How To Buy Pilates Equipment

Buying Pilates equipment is easy as there are no body-type restrictions on who may benefit from its use. The Pilates workout is designed for all ages, weights, heights and level of endurance.  Each piece of equipment offers beginner through advanced levels, with plenty of training videos to get you started.

The official Pilates website is the best place to learn about each component of the equipment. Your valid concerns may be for product assembly, muscles targeted on each machine, or simplicity of movement. The Pilates site will instruct you with videos that carefully explore all aspects of their merchandise.

An additional product-learning tool is YouTube, where you will find workouts on almost all of the equipment. Many are shot in a gym and feature a certified Pilates instructor, and can be very helpful when choosing the best equipment match for you. Watch various workouts from beginner to advanced and see which type of motion appeals to you most. When you're ready, visit Pilates.com for the best pricing and customer guarantees.

The Reformer series is the most popular model collection and all of these come with a 10-year warranty. There are seven styles choose from, and they include three units with metal frames (the Allegro, Allegro Sport and IQ models), and five lighter weight wooden units (The Studio, Clinical, Ron Fletcher and Legacy models). The basic exercises are the same, but some people may prefer a mobile unit with wheels for occasional movement. The Allegro, Allegro Sport and IQ models can be compacted and rolled for storage under a bed, although the Allegro model is quite heavy and may take two people to move.

For the ultimate Pilates challenge, try the Trapeze Table, also called the Cadillac, for a variety of workouts from a position of multiple planes. From a beginner's level with sit-ups to advanced acrobatics, the Trapeze has something for everyone, at any level. For those who prefer the design of the Reformer, Pilates offers a combination unit called the Reformer Tower that enables similar multiple planes as the Trapeze, but retains the basic shape and design of the Allegro.

Additional workout equipment, accessories, training DVDs, props, apparel, mats and more are available from Amazon.com, and you may also purchase gift certificates online. In addition, you may find a quality used Pilates machine from Ebay.com; many of these are also still under warranty. There's no such thing as a bad Pilates machine, so your shopping decision is between design, color, price and mobility. As the leader in fitness equipment, Pilates stands behind all of their units and offers one of the best values for home or office gyms.