Business owners have opened two new fitness studios in St. Albert in four months, hoping to help people get pumped up with Pilates.
Club Pilates St. Albert opened Jan. 20 on McKenney Ave. It was the second commercial Pilates studio to open in this city in four months, and one of at least four dedicated Pilates centres operating in town as of January (not counting the numerous gyms and clubs that offer Pilates classes).
Pilates is a method of exercise and physical movement designed to stretch, strengthen, and balance the body, according to the Pilates Method Alliance. It was invented by fitness enthusiast Joseph H. Pilates during the First World War, but didn’t really catch on until the 1990s.
Pilates has been around for decades but took off in North America about three years ago after NHL and NFL teams promoted their Pilates workouts on social media, said Sturgeon Valley Athletic Club fitness manager Danielle Smith. Her club has been running Pilates classes for about 28 years, and recently added two Pilates machines to its gym.
“We have 12 [Pilates] classes a day and every single one of them is full,” Smith said.
Popularity boom
Shalene MacKinnon said she and her husband Dan decided to open a Club Pilates franchise in St. Albert after years of working with other Canadian Club Pilates outlets. (Club Pilates is a fitness company based in San Diego with branch studios around the world.)
“It’s a market that’s really untapped,” MacKinnon said of St. Albert, and they’ve had plenty of support from local customers and businesses.
Dani Parks said she opened Forza Yoga & Pilates about four months ago after nearly 15 years working as a yoga instructor. Her facility now has 65 staff, a children’s playroom, and thousands of clients.
“I wanted to create a place in the community where people could feel safe and loved,” she said.
Smith described Pilates as a non-impact form of exercise as it doesn’t pound your joints or strain your muscles like running or powerlifting might. Instead, practitioners use either a mat or spring-loaded machines to perform specific motions to build strength and stability.
“It’s just fabulous for people’s core strength and range of motion,” she said, and pairs well with more intense workouts such as cycling or weightlifting.
Part of the appeal of Pilates comes through its equipment, said Fiona Hermanutz, who has run Mobile Fitness and Pilates Studio in St. Albert for about 15 years. Some studios will focus exclusively on the table-like reformer, while others will use less common devices such as the chair, barrel, or tower/Cadillac. Other studios emphasize mat exercises.
“The equipment is fun. It’s a whole different experience because it’s spring-loaded.”
MacKinnon said people with joint or back problems might enjoy Pilates because the reformer physically supports their bodies during exercise. Pilates builds balance, core strength, and mobility, which can help with CrossFit, cycling, hiking, and everyday life.
Hermanutz said anyone who wants to try Pilates should seek out a qualified instructor who knows how to use the equipment. She recommended ones certified by the National Pilates Certification Program, which requires participants to pass an exam and complete 450 hours of training.
Smith said Pilates is an all-ages workout, with her club’s classes hosting students aged 18 to 90.
“Pilates is for every body,” she said.