I personally would not spend close to $400 with shipping. Pilates is a thinking exercise, once you have a full grasp of what to concentrate on internally and have your breathing down you can add resistant bands to your workout. You can get low, med and high resistance and spend (for three or more) anywhere from 19.95 to 39.00. However, IâÂÂm pretty thrifty so my opinion might not count for much. I have read some of the reviews from so called Pilates instructors raving about the MP chair; IâÂÂm a bit leery of these reviews. I have in the past used nonprofessional and professional Pilates equipment and there is absolutely no comparison in the weight, balance, sturdiness and spring quality. Have you checked into some of the Pilates with bands workout DVDâÂÂs? Or, if you want to kick it up a notch there are a few intermediate to advanced Pilates/ball workouts that will kick your butt.

This post was edited by jterrilynn on Mon, Mar 18, 13 at 18:28

I have one that I got at Goodwill, and I'm completely happy with it--about the cost of the bands, jterrilynn : ). We also have found some videos that work with it and I liked them, although it will take a while before I can really learn them enough to make them flow.

I will say that I don't find the chair really "true" Pilates, iykwim. The mat exercise videos I have, from Rael Isacowitz, are much "purer" and more real. But the chair does offer a workout of its own kind, and while I wouldn't have paid the full price, I'm fine with having paid what I did.

HSN had it for around $259 w/free shipping when I posted, but it looks like I may have missed that deal. I haven't tried the bands, so maybe I'll check into that.

flyleft - Is the chair too heavy to move from room to room? I was thinking I would keep it in my bedroom, but then move it to the family room when I wanted to work out. One of the reviews talked about how heavy it is.

It's heavy, and not something you just move casually, but it can be moved. I'm evidently pretty strong, though, so it might be too much for some folks.