It is 9.30am and I am lying on a medieval bed-like machine while pulsing a pilates ring between my knees for 10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4…3…2…1…
Oh god. It burns.
Those who warned me that reformer pilates was “humbling” did not exaggerate.
I am at a Self Care Sunday event at the uber-chic Reformer Studio in Broughty Ferry, which promises a half-day of luxury wellness.
What’s included in a Self Care Sunday?
The experience, run by The Reformer Studio and Invergowrie-based Fresh Inc Medispa twice a month, costs £150.
It entails a reformer pilates class, a spa treatment, brunch and a sound healing bath.
It has been booked out by eight of us in total, all women, mostly in our 20s and 30s.
There are some mum-and-daughter duos as well.
The Reformer Studio has become a go-to destination for fitness girlies in Tayside and Fife since it was opened by Shona Lees and Lynsey Donald last June.
It is notoriously difficult to get a spot in one of the exercise classes, which are often filled weeks in advance.
If the Instagrammable, monochromatic surroundings are anything to go by then I can see why.
With floor-to-ceiling mirrors, wood-panelled walls and immaculate white furniture – all enveloped in the aroma of a Neom Wellbeing store – it is a therapeutic haven.
After being told to “go and make friends” by DC Thomson photographer Mhairi Edwards (I am feeling shy) I tactfully pick a reformer at the back of the class and unpack my goodie bag, which is worth £100.
Treats include a Reformer Studio baseball cap (not sure I’m cool enough to pull this off), a barre class pass, a Fresh Inc Medispa gift card and a creamy lip balm.
We then start the day with the aforementioned reformer pilates class.
The low-impact exercise, which uses a specialised piece of equipment with a sliding carriage and springs to provide resistance, has boomed in popularity across the UK since 2022.
How did I get on in my first Reformer Pilates class?
I’m excited to give it a go for the first time.
Co-owner and pilates instructor Shona, dressed in black leggings and a matching crew neck jumper, is clear, confident and professional as she leads us through the 60-minute workout.
It begins easily enough – lying on our backs and stretching out our legs – but things fire up when it’s time to hold a side plank.
I’m soon trying desperately hard to mask my heavy breathing and maintain a calm expression while my muscles shake with exertion. This is going to hurt tomorrow.
But Shona is great at providing frequent modifications throughout the class, making it an enjoyable session for both the newbies (there are a few of us) and those who attend eight classes a week (I literally heard one of them say that).
After a quick refreshment break, which includes ginger detox shots and snacky bits, it’s time for our spa treatments.
I am introduced to a therapist from Fresh Ink Medispa, who talks me through some of the products she will use during my 45-minute facial.
I get comfy under a warm, fluffy towel while she washes off my make-up with a gentle cleanser before massaging aromatic oils into my face, neck and decolletage.
The introduction of a cool gua sha tool, designed to improve circulation and reduce puffiness, has me sighing happily.
The treatment is finished with a soothing aloe vera mask, SPF and useful advice on how to care for my sensitive skin.
What’s for brunch?
Next on the agenda is brunch, which includes an array of muffins, waffles and fruit. There is even a bottle of prosecco going around.
I tuck into a granola bowl with yoghurt, berries and peanut butter and sip on an oat milk latte while getting to know my fellow self-carers.
We are then led back into the studio, where yoga mats, blankets and pillows have been laid down for our sound bath.
We are greeted by therapist Maggie, owner of Wylde Flower Wellness in Dundee, who looks serene in a long bohemian dress.
She is surrounded by singing bowls, which will make the resonant sounds we are about to be “bathed” in.
In a gentle voice, she invites us to lie down.
I close my eyes and loud, echoing sounds from the bowls soon fill the room. The vibrations travel through my body and fill my head.
It is at first overwhelming and then incredibly calming.
Clearly, the woman snoring next to me thinks so too.
How did I feel after my Self Care Sunday?
As the event draws to a close, we are offered homemade smoothies for the road.
Shona, who is making an Instagram reel, asks me to describe how I feel after my Self Care Sunday.
“Very, very zen,” I say lamely to the iPhone.
Not very inventive for a journalist, but I blame the sound bath for nearly putting me to sleep.
If she asked me now, I would say: challenged, inspired and rejuvenated.
- The next bookable Self Care Sunday events are on March 9 and March 23. Sign up to The Reformer Studio mailing list for more information.
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