I Went To A Club Pilates Class & Here’s My Honest Review

If you aren’t sure what type of workout is right for you, Pilates is always a good place to start. It offers a nice mix of strength training, cardio, balance, and mobility work — all things that help you feel strong and flexible. It’s also great for beginners, as well as the perfect add-on to other workout routines.

This is why Club Pilates is so popular, especially among Pilates fans on TikTok. With over 1,000 studios across the country, it offers an assortment of low-impact, full-body Pilates Reformer-inspired classes that cover all your bases and boost your overall well-being.

ICYDK, Pilates was originally designed as a form of rehab, which is why it’s a go-to way to improve muscle imbalances, poor posture, and core strength. The Reformer allows you to do glide-y, suspension-style exercises, but at Club Pilates, there are a few more elements added in for good measure.

As someone who could always use a nice stretch — spend hours at my desk every day — I knew I had to give Club Pilates a try. Keep scrolling below for my honest review, as well as the one bendy move I need to do again ASAP.

What Is Club Pilates?

Club Pilates is one of the biggest Pilates chains for a reason. It’s a one-stop shop for cardio workouts, strength, and flexibility training, and many people swear by how the exercises help them feel better and move more easily through everyday life.

The studios have nine types of classes to choose from: Intro Class, Reformer Flow, Cardio Sculpt, Control, Center + Balance, Suspend, F.I.T (Functional Interval Training), Restore, and Teen.

Reformer Flow includes classic Pilates moves, Cardio Sculpt incorporates a jumpboard and plyometric exercises, Control strengthens your legs and glutes with standing moves, Center + Balance gives you a deep stretch, Suspend uses TRX bands, F.I.T. is high-intensity, and Restore is like a massage for sore muscles. Depending on your mood, fitness level, and energy, there’s going to be a class for you.

Club Pilates also uses a rating system for their workouts, so you’ll know how hard it’ll be and what to expect. If you’re brand new, go for a Level 1 or Level 1.5 class. If you’re looking for something more, a Level 2 or Level 2.5 would be a better fit. The instructor is there to help if you’re feeling lost, and you can also book a free 30-minute Intro Class where they will walk you through Reformer Pilates basics.

The Cost

Pricing varies based on the membership tier you want. Most studios offer 4-packs for about $99, 8-packs for about $169, and unlimited memberships for $239 a month, as well as a Passport Membership that allows you to go to different studios for about $279. A free 30-minute intro class, drop-in classes, personal training sessions, and on-demand streaming classes are also available.

My Experience

One of the first things I noticed when I walked into Club Pilates? That everyone there was a different age. Many times, fitness classes are a sea of fellow 20- and 30-somethings, but my Reformer Flow session — one that’s good for all levels — had younger people who were there for a full workout, as well as older people who were there to stretch. To me, that was proof that the class was about to be so beneficial.

After picking up a cute pair of grippy socks by the front desk — you need them so your feet don’t slip off the Reformer, which glides back and forth like a rowing machine — I went into the workout space and grabbed myself a spot. I’ve taken Reformer classes in the past, but was still intimidated by the sheer amount of equipment. (Seriously, there was so much going on! TRX bands, Bosu balls, you name it.) Luckily, the instructor whisked over to set up my gear and explain how everything worked.

She also explained the springs on the Reformer that you unhook and adjust throughout the workout to add or take away tension, as well as cable straps with loops to pull on during arm exercises and leg stretches.

Once I knew what was what, we started to move. The workout started with a warm-up and then moved into a round of squats we did while lying down on the Reformer. Since I was pushing against the springs instead of the floor, this move felt so different from my typical squat routine. It was honestly a nice change and one that allowed me to focus on form — something Pilates is all about.

The squats were quickly followed by bicep curls and arm circles using the cables, all of which felt more controlled than if you were to just use hand weights, and then we moved to the floor for a round of oblique twists. (Talk about full body!) After that, it was back to the Reformer to put our feet in the straps for leg circles, aka my new fave move.

The leg straps allowed me to stretch out leg muscles I didn’t even know I had, and it felt like a true treat. We finished class with more floor work, a round of hip-opening lunge stretches, and that was that. All in all, it was a full 45 minutes of stretching, strengthening, and sweating.

The Takeaway

Fortunately, in the end, the equipment wasn’t nearly as tough to use as I thought it would be, and if I ever got lost, the instructor was quick to help. She also noticed I favored my right side during the workouts, but said that the imbalance would correct itself over time. How cool is that?

Club Pilates classes may be low-impact, but you’ll still light up your muscles and get a deep stretch. The combo of moves makes you feel like you’re doing something really good for your body, which explains the Pilates hype, and I definitely left with a rosy glow. I’d recommend giving this studio a try if you’re looking for a full-body, personalized workout that leaves you feeling brand new.

Studies referenced:

Campos de Oliveira, L. (2015). Effects of Pilates on muscle strength, postural balance and quality of life of older adults: a randomized, controlled, clinical trial. J Phys Ther Sci. doi: 10.1589/jpts.27.871. Epub 2015 Mar 31.

Kloubec, JA. (2010). Pilates for improvement of muscle endurance, flexibility, balance, and posture. J Strength Cond Res. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181c277a6. PMID: 20145572.

Pinto, JR. (2022). Is pilates better than other exercises at increasing muscle strength? A systematic review. Heliyon. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11564.