After listening to your friends gush about how good they feel and envying your gym buddy's new ab definition, you're intrigued by pilates—but put off by the price. With private classes regularly topping $75 and group sessions at $15 or more, maybe you decided to compromise. You went out and bought a pilates DVD, which you dutifully tried once before leaving it atop the dusty stack. It's time to face facts: If you're going to give pilates a real go, it's probably time to get yourself to a class.
Ranging from reformer classes (which use a plank-like gliding bench outfitted with straps) to mat classes (which still give a full workout), our five pilates bargains will have you learning the moves without losing your moolah.
Try it out for free at Core Connection Pilates
Jump right in and give it a (free) go at Core Connection, which invites new clients to print off the coupon on its homepage and come in for a free 45-minute group mat class (pre-registration is required). Incorporating free-standing equipment such as bands, balls and foam rollers, you've got nothing to lose by taking advantage of this freebie. And because the studio is one large room that hosts both mat classes and equipment, you'll have plenty of opportunity to check out the scene and ask questions of your instructor. If you enjoy the group mat class, consider investing in a $240 20-card mat class pack, for a $100 savings.
Learn from the almost-experts at Body Endeavors Pilates
Take a private lesson from an eager teacher-in-training and score a major discount. While private lessons are $68 for a 55-minute class, you'll pay a measly $25 for this same session. Though the price will climb a bit after your first 10 sessions, you can take as many as 30 lessons at discounted rates. Private lessons include mat exercises, reformer exercises and work on the Cadillac, so called because it's considered the Cadillac of pilates machines. If you fall in love with the Cadillac during private lessons, sign up for the unique small-group Cadillac group classes to continue your love affair while still holding onto your wallet. Four classes in one month are just $25 each.
Sign up for a semester at Pilates Practice, Inc.
What could be cooler than studying pilates in a Flashdance-esque dance school, complete with rickety accordion-door elevator and boxy olive benches? Pilates Practice, housed in the Ruth Page Dance Center, offers group mat classes of generally 8-20 people. Though instructor Julie Schiller recommends that all students start with a private lesson, she considers the exercises at Pilates Practice conservative, with nothing dangerous or intimidating to beginners. One plus of taking the plunge into a class series is you're more likely to stick to a pre-determined schedule. Another is that your savings are decidedly hefty. Enroll in eight classes for a scant $84 or enroll in 24 classes and watch the average price tag dip below $10 per class.
Get a firm foundation and be duly rewarded at Cheetah Gym
Generally, sessions that use the reformer are pricey and group reformer classes are rare. But Cheetah Gym's three locations offer group reformer classes at a bargain. Cough up $119 for the Total Pilates Package and you'll get two private sessions, during which you'll be taught proper form and the basic exercises. Once you've proven yourself one-on-one, you'll score a free 10-workout punch card for group reformer classes, which are usually attended by 5-8 people. Because the reformer equipment is moveable, you're able to enjoy a class in the sun-soaked group exercise space rather than sweat it out in some hidden back room. Once you're in the door for pilates, you're free to enjoy any of the other equipment in these well-stocked gyms. Go on, treat yourself to a post-pilates rest in the sauna.
Practice pilates with a buddy at Flow
Starting an exercise program with a friend increases your chances of sticking with it and Flow, a multi-story pilates studio in Lincoln Park, is happy to reward duos with its money-saving Buddy package. Included are two duet classes, in which you and a friend share one private instructor for work on the reformer and the mat, which can be particularly appealing if you're a bit shy about trying out unfamiliar positions. The $115-per-person package also includes two small-group mat classes, which are held in the studio's mellow lower-level space, shielded from the passerby. If you like the attention of private instructors but the cheaper price of the duet sessions, grab one more friend and consider a 10-pack of triplet classes, which work out to less than $38 each (roughly half of what a fully private class would cost you).
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