New York Pilates Flatiron — Local services in New York

I moved to NYC full-time this past May and was incredibly excited to purchase a year-long membership with New York Pilates. I thought it would be perfect, as I enjoy going to Pilates multiple times a week and had seen rave reviews of their classes. However, my experience so far at NYP has been a significant disappointment. There are multiple issues I have encountered and witnessed that have thoroughly upset me and made me regret purchasing a membership.

The first issue I noticed almost immediately is the lack of mirrors in the classes. I am originally from Miami and have taken Pilates classes all over the world, all of which had multiple mirrors lining the studio walls. Pilates instructions can be confusing, so it's incredibly important for mirrors to be present so clients can follow along by referencing other participants. I have almost injured myself on multiple occasions by turning my body and head to look at others in the class to understand what the exercise should look like.

The next issue is the volume of the music in the class. While I understand the appeal of having fun music, every single time I have attended NYP, it is almost impossible to hear the instructor on the microphone. I can barely hear what they’re saying, which is extremely frustrating, as I am quite literally paying to be guided through the exercises but cannot hear the instructions clearly.

Another issue is the weight of the boxes used in the class. I understand the need for quick turnaround between classes, but the boxes are incredibly heavy. I recently attended a class at the Nofar Method, only a block away, and found their boxes to be significantly lighter. Additionally, instead of having both smooth and spikey balls, NYP only provides spikey balls, which are uncomfortable for many movements typically done with smooth balls.

The biggest issue, however, is with the instructors. I waited longer than I would have liked to write this, as I wanted to test multiple instructors, but unfortunately, all of them have been under qualified. They seem to regurgitate a script and do not pay attention to the class. On four separate occasions, I have tried to get an instructor's attention because I felt my movement was off, which should be their job to notice. Most of the time, they do not even hear me calling out because the music is too loud. My form has never been corrected unless I specifically called out for help. I have felt pain (not soreness) in certain body parts after classes due to incorrect movements that went unnoticed by the instructors.

Moreover, the communication with NYP has been absolutely abysmal. I have reached out to them via email three times total—one email got no response, and another one bounced back. I went on their website to look for an email address and of course could not find one. I used the chat function on their website which took FOREVER and I finally received an email address and sent my email. Shortly after, I received an automated response saying "Emails are so 90s" (no apostrophe) and was given a phone number to text. I texted the number and got no response. Now, I feel as though I have no choice but to make my feelings heard and advocate for myself by posting this review.

NYP should not be advertised as a Pilates class, as that is not what I have experienced or paid for. Pilates requires precision, control, and guidance, which NYP lacks. It feels more like New York Playground with its lack of attention to detail, which is imperative for a Pilates class. I feel I was duped into purchasing something entirely different from what...

OBSESSED. I haven’t taken a workout class since pre pandemic. Doing classes at home. I have been in and out of my workout game. Having a hard time finding a groove. People always say when you find something you love - IT CLICKS and then you never want to NOT do it. I came to NYP off the rec of a friend; Let me tell you, first class- I finally felt the “I LOVE THIS”. I signed up for my next class in the lobby while leaving.

The vibe is immaculate. The studio is so clean and chill. It’s not crowded or overwhelming. When I walk in I feel focused, calm, almost zen. It puts you into a real “me time” zone.

You know when they say “the girls that get it get it” those girls go here.

The workout is 45 min which is the perfect amount of time. You feel the burn for sure and right before you are about to be like okay I can’t - class is done! An hour is too long these days. You want to get in, make it count, get out. Bonus you don’t even ruin your hair and makeup. You can literally go about your day straight after.

Major shoutout to Brittni T who is BORN to be a Pilates instructor. She not only has fun & different moves; her moves I felt instantly. First class she did a butt series that I felt IMMEDIATELY and all next day. Next morning she had an ab series with twists & jumps… that I swear chiseled my abs on spot. Her energy is perfect & I love when she says “two more, you can do two more of anything”. Facts. I felt like her class was the best use of 45 min of my day. I would do her class 7 days a week. Period.

NYP PLEASE...

I would suggest you save your money and go to another studio , such as SLT which treats their customers like they care. Here are a few examples of encounters I’ve had in the year I have attended nypilates after paying exorbitant sums of money for a. Membership: commute an hour to arrive at exactly 8:30 am for an 8:30 am class to be told I am too late and my spot was given away in the wait list; try to cancel because I have covid and told if I don’t show up to the class (and get everyone sick) I will be charged a penalty; get stuck commuting over an hour in hurricane force winds and rain to be told if I’m too late or cancel I’ll be charged a Fee; and my personal favorite this week , arrive on time, check in and while changing for class have my spot given away to the waitlist. This place will nickel and dime you every chance they get and they do not pass the money into their studios. It’s a money grab and extremely short sighted with regard to developing customer loyalty. They do not even have lockers or showers. Their greedy and impractical policies make it so that there is some sort of drama or fight to simply attend a class you have reserved paid for and showed up for . Pilates ain’t supposed to be this stressful. If you care about your hard earned money, trust me save it and...