The Best Pilates Studio For You

Not all Pilates studios are the same, which means finding the best Pilates studio for you may take a few tries. For example, if you’re looking for a large group class, mic’d up instructor, and pumping music, b.Pilates & Fitness is not a good fit.  And that’s okay! There are many options out there and one might be a better fit for you than another; your preferences may change over time, too. 

How To Choose The Best Pilates Studio For Your Needs

The following are some things to keep in mind when choosing the best Pilates studio for your needs. I bet some include aspects you may never have thought of!

Studio Setting

Where do you want to do Pilates? There are lots of settings to choose from, some of which may be more or less convenient for you. 

1. Home studios (like our East Studio), which could have a space set up on the main floor or in the basement, garage, or out-buildings on a residential property.
2. Storefronts in a mall.
3. Commercial warehouse-style spaces in an industrial park. 
4. Private rooms within another business (like our West Studio inside Fitness Unlimited). 
5. Upper floor studios in office buildings.

Studios may be solely operated and run by one person, or have a full teaching staff complemented by a sales team, receptionist, and maybe even retail space. There are then studios where each instructor is an independent contractor in charge of getting their own business and rents the space to teach in. 

Large vs. Small Studios

While no two studios are going to be the same, the size of the space will dictate how many people and how much equipment it can accommodate. If you like big group classes, the best Pilates studio for you might be a larger one. Here are some other things you can expect in a large studio versus a smaller one. 

Some Large Studios Have:

• 10 – 12 stations with reformers or multiple pieces of equipment, and classes are taught to a full group at once.
• Some studios only teach mat classes and might be able to accommodate up to 20 or 30 people in the session. Often a lot of props are used and these studios may offer other types of classes such as yoga, meditation, anti-gravity yoga, body rolling,  and/or barre.
• In a big space, you can also have multiple teachers teaching at the same time. There could be a couple of private sessions happening while a small reformer class is going on. I’ve been to a few studios like this; they were large open rooms and had groups of apparatuses spread throughout the room. 
• Other large studios might have multiple rooms. I used to teach in one where we could have a reformer class, mat class, and a private session all going on at one time in three separate areas.

Some Small Studios Have:

• 1 of each apparatus. Some may only teach one client at a time while others will teach circuit classes as well.
• Some will have multiple of the same apparatus and teach small group classes along with duo and private sessions.
• A shared space, like our West Studio that’s shared with physiotherapists. 
• I worked in a studio that was within a ballet studio. We had our own private area that could accommodate up to 6 people for mat classes and 3 for apparatus classes.

Type of Teacher Training

There are all kinds of teacher training out there as well!  

Classical Pilates is considered the truest to Joseph Pilates’ original work and the apparatuses he designed. Of course, some things have evolved or changed a bit over time. Mr. Pilates himself made adjustments to how he taught or designed the equipment over the years. Looking back now, we can see that he may have had a few things wrong, but he had far more right! 

One thing key to Mr. Pilates’ method is that he taught each person a little bit differently depending on what they needed in their own bodies. I think it’s really interesting to understand how he taught, why the exercises are in the order they are in, and how the apparatus can help you move with more strength, control and ease.  

There are small differences between classical training programs, but for the most part they teach a similar workout and follow the same order with the exercises. A classical Pilates teacher will know hundreds of exercises and apparatuses that you can combine into one workout to help you get stronger, more mobile, and more flexible. 

Contemporary Pilates is anything that isn’t Classical, and there are many variations that you may come across. Yet because I fell onto the path of Classical Pilates, I can’t tell you everything about them! You may come across teachers who focus entirely on rehab, while others are more dance-like. There often is no set order to the exercises like in Classical Pilates, but the teacher will have a planned workout for the day. This is similar to how I planned my fitness classes many years ago. 

Besides a few mat classes I’ve attended at conferences and what I see on social media, I really don’t know much else. I will say that I love what I know and have learned over the years, and that I can go to any classical studio in the world and feel comfortable working out there. 

Atmosphere

The best Pilates studio for you will have an atmosphere that you love. This could be a bright, uplifting space, an energetic one, or a calming atmosphere. The teacher could talk a lot while others let you focus on your workout. How do you want your workout to feel?

Again, the atmosphere will partly depend on the space you’re in. When I taught mat classes in a gym, I used a mic, played soft music, and dimmed the lights. In a big studio teaching a big class, a microphone will help everyone hear the instructor. 

I go to one studio that never plays music but the teachers talk a lot and the vibe is very up-beat. I also go to another studio where there is little chatter and few words from the teachers, just very direct coaching… but they pump the music for a fun atmosphere. Then there is in-between with background music, which I tend to do in my own classes.

Find Your Fit

Clearly, not all studios are created equal! There is something for everyone out there. The best Pilates studio for you right now may only teach mat classes, but in a few years you may find you want to try the classical apparatuses. Then you may find that you require private sessions due to an injury or because you want to advance more quickly with one-on-one attention. Other times, you may just want to switch things up! With Pilates still gaining popularity, I’m sure you’ll start to see more Pilates studios popping up that will give you more options.