Top 10 Pilates Instructors & Studios

By on February 25, 2009 in Healthy Living

What is Pilates?
Pilates is a physical fitness system developed by Joseph Pilates. In Pilates, the mind is used to control the muscles. Pilates attempts to create a fusion of mind and body, allowing the body to move with grace, balance and economy.

Traditional Pilates is performed on a machine known as the reformer, which provides exercise resistance to build strength, develop proper alignment and posture, and increase flexibility.  Today, people practice mat Pilates, which does not require a reformer.

Why do it?
Pilates works to strengthen the deep torso muscles and teaches awareness of breath and body, alignment of the spine, good posture, graceful movement, flexibility and agility. It transforms the way your body looks, feels and performs, building strength without excess bulk and creating a sleek, toned body with slender thighs and a flat abdomen.

Caveat?
In recent years the term “Pilates” worked itself into the mainstream and may be used generically and without restriction.  The outcome was untrained or under-qualified teachers advertising quasi Pilates instruction.  To be safe, make sure your instructor is certified. Sources: Pilates.com and Wikipedia. 

  1. 1. John Garey, Stott Pilates
    Long Beach, CA
    Johngareypilates.com
    Stott Pilates incorporates modern exercise principles, including contemporary knowledge of spinal rehabilitation and improved athletic performance to improve core strength and balance the muscles around the joints.  The Stott method specifically targets breathing, pelvic placement, rib cage placement, scapular movement and head and cervical spine placement.

  2. 2. Tandy Gutierrez, Equinox Fitness
    Los Angeles
    Equinoxfitness.com
    Tandy teaches athletic, barre and beach Pilates as well as Balanced Body Blast. Her philosophy is to mix it up and to have fun; fitness can be serious, but it doesn’t have to lack humor.

  3. 3. Brooke Seller, Re:AB Pilates
    New York City
    Reabnyc.com
    Dedicated to the authentic teachings of Joseph Pilates.  Re:AB’s award-winning group classes are small to allow for individual attention from the instructor.

  4. 4. Ana Caban, In & Up Pilates
    Los Angeles
    Anacaban.com
    In the past decade, Ana has owned Pilates studios in both Miami and Los Angeles.  She recently moved back to Los Angeles and now teaches at In & Up Pilates in LA’s Silver Lake neighborhood.  Ana also has a popular collection of Pilates videos in English and Spanish.
     
  5. 5. Dorothee VandeWalle, Metropolitan Pilates
    Seattle
    Metropolitanpilates.com
    Recognized worldwide as a master Pilates practitioner, Dorothee founded Metropolitan Pilates to teach the classical Pilates method using equipment built from Joseph Pilates’ original design specifications and mechanics.
     
  6. 6. Shari Bercowitz, The Vertical Workshop  
    Los Angeles
    Theverticalworkshop.com
    Shari teaches classical Pilates training: Joseph Pilates’ original exercises, order and vocabulary. Students use the Mat, Reformer, Trapeze Table/Cadillac, High Chair, Wunda Chair, Barrels, Spine Corrector, Ped-o-pul and Magic Circle.
     
  7. 7. Carrie Macy, BACE LA
    Los Angeles
    Bacepilates.com
    BACE offers traditional Pilates as well as its BACE method, a combination of Pilates, cardio and yoga.
     
  8. 8. Any instructor, Studio Lotus
    Atlanta
    Studiolotus.com
    Instructors work with you to craft a personalized fitness program. Studio Lotus teaches a classical, systematic and integrative approach.
     
  9. 9. Any instructor, The Pilates Center
    Boulder, CO
    Thepilatescenter.com
    Known as “The Harvard for Pilates,” the Pilates Center teaches the genuine method and offers personalized instruction for beginners and advanced students as well as a rigorous teacher training program.
     
  10. 10. Rael Isacowitz, BASI Pilates, Instructor Training
    Affiliate locations nationwide
    Basipilates.com
    More than 25 years of teaching experience has given Isacowitz the moniker teacher-of-teachers.  The Body Arts and Science International Approach (BASI) incorporates yoga, dance, athletics and academic knowledge. The BASI certification is recognized as a contemporary approach to Joseph Pilates’ original method of exercise and strengthening. BASI-certified instructors teach at 53 locations in 15 different countries.

    Image attribution: fyvie.net, Splash Pilates Studio, JR Pilates and Bodyline Pilates Studio.

About olivia

Olivia Kuhn-Lloyd believes in the reach of business to effect real social change. She works with companies who are forging a new paradigm of cause capitalism and writes about the power of consumer choice at Cause+Capitalism. She managed international trade advocacy with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C., working with both foreign ambassadors and national business owners to tell their stories. She left the Chamber to spend a year in the Marshall Islands as a volunteer teacher and journalist. When she returned to the States, she worked with nonprofits and grantmakers in Los Angeles on program development, capital campaigns and executive coaching. Olivia now works with businesses to integrate social cause at a fundamental level and build community around the product or service. She lives in Santa Monica, CA.
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11 Responses to Top 10 Pilates Instructors & Studios

  1. marie.rasco February 25, 2009 at 12:29 pm #

    Great list Olivia. I have done pilates a few times. It is very difficult, but it significantly increased my strength and flexibility. Thank you for the resources!

  2. blazedale February 25, 2009 at 12:32 pm #

    This is a very helpful list, thank you so much for posting this!

  3. prachi February 25, 2009 at 12:33 pm #

    I always wanted to try pilates but don't think my body has that kind of resistance

  4. AuroraBraun February 25, 2009 at 3:22 pm #

    Thanks for this helpful post. I love knowing that I can choose among a number of pros based is in my town, Los Angeles.

  5. Kate Allwine February 26, 2009 at 3:21 pm #

    This is a great list and an awesome post. I do know

    Tandy Gutierrez and her work. In LA, I could find

    no one I'd enjoy more.

  6. achet May 19, 2009 at 3:12 am #

    I have structured my studio towards the group classes. Not only is the group hour more economical for the client, but it is more profitable for the studio than the private hour. I structured my privates as a stepping stone to the equipment/mat classes so the financial obligation for the private is short lived.With my available private hours, I chose a few clients for a case study. I focused on my clients with unique issues especially my older clients (70's & 80's). They get free sessions and I get to use their info in my book.

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