My Experience

Would you consider a person who owns a Pilates studio to be good source about how to pick a Pilates studio? Yes, I’ve owned and operated California Pilates Center in Carlsbad, California since 2003. I’ve also owned a couple of Pilates Studios in different areas of Los Angeles and I’ve been a practitioner and Pilates Instructor for over 25 years. Well obviously I know something about the subject, but in addition to owning a studio in I’ve been to a lot of Pilates studios across the United States and Canada. I continue to visit different Pilates studios often, as a matter of fact I take regular classes at a studio that is not my own. There are awesome Pilates studios all over, with wonderful teachers and this is what I look for.

Students Bodies

When making a recommendation to a student one of the first things to consider is where is the person’s body at? Is this person a Pilates’ beginner or a very advanced enthusiast? Are they in shape or not? Does the Pilates studio in question offer different levels of instruction, do they offer beginning but not advanced classes? Do the instructors have experience working with disabilities or pregnancy? Call first or visit the Studio’s web site and explore the offerings.

Certifications

Pilates grew very rapidly during the last twenty years and the experience level of some of the instructors was quite frankly sometimes lacking. That there is now a Pilates’ industry and overseers of the Pilates work is a good thing. There exists a grouping of very qualified programs that instruct “instructors” how to teach and verify the person is qualified to teach the Pilates method. The studios should publish on the studio’s web site or printed material the qualifications and certifications of the instructors. If not call the Studio and ask. You can then explore those on your own. Furthermore does your instructor continue to update their knowledge and experience with additional education, workshops, etc.

Certified, but in what?

First does your instructor have a Pilate’s certification? I was at a trade show years ago in San Francisco and because it was at a general fitness themed event we had different types of fitness professionals in attendance. Two ladies who had taken a 20- minute demonstration joked that they were now qualified to teach Pilates. The most basic question should be are they qualified to teach Pilates and by whom?

How do you know what is a good certification program? Not all Pilates’ programs are created equal, or even have the same basic philosophy. There exist different schools of thought about what to do with the volume of information Joseph Pilates left to the world. It seems most fall into either a Classical approach (follow the Pilates method as they understand Joseph Pilates taught), a more Contemporary approach (honoring what Joseph Pilates created and building on that with modern understandings of the body), or what I call a “Fad” approach (creations capitalizing on the recent popularity of Pilates, but not necessarily the whole of the Pilates Method).

My personal bias is towards the Contemporary approach building upon what Joseph Pilates started and adding new discoveries and growing with the work as I think Joseph Pilates would.  I feel it is important to offer the full body of work that Joseph Pilates taught because the work itself is very balanced. Adherents to the Classical approach might feel that the original work becomes diluted or polluted when compromised with other things or when only one aspect is emphasized. I certainly understand not wanting to pollute the original teachings with silly fad like practices.

Some of the better known and accepted Contemporary Certification Programs would include Body Arts & Sciences, Intl. (BASI), Stott Pilates, Balanced Body, Physical Mind, Ron Fletcher, and Polestar. Classical Certification Programs would include Core Pilates, Power Pilates, Romana Pilates to name a few. Graduates of these programs stand the best chance of offering better Pilates classes.

Some of these programs offer the teaching of what has become know as the ‘Pilates Elders’, people like Romana of Romana Pilates who were actual students of Joseph Pilates.

Specialties

Does the Pilates studio in question have a specialty? Do they work with pregnancy, or rehab? Is the emphasis on fitness and toning? Make sure to inform your instructor of your body’s needs, and then note how your instructor reacts to them?

I have heard stories of instructors not looking at the student while cueing and instructing the student. So much for private instruction, so private not even the student is in on it.

Location & Price

Obviously important and perhaps how many people eventually pick a studio is the location and price. I would and do travel farther to get to a store or restaurant that I prefer, and I do so with a Pilates studio as well. The best one is not always the closest. For our Studio in North San Diego County we have people coming from surrounding areas such as Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, Encinitas, Solana Beach, and farther for Pilates as well as Carlsbad, which represents quite a distance.

Additionally, many instructors as they become more experienced and in demand charge more than the average instructor charges. Sometimes it’s worth it, other times maybe not depending on your experience. Sometimes one of the best indicators is whether or not the Studio and or the Instructor are booked up or completely available.

At our Pilates Studio in Carlsbad, California I charge a little more than the other instructors at the studio and in the surrounding area studios. I’m not saying I’m better than others but some people think it’s a worthwhile investment in their health. I’ve always thought it’s better to pay a couple of dollars more to make my experience that much better. I know when I go to another Pilates’ instructor for my own private instruction I go to the better instructors if I have the budget for it.

How often should you go?

Ideally it’s nice to workout with a Pilate’s program 3 times a week. For some budgets that might be too much, but most Studios offer different types of sessions that can be easier on funds. Mat or group sessions are generally a lower cost option and can supplement one or two private sessions for your weekly Pilates program. Semi-private sessions also can be easier on the budget and still offer quite a bit of individual instruction.

One trick to gaining a wee bit more private instruction out of a Mat or group class is find one that is just forming and not as full. Even in a mat or group class I will offer words of instructions as most instructors do, and I know that in a smaller group you as a student can benefit from less people. It is just a physical fact that with less people in a class there is more opportunity for the instructor to view and comment on the students who are there.

Why is private instruction important?

