Bayside Pilates & Fitness

I began Bayside Pilates and Fitness with a 10 visit Groupon 18 months ago.
I needed to increase my bone density to avoid osteoporosis. My recent bone density showed a definite improvement!
Loren has been my primary instructor and I know she has been instrumental in my improvement, being aware of my neck and shoulder injuries She teaches Classical Pilates, true to the instruction of Joseph Pilates. She pays special attention to each person in the class, modifying to each one’s needs. My core and posture have greatly improved!
My only suggestion would be to perhaps have a 3X class session for the beginners to Pilates.
This would eliminate the instructor having to take time explaining while the rest of the class is waiting.

I have been a longtime student at Bayside Pilates and started there as a beginner. There are several Pilates studios in the area but I prefer Bayside because of the availability of early morning classes (for those of us who need to work out before work) and convenient location. I have learned that all instructors are not equal. My experience here has generally been most positive with instructors who are well versed in Classical Pilates, such as Loren, Melissa and Barbara. Loren, in particular, is mindful of safety, takes into account clients’ different abilities, and always maintains a pleasant atmosphere. I would definitely recommend her classes to beginners as well as to more experienced Pilates students.

I’d rate this 3.5 stars if Unilocal allowed for ½ star ratings. The space if very clean and well maintained and classes are small and nicely sized. The quality of the class depends a great deal on who the instructor and some instructors I’ve liked more than others — it’s important in all exercises that instructors be attentive to students’ positioning and provide correction when needed to prevent injury and I didn’t find that all provided this attention. I also think they are priced a bit high, even taking into consideration that they do use the reformer and are not just a mat Pilates class.

I have been attending classes for a year and have gotten very strong and I have improved tremendously lately with thanks to Loren and Melissa who are both excellent teachers and pay attention to each pupil. They take the time to make sure that each exercise is done properly in order to avoid injury. Both are very knowledgeable and offer words of enthusiasm and encouragement. Loren makes the classical pilates challenging and enjoyable and I truly enjoy learning from her how each pose is intended to work and I find myself improving with each class I have taken with her.

First-​timer to Pilates, decided to purchase the Groupon based on a decent series of reviews of the instructors and studio. My first and only session so far was a Beginners class with Marina.
The studio was easy to find, bright and clean. Susan (review below), myself and another friend arrived promptly for the 10am class. We were asked if the class was our first, but were otherwise given no greeting or felt particularly welcomed. As Susan stated, no introduction to Pilates, or clear instruction for equipment use were given. While this would be understandable for an intermediate class, I’d assume a beginner class (and the fact that we are new to the studio) would offer some more guidance. A decent workout but spent nearly 25% of the time figuring out what the correct posture or form should be, needing to reference neighboring class members. Would like to revisit when a different instructor leads the class.
TLDR: The studio itself is clean and accessible. I would steer clear of Marina unless well-​versed in Pilates.

Was my first time doing Pilates. I signed up online through their scheduling site for the «intro to Pilates– beginners reformer class». Although we arrived promptly on time, we should have arrived a bit earlier to fill out the first time registration form, as we were reprimanded for not doing so (too bad it’s the first and last time we will be filling out the forms). It’s a small studio with max 8 people per class (in this case it was 5, and my friends and I composed 3 out of 5) but I turned around to find that the class had already started.
There was no explanation of the machines, moves, studio, what Pilates is and how it helps, let alone an introduction. The instructor never introduced herself so there was no way of addressing her.
The session starts, no one knows what they’re supposed to be doing and her explanation of how to go about making the next moves were very unclear. Again, many of us were reprimanded for not completing a move «correctly» but she had little to no language to better explain how to improve our posture. Her counting was difficult to follow stopping reps somewhere between 8 and 9. I may have been doing something improperly but the burn was quite minimal and I thought I could use a challenge but this class was overall a very low energy, low power workout that felt more like a sample class than a real session.
As the class came to an end we were told to clean up and leave. We were not welcomed, greeted or asked for feedback about our first session. Didn’t feel welcome here at all.
It was a pitfall on my part because didn’t throughly check all the reviews for red flags before attending. All the positive feedback seems to be for Stephanie.
All in all, I think the machines have great potential to do moves of high intensity and could be very enjoyable, with adequate support and instruction. It was a pity the class ended on such a strange note.

I give 3 stars to the instructor. I feel like the atmosphere was relaxing and her instructions were clear and focused. But I wouldn’t have minded a bit more pointers and reminders.
The studio is pretty clean and accessible. But I really did not like the machine. They’re wobbly and feels unstable. I have never had an accident on their machines but I would be lying if I said I didn’t have thoughts of springs coming apart while holding a pose.

