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What is pilates and why should you be doing it?
There was a time when reformer pilates exclusively applied to physical therapy and professional athletes like ballerinas. But the level of access for everyday people has changed. Thanks partly to a growing interest in intentional movement, pilates is experiencing a major revival.
“I found it through a friend. I had just recently had an injury in my shoulder, and I was talking about how nothing really felt good,” says Ashley Ansuini, owner of The Good Place, a local reformer pilates studio. “And she said, ‘Oh, you should try pilates on a reformer.’ I just had no clue what it really was. I took my first class, and I was like, oh my gosh, this is incredible.”
Pilates is named after its creator, Joseph Pilates, a German physical trainer who immigrated to the United States in the 1920s and eventually patented a suite of exercise equipment, including the reformer, a flat platform that moves back and forth on wheels using springs for resistance.
“I think some people have a picture in their head of a type of person that does pilates, and it’s not them,” Ansuini says. “When somebody tries reformer pilates, especially, they’ll realize that it really can be for anybody.”
Ansuini opened The Good Place in 2022 and what began as a modest studio quickly gained momentum, so much so that it expanded to a larger space in Henderson and a second location at UnCommons.
instagram.com/thegoodplacelv. The studio has facilitated rooftop mat pilates classes at UnCommons that have drawn crowds of up to 200 people, she says. Those will continue through October on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. Additionally, The Good Place is working with Resorts World to plan more rooftop classes this fall. Details will be available at
You don’t need to commit to a full studio membership to get started. Even basic mat pilates, done at home with little to no equipment, can offer noticeable improvements in strength, flexibility and control.
3 low-impact pilates exercises to try at home:
Whether you’re easing into movement or looking to enhance your core strength, these mat-based exercises are perfect for all levels.
1. Roll Up
Start lying flat on your back with arms extended overhead and toes reaching away, like a morning stretch. Inhale deeply, then exhale as you tuck your chin to your chest, leading with your arms to “roll” up to a seated position. Inhale again and slowly roll back down one vertebra at a time. You can bend your knees for added support if needed.
2. Toe Taps
Lie on your back with arms by your sides and hips on the ground. Bring your legs into “tabletop” position, knees bent at 90 degrees, directly over hips. Slowly tap one toe toward the floor, maintaining the bend, then return and switch legs. You can lift your head, neck and shoulders into a crunch for added core engagement.
3. Bird Dog
Begin on all fours, hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Extend one arm straight out in front of you, then switch. Next, try extending one leg at a time. Once that feels stable, try extending opposite arm and leg at the same time. Add small pulses, or windmill the arm and leg outward for extra shoulder and glute activation.
How to level up your pilates practice
Curious about how to get more from your mat routine, or wondering why reformer pilates feels so different?
“Of course there’s a strength component, whether it’s your own body weight or, in the case of a reformer, spring-loaded resistance,” Ansuini says. “You get resistance and feedback. Depending on the machine, there are about five heavy springs you can attach or remove to create more or less feedback.”
Recommended equipment for home:
• Fabric or rubber resistance bands (great for bridges and squats)
• 9-inch soft ball (for core, balance, and alignment work)
• Grip socks (for safety and support)
• Don’t forget: your breath is part of the workout. The slower and more controlled you are, the more effective each exercise becomes.
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