Carola Trier was the first protegee of Joseph Pilates to open her own studio. Mr. Pilates personally supervised the construction of all of Carola’s equipment, including the springs. Carola placed great emphasis on her springs, and custom ordered hers from that time onward. She was one of the few that believed in the value and benefit high quality springs can make to Pilates exercise. Much like a tennis racquet or concert violin is only as good as its strings, Pilates equipment is heavily reliant on the quality of the springs.
Introducing Deborah Lessen pilates springs!
Deborah Lessen Pilates springs are manufactured using specifications from Carola’s samples and utilize the more advanced current spring technology. Continuing on from Carola, Deborah has been custom manufacturing springs for her studio, the Greene Street Studio, since its inception in 1983. We now want to make these springs available to you, your trainees and clients!
What to look for in a Pilates spring!
Extension springs are wound to oppose extension. So how tightly the spring is coiled is critical. Extension springs absorb and store energy as well as create resistance to a pulling force.The initial tension of the spring is very important. The user should always feel the initial tension when beginning a movement. This is the moment that tests the body’s muscle coordination, full body organization and strength. After initial tension, the resistance should decrease evenly as the spring is extended, allowing the user’s joints to “breathe” when fully extended.
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- Swivel hooks at either end of the spring are preferred to maximize the experience of mobility and feel of the spring.
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- The length of the spring, length of the strap and any attached hardware will affect the muscle conditioning capability of the spring. Avoid adding extra “dead” length to the spring as it can affect spring resistance commensurately.
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- The spring should maintain it’s linear shape and integrity
Deborah Lessen Pilates springs are made to provide a specific training outcome and will enhance any Pilates training program.
Are your springs up to the standard of the rest of your equipment? If you are not sure or want to raise them to a higher standard, try ours!
How springs should feel during a Pilates Workout:
Spring resistance should be suitable to necessitate dynamic stabilization, an underlying concept of Pilates exercise.
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- The spring should feel smooth during movement, quiet, give the feel of circular motion and mimic breathing.
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- Like muscles, springs should be effective both concentrically and eccentrically. In other words, they should provide resistance as you extend them and pull back in so that your muscles have to control the return movement (the muscles’ eccentric contraction, which is dominant in Pilates training). Springs should give accurate feedback regarding which muscles are working and how much effort is being exerted.
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- Springs should give accurate feedback regarding which muscles are working and how much effort is being exerted.