This article outlines popular brand specifications and offers tips for maintaining your Pilates Chair springs.
Springs create resistance on your Pilates Chair, so adding a spring increases resistance, and removing one decreases resistance. The springs are also there to support you, and depending on the exercise, a lighter spring may require more strength and control.
Below, you can find our helpful spring guide to common Pilates Chair spring brands:
Balanced Body® Springs
Chair Springs
Balanced Body®’s Chair Springs, made of nickel-plated carbon steel, are sold individually for Hourglass and Cactus Springs mounts. They also have Cactus 2.0 Upgrade Kits for Combo Chairs to retrofit the current Cactus to the new Cactus with spring silencers.
Other Balanced Body® Chair Springs and Resistance Bands
Slastix® Resistance Bands
Slastix® Resistance bands can be used on the EXO® Chair. Available in different lengths and resistance:
Yellow: Light Resistance - 25″ (63cm) / 31″ (79cm)
Blue: Medium - 25″ (63cm) / 31″ (79cm)
Red: Heavy 42″(107cm)
Functional Resistance Kits
With Functional Resistance Kits, specially designed for EXO® Chairs and featuring Slastix® bands as well, you can increase your challenge and your benefits. An amazing accessory for strength building, the kits come in heavy and light resistance:
Heavy Resistance Kit Includes
One pair of single loops (cotton)
One pair of Neoprene® handles
Slastix resistance bands, including one pair 25"/63cm (blue/medium), one pair 31"/79cm (blue/medium), and one single 42"/107cm (red/heavy)
Light Resistance Kit Includes
One pair of single loops (cotton)
One pair of Neoprene® handles
Slastix resistance bands, including one pair 25"/63cm (yellow/light), one pair 31"/79cm (yellow/light), and one single 42"/107cm (red/heavy)
General Information about Chair Springs
How Often Should I Replace My Springs?
Depending on your use, we recommend replacing your Chair’s springs as soon as you begin to see signs of wear. Common signs to replace your springs are oxidation and finding kinks or gaps in the coil.
Left unattended, springs can break during use, which could endanger you or a client. A good rule of thumb is to replace your springs every two years.
How do I Clean My Springs?
While it is important to keep your pilates equipment clean by wiping any surfaces and pedals with a soft cloth and water, and the vinyl with a drop of dish soap and water, it is better to keep chemicals and cleaning agents away from your springs, as they, and also oils from human skin, can affect the metal in the springs. Make sure you don’t touch them more than you need to, and be careful when cleaning the other parts of your equipment, not to spill liquids or other agents on your Springs as it would shorten their lifespan.
Different Bodies Require Different Springs
Appropriate spring tensions may vary depending on a person's height, weight, and skill level. A 150-pound experienced Pilates practitioner might require a much different spring resistance than a 110-pound beginner. We note that in most cases, the beginner will likely need more spring tension to be supported safely throughout an exercise.
Your spring tension should allow you to perform each Pilates exercise with control, stability, and confidence. If you understand an exercise and still feel that you are not accomplishing its objective, you may want to adjust.
CLICK HERE to read about Pilates REFORMER Springs