Pilates Plus La Jolla

At Pilates Plus La Jolla, you’ll find yourself bear-crawling and wheel-barrowing alongside PB’s cool girls and La Jolla’s ladies who lunch — you know, the type of women who wear head to toe Lululemon and high-end jewelry to workout, who glisten and don’t sweat, and who always have plans to meet at George’s for brunch and mimosas after with the babe squad. Sitting alongside other premium Fay Street studios in La Jolla such as SPARKCYCLE and F45, what else would you really expect?

But, the workout that promises sexy, long, lean muscles in a light-filled space with state-of-the-art Lagree Fitness™ machines, Pilates Plus La Jolla keeps us coming back.

RUNDOWN

WORKOUT

The only class type offered at Pilates Plus La Jolla is a 40-minute burnout called “Group Lagree (Full Body)”. We’ve come to learn that the sequence of moves during class is really up to the instructor, but most do some combination of moves focusing on arms, back, legs and glutes, with a strong emphasis on core. You’ll quickly find that the reason why Lagree Fitness™ workouts are the secret to a flat stomach and long ab lines is that it’s vital for your core to stay engaged through 95% of the moves — otherwise you’ll find yourself wobbling all over the machine.

Holly didn’t waste any time getting started. She got our abs fired up early on so we felt the burn throughout our entire workout. Having taken Lagree Fitness™ classes for many years, we really appreciated the variety and creativity Holly worked into the class. There were a lot of combination moves (abs/shoulders, arms/legs), weights were incorporated into more than just mermaid, and we traveled all over the machine. Her sequence had our whole body shaking and burning, and while it was challenging, it wasn’t so difficult that it was discouraging.

INSTRUCTOR

You can tell that Holly is a knowledgeable and experienced Pilates instructor. We generally enjoyed taking her class, but think the experience could have been improved. We feel it’s the instructor’s responsibility to foster a welcoming and encouraging environment — it’s as if they’re the host of the party and their demeanor sets the tone for the rest of the guests. Walking into the studio, we definitely weren’t greeted and the enthusiasm and personality were lacking throughout the workout. We also noticed that Holly’s regulars and friends received more attention than the other women in class.

Additionally, it would have been helpful if there was a bit more demonstration provided as we transitioned between moves — and we say this after having taken countless Lagree Fitness™ classes. Thankfully, there was a girl in class (possibly another instructor?) who had the lingo and moves down, so we were instructed to take a look at her if we ever felt lost.

What we did enjoy was Holly’s playlist of fast, house/techno/electronic tracks that kept us working hard even when we wanted to give up. Her workouts are consistently tough and it’s evident she puts time into creating new and unique sequences to keep our bodies guessing.

SPACE 

Let’s start with what we love about Pilates Plus La Jolla. The stars of this studio in our eyes are the ultra new and modern Megareformer MS-3 Lagree Fitness™ machines. This specific machine provides lots of features that allow for increased usability and versatility, such as an updated spring system that allows you to essentially pull a knob up or down (versus actually hooking a spring), adjustable front and back handlebars, additional openings through the front and back platforms and carriage for hand and foot positioning and numbered markers on the carriage that provide increased instruction for hand and foot placement. If you can’t tell, we love this machine!

We also love the all-glass entrance and high ceilings at Pilates Plus La Jolla – they really give the space a bright, airy feel. The studio and machines are also always clean, there’s a sizeable retail space at the front with desirable, luxury fitness brands like Alo Yoga and Spiritual Gangster, and there are plenty of lockers available for use.

But, at a whopping $30 a class (drop-in rate), we’re wondering where all the premium benefits and amenities were hiding. There weren’t any complimentary towels available (though this is listed as an amenity on the studio’s ClassPass profile), nor were there showers or any of the other frills that you expect with a studio at this price-point. We suppose you’re paying for the location and nice equipment, but for that much, we at least expect a hello or goodbye when walking through the door.