Wellness 3.0 Transforming Reformer Pilates Reformer workouts into Mind Body Connections

Our CEO Yvette McGaffin recently had the privilege of presenting on Wellness 3.0 at Beyond Activ Americas and discussed the critical importance of Mindful Movement. One key theme was how unlocking the parasympathetic nervous system is the gateway to accessing the coveted flow state—where both body and mind perform at their peak.

In elite performance, we often see powerful examples of this in action. Take Cristiano Ronaldo, who, during last year’s European Championships, had his calmest heart rate just before taking a penalty kick—despite the world watching. His WHOOP device revealed that he was in a state of flow, fully controlling his physiological response under intense pressure.

Similarly, Simone Biles faced immense pressure at the Tokyo Olympics when she experienced ‘The Twisties,’ a potentially career-ending moment. Through mindfulness practices like meditation, visualization, and breathwork, she regained control, ultimately reclaiming her focus and dominating at the Paris Olympics.

This theme also ties into Frank van de Ven’s description of the era of Chaos we’re living in—marked by existential threats like cyber-attacks, terrorism, and fake news. These modern stressors have left many of us in a near-constant Beta 2 state (stress mode), with about 80% of our time spent in this heightened state of alertness.

However, we should be spending 50-60% of our time in Alpha/Beta 1 (flow state), where we can navigate the complexities of life with calm, clear focus—just as Ronaldo and Biles do.

At Reform RX this is exactly why we are passionate about democratizing reformer Pilates. When you're on a reformer, you're not just moving, you’re connecting mind to body, allowing yourself to empty the mind of stresses and worries.

Mindful movement, meditation, and controlled breathing—live healthier, more fulfilling lives.