Reformer Group Session Plan Case Study

Class name / level: Strength

Date: 2026-07-04

Class duration: 50 minutes

Number of participants: 6

Target level: Beginner

Class goals: Full body strength and mobility

Equipment setup: 6 reformers in 2 rows of 3.
Reformer set up correctly - footbar up, straps are even length, carriage set up to clients correct height.

Special considerations: Instructor to ask if any one has any injuries or conditions such as osteoporosis, high blood pressure so modifications can be made if necessary

Class management notes for warm-up: I will demonstrate some exercises on the reformer and verbally explain each exercise providing verbal cues. I will also be walking around the class to provide tactile cues to ensure correct positioning.

Class flow & transition notes: I will explain clearly and demonstrate exercises. For example lying down on carriage, head between shoulders rests, shoulders down and relaxed away from the shoulder rests, spine is in neutral and hands are resting beside the body.

I will group exercises by body position, limit spring changes and keep equipment that is required nearby.

Individual attention strategy: I will correct spinal alignment and encourage client to tilt and tuck pelvis so their back is flat on the carriage.
I will explain that you shouldn’t be able to put your hand between your lower back and carriage.

I will ensure feet are parallel on the footbar, to ensure this I will walk around the room and correct positioning if necessary.

Management notes: The transitions between exercises were smooth. Safety was maintained throughout the class by providing clear instructions, monitoring technique, and ensuring clients springs. The energy in the room was positive and clients were engaged and responsive throughout the session. Overall, the class was successful.

Reflection: Overall, the class was well structured and provided a balanced full-body workout. The exercise sequence progressed logically from the warm-up through standing and upper-body work to the cool-down. My cueing was clear, and I maintained a confident throughout the session. I provided verbal, visual and tactile cues. I achieved my goal of delivering a safe, effective, and engaging reformer pilates class while promoting strength, stability, and control.

Future class focus: In my next class, I will focus on improving the flow between exercises and making transitions more seamless. I will continue to develop my cueing. To progress the class, I could introduce more challenging variations such as single-leg bridging, adding arm movements during lunges, or increasing balance challenges during scooter and skater exercises.