FAQs

On Getting Started

About Pilates

About Yoga

About Gyrotonic

Massage

Acupuncture

Gift Certificates

Do I have to reserve a space or can I just show up for class?
Our classes are kept intentionally small. Reservations are therefore required as we would hate for you to make the effort to get here and be shut out of a full class. Also, if a class ever gets cancelled due to low registration, an emergency or inclement weather, we will contact everyone with a reservation to let them know.

What should I wear?
Dress comfortably in clothes you can move in, but nothing too baggy because the instructor should observe how your body is moving. Some movements can put you in unexpected positions so bike shorts or undergarments should be worn under loose-fitting shorts. Socks with grips provide great traction for safety and are the best choice for sanitary purposes. Do not wear heavy perfumes or scented lotions. For your convenience, a shower is available in our Bethesda studio.

Do I need to bring my own mat?
We provide clean mats and other props at no charge for classes. For comfort and hygiene, however, many of our students prefer to bring their own mat to class once they have developed a regular practice.

How many times per week should I attend class?
It depends on the results you want to achieve and how quickly you would like to achieve them. The more often you work out, the quicker you see and feel improvement. We recommend a consistent 2-3 times a week for optimal results. Once a week is still beneficial, but results will be slower.

What is your cancellation policy?
We currently offer 2 convenient cancellation windows. By canceling through the front desk over the phone, by email or in person, you can cancel without charge at least 24 hours before the lesson. To take advantage of our new 12-hour cancellation policy, cancel your reservation using our Online Schedule. All workshops carry a 48-hour cancellation policy, regardless. Reservations not cancelled before the allotted times will be charged at the full rate.

The group class times don’t fit my schedule. What are my options?
In addition to the classes listed on our schedule, we offer private and semi-private training by appointment. These appointments are based around your availability and pricing is dependent upon the number of participants. If you do not have someone in mind to share a session, we can try to help arrange a workout partner for you. Partners do not need to have the same level of experience for a semi-private lesson to work.

What is the difference between Pilates and yoga?
Pilates and yoga are both full-body exercises that are used to achieve a sound body and mind, but they go about it in different ways and for different reasons.

Pilates is a physical system used to achieve optimal health through specific control and engagement of your muscles. Mental benefits come through concentrating on the exercises, with the challenge of precision and control, and your breathing.

Yoga, on the other hand, is intended to use physical postures or “asanas” that prepare your body to sit for long periods of meditation. The physical effort is more a means to the end of achieving mental clarity and peace through meditation.

What's the difference between Pilates and Gyrotonic exercise?
Both are low-impact systems of exercise that use resistance training to build long, lean muscle. Pilates exercises tend to use linear movements—back and forth, up and down—on spring-loaded equipment. Gyrotonic exercise focuses more on the circularity of motion, putting rotational and circular movements on a pulley and weight system for resistance.

Why do long, lean, flexible muscles matter?
Flexibility is beneficial to all aspects of your health. It decreases your risk of injury, improves posture, reduces muscle soreness and decreases risk of lower back pain. Stretched, flexible muscles are much stronger and more beneficial to your health than tight ones.

Is there anything else I should know?
To make the most of your sessions, please be on time. Late arrivals to yoga classes will be admitted only after the initial centering is completed. Please leave your cell phone or pager in the car. And do not eat just before class. For yoga, we recommend not eating for two hours before class.

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What is Pilates?
The Pilates Method is a system of physical fitness designed by Joseph H. Pilates in the early 1920s. Pilates exercises use resistance training to increases strength, flexibility and energy levels while targeting your core muscles. Some of the benefits of Pilates include improved posture, balance and flexibility, and longer, leaner muscles. All of our Pilates instructors are classically trained and have passed a 600+hour training program. The vast majority of our instructors are Power Pilates certified and we are a Power Pilates affiliated studio.

What is the difference between Pilates Mat and Pilates Equipment? Is one better than the other?
The obvious difference is that one uses exercise mats on the floor while the other uses the apparatus that Joseph Pilates invented. The apparatus utilize springs, straps and bars that bring resistance to the exercises; on the mat, your body creates the resistance. Both the mat work and the apparatus are integral parts of the Pilates Method workout and will sculpt and tone your body while creating long, lean muscles. We recommend that you include both types of classes in your fitness program to see maximum results, using mat classes to supplement your work on the equipment.

Will Pilates help me lose weight?
Pilates will build long, lean muscle that will tone your body. Clients report that their clothes fit better and they feel and look leaner, even if the numbers on their scale have not changed. You will burn more calories by building muscle but Pilates should be combined with cardiovascular exercise and a healthy diet to achieve larger weight loss goals.

How do I begin a Pilates program?
We recommend that your first Pilates session be a private lesson. This will introduce you to the Pilates mat and equipment work, give you individual attention to look after your form and develop any necessary modifications for your body. Not interested in private lessons? Our Fundamentals of Equipment classes will prepare you for Pilates Equipment classes and you can get started with Intro to Mat at any time.

What is Open Level Mat?
All of our instructors are trained to teach a mat class that contains clients from various levels through modifications and a moderate pace, an Open Level Mat class. Once you have completed at least 20-30 Intro to Mat classes, or feel very comfortable with your form in the beginner exercises, you are welcome to join an open-level mat class. Intro to Mat is not just for people who are brand new to Pilates. Intro to Mat is designed as a foundational class for Pilates Mat. You’ll hone your form in the beginner exercises and strengthen your core before moving to an Open Level Mat class that will incorporate Intermediate exercises and modifications.

