Best Pilates Accessories for Home Workouts: Which to Buy First

If you are setting up a home Pilates studio, the sheer volume of equipment options can cause immediate analysis paralysis. Once you invest in a high-quality Pilates reformer machine, deciding which props to purchase next can feel overwhelming. However, filling your workout space with unnecessary gear rarely leads to long-term consistency.

To build a sustainable home practice, you do not need to customize your reformer all at once. This guide provides an honest, tiered roadmap for prioritizing your reformer attachments based on function, training goals, and overall value.

(If you are still finalizing your baseline setup, read NordicTrack's comprehensive guide to theBest Pilates Equipment For Home Use.)

Why the Right Reformer Accessories Matter

While an advanced machine like the NordicTrack Reformer provides a comprehensive full-body workout on its own, targeted attachments unlock its true potential. Specialized accessories expand the types of exercises you can perform (introducing cardio and athletic training) and provide essential ergonomic support to help keep your alignment flawless.

Clinical research has found that equipment-based Pilates training may improve certain performance measures, including core endurance, flexibility, and jumping performance in healthy adults. A study published in Cureus evaluated the impact of an equipment-based Pilates routine practiced for one hour, twice a week, over a nine-week period.¹ At the conclusion of the study, researchers observed a statistically significant positive difference in the performance pre-test and post-test scores of the exercise group.¹

By introducing props strategically, you can smoothly transition between low-impact cardio, advanced strength training, and specialized flexibility sequences. For a realistic look at how these tools fit into a real workout space, see our breakdown of What Owning an At-Home Reformer Is Really Like.

At-a-Glance: Pilates Accessory Comparison

To help you skip the fluff, this table breaks down how each official reformer accessory functions, what it targets, and where it fits into your home progression.

Start Here: The Pilates Box

The Pilates Box is a wooden framed, foam-padded rectangular block designed to sit directly on top of your reformer carriage. It is the single most essential attachment for a reformer machine in a home studio.

• What it trains: The box elevates your body, which drastically increases your range of motion for both sitting and lying exercises. It is the foundational tool for classic intermediate sequences like the "Short Box Series," targeting deep abdominal walls, spinal articulation, and back extension. In the cited clinical trial, participants who completed a reformer Pilates program demonstrated a statistically significant 26.06% improvement in sit-up test performance and a 14.72% improvement in Sorensen back-extensor endurance test performance.¹

• Who benefits most: Practitioners with tight hip flexors or hamstrings who struggle to sit upright directly on the carriage. It also allows shorter individuals to comfortably reach the footbar loops during complex pulling exercises.

• What to look for: Look for a box wrapped in heavy-duty, sweat-resistant vinyl with premium internal cushioning that won't bottom out under your body weight.

Why it’s your best first purchase: A Pilates box unlocks more exercise variations on a reformer. It provides the immediate diversity needed to keep home workouts fresh and challenging.

Add Next: The Jumpboard

The Jumpboard is a wide, solid, padded board that locks firmly into the base of your reformer, transforming your machine into a horizontal plyometric launcher.

• The training benefit: By pushing off the board, you experience the explosive power of jumping without the harsh joint impact of gravity. It delivers a serious aerobic challenge that spikes your heart rate while simultaneously building explosive leg power. In the cited clinical trial, participants completing a reformer Pilates program demonstrated a statistically significant 8.65% improvement in active jumping performance.¹

• The runner connection: It allows athletes to practice running mechanics and foot tracking in a perfectly supported, horizontal position. This makes it an incredibly effective cross-training tool for endurance athletes; learn more in our guide on Pilates for Runners.

Why it’s a strong second pick: If your primary goal at home is weight management or athletic conditioning, the jumpboard is the ultimate tool. It easily converts a standard flexibility session into a high-energy cardio routine.

Build On: The Reformer Mat

A customized Reformer Mat is a thin, ultra-grip protective topper tailored specifically to fit the exact cutouts and dimensions of your moving carriage.

• The training benefit: Standard upholstery can become slick during intense sessions. A dedicated grip mat prevents your hands and feet from slipping during high-plank variations or standing balance drills, allowing you to focus entirely on muscle contraction.

• Who benefits most: Heavy sweaters, practitioners sharing a machine with family members, or anyone who wants an extra layer of soft cushioning for their spine during rolling exercises.

