Exploring the Pilates Tower: A Supportive Starting Point for Your Practice

When people think of Pilates, the mat and the reformer often come to mind first. But the method created by Joseph Pilates goes far beyond those two pieces of equipment. Over his lifetime, he developed a full system of apparatus designed to support, challenge and restore the body in different ways.

One of the lesser-known—but incredibly valuable—pieces is the Pilates Tower, sometimes called the half Cadillac. If you're new to Pilates, returning after time away, or looking for a more supported way to deepen your practice, the Tower offers something quite special.

What is the Pilates Tower?

The Tower is a pared-back version of the full Cadillac, with two upright poles attached to the wall and a mat underneath. Along the vertical rails are a series of metal eyelets, where we can attach springs, bars and loops to create resistance and support.

At first glance, it might look complex, but as soon as you start to move with it, most people find it feels both intuitive and reassuring. Much of the repertoire is performed lying down, which brings a calming, grounded quality to the experience.

Whether lying on your back, seated, kneeling or standing, the Tower can be adapted to meet your body where it is, making it a wonderful place to begin.

Tower vs Reformer: What’s the Difference?

While both the Tower and Reformer use springs to provide resistance, they work in different ways.

The Reformer has a moving carriage that glides back and forth on rails. The Tower, on the other hand, is completely still. The movement comes from you, in dialogue with the springs. This gives a different kind of feedback—subtle, steady, and deeply supportive.

The stable base of the Tower can feel less daunting than the Reformer if you’re new to Pilates or working with injuries. Your body weight is supported by the mat beneath you, and the springs can assist you into and out of movement in a way that feels safe and spacious.

How Does It Feel to Work on the Tower?

Clients often tell us that working on the Tower feels deeply connected and clarifying. Many of the exercises are familiar from mat or reformer Pilates, but the experience is different.

For example, ‘feet in straps’ is lying on the mat, but with springs pulling from above rather than below. This changes the angle and emphasis, highlighting different muscles and helping you tune in more precisely to your alignment and control.

The Tower is also a wonderful tool for improving spinal mobility. The springs can assist you in movements like roll-downs, bridging, or teaser—helping you explore the shape and flow of the exercise with greater ease and awareness.

It’s not about pushing harder. It’s about creating more space, more clarity, and more connection to how your body moves.

What Are the Benefits of the Pilates Tower?

• Grounded movement – The Tower’s stable base allows you to explore movement without the added challenge of a moving platform.

• Supportive resistance – Springs offer both assistance and challenge, depending on how they’re set up.

• Spinal articulation – The Tower is especially helpful for movements that require segmental control of the spine.

• Deeper awareness – The feedback from the springs can make subtle movement patterns easier to feel and refine.

• Versatility – Whether you're lying down, seated, kneeling or standing, there are many ways to work on the Tower.

It’s also a brilliant complement to Reformer work. While many exercises can be done on both, they feel different, and that’s where the magic happens. Exploring familiar movements from a new perspective can reveal things you might not have noticed before.

Is the Tower Right for Me?

If you’re starting, looking to move in a more supported way, or wanting to refine the foundations of your Pilates practice, the Tower is an excellent choice. It’s also a quiet invitation to return to your body. The equipment may look technical, but the feeling is anything but. It allows you to slow down, pay attention, and move with greater ease.

Try a Tower Session at LHP

At Lauren Hilton Pilates, the Tower is one of our favourite pieces of apparatus to teach. It brings a sense of grounding and spaciousness to your movement that’s hard to replicate elsewhere.

If you’re curious about how it might support your body and your practice, we’d love to introduce you to it.

You can explore the Tower in a 1:1 session or join one of our studio apparatus classes, where you’ll work with the Tower and other pieces like the Reformer and Wunda Chair.

Feel free to get in touch if you’re not sure where to begin—we’re always happy to help you find the right starting point.