Ever since coming to Sydney, I've traded my weight lifting program for more low impact mat work, cardio, barre and pilates workouts (mainly because I've been excited to try out all the cool studios  and their different styles around town).

I'd always been rather skeptical, especially of Reformer Pilates because it seemed like you're not working out hard enough. If you're not breaking a sweat, it's not a real workout, right? But after having done many similar-type classes in the recent past, I can assure you that this is absolutely not the case. In fact, you're in for a killer workout.

A reformer class sits perfectly in the middle of the "hard core" versus "minimal pain" exercise spectrum, leaving you with just the right amount of achiness the next day. And since it's not a bootcamp-like atmosphere, it especially appeals to us gals who might be intimated by grungy looking crossfit boxes filled with sweaty grunting men. I'm not saying I don't enjoy those workouts, but I can understand how some girls might be intimated by that.