Frequently Asked Questions

Back pain is a complex phenomenon that scientists continue to research to understand what ultimately causes it and how to eliminate it. However, there is hope! Exercise science has proven time and again that regularly moving your body is beneficial in decreasing pain levels. The strength and flexibility of the spine was the main focus of Pilates’ work. As such, at our studio we will teach you powerful movement patterns and tools that will help you to better manage your back pain with the goal of helping you eliminate it completely!

Pilates is safe to practice at any age as all the movements can be modified to work with your individual needs and limitations. Elderly clients benefit tremendously from building muscle strength, maintaining flexibility, supporting healthy posture, working their coordination, and maintaining agility.

Our team of experienced and trained instructors have worked with clients suffering from a wide variety of chronic conditions including but not limited to: Parkinson’s, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, vertigo, asthma, degenerative disc disease, and many other illnesses. We take the time to listen to your explanation of your symptoms, treatment journey, and all other relevant information you share with us. When necessary, we take the time to research your illness to better understand how to support you with Pilates. We receive regular continuing education and training that helps us work with clients who suffer from chronic conditions. And we are happy to receive guidance from your health care providers as well. We want to help you feel and move better regardless of your circumstances!

Yes. We work with many clients who have either been diagnosed with osteopenia or osteoporosis. The exercises in the Pilates protocol can be modified to work with clients who experience this condition. And there are many exercises that are specifically designed and targeted to help clients build and maintain bone density. We look forward to supporting you!

The short answer is, yes. If you have been practicing Pilates regularly before getting pregnant, your doctor will most likely allow you to continue with Pilates in your first trimester. If you get pregnant and are completely new to Pilates, we ask that you wait until your second trimester to begin your sessions with us. We always ask that you get written clearance from your doctor to practice Pilates with us. Pilates is an incredible tool in helping you prepare for pregnancy and keep you moving during this amazing journey of transformation your body will undergo. It will help you keep your core muscles conditioned as they work hard to support the weight of your growing baby. It will help you experience less back, hip, and leg pain. Pilates will help you build upper body strength that will prepare you for carrying and feeding your baby. Pre-natal Pilates will also help you prepare your pelvic floor muscles both to hold your baby as it grows as well as teach them to release for birthing.

Pilates can definitely support you as you work to heal any pelvic floor dysfunction you are coping with. The first step will be learning to identify and contract the muscles of the pelvic floor. Next you will learn to engage and release these muscles while practicing a variety of exercises. In Pilates we take into consideration the vital function of these muscles in supporting the trunk of our body and our breathing. Many have found Pilates to be a real healing tool.

Pilates pays a tremendous amount of attention to the health, strength, and flexibility of the feet and ankles. You will be practicing a lot of Foot Work exercises on the different equipment. You will find that these exercises will help relieve the pain you have been experiencing. You will also start to notice how your foot muscles start to strengthen and you will feel more connected into the soles of your feet as you walk.

We work with a strict 24 hour cancellation policy. Instructors are paid for every reservation. If you cancel within the 24 hour period before your scheduled session or class, it does not allow sufficient time to book another client in your spot. We appreciate your understanding.

We have some client parking located in the parking lot off of Termino Ave. The entrance is right behind Scratch Bakery. Please only park in the spaces that are not designated for residents.

Please dress in comfortable workout clothes that allow you to move freely. We recommend that clothes not be too baggy or loose as material can get caught in springs on the equipment or in the reformer headrest or carriage. Please no zippers as this can puncture and damage the vinyl covering on the equipment. Please avoid long dangly jewelry of any kind as it can get caught in the equipment as well. Sharp edged rings will also get in the way of your practice, so please leave these at home. For the gentlemen, we ask that you please wear a pair of cycle shorts under your workout shorts, or sweatpants.

Our goal since our establishment has been to grow our clientele organically. We want to draw clients to our studio who are interested in the way we approach the work of teaching Pilates, love our space, and feel inspired to take the journey with us. We are here for the long haul!

Long loose hair can get caught in equipment springs, carriages, and reformer headrests. We recommend you wear your hair up to avoid any incidents.

It may surprise some newbies to Pilates to hear that mat Pilates is actually the most challenging portion of the Pilates repertoire. Mat Pilates has unfortunately been marketed in many settings as a cheaper and “easier” form of Pilates to practice. This is not true. Practicing Pilates on the mat without the support and feedback of the equipment and springs is incredibly challenging when done correctly. You only have your body and gravity when you’re on the mat! And teaching mat work requires skill and ability. The equipment Pilates designed allows the person practicing to receive a tremendous amount of feedback as to where their body is in space, the amount of exertion required to execute the movement, and helps “lift us up” against gravity. The resistance of the springs also helps isolate specific muscle groups in order to make sure we are paying attention to the smaller muscles groups in addition to the bigger ones. A well balanced Pilates practice makes use of the mat and the equipment.

The Pilates Method as laid out by Joseph Pilates included a mat warm-up followed by a reformer series and then a selection of wunda chair and/or Cadillac exercises depending on the individual needs of the client. As Pilates has evolved over time, instructors have chosen to teach the repertoire in different sequences depending on their training, perspective, and experience. At our studio we do not market our group classes based on the equipment being used. Our group classes are simply designated as “Semi-private Equipment Group Classes” because they make a use of a rotation of the equipment over time. This allows for greater flexibility for the instructor to decide what work they want to cover with their clients based on the needs of each individual group on any given day. It also allows clients to be challenged by using the wide array of equipment over time.

Our group classes are limited to four participants at one time and as such are designated “semi-private”. You will never feel lost in the crowd as your instructor will always be able to provide you with support and guidance with your specific needs and/or make modifications when necessary. Yes, size does matter!