Welcome to You Got This, news.com.au’s weekly fitness series featuring stories and ideas from real women who’ve experienced it all.
Have you ever tried a pilates class but wish it got your heart rate up just that little bit more so you left with a glowing sheen of sweat and a red face?
Well, that is exactly what STRONG pilates aims to do with its unique take on the body toning workout.
Instead of solely using the reformer machine that has become extremely popular in recent years, there is a rowing machine attached to create the Rowformer.
This workout, which combines weights, the reformer and rowing machine, involves an almost circuit-like session.
Michael Ramsey, co-founder of STRONG pilates, told news.com.au it all came about when he snapped his ankle while jumping over shopping trolleys for a US commercial.
The Melbourne-based man was forced to do reconstruction and eventually rehabilitation, which is how he found reformer pilates.
“I fell in love with it but I always felt I had to go for a run or a HIIT workout afterwards because it didn’t have that intensity I wanted,” he told news.com.au.
A mate then showed him the Rowformer machine on Instagram, and he immediately jumped on a plane to the US to meet the creator and negotiate the rights to the machine in Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Canada.
That was how STRONG pilates was formed in November 2019, with 40 studios open and the aim to hit 100 by the end of the year – including some in London, Toronto and Singapore.
All the trainers go through a three week course to make sure they understand the best way to teach and use the machines.
Michael said that education is incredibly important when it comes to STRONG pilates, which has a variety of classes.
All of the newer studios also feature bikes to ride as part of the machine, so that members can essentially “choose their weapon of choice”, Michael said.
“Our slogan is ‘down for more’, and it’s interesting because we originally thought that we’d get a lot of reformer pilates people who wanted that little bit more,” he said.
“But what we’ve actually found is we’re now getting so many people who do functional training. I think it’s the low impact notional that’s been really popular.”
Michael said he doesn’t want anyone to ever come away from one of the workouts feeling bad about themselves, acknowledging some of the classes can be incredibly tough. For this reason, the studio doesn’t display things such as heart rates and there are always regressions or alternative moments.
Road test
I am a true pilates fan. I fell in love with it during Covid when it was the only workout I could do in my tiny studio apartment. But, quickly, I moved on from mat pilates and took on tower and reformer pilates.
So, when I was asked if I wanted to check out STRONG pilates, I was definitely intrigued by how a rowing machine could work into the class.
Essentially, the class was a mix of activities using weights and the reformer part of the machine, before quickly switching to the rowing machine with a target or goal set by the instructor.
It was constant moving and, while I struggled to do all the reformer and rowing moves at the suggested speed or spring, I had so much fun! It was tough but super enjoyable. Everyone was so nice and even the lovely Michael, who took part in the class with me, admitted they’d picked a really tough one for my first go.
But, I walked away feeling accomplished. I’d combined both cardio and toning in a way that meant I didn’t have to constantly think about what I was doing – which is something that puts me off when it comes to work outs.
I can truly say it was one of the most enjoyable and invigorating classes I had ever done.
On the numbers front, in my usual reformer pilates class, I burn between 150 and 200 calories according to my trusty Apple Watch. In this class, I burned just under 450 active calories, and another hundred on top of that in total calories.
I know a few friends who will often do pilates then go for a run or a swim or a walk or a HIIT class because they felt like they hadn’t done quite enough in their original workout.
This, I will tell them, is the answer.