Club Pilates — Local services in Montgomery Township

Response to the owner's response:

Thank you for your remarkably swift response after three weeks of silence following my previous attempt to reach out.

I find it interesting that there seems to be some confusion regarding my attendance. I attended an Intro class on June 16th, where I received all the necessary explanations and pricing information. After learning about the fee schedule, I opted to use my work’s fitness plan to attend more classes to see whether your studio is a good fit. In hindsight, I’m relieved I did this rather than committing to three months or eight lessons at your studio.

I appreciate the insight that the woman who entered seconds before me missed significantly less warmup and required much less assistance. Apparently, those few seconds make a world of difference. For clarity, that class would have been my seventh. After my Intro class on June 16th, I attended classes on June 19th, June 21st, June 22nd, June 27th, and June 28th. Some were at the Princeton location. This is how I am able to confirm that the instructors I met were all pleasant and supportive. The front desk person didn't bother to ask for my name or any information, so she had no way of knowing whether I was a newcomer. She only repeatedly stated that I was “five minutes late” and that variations of “the woman was here before you so she can attend class”.

Furthermore, thank you for highlighting the concern about your record-keeping practices. I’ve noticed a discrepancy where your studio validated with my fitness plan that I was present for the June 29th session which I clearly did not get to attend. I will be reaching out to my fitness plan to resolve this issue.

Original review: Considering Club Pilates? Here’s my firsthand experience to help you decide. While I still believe that Pilates itself has many benefits, my visit to Club Pilates Montgomery left me disappointed and unwilling to return.

Positive Points: The instructors I met were all pleasant and supportive, consistent with other positive reviews.

Concerns: Reception Experience (June 29th): I arrived a few minutes late for my 1 pm session. I saw another woman joined the class without issue, but I was turned away for being "five minutes late" when I entered the studio seconds later. My attempt to discuss this was met with dismissiveness, raising concerns about fairness and consistency in their policies.

Lack of Response: After the incident, I filled out a contact form online to express my concerns but received no response for three weeks. This lack of acknowledgment made me further question their commitment to customer service and fairness.

Pricing: $149 enrollment fee. Membership options: $209.46/month for 8 classes. $279/month for unlimited classes across four studios (Princeton, Montgomery, Bridgewater, and Flemington). $299/month for unlimited classes nationwide. Memberships are billed in at least 90-day increments.

Conclusion: My experience at Club Pilates Montgomery raised doubts about their dedication to fairness and customer care. I encourage anyone that's reading this to consider these factors before committing, especially given the significant financial investment. Of course, everyone’s experience can vary, but please choose a place that aligns with your values and...

I’ve taken about 16 classes at this location now and will not be resuming. Classes get fully booked a month in advance while the studio charges exorbitant fees on a monthly basis and make it difficult to cancel. Club Pilates has the feel of a private equity owned fitness studio whose main goal is to get money out of its members, rather than help them in their fitness journey.

I did not want to get a monthly membership and they offered an 8 class package for $299 that expires in 60 days. It feels arbitrary and stingy that classes which would have already been paid for, expire in such a short period of time (especially as it’s nearly impossible to book a class before 3-4 weeks in advance).

I’ve taken a range of classes here from 1.0 reformer flow to nearly all the 1.5 classes and the only challenging ones I found were taught by Eboni, who is great (and I wish I can come back just for her!). As a side note — notice that you need 40 classes under your belt before being approved for 2.0. Everyone is coming into this with a different fitness level and the fact you need so many, rather than individualized and personalized approval through actual assessment, shows the point is not getting you better but to make you pay for as many classes as you can first before getting there.

The Pilates this studio offers is actually great for those who need low-impact fitness options. This is however not my own personal preference, and since leaving the studio I’ve taken Pilates classes elsewhere which are much more challenging and personal with their approach. I say this because many of the instructors are primarily interested in keeping the session flowing and moving and do not have the time (or possibly, the interest) in meaningful teaching or correction. I have had corrections that amounted to admonishing (“NEVER do that again”—without any further education or explanation that could help show me the right technique). It was not until my 16th class (with Eboni) where she taught me the right way to do the Peter Pan stretch they always like at the end. I also have heard an instructor once say with no further explanation — “next assume the bird dog pose”. This may be my own personal issue but this type of instruction not helpful to me as I am not an expert on the language being used.

I just had my first session at a different studio (Renaissance Pilates in Holmdel, unfortunately too far away from Belle Mead to be helpful for most still reading this), where the instructors were so welcoming, so judgment free, and helpful I wish I had never wasted my money here first. Within one 50 min session I had more personal attention on proper form and posture than I had with Club Pilates for 16 sessions. It’s unfortunate this area has so few independent studios offering Pilates as an alternative but for anyone with a deep interest in this type of workout I encourage you to diversify your exposure in different...

First off, they charge an exorbitant monthly fee, which would be acceptable if one could actually use the services they are paying for. Getting a slot in a class is like trying to win the lottery unless you book months in advance which still isn't possible since you have a start date to initiate bookings and cannot do it when you want. If you are busy and working and ever needed a workout class even before a week, this setting and system is absolutely not for you. It's nearly impossible getting a schedule or structure to stay fit and hit some work out with the class availability system and only minimum spaces in each class! The frustration of constantly finding no available slots is compounded by the fact that they continue to charge the high monthly membership fee.

Save your money and look elsewhere for a fitness studio that actually values its members and provides the services they promise, specially availability of classes when their...