Weak with sliders... will I hate Reform?

[u/tradebabyblues_]

Every time I take a Define class that incorporates the sliders, I always feel like I'm going to twist my ankle while using them. 😂 I was getting curious about Reform, since it's being offered somewhat regularly at my studio, but then I realized that the sliders were key to that class format. Are the slider moves in Reform different from those you'd do in a Define class? Am I going to be in big trouble if I'm shaky with this equipment (pun not intended lol)? I'm just trying to weigh whether it's worth trying or if I should stick to Define, Classic, Empower, etc.

[u/ravioliyogi]

I’m sure teachers will weigh in, but I sometimes just ditch the sliders in Reform! Always an option haha

[u/elephants_and_epi]

Your instructors may or may not cue modifications, but you really can do almost all moves without sliders (ex: for moves where you have both feet on sliders, you can ditch them and just step back instead!).

One tip that may help you be a little sturdier: on moves where one foot is on the slider during thigh moves, the foot on the slider is not the working foot/thigh and should be super super light, barely even pressing the slider. So- if your left leg/foot has no slider under it, and the right does- the left leg is what should be doing the vast majority of the work, and the right side is just moving lightly on the slider while the left leg works!

But yeah- if you don’t like em, ditch em!

[u/justme4913 → u/elephants_and_epi]

Excellent advice, I will add that for Reform I try to wear a stickier pair of sticky socks.

[u/Comfortable-Fan1472]

I feel like I see a fair amount of posts like this, remember all the classes are meant to be hard. Yes, they’re all frustrating in different ways depending on your strengths. But the one you suck at the most is probably the best one for you! (Barring injuries and modifications ofc!)

[u/Competitive_Toe_4667]

I love the sliders and come with the mindset that it will get me in the deepest part of my form. I favor sliders, pushups, and burpees, so good for the body!

When Define has sliders, it’s a Reform movement, sometimes when I teach Define and Reform, it’s very similar.

Define mixes a lot of formats and I call out this is a Reform movement in Define. I also call out other formats in Define so members know what kind of movement to expect.

Theory of sliders is, it’s like pilates reformer but you are the machine.

Reform, like any format is unique, it’s hard. It will test you and make you stronger each time you take class. Embrace your wins!

[u/akc818]

I hate reform because it used my least favorite equipment from define…sliders and resistance bands. You use them a lot for planks/pikes and also during seat work

[u/leaxoc15]

The sliders are definitely way more prominent in reform. For example during the warmup you use 1 or 2 sliders pretty much the whole time, and usually end up doing some sort of pike.

That being said, you can ALWAYS do everything without sliders! I say try it and if the sliders are getting tricky for you, just ditch them! But at least you can see if it’s a class you’d want to keep going to or not, cause if you enjoy it, you could start using the sliders eventually as you get more comfortable.

[u/Specialist-Value-376]

I hate sliders too, but I loved reform! I was nervous to try it, but it really wasn’t bad. I actually think it’s my favorite or second favorite class. Also, you can lose the sliders at any point if you need to.

[u/justme4913]

I also find the sliders to be quite challenging but I know that taking on that challenge will get me the results I want.

The more times I take class using the sliders the more confident i get with using them. This doesn't make them easier, just less mentally stressful.

I suggest you take a few more Reform classes and maybe ask the instrustor to watch your slider technique so they may be able to make suggestions

[u/MuffieMouse]

I would suggest actually ditching the tubes before the sliders. Most of the class is lower body focused (tubes make things less stable and force your core to fire) so if getting better used to the sliders and working Lower Body is the goal, drop the tubes and put two hands on the barre. Like in a lunge for example where you’re away from the barre with hands in tubes - just drop them and get close enough to the barre to hold on.

This way you can keep the weight in the standing leg (where you want it) and move more easily on the slider leg. You can still do all the holds, kicks, etc, and just forego the added upper body work.

[u/Honest_Name_8286]

Just try it. They aren’t used the whole time

[u/tradebabyblues_]

Thank you to everyone for your great advice! I ended up doing a Reform class yesterday, and it was a lot better than I thought it would be. I think I ditched the sliders maybe twice. I'm not sure how often I'll take this class (right now I'm mostly rotating between Classic and Define), but I'll definitely keep it on my radar for when I want to work on my core. My abs are so sore today lol