Are you familiar with Pilates? Although exercise fads come and go, Pilates has remained one of the most popular forms of exercise for several decades. It offers a proven, powerful way to develop and strengthen your core muscles and other major muscle groups, giving you a slender, toned physique.

Initially offered in urban-area studios and taught by trained instructors, Pilates has entered the home, too. Anyone can enjoy the benefits of these exercise techniques through hundreds of available DVDs and specialized equipment such as the Stott Pilates At Home SPX Reformer.

What is Stott Pilates all about? It's based on the original system founded decades ago by Joseph Pilates, yet incorporates a modern approach to exercise, with a special emphasis on improving the curvature of the spine and rebalancing muscles around joints.

This contemporary approach permeates the design of the Stott at home reformer. The basic benefit of a commercial-grade reformer such as this one is that it helps you perform the exercise movements just as you would in a professional studio. You don't have to lie on the floor or stand. Using an authentic machine such as this product will enable you to replicate the exact Pilates motions as they are meant to be done, virtually guaranteeing faster results.

Benefits of the Stott Pilates At Home SPX Reformer

This package includes all the essentials you need to enjoy a thorough workout. It offers a reformer box with foot strap, a padded platform extender, and double loop straps.

You can do over 250 movements on this machine. And to make sure that you are doing the exercises properly, you'll also receive a wall poster that illustrates the Pilates techniques, and a how-to workout DVD.

Want more? This Stott SPX machine uses four full-tension reformer springs, and one 50%-tension reformer spring. The benefit? This style of tension will allow you to develop stronger, toned muscles while building core strength, too. It's far more effective than simply lying on the floor and working through the movements without a resistance system.

Another key advantage is this reformer is designed to accommodate a wide variety of users, from short to tall. This is due to the four footbar positions and the six carriage stopping points. You won't have to worry that this machine is too small to meet your needs.

In spite of this versatility, this Stott Pilates SPX Reformer is still perfectly suited for home use. It stands about nine inches from the floor, allowing you to slide it underneath a bed when not in use. The attached wheels facilitate smooth mobility.

Disadvantages of the Stott Pilates Reformer

Although this machine has earned rave reviews from consumers, some users have mentioned a few negatives. It might be a little noisier than competing models, and operation could be smoother. Also, consumers have complained that the cushions are too thin for comfort when performing exercises that require you to sit on your knees.

Overall, however, this Pilates reformer is a solid product that should exceed your expectations. Over the long-term, it will save you a lot of money over what you'd pay at a professional studio, and it will give you much better results than you'll achieve from using only exercise DVDs. It's well worth a look.