Delivery day of our long-awaited custom Pilates Reformers and equipment definitely felt like I had reached the summit of Mt Everest.
When the North Melbourne community embraced our studio as soon as we put the sign up (July 2021) I couldn’t imagine that we would actually start with many of our clients working in masks as soon as lockdown 400 finished. In the early months of face to face session it was clear that North Melbourne loved the type of Pilates we were offering and also, likely, it was convenient…. and so I began the process of future-proofing our business and ordered new Pilates Reformers from the best artisans in the business, Pilates Designs New York.
This company wasn’t able to ship to Australia during 2020-21 so I was relieved that they would take my order. Fast forward to a 54 week wait time … and our beauties arrived a few days before my conference presentation in August. Dubbed by clients, the First Class Suites, these three Classical Reformer / Tower combo units are the answer to my prayers.
There are only a handful of legitimate Classical apparatus manufacturers in the world, as a studio that is deeply committed to continuing and enhancing the legacy of Joe Pilates and the first generation teachers, I had to go with one of them, even though it would be cheaper, easier and better for my health to go with a local producer. Though we were already a fully equipped studio, I am so proud of what The Movement Refinery Pilates offers North Melbourne in terms of access to real Reformers and not the mass-market equipment that allows you to get away with murder!
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- Unwrapping the perfectly packed equipment which had flown from New York
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- The large boxes which protected the new apparatus
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- Installed and ready for you
Upholstered in camel Noughahyde (the best of the best) with expert stitching, welding and manufacture, these three pieces have been customised (by me) to have a fifth, lighter spring. This will provide an entry to the more sticky exercises that many clients find elusive with the meaty Classical springs. Each apparatus also comes with a jump board and a selection of springs for our studio classes.
Once we got rid of the packing material, the smell of the unused leather straps and handles added the extra zing to the senses that only Classical Pilates apparatus can provide.
It takes 5 minutes to convert each apparatus from Reformer to Mat/Cadillac, so the studio staff will do this as needed within the teaching schedule.
We have another three Balanced Body Contrology Reformer / Tower units that have just gone into production, two are the ‘stretched’ version for our longer clients and will offer a different, more aggressive/authentic Classical experience to our clients who are looking for the ultimate in Pilates purism.