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Everyone remembers their first time on a reformer, or at least I do. After months of mat Pilates—with a strengthened core and improved flexibility—I thought it was finally time to take things up a notch. Mat sessions, in my naive opinion, were the safer option. Though now I’d argue the right mat class can be significantly tougher, at the time, taking my talents to an actual reformer felt like an uphill athletic battle. Was I ready to handle the challenge of a weighted workout atop a strange machine that could, theoretically, twist me into a pretzel or fling me across the room? With some trepidation, I eventually booked my first reformer class; on my birthday, no less. What better time to try something new?
Fortunately, I quickly learned that reformers are not as intimidating as they seem. Through the instructor’s patient cueing and hands-on adjustments, I quickly got the hang of it. I left the class with an energizing sense of accomplishment, and a Pilates bug that wouldn’t soon die down. Over the next few years, I’ve gone on to take too many classes to count. With my bank account depleted (let’s be real, keeping up with consistent classes is expensive), I wondered if there was a suitable at-home solution. That’s precisely when the NordicTrack Ultra 1 Reformer came across my desk; or rather, was delivered to the World Trade Center’s studio for me to give it a proper test. Read on below to see how the machine works, and if it lives up to a Pilates princess’s expectations.
About the NordicTrack Ultra 1 Reformer How to Use the NordicTrack Ultra 1 Reformer My Experience With the NordicTrack Ultra 1 Reformer Meet The Experts NordicTrack Ultra 1 Reformer Save to wishlist Save to wishlist NordicTrack
Launched in May 2026, the Ultra 1 is NordicTrack’s second reformer (the Ultra 1 RX-S launched in 2025); an obvious next chapter for the exercise equipment brand, as Pilates interest continues to grow globally. “We saw a need to create a connected Pilates studio experience that anyone could enjoy at home with a reformer that felt more like high-end furniture than fitness equipment,” Mandy Crane, NordicTrack’s VP, head of brand and product marketing, tells Vogue . “The Ultra 1 Reformer sits at the intersection of excellence in performance and design.”
What you’ll first notice about the Ultra 1 is that it’s a treat to the eyes. Easily one of the most aesthetically pleasing reformers I’ve ever seen (versus reformers I've seen in studio and at home), this is crafted with sculpted form, soft edges, and under-side ambient lighting that makes it a statement piece in any room you place it. This, the brand tells me, is precisely what they were going for. “It's a piece of equipment you don't feel the need to hide away; you want it to be part of your home,” Fit Pilates product marketing director Yvette McGaffin says. “For me, that's an important part of wellness through design: creating something that is as considered aesthetically as it is in the way it supports how you move and feel.”
McGaffin, a Pilates instructor and studio owner herself, continues that every design decision serves a purpose, as do the details of the experience itself. “Traditional reformers can involve a learning curve around spring combinations, manual adjustments and the mechanics of the machine. The Ultra 1 brings together studio-grade equipment, push-button resistance, and iFIT-guided instruction to make that experience more intuitive and connected.”
Most importantly, NordicTrack wanted the Ultra 1 to suit different body types and experience levels. Though I am not a beginner, I was admittedly a bit hesitant using the machine without a certified instructor present. However, there are a few things in place to eliminate much of the guesswork. Of course, there’s the handy touchscreen that not only offers 75+ streamable reformer Pilates sessions, it also confirms the spring you’re on, flags when it doesn’t match the instructor’s cues, and reinforces the correct footbar position. That way, you can be more certain you’re on the right track. For more experienced users, McGaffin says it’s about expanding what’s possible: “The rear toggles support upper-body work against greater spring resistance, while the Smart Spine can be used as a stable platform for more advanced core, lunge and dynamic, athletic-style exercises,” she says. “
Once the device is in place, getting started is really as simple as plugging it in and toggling the on switch. From there, the lights will illuminate, and you can log in to your iFit account (or make one, obviously) to stream your workout.
The trickiest part of my entire experience, ironically, was situating the springs and footbars. To change the springs, your carriage must be firmly in the home position. If you’re having trouble, learn from me, and ensure the long strap is on the shoulder rest; mine was on the short strap, which pulled the carriage towards the other end of the frame. Once home, you can press the button located near the footbar to activate your desired resistance level. From left to right, you have Blue (33 lbs), Red (44 lbs), and Green (22 lbs); pick one or any combination of the three to your liking or as cued by your workout.
What’s nice, though, is that the spring system is enclosed, meaning you’ll never have to worry about hitting or falling on them throughout your workout. According to McGaffin, this is its Smart Spine framing. “The push-button controls also remove the need to manually change springs, helping simplify setup for people who are new to reformer Pilates and allowing them to focus more on learning the movement.”
The footbars, on the other hand, have four positions available. To change position, gently lift and push or pull to the desired angle. Once locked in place, the footbar position and resistance level will appear in the top right of your screen.
Choosing your workout is genuinely as simple as scrolling through the options, and choosing the right one for you. Certain options, marked by experience level from beginner to advanced, are available as a series, meaning you can do one workout at a time (ideally, per day) for the full effect. Some standouts include Sweat & Sculpt, Powerhouse Performance, and the Aligned Athlete series. Generally, each session lasts about 45 to 50 minutes.
To get warmed up, I started with iFit’s Reformer Essentials program, which further walked me through how to get the most out of the Ultra 1. After that, I took my time looking through the vast library of offerings. Throughout my test, I most enjoyed the Sculpt & Fly series, instructed by McGaffin, to build strength and stamina. While some classes can focus on subtle movements and intensive stretching, this one was much more powerful. It felt like a combination of cardio-meets-Pilates that helped tone, but also break a sweat.
As this class utilizes the jumpboard and Pilates box, with specific exercises catered to the full body, you do move around a lot throughout the duration of a session. That said, because no one was cueing me to the next move or improving my form, I found that I tried to keep my eyes glued to the screen. Fortunately, the screen has a good range of movement; save for when I faced the back of the reformer, I had no issues keeping up.
Overall, I found the Ultra 1 seamless to use. The glide on this thing is incredible—the carriage moves smoothly, and is quite comfortable to exercise on. For reference, I’m 5’2 and did not have any issues whether I was lying down, using the straps, or pushing off the footbar. Sometimes I had trouble locating the straps during pose transitions, but that’s normal for any class. The entire machine weighs about 300 lbs, which is on the heavier side, and it features wood accents and a very stable steel-frame structure. Where weight can be of concern is if you’re moving it around: it’s for sure a two-person job, even to rotate it from one side of the room to another.
The more workouts I completed, the more comfortable I felt with the machine. My biggest piece of advice would be, don’t force yourself to move too quickly—whether that’s pushing yourself to do the most challenging movements or complete the most advanced series. McGaffin offers similar guidance: “Reformer Pilates offers something quite special because it can be both a physical challenge and a chance to switch off from everything else,” she says. “My advice is not to get caught up in how an exercise looks or how much resistance you're using. Stay connected to your breath, move with intention and pay attention to how your body feels. That's where the real mind-body connection develops.”
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Mandy Crane is the vice president, head of NordicTrack brand and product marketing. Yvette McGaffin is the marketing director of iFit Pilates product marketing, and founder of ReformRX. Discover More Wellness Recommendations From Vogue Shopping Do Those Lymphatic Face Brushes on TikTok Actually Work?
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Source: Lifestyle
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