PIlates has a ton of benefits and absolutely anyone can do it. Focused specifically on the muscles that support the spine, it improves posture, overall strength and good health. You will feel muscles you never knew you had and gain a deeper awareness of your body that will help you age with grace. It is an excellent complement to other exercise regimens or sports, as it helps you to find balance and improve your flexibility and range of motion.

Pilates is named for Joseph Pilates (1883-1967), who spent his life developing what he coined “Contrology”, the study of control, to improve one’s physical strength and posture specifically by developing the muscles that support the spine. He was born in Germany and interned by the British during WWI where he helped rehabilitate injured veterans. He cleverly attached pulleys and springs to hospital beds (an early version of the machines we use today) to exercise infirm soldiers. In the 1920s he moved to NYC where he helped rehab countless dancers, like George Balanchine and Martha Graham.

Ron Fletcher (1921-2011) was a First Generation Master teacher who studied directly with Joseph and Clara Pilates in NY. He was a Martha Graham dancer and choreographer and originally sought out Joe Pilates to rehabilitate a knee injury. After Joe Pilates died in 1967, Ron Fletcher continued to develop the work, bringing it to the west coast and incorporating elements from his experience with the Martha Graham Dance Company. He notably brought the work "to standing", emphasized the "percussive breath", and taught Pilates as a movement practice rather than exercise.

The percussive breath is a rhythmic breath that makes sound and helps facilitate movement. You probably have heard that there’s a strong emphasis on breathing in Pilates. However, in Fletcher Pilates, the exhale makes a “shush” sound allowing you to fully push out all the air and deeply engage the lowest abdominal muscles. Breathing, the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen helps nourish your cells, oxygenate the blood and even elevate your mood! You can read more extensively about the percussive breath here.

We recommend at least 2x per week to really feel the work. If you only do it once per week, each week can feel like starting from square one. 2x a week or more, allows your body to remember everything we’ve learned and you will start to notice a significant difference with your strength and awareness.

Doing Pilates with bare feet helps to work the muscles of the foot and allows us to see just what’s going on with the alignment of your toes and feet. It also helps your feet to grip the equipment and floor without slipping. Although we prefer bare feet, if you are absolutely opposed you can wear socks (grippy socks with toes are preferred).

We have a 24 hour cancellation policy. You need to cancel your scheduled lesson 24 hours in advance to avoid being charged in full. This ensures that the teachers have enough time to try and rebook your scheduled timeslot.

Yes! There is first-come first-serve parking in the back which you enter on Marathon St. Once you park, walk back between the buildings toward Virgil. There's a wooden gate, just lift the latch and you'll see the studio there.

We have a fully equipped studio with Reformers, a Cadillac, Spine Correctors, Chairs, a Ped-i-Pull, and several other tools to provide a comprehensive and rigorous experience!

Pilates teaches people dynamic movement within their range of motion, increasing it slowly as they gain flexibility, with an emphasis on focus and awareness, as all exercises are done with eyes open. Yoga is a spiritual and meditative practice originating in ancient India and is comprised of a series of poses that tend to be held. Pilates and Yoga are quite different in origin and practice, however you may see some crossover or similarities in movements and in deepening the mind/body connection.