Pilates Reformer Class Plan: A 50-Minute Sample Sequence

By Chen Leibovich, founder of Go Pilates Academy. Chen has taught Pilates for 10 years, ran two studios of her own, and built an NPCP Verified teacher training program with 700+ certified graduates in 30+ countries.

Mat classes forgive a lot. Reformer classes don’t. Add springs, a footbar, straps, a box and a room full of machines, and a plan that looked fine on paper can turn into ten minutes of clients waiting while everyone changes springs. A good Pilates reformer class plan isn’t just a list of exercises; it’s a sequence designed around the equipment, so the class keeps moving.

This guide shows you how to build one. You’ll get a simple structure for a 50-minute reformer class, the grouping trick that cuts transitions in half, a full sample reformer class sequence you can teach this week, how to handle mixed levels, and the planning mistakes we see most often in new instructors.

The structure of a 50-minute reformer class

Most reformer classes follow the same arc: warm up lying down, build strength through the middle, add more challenging positions as the body warms up, and finish with stretching. Here’s a reliable template:

Block	Time	Goal
Footwork	6–8 min	Warm up the legs, find neutral pelvis, set the breath
Supine strength	12–15 min	Bridging, abdominals and arm work in the straps, feet in straps
Box or prone work	5–7 min	Back extension and upper back strength
Kneeling	10–12 min	Core control, arms and shoulders, hip mobility
Side and seated	4–6 min	Lateral flexion and rotation
Standing or lunge, then cool-down	5–7 min	Balance, hip opening, stretch and a calm finish

On the reformer, fewer exercises usually feel better than more. Ten to fifteen exercises, each with enough reps for clients to find the movement, makes a more satisfying class than twenty-five rushed ones.

Group by spring, footbar and position to cut transitions

This is the single biggest upgrade you can make to your reformer class sequence. Every change of springs, footbar, headrest, box or body position costs time and breaks focus. In a full room, one change can easily take thirty seconds or more. So plan with three filters:

• Position: finish everything lying down before you bring clients up to kneeling. Getting on and off the carriage is the slowest transition of all.
• Springs: within a position, order exercises so springs change gradually, ideally from heavier to lighter, or so several exercises share one setting.
• Footbar, headrest and box: group exercises that need the same footbar height, and do all your box work in one block.

Then cue the change before the exercise ends: “On your last rep, stay in, and take off one spring.” Clients adjust while they’re still on the machine, and the class flows. Designing the class around transitions like this is at the heart of The Flow Method™ we teach.

A note on springs before you use any plan

Spring settings in a reformer workout plan are always approximate. Reformer brands use different spring colors, tensions and numbers of springs, so “one red” on one machine is not the same load as “one red” on another. That’s why the sample below describes springs as heavy, medium or light. Translate them to the equipment in your studio, and always adjust for the client in front of you: heavier springs give more support in some exercises and more challenge in others, and lighter springs can make an exercise harder to control.

Sample Pilates reformer class plan (50 minutes, full body)

Focus: full-body strength with a long, mobile spine. Level: mixed, with options below.

Block	Exercises	Suggested springs	Setup	Time
1. Footwork	Pilates V (toes), heels, arches, tendon stretch (heel lowers and lifts), single leg	Medium-heavy	Supine, footbar up, headrest up	7 min
2. Bridging	Bottom Lift with articulation, then pelvic lift and press the carriage out and in	Same as footwork	Supine, feet on footbar	4 min
3. Supine arms and abdominals	Arms pressing down, triceps, the Hundred with hands in straps	Light-medium	Supine, hands in straps, headrest down for the Hundred	6 min
4. Feet in straps	Frog, leg circles, openings	Same light-medium	Supine, feet in straps	7 min
5. Long box	Pulling Straps, T (pulling straps with arms to the side)	Light	Prone on the long box, facing the footbar end	5 min
6. Kneeling stretches	Knee Stretches (round back, then flat back), Elephant	Medium	Kneeling or standing on the carriage, hands on footbar	6 min
7. Kneeling arms	Kneeling arm series facing the back (chest expansion, biceps), kneeling side arm work	Light	Kneeling, hands in straps	5 min
8. Side	Mermaid (side bend with carriage)	Light	Seated on the carriage, hand on footbar	4 min
9. Lunge and finish	Eve’s Lunge (hip flexor stretch), standing roll down	Light-medium	Front foot on the platform, back knee on the carriage	6 min

