Spotlight on the Cadillac & Tower
This month (January 2026) we very happily took delivery of our beautiful new Cadillac from Legacy Pilates Apparatus. With the new Cadillac now at home in our Reformer studio, and our Group Tower classes becoming increasingly popular now seems the perfect time to shine a spotlight on these fabulous pieces of apparatus and explain how they fit into the Classical Pilates System.
Be:Poised Pilates client Sara working on the Cadillac with Founder & Studio Teacher Gina.
What is the Cadillac?
The Cadillac, also sometimes referred to as the Trapeze table, is the largest piece of Pilates apparatus that Joseph Pilates designed and is still used in Pilates studios today. It comprises a raised mat bed surrounded by a metal frame, to which springs and attachments can be added. Unlike the more widely known Reformer, the Cadillac offers a stable, non moving base. This stable surface allows for work in a wide variety of positions. It lends itself beautifully to clients with rehabilitation needs due to its raised bed and stability. More advanced clients also benefit from the versatility of the Cadillac performing impressive looking advanced movements using the strong frame, springs and attachments of the Cadillac.
What is the Tower?
The Tower is the baby brother of the Cadillac. The Tower is sometimes also referred to as the “Wall Unit” or “half Cadillac” as it consists of a metal frame that is attached to the wall. Like the Cadillac we can attach springs and attachments to the Tower, providing resistance and support to the body. The smaller footprint of the Tower lends itself to studios who perhaps do not have space for a full Cadillac. It also provides studios, like ours, the opportunity to run semi private (small group) classes on the Tower, opening it up to more people. Most of the exercises done on the Cadillac can also be done on the Tower, with only a few exceptions
So let’s take a look at the different components of the Cadillac / Tower and how they are used…
Arm & Leg Springs:
Arm springs are strong Classical springs to which handles are attached. These allow us to perform a variety of exercises working the upper body and powerhouse. The classical arm springs series will help you work to strengthen and deepen the arm-back connection in your work throughout the system, as well as challenging the powerhouse, strength and stability.
Leg Springs are slightly longer and heavier than the arm springs. A fabric loop is attached to each spring into which you place your foot. The “feet in straps” favourites from the Reformer, such as frogs and leg circles, can also be done on the Cadillac/Tower - with the stronger springs challenging strength and stability - along with many new exercises that will challenge you and build greater strength in this area. The use of independent springs, each attached to the apparatus frame challenges you to find and work on the balance between both sides of the body - if one side is working harder than the other you will really notice it here!
Roll Back Bar
The Roll Back Bar is a wooden bar with springs attached either side. The resistance provided by the Roll Back Bar springs supports your body to work deeper than you would otherwise be able. Struggling with roll up on the mat? Come to the Cadillac/Tower and use the roll back bar to help you find the work here - it is game changing! For me, I see the roll back bar as the tool that will help you with all those tricky exercises on the mat and Reformer. Roll up, Overhead work, Long Back Stretch, Thigh Stretch and so many more. The roll back bar gives you the stability to work on the key areas for these exercises, ready to take them back to the mat / Reformer with confidence.
Push Thru Bar
The Push Thru Bar is a wooden framed bar that can be “pushed through” the frame. The spring can be attached to the top of the bar (“sprung from above”) or from the base of the Cadillac/Tower to the underside of the bar "(“sprung for below”). The Push Thru bar gives us resistance for strength work, and is also a wonderful tool for working mobility with some incredible stretches done using this bar! Struggling with Teaser elsewhere on the system? Give it a try on the Cadillac/Teaser - this is the best place to find this exercise, using the Push Thru bar to help you.
Trapeze Bar
This one is unique to the Cadillac, and is not included on the Tower due to the lack of overhead frame from which it needs to be suspended. Working with the Trapeze bar challenges your whole body as you work against gravity. The trapeze bar exercises are some of my absolute favourites, They feel amazing to do!
What on Earth are Those Chains?!!
When most people first see a Cadillac or Tower I see their eyes immediately drawn to the ominous looking metal chains and the “fuzzy cuffs” that can make the apparatus look like it belongs in some sort of dungeon! But there is no need to worry. Those chains - they are called “safety chains” and they are used to make sure our lovely Push Thru bar behaves itself. The shorter top chain is used to stow the bar safely up high when it is not in use. The two longer chains are used when springing the bar from below and make sure that if you were to accidentally let go of the bar during use it isn’t going to fall down and risk injuring you.
The “fuzzy cuffs” attached to the top of the Cadillac frame - oh they are the special treat for your body! As an ex-dancer of course I love the delicious “ballet stretches” you can do with your foot in the cuff, but the absolute favourite is hanging! With your feet securely in the cuffs the full and half hang exercises help decompress and feel divine. They are my favourite way to end a session!
The Cadillac / Tower as part of the Pilates System
Joseph Pilates created his method as a system. Every element has its place and function within the system we now call Pilates (he called it “Contrology”). The Mat and Reformer are your main workout. The other apparatus, including the Cadillac/Tower, are considered the system. They are where you go to target and refine key areas that your body particularly needs to work on. These system apparatus can be key in helping you progress your Reformer and mat work.
A full workout on a Tower feels different to one on a Reformer or Mat. The pace is perhaps slower and more controlled, but the strength challenges from those heavy springs are greater. If something isn’t quite gelling yet in an exercise on the mat or Reformer, take it to the Tower or Cadillac. See if you can find it here.
Get Involved - Using the Cadillac and Tower at Be:Poised Pilates
Our Cadillac is used primarily for private 1:1 sessions. Due to its size we only have one in the studio. It lives in our Reformer studio, which is where most of our additional system apparatus also lives. This means, in addition to its use in 1:1s, we may sometimes bring.a client to the Cadillac in a Reformer class for a certain exercise if it is more suitable for them, for example due to injury or specific need.
We have 4 Towers installed in our Mat & Tower Studio. This means we can offer small group (“semi-private”) sessions for upto 4 people using the Tower. Our Tower classes were introduced at the end of 2025 and people are absolutely falling in love with this fabulous piece of apparatus.
To find out how to get started with us, including booking your Studio Induction please visit our Getting Started page.
We can’t wait to show you the benefits of working on these great pieces of apparatus!