The Pilates Wunda Chair

At Lauren Hilton Pilates we use the full studio equipment in 1-2-1s and studio circuits class, this includes the reformer, tower bar, barrel and Pilates chair or ‘Wunda’ chair.  Most people have heard of the reformer but the chair was, until more recently, considered a niche piece of equipment that only Pilates devotees had heard of. 

Like all of the studio equipment, the chair was designed by Joseph Pilates  The first chair he designed to convert quickly and easily into an armchair. Hence its name. It was also designed to fit comfortably into small New York apartments. Which is why it is the most compact piece of Pilates equipment.

How does it work?

Made of wood, the chair has a pedal which is attached to springs which have different tensions. The chair also has handles, the height of these can be adjusted dependent on the client. Exercises can be done in seated, standing, laying on your front and your back and like all of the apparatus it is incredibly versatile so each movement can be regressed or progressed depending on the person!

Even though exercises on the chair are generally more challenging than the ones performed lying on a reformer, certain design features mean that this doesn’t always have to be the case. The chair’s handle design, for example, allows the chair to be made more supportive for beginners or people with injuries and it can be used against the Cadillac in order to provide a more supportive base of support for exercises

What are the benefits of the chair?

Where do we start!  One of the reasons we love it is that you can replicate functional movements in standing using the support of the handles and pedals. For example the exercise standing leg pump on the chair can be a great place for clients who have recently undergone joint replacements or may have gait issues due to neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s Disease.  The chair is also a great place to progress a client once they have mastered a movement laying down, footwork in the reformer is a great place for people to improve hip, knee and ankle mobility, alignment awareness and pelvic control and standing leg pump is a place to advance this into daily functional movement using the chair.

The chair can help build strength and enhance sports performance

As mentioned, the surface of the chair is small which can challenge balance and stability, it’s also a great place to build arm and leg strength and improve spine rotation for sports such as tennis, badminton and golf.

At our studio, we use all pieces of equipment in our 1-2-1 sessions and group apparatus classes so your body can move efficiently, with ease, and ultimately feel amazing!

If you’re interested in trying it for yourself then why not get in touch hello@laurenhiltonpilates.co.uk

Photo credit: Florence Fox Photography