The exercise regime was devised by Joseph Pilates after a life time of studying how to improve well being by improving core strength and posture. Your core strength lies in your abdominal muscles, pelvic muscles and back muscles.

The Pilates reformer is probably the piece of equipment that you most associate with the discipline. This is a large piece of apparatus which involves many springs, straps and pulleys. It does look a little like a medieval rack to be used for torture. At the centre of the reformer there is a gliding platform which is used in conjunction with the springs and pulleys to move your body with the assistance of various muscle groups. It will straighten your body as you exercise, keeping your core central and making sure that your body is aligned.

Unfortunately some people have misconstrued Pilates and watered-down this art to be nothing more than fancy positions on a chair, or elaborate stretches on a mat. Make no mistake, posing on a chair-type device might be fun, and stretching is always good for flexibility and ligament relaxation, but these don't even come close to the deep muscle focus that is integral to the Pilates philosophy.

Some ball related exercises can help you tap into these core muscle groups - but only to an extent. A pilates reformer contains straps that tie to your hands or feet for true muscle isolation. The real benefit comes from the spring-loaded sensation which forces your mind to control individual muscles which leads to mind and body fusion.