More Springs Doesn't Always Mean Harder: Understanding Resistance in Pilates
One of the most common assumptions new Pilates instructors make is simple:
More springs = harder.
It sounds logical.
More spring tension creates more resistance, so the exercise must become more difficult.
But Pilates is not that simple.
Depending on the exercise, adding spring tension can make a movement more challenging, more stable, more supported, or even easier to control.
And sometimes reducing the springs makes an exercise significantly harder.
At Precision Pilates Training, we want instructors to move beyond memorizing spring settings and start understanding what the springs are actually doing.
Because springs are not just resistance.
They are also feedback, assistance, stability, and part of the strategy behind the exercise.
Springs Can Resist Movement
This is the most obvious role.
In many exercises, heavier springs increase the amount of force the client has to overcome.
That can increase muscular demand.
For example, in certain leg or arm exercises, more spring tension may require greater strength to move the carriage or press against resistance.
But that is only one piece of the picture.
Springs Can Also Assist Movement
This is where things become more interesting.
A spring can help the body return.
It can provide support.
It can reduce the amount of bodyweight the client has to control.
It can make a movement feel more connected and organized.
In some exercises, a heavier spring gives the client something to push into or pull against, which can actually make the movement feel easier.
That is why simply saying “heavy springs are harder” can be misleading.
The effect depends on the exercise.
Less Spring Can Demand More Control
Sometimes lighter springs make the movement more difficult because there is less support.
The carriage may feel less stable.
The client may need to generate more control through the trunk.
Balance demands may increase.
The body may have to manage momentum more carefully.
This is especially true in exercises where the springs are helping stabilize the carriage or assist the return phase.
Take away some of that support, and suddenly the client has to do much more.
So lighter does not automatically mean easier either.
The Direction of the Exercise Matters
Resistance changes depending on where the body is in relation to the springs.
The same spring setting can feel completely different in two different exercises.
Why?
Because the body position changes.
The direction of force changes.
The lever length changes.
The movement goal changes.
The spring may be helping one part of the movement and resisting another.
This is why spring settings should always be understood in context.
Springs Affect Stability
One of the most important things to understand is that springs influence stability.
Heavier springs may sometimes make the carriage feel more secure.
That added stability can help a beginner feel safer and more organized.
Lighter springs may create more movement in the carriage and require greater stabilization.
This can be useful for an advanced client—but inappropriate for someone who is still learning the movement.
The best setting is not always the one that creates the most resistance.
It is the one that supports the goal of the exercise.
Ask What You Want the Spring to Do
Before choosing a spring setting, ask:
What role is the spring playing here?
Is it meant to:
Add resistance?
Provide assistance?
Increase stability?
Decrease stability?
Give the client feedback?
Help organize the movement?
Increase control demands?
Support a progression?
That question is much more useful than simply asking:
“What spring is this exercise supposed to use?”
Memorizing Spring Settings Is Still Important
Standard spring settings matter.
They give instructors a starting point.
They help create consistency.
They help you understand the original intention of the exercise.
But they should not become a rule that prevents you from thinking.
A spring setting may need to change based on:
Client size
Strength
Experience
Injury history
Equipment differences
Exercise goals
Range of motion
Control
Confidence
The more you understand the purpose behind the springs, the more safely and intelligently you can adjust them.
Different Reformers Feel Different
Not every Reformer has the same spring system.
Different brands may have:
Different spring tensions
Different carriage weights
Different gear-bar positions
Different strap lengths
Different footbar setups
Even two machines from the same manufacturer can feel slightly different depending on age and use.
That is why blindly memorizing a color combination is not always enough.
You need to understand the feeling and function of the resistance.
More Resistance Is Not Always Better
There can be a temptation to make exercises “harder” by simply adding springs.
But harder is not automatically more effective.
Too much resistance may cause a client to:
Grip
Compensate
Lose range of motion
Hold their breath
Overuse larger muscles
Lose the intended movement pattern
If the spring setting changes the exercise so much that the client can no longer perform the goal correctly, the added resistance is not helping.
Sometimes reducing the load creates better movement.
Less Resistance Is Not Always Better Either
The opposite is also true.
Sometimes instructors assume lighter springs are more gentle.
But lighter springs can demand more control.
They may make the carriage less stable.
They may increase balance demands.
They may make transitions more difficult.
For some clients, more support is the smarter choice.
Again, the right spring depends on the person and the purpose.
Resistance Should Match the Goal
Imagine two clients doing a similar exercise.
One client is working on strength.
The other is working on control.
They may not need the same spring setting.
A stronger spring might help the first client develop force.
A lighter spring might help the second client focus on stability and precision.
Same exercise.
Different goal.
Different resistance.
That is programming.
Watch What Happens After You Change the Springs
Every time you change the spring setting, observe the result.
Did the movement improve?
Did the client gain control?
Did they lose alignment?
Did the carriage become more stable?
Did the client start gripping?
Did the range of motion change?
Did the exercise become more connected or more chaotic?
The answer tells you whether your spring choice was useful.
Springs Are a Teaching Tool
This is one of the most valuable ways to think about resistance.
Springs are not just there to make the client work.
They can teach the body.
They provide feedback.
They help clients understand direction.
They create support.
They help organize movement.
A well-chosen spring setting can make an exercise clearer.
A poor one can make it confusing.
This Is Why Instructors Need to Understand the “Why”
Spring selection is a perfect example of why Pilates education should go beyond memorization.
If you only know:
“This exercise uses two red springs.”
you may struggle when that setting does not work for the client.
But if you understand:
The movement goal
The role of the spring
The client's needs
The effect of stability and resistance
then you can make a thoughtful adjustment.
That is a much more useful skill.
Good Teachers Adjust
A strong instructor is not afraid to change the springs.
But they also do not change them randomly.
They have a reason.
They know what they are trying to accomplish.
They observe the result.
They adjust again if needed.
That is part of becoming a confident teacher.
Spring Settings Should Support Better Movement
At Precision Pilates Training, we want our instructors to stop thinking of springs as simple numbers or colors.
We want them to understand spring resistance as part of the movement system.
Because sometimes more spring means more challenge.
Sometimes it means more support.
Sometimes less spring creates more work.
And sometimes the “harder” option is actually the one that gives the client better control.
The goal is not to choose the heaviest spring.
The goal is to choose the spring that helps the client move well.
That is the difference between memorizing settings and understanding resistance.