When to add it: Add this once your routine becomes more vigorous. It is a highly practical, low-cost upgrade that dramatically improves home studio hygiene and overall workout comfort. For more layout and comfort inspiration, check out our Home Gym Ideas for Small Spaces.

Recommended Upgrade: Head Support Pillow

A contoured Head Support Pillow provides specific cervical spine cushioning beyond what a standard built-in machine headrest can offer.

• The training benefit: Many people naturally suffer from a forward-head posture due to daily desk work. When lying flat on a carriage, this can cause the neck to hyperextend backward, straining the cervical spine. A dedicated support cushion keeps your gaze forward and your neck neutral. The head support also keeps the head in a neutral spine position while performing side-lying reformer exercises. 

• Who benefits most: Office professionals, most everyone performing side-lying exercises, older adults, individuals recovering from upper-body tension, or anyone who experiences mild dizziness or neck strain during long supine (lying down) abdominal series.

Why it matters: It is an inexpensive comfort and safety tool. Ensuring better alignment in the neck and shoulders allows your core muscles to fire correctly without forcing other parts of your body to overcompensate.

A safety note: Avoid using the head support during short spine exercises and any exercises that involve lifting the pelvis, such as a bridge. This can place the neck into excessive flexion and cause discomfort.

How to Prioritize Your Reformer Accessory Purchases

To maximize your budget and avoid home gym clutter, follow this direct, tiered roadmap:

The Home Pilates Buying Roadmap

1. Phase 1: The Pilates Box – Buy this first to instantly unlock the full catalog of classic core and flexibility exercises.

2. Phase 2: The Jumpboard – Add this next to introduce low-impact cardio, agility, and athletic footwork.

3. Phase 3: Reformer Mat & Head Support – Upgrade to these comfort accessories to optimize your alignment, grip, and studio hygiene.

Real physical progress is a long game built on sustainable habits. Buying props step-by-step ensures that every piece of gear you own actually gets used. For advice on staying committed to long-term physical health, explore our perspective on Pilates Fitness Goals for Longevity.

Your Next Step: Build an Immersive Home Practice

At NordicTrack, we have spent 50 years helping everyday athletes build lasting physical capability at home. Real fitness results come from consistent, focused effort—not from a room packed with trendy, unused gadgets.

All our reformers have accessories available for purchase in the US (other regions may vary) as a bundle. You may explore the Ultra 1 Reform RX-S Elite Upgrade Package, and the Ultra 1 Reformer Ultra Upgrade Package.

Prepare for the iFIT Experience

When your equipment arrives, your training does not happen in isolation. Our premier reformers integrate directly with iFIT trainer-led workout series, which automatically adjust your digital resistance to match professional studio coaching.

While you wait for your new hardware to ship, you can download the iFIT app on your smartphone or tablet to preview the global workouts, mat progressions, and structural reformer classes awaiting you.

Configure Your Machine and Accessory Bundle

Because our commercial-grade accessories are engineered to integrate perfectly with our heavy-duty framing, they are available exclusively as curated upgrades when purchasing your primary machine. You can customize your studio layout with a Pilates Box, Jumpboard, Reformer Mat, or Head Support by selecting your ideal bundle at checkout:

• Premium Home Studio Option: Explore the brand-new, Ultra 1 Reformer to secure your home studio setup.

• Studio-Inspired Training Option: Explore the high-performance NordicTrack Ultra 1 Reform RX-S to bring studio-grade capability directly into your living space.

Configure Your Reformer and Accessories Today.

Reference

1. Cureus. The Effect of Equipment-Based Pilates (Reformer) Exercises on Body Composition, Some Physical Parameters, and Body Blood Parameters of Medical Interns.

Disclaimer: The primary purpose of this blog post is to inform and entertain. Nothing on the post constitutes or is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. Reliance on any information provided on the blog is solely at your own risk. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, and please consult your doctor or other health care provider before making any changes to your diet, sleep methods, daily activity, or fitness routine. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of information available on this blog. NordicTrack assumes no responsibility for any personal injury or damage sustained by any recommendations, opinions, or advice given in this article. Always follow the safety precautions included in the owner’s manual of your fitness equipment.