Pilates Privates or Classes?
- Desiree Sanchez
- May 15
- 3 min read
Most Pilates studios offer classes and private sessions.
What is the difference? Are Private sessions worth it?
Is it ok if I only take classes?
Why would I choose one or the other?
The quick answer is that if you have pain, injuries or chronic health conditions, Private sessions are the BEST way to make changes! If you are generally healthy, on a tight budget, or if you are aiming to do Pilates more than 3 times per week, classes are a great way to go.
Ultimately, we encourage most of our clients to do a combination of classes and privates.
What happens in Private Pilates Sessions? Private sessions can literally transform you. With only one person to focus on, a well trained Pilates instructor can SEE the patterns in your movement and help you make long-term changes to those patterns.
Rather than layering strength onto patterns that aren't serving you, we change the whole pattern and build integrated, systemic strength & flexibility.
In Private sessions, we can unwind movement patterns that cause pain and train your muscles in new ways so you leave with more support AND more mobility. You learn an entirely new way of connecting with and listening to your body, increasing your awareness and creating undeniable results.
Are Pilates Private Sessions worth it?
Absolutely!
Over the years, we at Functional Strength Pilates have helped many hundreds of clients recover from, or completely avoid, spine and joint replacement surgeries. We currently work with multiple clients who have EDS and auto-immune illnesses, and more!
Just a few days ago, the parent of a client with EDS told me that her daughter's Pilates Privates have been more successful than any physical therapist or doctor she has ever seen. Yesterday, a client left her private session with the exclamation "I feel 100% better than when I came in!". These are just a few examples of things we hear every day in the studio!
We encourage most clients to do a mixture of Private sessions and group classes. However, some clients, including professional athletes, simply prefer the depth and personalization of one-on-one sessions. And classes aren't appropriate for everyone. Do Pilates
Why Take Pilates Classes?
There are some great benefits of being in group sessions!
At Functional Strength Pilates, our group sessions are small - a maximum of 6 people in our Reformer, Pole and Low Chair classes, and a maximum of 9 in our Mat classes. This gives our teachers the opportunity to offer some personalization and partnering while still addressing the whole group.
One of the benefits of group classes, particularly when done in conjunction with or following a series of Privates, is that they give you the opportunity to practice what you've learned, integrate and "own it".
Being in a group is more independent - we still give you cues, guide you, and manage safety, but we are a bit less hands on. This helps clients to internalize the work in a different way. Classes frequently have a different rhythm than Private sessions do.
Additionally, classes are more social! You meet more people and develop studio friendships in our very welcoming community.
Is It Ok to Take Classes Only?
Yes, 100%!
We have a lot of clients who do only classes! People tend to get a bit more value from their classes when they do privates, even occasionally, however a lot of people ONLY do classes, and love it. Pilates Works!
Here's the deal: Pilates works! When it is well taught, Pilates is unparalleled in it's ability to create structural balance and integration - to help you build power and mobility, prevent injuries, recover from injuries or other setbacks, and live your best life.
Joseph Pilates wrote about utilizing his work to develop a balance of strength and flexibility, create "uniform development" to improve our health - with the ultimate goal that we have enough energy and vigor left at the end of each day to approach our lives with "spontaneous zest and pleasure". Whether you take Pilates Privates or Pilates Classes, working consistently with well trained instructors will deliver all that, and more!
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