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From celebs to athletes, everyone raves about reformer Pilates.

Reformer Pilates is everywhere. If it's not our fave celebs doing it (Adele, Hailey Bieber and Margot Robbie are all avid fans), it's all over Instagram, so if you're new to reformer Pilates, you're probably wondering what all the fuss is about.

What's more, a UK survey by HFE found 70% of people would now choose Pilates over yoga; most citing its potential with weight loss and muscle toning, as well as strength and flexibility training. These are all valid benefits of reformer Pilates, but there's more. Reformer Pilates can also be effective for weight loss, if that's your goal, and the use of the board can test your balance and coordination. Read on for our full list of reformer Pilates benefits, as well as the difference between reformer Pilates and regular Pilates, and the best reformer Pilates classes in London.

The Reformer — the name given to the entire platform and frame — is probably the most famous piece of Pilates equipment. And, if you aren’t familiar, it looks kind of scary.

In reformer Pilates, a frame, called the ‘carriage’, moves around on wheels and is attached to one end by a set of springs, which provides resistance as the platform is moved. There’s also a footbar and long straps, which can be used by the legs and arms, and shoulder blocks for stopping the practitioner falling off when working out.

A reformer Pilates machine can be used in a huge range of ways to benefit strength, flexibility and balance; the majority involving pushing or pulling the platform against the spring resistance and controlling the movement back, or holding it in place, though this can be done standing, sitting, upside down and using all the different elements of the Reformer.

The versatility of the equipment means it can continue to challenge even the most experienced Pilates practitioners; often by holding more of the body off the platform or with the springs on a lighter setting, requiring more strength and engagement.

Relative to mat Pilates, 'Quite simply, you can do more on the Reformer', says Justin Rogers, Head of Brand at Ten Health & Fitness. 'With the combination of adjustable spring resistance and a sliding platform, the Reformer can create resistance or instability (or both) to make exercises easier or harder in a way that the mat can’t.'

Have you SEEN Elle Macpherson (just one of many who loves herself a reformer Pilates fix)? Though the results speak for themselves, the benefits of Pilates aren’t just celebrity fluff.

'It's brilliant for everyone as it's an inclusive workout method', says James Shaw, Pilates instructor at Frame. 'Whether you’re a pro athlete, office worker or new to working out, reformer pilates will help develop your whole body'.

Like mat Pilates, Reformer Pilates benefits include the following:

Despite the internet leading you to believe that Pilates creates long, lean muscles it does not - y0u can not lengthen your muscles. Think what you'd look like if you did and your muscles were longer than your bones. What it does do, is strengthen your muscles through 'eccentric muscle contractions’, which is the name given to the motion of an active muscle lengthening as it resists a force or load. Eccentric training, which Reformer Pilates comes under, involves doing this repeatedly.

Though, unlike yoga, reformer Pilates wasn’t invented as a spiritual activity, it’s undoubtedly mindful. The proven mental benefits include improving memory; training the brain; the good old endorphin kick; and relieving anxiety and depression.

With breathwork being the latest buzzword in wellbeing, it's noteworthy that it’s one of the six fundamental Pilates principles, with Pilates himself saying: ‘Above all, learn to breathe properly’. This is also a technique applied in reformer Pilates.

'The main thing beginners do wrong in reformer Pilates is to hold their breath!', says Shaw. 'We encourage breathing with the movement to help engage deeper abdominal muscles, lower blood pressure and help bring focus from the mind to the body.'

Reformer Pilates is accessible to any age and fitness level, but it’s worth going to classes or getting a private teacher to ensure you understand the foundations of Pilates and how to isolate and activate your core muscles correctly. We'd also highly recommend attending a reformer Pilates class if you're pregnant, as opposed to trying a machine on your own.

The teachers will explain exactly how to use the board, but your form and posture is key. 'Correct form and alignment are a fundamental part of Pilates, and it’s easy to feel that you’re in the right position when you’re not', says Justin Rogers, Head of Brand at Ten Health & Fitness. 'Often just a small change in your form will make a big difference to how effectively you’re working, and which muscles you’re engaging. A good instructor will adjust your position manually to make sure you're performing each exercise as safely and effectively as possible.'

Keen champions of the benefits of Reformer, Ten have taken on the Pilates technique and added their own refinements — including elements from other disciplines, like circuits, weights and spin — for maximum body-sculpting effect.

Location: Chiswick, Notting Hill, Little Venice, Mayfair, St James’s, Fitzrovia, Tottenham Court Road, Hatton Garden, City

Splitting their Reformer offering into Basic, Arms & Abs, Ass & Abs, Power and Advanced, Frame allows you to pick the class that suits your experience and fitness levels.

Location: Shoreditch, Kings Cross, Victoria, Hammersmith, Farringdon, Fitzrovia

Split into just Beginner and Intermediate, with the occasional cardio focus, Pilates HQ’s classes — set in a simple bright, light-filled studio – are a comprehensive starting point for your Reformer journey.

As the name suggests, Tempo sets your Reformer sesh to an eclectic mix of ‘awesome’ music that sets the pace for your body-conditioning sequence; which are offered in five different experience levels from Beginner to TP X-Press Level 3, which incorporates HIIT, and the ‘tough love’ Up-Tempo Pilates L3.

Location: Shoreditch, Hackney, Covent Garden

The crème de la crème de la Reformer, Core Kensington’s minimal studio only has space for six practitioners per class, meaning you’ll get your money’s worth of the teacher attention.

As an intro to Joseph Pilates’ technique, there’s nowhere better than Exhale. With state of the art apparatus, highly experienced teachers and max six people per class, you’re getting the most effective version of Reformer.

As the name suggests, Beckenham's Power Pilates prides itself on fast-paced energetic reformer Pilates classes that promise a veritable burn. The teachers are unmatched in both skill and motivation (we're big fans of Natalie Scrutton), with an attention to every participant's form that makes you feel as though you're the only one in the class (and you'll never be unsure of what to do - particularly noteworthy for any beginners).