Flexia | Blog | Pilates, Wellness, and Community

Metrics that Matter: Movement Quality Score (MQS)

Written by Marisa | 7/25/23 7:45 PM

We get a lot of questions like, "What is 'smart' Pilates?" and "Why do I want technology in my Pilates practice?"

 

Totally valid questions! Let's chat...

 

Smart Pilates: 

Smart Pilates is more than just a standard reformer with a screen attached to it. In fact, our smart reformer purposefully does not come with a screen--when you use every inch of your reformer and face several directions in the same workout, where would you mount it? 

 

We wanted to give you more than just a reformer and Online Studio, so we equipped the Flexia Smart Reformer with sensors to track the 3 metrics that matter most in Pilates: Control, Speed, and Consistency, to give you your best Pilates workout yet. 

  

Here's a dive into these metrics,  which you'll see real-time feedback with using our Online Studio:

 

  • Control: This metric measures your carriage travel over time, during a single rep, ensuring you're moving with the verbal cues of your instructor.
  • Speed: We'll measure the tempo at which you move so you get the most out of each rep. Remember, it’s not a race. Often with Pilates, slower is better. 
  • Consistency: Measures your ability to perform your 6th rep as well as your 1st. 
  •   

 

At the end of class, these metrics come together for your Movement Quality Score (MQS), so you know exactly how you did, helping you track your progress in the short and long term. 

 

More about the MQS

 

Your Movement Quality Score (MQS) is scored out of 100 and details your class metrics in hindsight, helping you reflect on your Pilates workout like never before. 

 

The metrics we measure are specific to Pilates, which is why we're not tracking things like heart rate or calories burned. Rather, we care about metrics that indicate if you’ve improved your strength, muscular control, and coordination - all of which correlate with improved mindfulness, quality of movement and athletic performance, which is what Pilates was designed to do.  

 

Unlike most workout metrics, the goal of your MQS is not to score a perfect 100. If you are...your class is far too easy and it's time to level up your Spring Settings (a quick button-tap during class will fix that), because you're not providing your body the challenge it craves to see and feel progress. 

 

Instead, we want you to aim for an MQS between 50-80 (shocking, we know!). This range ensures that you are challenging your body appropriately. Pilates progress does not come from your comfort zone and it most certainly does not come from discouraging challenges... 

 

There's a sweet spot for progress that keeps you coming back for more. That's an MQS score of 50-80. 

 

For a closer look, let's chat with our Founder + CEO, Kaleen:

 

 

And our MQS is just the beginning...learn more about our Control, Speed and Consistency metrics. 

 

Ready to shop our Flexia Smart Reformer? Shop here

 

For more questions about our Smart Reformer, visit our Knowledge Base (our searchable FAQ), book a demo with us, or send us an email to hello@flexiapilates.com