Pilates Tower: What It Is, Benefits and How to Use It

The Pilates tower is a contemporary piece of Pilates apparatus that has evolved from the trapeze table, which is a classical piece of equipment. Interestingly, the trapeze table is more widely and colloquially known as the Cadillac because of its striking aesthetic and function, much like the luxury car manufacturer of that time.

The Cadillac was designed by the namesake of the Pilates method, Joseph Pilates, and earlier iterations of the design were actually referred to as the ‘bednasium’ because Joseph Pilates created this piece of apparatus for people to use at home while in bed.

The modern Pilates tower may also be referred to as a ‘half Cadillac’ because it shares many of the features and functions with the full version, like the push-through bar and the leg springs. However, unlike the full Cadillac, the tower only has one vertical frame and does not have the overhead horizontal or sliding bars.

The Pilates tower may be fixed to a reformer bed, which will normally use an extended platform to create a fixed and stable surface from which exercises can be performed. On modern reformers, the shoulder pads can be removed to provide greater space and comfort. The tower can also be found as a wall unit, allowing exercises to be performed from a mat on the ground.

Most of the Cadillac exercises from classical and contemporary repertoires can be performed on the tower, with the exception of those requiring the overhead bars.

Features of the Pilates tower

The Pilates tower is equipped with a number of spring-loaded features and attachments that can provide varying levels of resistance from different directions and planes of motion. While different manufacturers often have slight variations in design, most Pilates towers will include the following features:

• Platform extender or floor mat – this is a long, flat, padded surface which moves the reformer carriage to the head of the reformer to create a padded, stable exercise surface from which students can perform exercises.
• Push-through bar – a swinging bar attached to the vertical frame from which springs can be attached above or below to create resistance or provide support from different directions.
• Roll-back or roll-down bar – a horizontal bar that is attached to springs from the top of the vertical frame to provide support, feedback and tension with different stages of an exercise. Stronger springs generally make exercises easier because the tension provides additional support, whereas softer springs will normally make exercises more challenging.
• Arm springs – the arm springs attach to the vertical frame and will usually have the handles connected to them to accommodate arm-based movement. They do come in different lengths and tensions (usually colour coded) to allow for different physical abilities and biomechanical needs, but generally speaking the arm springs will have less tension in them than leg springs.
• Leg springs – the leg springs also attach to the vertical frame, usually around shoulder height, although this does depend on the specific exercise being performed. They are available in different lengths and tensions, although leg springs usually have more tension and are slightly longer than the arm springs.

A note on springs: Classical apparatus traditionally had a heavy and light version of both the leg and arm springs. Over time with the evolution of contemporary Pilates approaches, the heavy leg springs became the standard leg springs, the light leg springs became the arm springs, and the heavy arm springs became the roll-down bar springs. In reality, all springs are interchangeable and Pilates teachers will often use what is right for the client in front of them.

Benefits of tower training

Broadly speaking, the benefits of the Pilates tower are much the same as with other Pilates formats, because the tower is merely a single piece of apparatus in the wider Pilates system.

That said, the distinct features of the tower allow specific movements to be supported, and resistances to be created, that aren’t accessible with other Pilates apparatus and equipment. Some of these include, but are not limited to:

• Integration with the wider Pilates system – the Pilates tower expands the repertoire of exercises available to students, allowing them to access supported movements, resistances and technical challenges that aren’t available in other Pilates formats (e.g., matwork, reformer).
• Spinal decompression and mobilisation – the vertical or diagonal pull of the springs can help with gentle spinal decompression and mobilisation of specific spinal segments.
• Spinal articulation and sequential control – exercises performed using the roll-down bar or push-through bar can help to support students as they learn to better control and coordinate specific flexion, extension and rotation patterns.
• Enhanced flexibility – the fixed vertical frame provides a stable anchor point from which a deeper and more controlled level of tension and resistance can be created.
• Deeper activation of the core – in Pilates, the core is described as the powerhouse of the body and is where all movement originates. The Pilates tower is highly versatile, allowing exercises to be performed from a variety of body positions, with different levels of tension and direction of pull from the springs. Many tower exercises allow for superior activation of the deep core muscles that aren’t accessible from matwork or reformer exercises.
• Low-impact and joint-friendly – tower exercises are performed from a stable platform in much the same way that matwork exercises are. However, the tension provided by the springs, especially from above, can help to reduce forces and torque on joints while movements are mastered and strength and precision are developed.
• Targeted stabiliser activation – exercises performed using the arm and leg springs allow activation of the deep shoulder and hip muscles respectively. Many mat and reformer exercises simply don’t allow these muscles to be activated in the same way because the limbs are not directly connected to the springs like they are with tower exercises.
• Enhanced motor learning – the support provided by the springs allows students to learn, control and strengthen specific movement patterns that they would not ordinarily have been able to perform. The tower supports the movement, allowing these patterns to be mastered with precision and efficiency.
• Enhanced proprioception – tower exercises are performed from a stable and supported body position. As the springs are lengthened, they create tension in the active muscles and fascia, helping to create greater awareness (conscious and sub-conscious) and activation of those muscles, especially the stabilisers. This heightened sense of joint position and movement is what allows students to develop greater control and coordination of similar movements in the future. It feeds into the motor learning aspect of the exercises.

Pilates tower exercises

Most exercises using the tower, including the wall unit or half Cadillac versions, will begin from one of the following starting positions:

• Standing
• Kneeling
• Supine lying
• Prone lying
• Seated
• Side lying

As is consistent with any Pilates exercise, an optimal set-up and alignment are fundamental to the ability of participants to perform the exercise safely and effectively. Teachers must therefore dedicate sufficient time and attention to ensuring their students are in the optimal start position prior to commencing any movement.

Pilates tower sessions and classes

In a classical Pilates session, students will participate in small groups and will often move between matwork, tower and other exercises performed on different types of apparatus (e.g., the reformer, ladder barrel, chair). Emphasis is usually placed on developing specific aspects of strength, length, mobility or stability, depending on the student’s functional or postural needs.

In contemporary studios, tower classes are taught to individuals and groups alike, and may include exercises performed from all of the above positions using each of the different tower features (e.g., roll-down bar, push-through bar, arm springs, leg springs).

The physical and technical demands of tower exercises increase the potential for injury because of the recoil effect of the springs. It’s therefore imperative that tower teachers are able to adequately cue, support and correct participants, which isn’t possible in larger groups.

Given the multiple attachment sites on the tower, it’s technically possible and practically useful to allow two students to use the tower at the same time. This allows the teacher to stay close and observe and support both participants as required. One student can perform standing work at the head of the reformer or tower bed, while the other can use the leg springs, arm springs or roll-down bar on the bed.

The group size is often much smaller for tower sessions than it is with other Pilates class formats, like mat and reformer. Typically, up to five participants is enough for a tower class, depending on the skill and experience of the students. Prior to performing any group tower sessions, participants should undergo a full induction. Ideally, they will also participate in some one-to-one work to ensure they are able to operate the tower apparatus safely.

Pilates tower teacher training

Most Pilates tower training courses are taught in a modular fashion, combining independent study with a practical tower training course. While courses vary in length, format and contact time, broadly speaking, most tower teacher training courses run between two and five days, focusing on a combination of exercise technique, teaching, cueing and correction.

The conventional levels used with vocational qualifications don’t generally apply to tower teacher training courses. Instead, courses are labelled according to the complexity of the exercise repertoires taught on course. Most Pilates course providers have a foundational programme that focuses on the fundamentals, and an intermediate or advanced programme which focuses on more complex exercises and choreographic routines.

Most students will need to hold a recognised Level 3 Mat Pilates Qualification before they can enrol on specialist qualifications like reformer Pilates courses or the tower. Ideally, they will also have completed 20 hours of supervised tower practice within a group or one-to-one setting. Practical experience of using the tower as a student is essential for anyone who wants to become a Pilates instructor, because teacher training courses place greater emphasis on teaching, and less on personal practice.

Pilates tower programmes are generally classed as continuing professional development, or CPD, because they do not sit on any formal regulated qualification framework (RQF). This means that there are variable levels of quality, some good, some less so. There are also fully online courses available.

If you are thinking about completing a tower teacher training course, you should definitely do your research and prioritise courses that have quality learning materials, practical training videos to help you prepare for your training workshop, and in-person courses where you get to develop your teaching and cueing skills alongside other students. This experience will prove invaluable later in your Pilates career.