Reformer or Mat Pilates in Ascona: Which Class to Start With

This guide explains what actually changes between our two kinds of group class, who each one suits, and how to pick your first class without guessing.

What Is the Difference Between Reformer and Mat Pilates?

Both classes teach the same method: breathing, alignment, a stable centre and controlled movement. What changes is the equipment you do it on.

The Reformer is a sliding carriage on a frame, connected to a set of springs. You push and pull against those springs with your legs, arms or whole body. The springs are the clever part: depending on the exercise, they either add resistance so the muscles work harder, or they take some of your weight so a movement becomes easier to learn. Your instructor changes the springs to match what you need.

Our mat classes are called Pilates Matwork-Springboard. You work on a mat with your own bodyweight, using small props, and with a Springboard, a wall-mounted board with springs that adds resistance and support to part of the class. On the mat, your body has to create all of its own stability, with less help from the equipment.

A useful way to think about it: the Reformer guides you through the movement, while the mat asks you to hold it together yourself. Neither is “easier” in general. Plenty of experienced clients find a good mat class the more demanding of the two.

Why Most Beginners in Ascona Start on the Reformer

The practical answer is in our timetable. Our group classes run across five levels, from Beginner to Advanced, and the two formats don’t cover the same range:

Level	Reformer	Matwork-Springboard
Beginner	Yes	No
Beginner / Intermediate	Yes	Yes
Intermediate	Yes	Yes
Intermediate / Advanced	Yes	No
Advanced	No	Yes

The only group class written for complete beginners is REFORMER: Beginner. It is designed for people who are new to Pilates, or coming back after a long break, and it teaches the core principles step by step, with every exercise guided closely.

There is a good reason the ladder starts there. The springs and the carriage give you immediate feedback: you can feel when a movement drifts off line, and the support means you can learn the shape of an exercise before you have the strength to hold it unaided. Mat work asks for that control from the first minute, which is why our Matwork-Springboard classes begin at Beginner / Intermediate, for people who already know the basics.

When Matwork-Springboard Is the Better Choice

Starting on the Reformer is the usual route, not the only one. Matwork-Springboard is often the right class if:

• You have done Pilates before, even somewhere else, and know the fundamentals.
• You want to build control without support. Mat work develops the kind of strength you carry into everyday life, because nothing is holding you in place.
• You want to practise at home too. Exercises learned on the mat transfer straight to your living room floor.
• Price matters. A mat class costs less than a Reformer class (see below).
• You want a long-term challenge. Our most advanced group class is a mat class: Matwork-Springboard Advanced.

Many of our regular clients end up doing both, because the two formats train the body in complementary ways. The Reformer builds strength and precision with guidance, and the mat tests whether that control holds up on its own.

What Each Class Costs

	Single class	10-class pack
Pilates Mat	CHF 35	CHF 300 (CHF 30 per class)
Pilates Reformer	CHF 45	CHF 400 (CHF 40 per class)

Your first group class is free as a new client, whichever format you choose. All our group courses in Ascona are Qualicert certified and recognized by health insurance, which can bring the cost down further depending on your supplementary policy. Check with your insurer what your plan contributes.

If You Have Pain, an Injury or a Medical Condition

When you contact us to book, we always ask whether there is an injury or anything else your instructor should know. Our instructors are movement specialists, trained to understand what is going on in how you move, so they will know what to work on and what to leave alone. For most people, that conversation is enough, and you go straight into a class.

If you are dealing with ongoing pain, a recent operation, balance problems, scoliosis or hypermobility, we usually suggest starting differently: with a one-to-one session, either a private lesson or an assessment with Zeina, our founder and movement specialist. From there she can tell you whether a group class is the right next step, and which one. Private lessons cost CHF 125 (CHF 1,200 for ten), and semi-private lessons for two cost CHF 65 per person. Private and semi-private lessons are paid out of pocket; only the group classes carry insurance recognition.

If you are over 60 and thinking about balance and strength in particular, our article on Pilates for seniors in Ascona goes into more detail.

A Note on Language

Classes are taught mainly in Italian. Zeina speaks English, several of our instructors manage in German, and Sabina speaks it well. Groups are small, so an instructor can stay close to anyone who needs help following along. Tell us which language you are most comfortable in and we will point you to the classes that suit you.

How to Choose, in One Minute

• Never done Pilates, or back after a long break? Book REFORMER: Beginner.
• Know the basics and want to go deeper? Either REFORMER: Beginner / Intermediate or Matwork-Springboard: Beginner / Intermediate. Pick the Reformer for more guidance and the mat for more independence and a lower price.
• In pain, recovering from an injury, or unsure? Start with a private lesson or an assessment, then move into a group.
• Something gentle with no levels at all? Our Postural Yoga class is open to everyone.

If you want to understand what makes our approach different from a standard fitness class, read how to choose a Pilates studio in Ascona or clinical Pilates vs traditional Pilates.

Book Your First Class Free

The easiest way to decide is to try one. See every class level and the live class schedule on our Ascona studio page, where you can sign up directly, or get in touch and tell us a little about yourself. We will suggest the class that fits where you are today.

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