Issue #472
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
CoreAlign® Bliss
by Eme Cole
Eight years ago, I began training a 60-year-old client whose 85-year-old father had just gifted him a CoreAlign. A longtime believer in the machine’s benefits, his father was determined to equip his son with the tools necessary to age well. He asked me to familiarize myself with the CoreAlign so I could train his son using it regularly. Although I had been teaching Pilates for 17 years at that point, I was new to this particular apparatus, but intrigued and eager to learn.
I dove into research and discovered that the CoreAlign was developed in the early 2000s by Jonathan Hoffman, a physical therapist from Israel. His goal was to create an apparatus that enhances functional movement, posture, balance, and core control, equally effective in both rehabilitation and fitness settings. Balanced Body introduced the CoreAlign to the U.S. market at the 2008 Pilates Method Alliance Conference, and by 2010, officially added it to their equipment lineup in partnership with Hoffman.
At first, it wasn’t easy to educate myself on the many uses of the CoreAlign. I explored what little content was available on YouTube and began piecing together exercise sequences. My client generously allowed me to practice on his machine before our sessions, giving me valuable hands-on experience. Week by week, I became increasingly captivated by the CoreAlign’s versatility and couldn’t wait to explore new movement possibilities.
While the CoreAlign shares some features with the Pilates Reformer, most notably a sliding carriage, it stands apart in several significant ways. Instead of a single carriage, it includes two independent carts that glide along parallel tracks, requiring each limb to work autonomously. This design fosters balanced strength and flexibility. Each cart is equipped with six resistance bands: two light, two medium, and two heavy. Like the Reformer, the sources of tension can be combined in multiple configurations for customized resistance. Notably, the CoreAlign’s platform sits just 5.5 inches off the ground (compared to the Reformer’s standard 14-inch height), creating a grounded, less intimidating surface, particularly advantageous for standing work. The machine is paired with a 91-inch ladder that provides support, safety, and added functionality.
Eme Cole discovered Pilates while rehabilitating from a college gymnastics injury. She holds a B.S. in Kinesiology, an M.S. in Exercise Physiology, and completed her Pilates certification through the PhysicalMind Institute in 2002.
Eme owned and operated Pilates PLUS studio in Chicago for twelve years before selling the business to a colleague. During that time, she authored seven Pilates Expanded manuals: the most comprehensive encyclopedias of Pilates-inspired exercises using the Reformer, Cadillac, Wunda Chair, Ladder Barrel, Mat, SUP, and Props. The series also includes a business guide, client log, and personal journal.
In 2015, Eme relocated to Colorado, where she designed a Reformer/Tower hybrid that folds against the wall like a Murphy bed. She later patented several innovations from this design and commissioned the creation of a full-size prototype, which she now uses in her practice.
Pilates has empowered Eme with strength, symmetry, and sustained spinal health. Today, she continues to share her passion through private sessions, group training, workshops, retreats, virtual coaching, and business consulting.
For more information and offerings, please visit: www.PilatesExpanded.