Metrics that Matter: Speed
The Flexia Smart Reformer is the first tech-enabled reformer on the market, which is actually much cooler than it sounds...
Our sensors talk to our Online Studio during class to ensure you're getting your best Pilates workout yet. We'll let you know if you're correctly following the verbal cues of your instructor on-screen, if your consistency during reps is waning, or if you're going too fast for an exercise.
We do all of these by using three core movement metrics: Control, Speed, and Consistency
Let's explore our Speed metric:
Speed is the most basic element of your Pilates practice, but it's tricky to master.
The problem in Pilates:
How do you know if you're using the right tempo for an exercise?
Isn't going faster a good thing?
Why would I need to go slower?
Our Solution:
Our Speed gauge lives on the right-hand side of your class screen and reads the pace of your carriage during movement. This gauge will alert you with a ⬆️ if you need to speed up, a ✅ if your speed is just right, or a ⬇️ if you need to slow down.
The Purpose:
Our Speed gauge tracks the pace of your carriage movement and instantly compares it to the exercise cued by your instructor on the screen. In Pilates, each exercise has a unique tempo or pace that helps you get the most out of the exercise.
Going faster isn't always better...and going slower isn't always better, it simply depends on the exercise. This is why our Speed metric is so important.
Some exercises like Leg Circles require slower movement to feel what's happening in your body.
(A cue from your instructor might be, "bring your attention to slow, controlled movements here")
Whereas other exercises, like Running, see benefit from faster movement and an increased heart rate.
(...with cues from your instructor like, "let's get our heart rate up here with quick, small movements")
The Benefits:
We want to avoid momentum in most exercises on the reformer, so you might see the slow down ⬇️ indicator more often on your Speed gauge.
Momentum is the rebound your body experiences with the retraction of spring resistance (i.e. the springs are pulling you back to home, instead of your body resisting the spring tension to return slowly).
Using momentum in class means that your muscles have relaxed during retraction of the springs, resulting in a less effective workout. Resisting this momentum requires muscle engagement throughout the entire exercise, resulting in a killer workout.
For a closer look at this metric, let's chat with our Founder + CEO, Kaleen:
And Speed is just the beginning...learn more about our Control 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