Notice the pattern. Blocks 1 and 2 share springs and footbar. Blocks 3 and 4 share springs and only swap hands for feet in the straps. All box work happens in one block, and all the light-spring kneeling and seated work sits together near the end. In this plan, clients change springs only a handful of times in fifty minutes.

Check the spine too: flexion in the Hundred and round-back Knee Stretches, extension on the long box, lateral flexion in Mermaid, and an open hip front in Eve’s Lunge. If your clients need more rotation, add a seated twist or a kneeling rotation in block 7.

Levels and modifications for mixed reformer classes

Plan the options before class, not in the moment. For each main exercise, write one easier and one harder version:

• Hundred: head down and knees bent in tabletop (easier); legs extended lower (harder).
• Feet in straps: smaller range of motion and a neutral pelvis (easier); for experienced clients, add Short Spine as a progression after the frog.
• Pulling Straps: keep the head and chest low and the range small (easier); add a longer hold at the top (harder).
• Knee Stretches: slower and smaller (easier); knees lifted off the carriage (harder, for advanced clients).
• Elephant: soft knees and a shorter range (easier); single leg lifted (harder).
• Eve’s Lunge: hands stay on the footbar with a small range (easier); lift the arms for balance (harder).

Clients with injuries, pregnancy or other health conditions may need a different plan altogether. When in doubt, keep them in supported positions and refer them to their healthcare provider for guidance.

Common reformer class planning mistakes

• Jumping between positions. Supine, kneeling, then supine again wastes minutes. Finish one position before moving on.
• Too many spring changes. If your plan changes springs after every exercise, regroup it.
• Box work scattered across the class. Put the box on once, use it fully, and take it off once.
• Skipping extension. Reformer classes lean heavily on flexion. Plan at least one back extension block.
• Not cueing the setup. Clients can’t see your machine. Cue springs, footbar and headrest clearly before each block.
• Planning for the ideal class. Plan for the clients you actually teach, and build options in from the start.

Plan reformer classes faster with the right tools

Once you have a structure, the slow part is building and remembering sequences. Our Class Plan Builder app gives you an exercise library for Mat and equipment, ready-made class plans you can adapt, a drag-and-drop builder and unlimited saved plans, so next week’s reformer classes take minutes instead of an evening.

Still training to teach? Our Reformer teacher training includes live 1:1 mentoring where a mentor reviews your class plans and watches you teach them live online. No reformer is needed at home: you teach our instructors on their equipment over video.

Frequently asked questions

How many exercises should be in a 50-minute reformer class?

Around ten to fifteen exercises or short series works well for most group reformer classes. That leaves time for setup, enough reps per exercise and smooth transitions.

Should a reformer class always start with Footwork?

It’s the most common opening, and for good reason: it warms up the legs, sets the breath and lets you check every client’s alignment. Some instructors start with a short standing or supine warm-up first, then move into Footwork.

What spring setting should I use for each exercise?

It depends on the reformer brand, the exercise and the client. Spring colors and tensions differ between manufacturers, so learn the springs on your studio’s machines and use heavy, medium and light as your planning language.

Can I teach the same reformer class plan all week?

Yes. Repeating a plan lets you refine your cueing and transitions, and regular clients get to progress the same work. Change the focus every week or two to keep it fresh.

New to planning, or teaching mat too? Read our step-by-step guide on how to plan a Pilates class.

Related guides

• Pilates cueing: how to cue clearly
• How to plan a Pilates class