Am I Too Old for Reformer Pilates?

Absolutely not! Age is just a number, and we have the perfect class for you! Whether you've been active all your life or have previous Pilates experience without injuries, you may be able to join any of our classes, including Classic and Strength. However, if you're dealing with an injury or osteoporosis, we recommend starting with a private session before possibly joining our Rebuild classes. Our Rebuild class is slower-paced and tailored for those dealing with persistent pain, recovering from injury, or simply needing extra support. You’ll find many members of a similar age group in this class, and we focus on functional goals to help you continue doing the things you love. At HKore, we foster a community where no one is left behind and this class is perfect if you're worried about joining.

Exercise Guidelines for Older Adults (1)

To stay fit and healthy, the general weekly recommendation is:

·       75 – 150 minutes of Intense cardio or 150-300 minutes of moderate cardio weekly

·       2-3 strength training sessions

·       Plus Flexibility, balance and coordination training.

Reformer Pilates is an excellent way to work on all these aspects. It’s an incredibly versatile piece of equipment that can help you achieve your goals while working at your own pace. Try not to be overwhelmed by these guidelines. The important thing is to just get started. Even one class a week will make a difference.

What are the benefits?

The American College of Sports Medicine guidelines state: "There is overwhelming evidence supporting the benefits of physical activity in:

• Slowing typical age-related changes that impair exercise capacity

• Optimizing age-related changes in body composition

• Promoting psychological and cognitive well-being

• Managing chronic diseases

• Reducing the risk of physical disability

• Increasing longevity

Exercise is also shown to increase cognitive function. (2) Research shows that staying active can keep your mind sharp, improving memory and overall cognitive performance, which is especially important as we age.

Older adults develop strength at a rate similar to that of younger adults. (3) So don’t let age hold you back! While you might think strength training is only for the young, studies have shown that older adults can gain strength at nearly the same rate as younger individuals. Reformer Pilates is a great way to tap into that potential.

Muscle loss and decreased fitness are not inevitable with aging; they are a consequence of a sedentary lifestyle. (4) The belief that we lose muscle and fitness as we age, like we have no choice in the matter, is a myth and is mostly instead tied to physical inactivity. Staying active, especially with strength training, can help maintain and even build muscle mass. Pilates is an excellent way to counteract the effects of a sedentary lifestyle and stay strong into your later years.

Can I Still Do Reformer Pilates If I Have Arthritis?

Yes, and this applies to all types of arthritis! But let's take Osteoarthritis as an example. In osteoarthritis, there is a combination of cartilage degeneration, inflammation, and bony growth. (6) We want to nourish it as best as possible to help protect and prevent this cartilage from worsening. Because cartilage doesn't have its own blood supply, it relies on the synovial fluid in our joints to supply it with nutrients. For this to happen, we need to load the joint through its full range of movement so that the synovial fluid and nutrients are squeezed into the cartilage cells.

An extended warm-up is also recommended for those with Arthritis and from my experience, can result in less joint pain for the rest of the session.

Our experienced instructors will guide you to work within a safe yet challenging range for your joints. For example, footwork on the reformer is a fantastic way to strengthen your hips and knees without jumping straight into more challenging movements like squats. We’ll progress at your pace, ensuring you’re comfortable and confident in each step. There's so much to say about arthritis and so many myths to bust that I will save it for another blog. But the take-home message is that exercise is essential, and not exercising is a risk factor for osteoarthritis. (5)

Will I Hold the Class Back?

Not at all! If we feel you’d benefit from a few private sessions before joining a group, we’ll let you know. The beauty of the reformer springs is that everyone can do the same exercise at different spring tensions, meaning we can personalize each movement to suit you. Plus, our supportive community will always cheer you on—we all have our challenges and we work together!

Who Typically Joins Your Rebuild Classes?

Our Rebuild classes are open to anyone, whether recovering from an injury, managing chronic pain, going through pre/postnatal changes, or you’re in your 70s and beyond. Everyone is welcome in this slower paced class.

Can I Still Do Reformer Pilates If I Have a Hip/Shoulder/Knee Replacement?

Absolutely! The timing of your joint replacement will help us determine whether we recommend private sessions initially. Many of our members with joint replacements have regained strength, flexibility, and confidence through our Rebuild classes. Reformer Pilates is great for building full-body resilience and can even help prevent future surgeries. It also serves as a perfect prehab program if you have surgery scheduled.

Case Study: Meet Cara – An Example of Resilience

Cara is in her 70s and, after trying everything for her knee pain, decided on a double knee replacement in January 2025. Leading up to her surgery, she attended 2-3 classes per week, including Rebuild, Classic, and Strength. By the time of her surgery, she felt stronger than ever and had a speedy recovery. Once she was able to drive again, she returned to our Rebuild classes and is now working toward enjoying long walks with her dog. Cara is truly an inspiration to us all!

