What is a "good" Movement Quality Score (MQS)?

You might be wondering how to get the most out of your Pilates classes in the Flexia Online Studio and how to really interpret your Movement Quality Score (MQS) after class, we've got you. Keep reading to learn more about what makes a "good" MQS.

What is a Movement Quality Score (MQS)?

So you have a Flexia Smart Reformer--great! Not only do you have a studio-grade reformer at home, making your Pilates classes oh-so-convenient, but you have a smart reformer that gives you instant feedback during class and provides you with a Movement Quality Score (MQS) at the end of each session to know exactly how you performed. 

 
The MQS populates at the end of each class in the Flexia Online Studio, providing you with a score out of 100. This score details your class metrics (Control, Consistency, and Speed) in hindsight, so you can reflect on your Pilates workout like never before. 

 
After class, your MQS will appear and you'll be able to view your after class report (pictured below). The grey lines at the base of your class graph correspond to the exercises you did in class; hover over each line to see exactly what exercise you were doing when, say, your Control score dipped. 

Knowing which exercises were more challenging (causing your scores to dip) and which exercises came more easily to you (causing your scores to hover above the Min Target line) helps you adjust accordingly in the future--more on that below. 
 

For a deeper dive on MQS, tap here to read out MQS blog. 

What is a "good" MQS?

Unlike most workout metrics, the goal of your MQS is not to score a perfect 100 in your Pilates class. Of course, you should try your best, but ultimately we want your MQS to consistently fall within a range that we call the Zone of Progress, a score between 50-80. 

 
Falling within this score range tells us that you chose the right spring level and class level for your workout--nicely done! This means that you were appropriately challenged in class, but not so challenged that you became discouraged. 

 
To learn more about our Pilates philosophy, tap here to read about our "Pilates House" theory on building a successful Pilates practice at home. 

How to achieve a "good" MQS: 

If you find yourself scoring outside of the Zone of Progress (50-80), no stress. There are a few things you can do to adjust for your next Pilates class with us:

 
For scores below 50 MQS, next time try tapping the down arrow ⬇️ on the left-hand side of your class screen to decrease the spring difficulty in class and give you more support (or less weight) so that you can achieve each exercise a little easier. You can also navigate to our class filters to choose a class with a lower difficulty level (like Foundations or All Levels classes). 
 

Pro Tip: If you've spent the majority of your class with yellow and red metrics (on right-hand side of your class screen), that's an indication that your MQS is lowering. You can always adjust your spring settings in the moment during class by tapping the down arrow ⬇️ on the left-hand side of your class screen. This simple adjustment has a lasting impact on your Control, Consistency, and Speed scores (and likely your mood!), meeting your body where it is today and resulting in a higher MQS. 

If you are consistently scoring above 80 MQS, this means that you're ready to up the ante on your Pilates classes by tapping the up arrow ⬆️ on the left-hand side of your class screen to increase the spring difficulty in class, taking away some support (or increasing spring weight) to make the class more challenging. You can also navigate to our class filters to choose a class with a higher difficulty level (like Intermediate or Advanced classes). 

Pro Tip: If you've spent the entirety of your class in all green metrics (on the right-hand side of your class screen), that's an indication that your MQS is in the highly proficient zone (80+). If the class is feeling too easy, you can always increase the difficulty of your spring settings in the moment during class by tapping the up arrow ⬆️ on the left-hand side of your class screen.

Is a high MQS bad?

Absolutely not! A high MQS of 80+ simply means that you did really well in class--great job. Proficiency is a wonderful thing in Pilates, but consistently high scores in class could mean that you stop seeing progress in your strength and mobility on the Pilates reformer. 

 
Here at Flexia, we want you to experience continued improvement in your Pilates practice, which is why we encourage you to level-up spring settings or select a more advanced class the next time your MQS creeps upwards of 80. This will keep you moving steadily toward your overall fitness goals. 

For a closer look on what makes a "good" MQS, let's chat with our Founder + CEO, Kaleen:

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