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What is yoga?
Yoga is a philosophy that teaches the union of body, mind and spirit. The physical poses practiced in a typical yoga class provide a well-rounded mind/body workout using breath and movement to deepen self-awareness, concentration and inner calmness while building tone and strength, increasing flexibility and balance, and improving coordination. Yoga’s inward focus gradually leads to a quieter mind, inner calmness and physical health.

What type of yoga do you teach at balance?
There are many different types of yoga. All types fall under the general category of “Hatha yoga,” which refers to doing the physical practice of “asana” (poses) and breath work in order to prepare the body for mental clarity and enlightenment. Our instructors have extensively studied and practiced many different “brands” of yoga, including Anusara, Iyengar, Kripalu, Kundalini, Ashtanga and more. We honor this variety of experience while recognizing that all yoga is good yoga! Our Hatha yoga classes are therefore distinguished through leveling (Level I, Level II, Flow, etc.) rather than by type.

Will yoga help me lose weight?
Like Pilates, Yoga can help you lose weight gradually and permanently when you practice consistently and eat reasonably. As you become stronger and develop greater stamina, a more intensive yoga practice will help your body maintain weight control and excellent tone. Many of our clients report feeling a change in their bodies after only a handful of classes.

What does a typical yoga class include?
Yoga classes generally begin with a few minutes of centering to clear the mind of distractions and prepare you to begin your yoga practice. You will then go through a warm-up, which often includes the “Sun Salutation” sequence, to lubricate your joints and heat up your body.

The body of the class will consist of practicing yoga postures and stretching while engaging in conscious breathing. Yoga postures include both standing and seated work, as well as spinal twists and backbends. The class finishes with a period of relaxation so that you leave class feeling completely refreshed and rejuvenated.

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What is gyrotonic?
The Gyrotonic method is based on exercises developed in the 1970s by Juliu Horvath and represents a unique three-dimensional approach to exercise that increases strength, flexibility and range of motion.

Gyrotonic equipment guides your movements with resistance along circular pathways that nurture the natural curves of the body. The continuous Gyrotonic rhythmic movement elongates the spine and rejuvenates the spirit, bringing the entire body and mind into balance, resulting in a balanced support system for the skeleton. 

Do I need prior experience in Pilates or yoga to do gyrotonic?
It is a common misperception that you need to have a strong Pilates practice, or simply a strong connection to your core, in order to do Gyrotonic exercise. While prior fitness experience can be beneficial to starting any new form of exercise, it is certainly not necessary for Gyrotonic exercise. In fact, since everyone can move at their own pace and practice their own program in a Gyrotonic class, we only ask that you start with 1 private lesson or an Intro Series before joining a group class.

Is gyrotonic exercise mainly for dancers?
The founder of the system, Juliu Horvath, was a dancer and initially had dancers in mind when he was developing his exercise system. In the process, he quickly realized that anyone wishing to improve strength, flexibility and coordination would benefit. Gyrotonic exercise is also used extensively in the rehab world, and has been found to be particularly suitable for developing range of motion after breast cancer surgery and back surgery, as well as improving various joint ailments such as arthritis and osteoporosis. Many athletes have found that Gyrotonic exercise is beneficial to their performance, including golfers and basketball players.

Is gyrotonic exercise the same as stretching?
While the Gyrotonic method does improve flexibility, this is only one aspect of the benefits provided by the system. A Gyrotonic lesson is a full-body workout focused on both strengthening and stretching, while increasing the functional capacity of the spine, improving posture, balance and coordination. In addition to the exercises focused specifically on the movement of the spine, there are also exercises targeting the arms, legs, seat and abdominals.

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Massage

What types of massage do you offer?
We have massage therapists trained in both Deep Tissue and Swedish Massage. They also have experience in working with orthopedic issues and athletic injuries. We can match you with the right MT when you let us know what you are looking for.

Do I have to take a 1-hour massage?
No. We offer 30, 60, 75 and 90 minute massages. You can chose whichever one you like, prices will vary by time.

How do I schedule a massage?
You can book your massage through our online scheduling system or contact the studio to arrange for an appointment. We will simply need to know what days and time ranges you are looking for. We are currently unable to offer any of our therapeutic services in our Rockville location.

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Acupuncture

How do I get started?
Your first appointment will be a 90 minute session. The first 30 minutes will be spent in consultation with our Acupuncturist so that he may gather a health history and develop your personal treatment plan. The remaining 60 minutes will be your typical acupuncture session and is what you can expect for your remaining sessions.

How do I schedule an appointment?
You can book your acupuncture session online or by contacting the studio with the dates and time ranges you are looking for. Peter is currently only in our Bethesda studio on Wednesdays. We are currently unable to offer any of our therapeutic services in our Rockville location.

What should I wear?
You may need to expose different areas depending on your treatment plan that day. This means that you should wear pant legs and shirt sleeves that may be rolled up or moved over. Avoid wearing restrictive clothing like jeans or tights to your acupuncture session.

Should I do anything special before my appointment?
We provide everything you will need for your sessions. If something specific made you seek out acupuncture treatment, we recommend that you think about this issue and have questions or pertinent information in mind or written down so you are more likely to both give and receive the most useful information.

Does acupuncture hurt?
Most clients leave their first session shocked that they hardly felt the needles. Acupuncture needles are about the same size as one or two strands of hair. These are not the same needles delivering shots at a doctor’s office. That said, everyone’s body is different and it is important to be honest with your acupuncturist. It may be that mild, temporary discomfort will be outweighed by long-term results.

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Gift Certificates

Does the studio offer gift certificates?
Yes, we do offer gift certificates in any amount or for services available in either of our studios. You can stop by the studio to pick one up or give us a call at (301) 986-1730 and your purchase can be taken care of over the phone and mailed to you or the recipient the next business day.

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