your doctor first, and tell me at the discovery session so I can adapt the exercises.
One well-guided session a week already shows results within a few weeks: better posture, a stronger core, less tension. Two sessions speed up progress. Regularity matters more than intensity.
At the studio everything is provided: mats, rings, balls, bands. Just bring comfortable clothes and socks. At home, a simple mat is enough to repeat what you learned in class.
The discovery session is €50 (55 minutes, no commitment). After that: €89 per private session, €189 a month for a weekly private class, or €139 a month per person for duo classes.
Try mat Pilates
First session €50.
No commitment.
Discover the method at the studio near Place de l'Étoile or at your company.
Book a trial class →