Case Study: Meet Janet – A Dedication to Consistency

Let’s also talk about the wonderful Janet! Janet has known me since I was born, and she has always shown me incredible support throughout the years, so it’s truly a privilege to be able to return the favour. Janet, now in her 70s, had already undergone a hip replacement when she first started Reformer Pilates with us. Despite the challenges of reduced movement in her replaced hip, Janet’s dedication has been unwavering.For the past three years, Janet has consistently attended classes once a week. When she first started, doing a plank was out of the question, but now, Janet can plank and squat with the best of them. Her progress is remarkable, and she often shares how much stronger she feels in everyday activities. While we generally recommend at least 2 weekly sessions to see the best results, Janet is a shining example of how consistency can lead to significant progress. Janet's story proves that Pilates can significantly improve mobility and strength even with one hip replacement, showing just how adaptable the practice is for anyone, regardless of age or past injuries.

Can I Do Pilates If I Have Osteoporosis?

Yes, Pilates is a great way to manage osteoporosis. We do avoid certain movements, but we still focus on building strength, improving balance, and increasing bone density to reduce fall risk. Guidelines for osteoporosis include incorporating high-impact and heavy resistance training (8) to boost bone density while avoiding loaded flexion and rotation. Many people think low-impact exercises are always best, but that’s untrue. (7) If high-impact movements don’t worsen your symptoms, we’ll work on incorporating them to help strengthen your bones.

If you are of menopause age or beyond and haven’t had one yet, then asking for a bone scan is a good idea, and if you have osteopenia, we can potentially help you reverse it!

The American College of Sports Medicine guidelines state: ‘Recent evidence indicates that exercise can delay the onset of osteoporosis and reduce fracture risk. Exercise also improves balance in both young and older populations, which can reduce falls and subsequent osteoporotic fracture risk (269,270). Thus, exercise can generally be regarded as the primary nonpharmacological treatment for the prevention of osteoporosis. More evidence is needed to determine optimal amounts for prevention, but some recent evidence suggests a minimum of 2 exercise sessions per week for increasing bone mass density in osteopenic women.’

To conclude:

All of our classes are open to everybody, young or old. It’s just about picking the right class for your current situation. As we age, staying active is more important than ever. It keeps us functionally fit for family activities and helps us continue enjoying life’s pleasures. Exercise helps prevent falls and can improve bone density, ensuring you stay strong and healthy for years to come!

To find out if doing a private before your rebuild class is necessary, call us! 07411 948779

Rebuild classes: Prices start from £24 per class.

Mondays at 11.30 am

Tuesdays at 3.15 pm

Thursdays at 10.30 am.

Privates: 1 hour £85, 45 minutes—£65.

The first private session for those looking to join a rebuild class is discounted – just let us know you’ve read this blog and we can apply the discount code.

References

1) American College of Sports Medicine. Guidelines for exercise testing and prescription (11th ed.). Walters Kluwer. p. 177.

2) Falck, R. S., Davis, J. C., Best, J. R., Crockett, R. A., & Liu-Ambrose, T. (2019). Impact of exercise training on physical and cognitive function among older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurobiology of Aging, 79, 119–130. 3) Lopez, P., Pinto, R. S., Radaelli, R., Rech, A., Grazioli, R., Izquierdo, M., & Cadore, E. L. (2018). Benefits of resistance training in physically frail elderly: A systematic review. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, 30(8), 889–899.

4) Zampieri, S., Pietrangelo, L., Loefler, S., Fruhmann, H., Vogelauer, M., Burggraf, S., . . . Sedliak, M. (2015). Lifelong physical exercise delays age - associated skeletal muscle decline. Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biomedical Sciences and Medical Sciences, 70(2), 163 -173.

5) Musumeci, G., Aiello, F. C., Szychlinska, M. A., Di Rosa, M., Castrogiovanni, P., & Mobasheri, A. (2015). Osteoarthritis in the XXIst century: risk factors and behaviours that influence disease onset and progression. International journal of molecular sciences, 16(3), 6093-6112.

6) Altman, R. D., & Gold, G. (2007). Atlas of individual radiographic features in osteoarthritis, revised. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 15, A1-A56 (7) Koshy, F. S., George, K., Poudel, P., Chalasani, R., Goonathilake, M. R., Waqar, S., . . . Inyang, B. (2022). Exercise prescription and the minimum dose for bone remodeling needed to prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women: A systematic review. Cureus, 14(6).

(8)Simon, A., Schäfer, H., Schmidt, F., Stürznickel, J., Amling, M., & Rolvien, T. (2022). Compartment-specific effects of muscle strength on bone microarchitecture in women at high risk of osteoporosis. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle.