Deputy Editor Niamh Devereux explores the fitness trend that just keeps getting bigger
This week, I made my way to the freshly opened Reformation studio at Bolands Mills, a newly restored community hub in Dublin. F&F, Tesco’s fashion label, invited me to put its latest activewear line to the test in a reformer Pilates class — my first experience with this increasingly popular workout.
Although I’ve done plenty of yoga and mat Pilates before, this felt entirely new and, if I’m honest, a touch daunting. There was no need for nerves, though. I spoke with Reformation co-founder and Pilates instructor Annie Kirwan before the class, and she immediately put me at ease.
“People often think, ‘oh, I’m not flexible enough for that’ but you don’t have to be where you think you need to be,” she explains. “Just show up as you are and you’ll be supported every step of the way. You’ll only improve by starting! Honestly, this is one of those activities that, once you dive in, can truly change your life.”
The studio itself is stunning, tucked into the city’s historic Flour Mills building with exposed brickwork and soft lighting. I get acquainted with the reformer machine, which turns out to be less intimidating than I anticipated. Picture a long, low bed on rails with a flat, padded platform you can lie, sit, or kneel on. This platform slides gently back and forth as you move; beneath the foot bar sits a row of metal springs that you can add or remove to control the resistance. The more springs you attach, the tougher the movement becomes. “The beauty of the reformer is that it can support you, and it can challenge you,” Annie notes.
View this post on Instagram
Aoife Brennan
I write about culture, gastronomy, and lifestyle with a deep interest in the places, people, and traditions that shape how we live. I am drawn to stories that feel thoughtful, vivid, and rooted in real experience, whether they begin in a gallery, around a table, or in the rhythm of everyday life.