I am obsessed with Pilates BUT, I’m obsessed with THIS studio and walking out like a million bucks. Meaning– muscles feel tight, standing up straight and tall, and stretched out feeling relaxed by the end of the session.
I bought a groupon deal for 10 classes 2 years ago and returned again a year ago. I had the pleasure of having Barbara (I don’t think she teaches here anymore), Marina, and Trinity as my instructors in the past. They are all amazing.
This past Fall, I bought a groupon deal for Pilates near my office by Bryant park. I attended only one class and never returned. That was a big waste of my money and such a disappointment.
I decided to make the right decision to invest in my health with what works for me. I’m not a gym person and have joint pain in my knees. I never have pain during Pilates and am never bored. So … I returned to bayside today (didn’t care I didn’t have a deal) and had Stephanie as the instructor. She was awesome.
The reason why I keep coming back is that it’s a small class, the instructors correct you to prevent any injuries, I feel my core strengthening, and it is not an intimidating environment at all. There is coordination involved, stretching, holding, sweating, and challenging not only your core but your mind.
I love it. It’s worth every penny. If you have any past injuries, definitely let the instructor know before class and they do their best to modify certain moves.

I’ve been going there almost a year now and it has become an important part of my life. All the stress and negative tension we cringe into our body muscles can be released on a regular basis. I believe it leads to a longer, happier life. Plus, it helps you fit into your clothes better :) –much cheaper than $ 100 T-​shirts!

All the instructors are friendly and educated. The small group classes are enjoyable. The only reason I did not give 5 stars is because it is WAY too much money!

Tried Bayside Pilates bc of a groupon special and close proximity to where I live. It’s the building directly across from Bayside Milk Farm. The price was $ 99 for 10x which is spectacular compared to the normal $ 30/​class.
As soon as you open the door you are in the classroom. It’s one room with 7 reformers (pilates machines). The instructors start class promptly so don’t be late! Sign in to your right when you go in. Shoes and coats on the left. The instructors are very good and you feel it the next couple of days. And even though it’s challenging, you never dread it and hope it’s over soon. I never look at the clock like I do at hot yoga. Lol!
All in all, great work out. Stephanie is so so nice and gives a great workout. Or is a real snob but hilarious and also a great instructor. Haven’t had anyone else yet so can’t comment.
I would continue only the price is too high for me. I’ll probably try another place with a groupon or living social deal. Marina, lower your prices! :-)

i love the small class size of this place. teachers give attention to your posture and proper pilate positioning especially if you have any health concern, that is important!: Stephanie is the best! shes focused and disciplined and she’ll really give you a good workout. love her!

December update: the only reason i took a 2^nd class was because i didnt think groupon would let me refund this as i’ve already used it. nonetheless, i got a refund and will not be going back. i never spoke bad words about the studio at all. the studio is clean and great. i complained about the instructor, Marina, who obviously cannot take constructive criticism. She emailed me after basically teling me not to come back because i left a bad review (most businesses would apologize and ask client ot give it one more shot). i was just being honest! btw, my 2^nd class was with barbara who was wonderful (and engaging). i hardly leave reviews on Unilocal,but was honest about my bad experience (with the instructor — not the studio). the way she responded is absolutely unprofessional and humorous.
took my first class here with instructor named Marina. she was so rude and had zero energy — not a motivating environment at all. she made it so uncomfortable and unwelcoming. every time she gave directions, she would not demonstrate and then get annoyed if we positioned ourselves incorrectly. during the class i felt like some moves i was doing were not proper, but in an intimate class of 3 people she didn’t bother fixing (and i didn’t bother asking since i was nervous she would bite my head off). i purchased a groupon and man i wish i can return it. really was hoping to do pilates regularly and purchase a longer membership outside of group on, but not with instructors like that.

This is an excellent studio, with very, very good teachers. It is kept nice and clean, which I very much appreciated.
I went in with a Groupon, and plan on extending my classes when that expires.
Great classes, great place!

This place had an offer on Amazon Local so I bought to try it. My first time taking Pilates… I really like it, and I lIke this place. I think I will check out private lessons…

Just finished my second class at Bayside Pilates and I absolutely love it! I’ve taken private lessons in the past but never took classes before. The classes are more challenging than I thought (which is a GOOD thing!). I was sore in places I didn’t think I could get sore after the 1^st session (another good thing). The instructors are well educated, the studio is intimate and very clean. So happy that they opened this studio near me. I am confident that I will see the results that I’m seeking shortly and plan on continuing my classes here!

So, having ZERO experience with Pilates, I bought the Groupon and took the Tower/​Reformer-​Beginner class with Barbara today. Studio was very clean; they have 6 machines, which makes for a small class, which I definitely like. My class was all women; 1 or 2 had done some Pilates previously, but the rest of us were newbies. Given the audience, the instructor kept the class as more of a tutorial explaining how the machine works, with an introduction to basic exercises, emphasizing how most of the moves are driven from our core. I think I would best describe it as targeted stretching, with resistance for some strengthening and toning. I liked feeling my core working and how that kept my other muscles engaged. It’s certainly not the a$$-kicking workout I get at the Better Body Bootcamp studio across the street, but it’s a good supplementary workout. I’m curious about the Intermediate and All-​in-​One-​Challenge classes, so I’ll be back to try those out too.