I know how to do all the Pilates’ exercises but I still do my private sessions with another instructor because they keep you honest. As human being we sometimes want the easy way and if you don’t have anyone watching you sometimes we cut corners and don’t really do all we can. But even more importantly we might not be doing the exercises correctly even if we think we know how and this can lead to injury. You get the most out of the program if you’re push to be the best you can be and to make sure you are doing it correctly maximizing your workouts.

You should feel good after your sessions although you might be tried or even a little sore, (I tell my students they might be experiencing “new awareness’’ of their body). But overall you should feel good, the best barometer of how your class was.

Style & personality

Assuming you have found a studio that does good work still a comfortable setting is important and personalities that agree with you. If you come to the California Pilates Center in Carlsbad a very friendly Golden Retriever named Buddy might greet you. While some might not like dogs most of my clients love Buddy and miss him when he doesn’t come to the Studio. But this might be for you.

Another thing to consider is sometimes (especially during peak hours) we have multiple sessions going on. When I operated the original Studio in Carlsbad it was smaller and did not accommodate additional instructors at the same time. Well we grew and have several instructors at the same time often, and it took a session or two for some of my clients who were use to secluded private sessions. They soon understood the private was in instruction and not the Studio. But overall they all grew to love the interaction with everyone including the dog! We have a fun time and we work hard.

Best to experience it yourself.

Let’s face it some of these questions can not be answered until you’ve taken a class or several, but you can ask yourself these questions after you’ve seen the instructor and make the determination to continue or not. But hopefully the ideas listed above can help guide you in making a great decision. You have already made one great decision to practice Pilates.

So last summer Mateosian decided to join them by bringing mat class outside—with a twist. She organized a series of “flash mob” classes that she would hold at different public spaces around the city. By the end of the summer, she had created a lot of buzz, added a few new clients and got to enjoy the summer herself.

OK, let’s back up a little bit. You might be wondering what a flash mob is. Flash mobs are typically public stunts, where a group of people gathers at a meeting place, does something a little wacky and then disperses. The meeting place is often communicated by text message and the people might not know one another. (One of the coolest examples was when 100 people froze in place for a minute in New York’s Grand Central Station.)

Mateosian’s version isn’t quite as wacky (but it might be to someone who’s never seen Pilates). And it’s a little more planned. Last summer she would email the when and where  a few days before the class. This year, she’s listed the dates and times on her website, and you have to sign up for her email list to get the location, which she’ll send out a day ahead of time. The once-a-week class is free and meant to keep people engaged over the summer, generate some buzz and enjoy the weather.

“It’s a fun, hip concept but also takes advantage of the fact that in Maine we hibernate all year and then for three months it’s just like crazy summer energy,” says Mateosian. “So being outdoors is really tapping into that sort of natural energy but keeping people coming to Pilates.”

Last year’s locations included an after-work class on a promenade, a sunset class at a beachfront park and a 7:30 a.m. class on the Maine State Pier, one of Mateosian’s favorite spots. “You’re right on the working waterfront and you have the fishermen standing at the end of the dock and the ferry going buy and the sailboats coming in and out,” she says.

Mateosian chose public spaces and made sure there were no events going on. Because she’s not charging any money and the classes were small—usually two to six people—she didn’t investigate getting a permit. She also asked the participants to bring their own towels or mats.

Last summer’s turnout wasn’t huge—a few clients took full advantage and others popped in and out when they could. But the buzz is building. She met someone at a party who had heard of the classes, and she also picked up some new clients who were friends or relatives of her flash mob group.

One man who joined the “mob” had never done Pilates. “He was totally grunting and working his way through the whole thing and he said that afterwards he went to pick up a piece of trash and realized that his body didn’t hurt when he bent over,” says Mateosian. “Now he comes to Pilates.”

To start with we need to answer the question, what is a pilates reformer. At the first look, a reformer kind of appears to be an larger version of a rowing machine. There is a large padded cushion to support your weight that can be sat on, laid on, or even stood on for truly advanced moves. This pad is supported on rails, which allow it to slide back and forth while you perform your workout.

Included on the pilates equipment are several different cables and springs. These provide various and increasing levels of resistance as you go through the pilates motions. By changing around how the cables are attached to the pad, you are also able to change the movements you can perform on the reformer.

It should be noted that pilates reformer equipment can be a significant investment in your home gym. Typically, a pilates reformer should be considered if you have already been doing pilates for a while, have established some basic strength, and are ready to push you workout to the next level. You will want to make sure that you review several manufacturers and compare prices from different shops to make sure that you get the best deal.

Once you know you are ready, the investment in a reformer will absolutely be worth it for two big reasons.

Number one, the comfort level while doing your pilates workout will be greatly improved. Laying on the floor for your exercises is perfectly fine and has been going on for decades, but lets face it, no mat will ever provide enough cushion over carpet, tile, or hardwood to feel completely comfortable on your back.

Reformer equipment picks you up off the ground and puts you on a padded surface. This gives you a firm foundation to work with while also allowing you spine cushion and comfort. Now you can focus better on your workout and not on the discomfort of your back.

Number two, and more important than basic comfort, is that the reformer introduces resistance into your workout routine. Adding resistance to each move will mean that you can get more results, quicker from the same number of moves. You will not only be able to burn more calories, but the effect of shaping and toning your body will be dramatic.

Pilates reformer equipment will get you past your plateau and add variety into your workout. The sliding motion of the machine adds new exercises to your routine. This will help keep you from getting bored with you workout and reinvigorate your muscles.

I hope that you have enjoyed this information on Pilates reformer equipment. Be sure to look around before choosing what reformer will work best for you and have a great workout.