Classes and Timetable

What types of Pilates classes do you offer?

We offer five class types across both studios:

•    Reformer Pilates: the classic spring-and-carriage machine, great for building full-body strength and control

•    Mat Pilates: no equipment needed, builds global strength and coordination, movements you can take anywhere

•    Tower Pilates: a vertical spring system that combines the best of mat and reformer. The only group Tower offering in Canberra!

•    Pilates Circuit: a multi-station class using a mix of Pilates equipment, like a gym circuit but considerably cooler

•    Clinical Pilates: one-on-one sessions to address pain, injury, or specific movement goals, can complement work with your physio or GP

We also offer Private sessions for those with specific goals or who want a personal introduction to the equipment before joining group classes.

Are your classes suitable for all fitness levels?

Yes, genuinely. Our group classes are open level, which means they're designed with multiple layers built into every exercise. Beginners take an entry-level option, experienced movers take a more challenging version, and everyone works at the level that's right for them that day.

You don't need to be fit to start Pilates. Pilates is how you get fit.

How many classes should I do a week?

If you're new to Pilates (or returning after time off), two to three classes a week with a rest day between is a great starting point. This gives your body time to adapt and any muscle soreness to settle before your next session.

Once you're obsessed like us, you can increase from there. Many of our members do four or more sessions a week across different class types. The variety keeps it interesting and your body working in different ways.

Why don’t you have more beginner classes?

Great question. Most exercises have multiple layers built in, which means everyone can experience the intent of the movement while choosing the version that suits their strength, experience, and how they're feeling that day.

There's also real value in mixed-level classes: seeing someone work at a layer above yours can be genuinely motivating (and clarifying!), and sometimes choosing the simpler version to nail your technique with precision is exactly what your practice needs. Both are valid. Both are progress.

Coming to a group class and choosing the right layer for you? That's actually as smart as it gets.

Do you offer Clinical Pilates for injury or pain management?

Yes. Clinical Pilates at Feel Better Pilates is a one-on-one session with one of our instructors who hold a Diploma of Clinical Pilates and have a particular interest in pain science and injury rehabilitation.

Clinical sessions can be stand-alone or complement the work you're already doing with a physiotherapist, GP, or other healthcare provider. They're a good fit if you're managing a specific condition, recovering from injury, or want a personalised program before joining group classes.

A note on back pain specifically: the evidence base for Pilates in managing chronic low back pain is strong. A 2023 meta-analysis confirmed significant improvements in pain and disability for people who undertook Pilates training, with results maintained six months after the intervention. If you're dealing with back pain, we'd love to talk to you about how we can help.

Is Pilates good for managing pain or injury?

It can be, yes, and there's solid evidence to back that up. Research (including a 2023 meta-analysis of Pilates for chronic low back pain) shows meaningful improvements in pain and function that are maintained well beyond the end of a program.

Pilates builds genuine functional strength: the kind that supports your body in everyday movement, reduces load on vulnerable areas, and helps you move better over the long term.

We always recommend checking in with your GP or physio for individual advice, especially if you're managing a specific condition or recovering from injury. We're also happy to liaise with your healthcare provider directly if that's helpful.

Is Pilates suitable during pregnancy or after having a baby?

Pilates can be a wonderful movement practice during and after pregnancy, and we welcome pregnant and postnatal members in our community.

We always recommend getting clearance from your midwife, GP, or obstetrician before starting or continuing a movement program during pregnancy. Once you have the all-clear, let your teacher know before class so we can offer appropriate modifications throughout.

For postnatal members, the timing of returning to exercise varies for everyone. Again, your healthcare provider is the best guide for your individual circumstances. When you're ready, we're here.

Is Pilates good for mental health?

The research says yes, and our community would say so too. Regular movement, especially in a supportive group environment, has well-documented benefits for mood, anxiety, and stress.

But honestly, beyond the science, this is something we see every single week. People come in carrying whatever their week has thrown at them and leave feeling better (see what we did there). Sometimes physically, sometimes mentally, often both.

We're not a therapy service and we'd never claim to be. But we do believe that having somewhere to show up for yourself consistently, with people who are genuinely glad you're there, matters a lot.

The Studios

What's it like at Feel Better Pilates?

Honestly? It feels like the studio was designed for people who have had enough of fitness spaces that make them feel judged, inadequate, or like they're doing it wrong.

We're welcoming, we're warm, we have good equipment and good banter, and we genuinely care whether you're having a good time. There's no assessment, no performance pressure, and no hierarchy of who has the 'best' body in the room.

What there is: skilled teachers who pay attention to you, a community of genuinely lovely humans, and classes that leave you feeling capable and good, not broken.

What makes Feel Better Pilates different from other Pilates studios?

A few things, genuinely:

•    We're evidence-based. Our teaching draws on current movement science, not just tradition. We can explain the why behind what we ask you to do.

•    We're the only studio in Canberra offering group Tower Pilates classes. If you haven't tried Tower, it's worth coming in just for that.

•    We have a strict no-dickhead policy. Officially. It's in our Community Code of Conduct and we mean it. Everyone here is welcome and everyone is expected to extend that welcome to others.

•    We don't talk about bodies in terms of how they look. Ever. We talk about what bodies can do, how they feel, and how to help them do more of both.

•    Two locations in Canberra's north means you've got flexibility: Hawker in Belconnen and Lyneham in the Inner North, both running full timetables with 70+ classes per week between them.

What equipment do you use?

We use Pilates Health Equipment throughout both studios. It's Australian-owned and we consider it to be the gold standard in the Pilates world, and honestly just very comfortable to work on.

Both our Hawker and Lyneham studios house reformer/tower combo units, stability chairs, spine correctors and ladder barrels. Both are fully equipped for the class types on offer at each location.

Do you have bathrooms and change facilities?

We have bathrooms outside both studios, shared with other businesses in our building. They're key-access only, so if you need to get changed before class please allow a few extra minutes to pop past the studio desk and grab the key first. No showers, so plan accordingly!

Bookings and Admin

How do I book a class?

Bookings can be made directly via the schedule on our website. To view upcoming sessions, reschedule, or cancel, you'll need to log in to Momence (our scheduling app) either via web browser or the Momence app, available for both Apple and Android.

What is your cancellation policy?

Life happens and we get it. If you can't make a class, please cancel your booking as soon as you know so your spot can open up for someone on the waitlist.

Late cancellations (under 6 hours before class) and no-shows will lose their credit and/or incur a charge (depending on membership package). This applies equally regardless of the reason, because our teachers prepare for every registered student and other members miss out when spots are held and then not used.

On the waitlist? Treat it like a confirmed booking and plan accordingly. You can be added to a class right up until one hour before start time.

Do you have an intro offer for new members?

Yes! If you're new to Feel Better Pilates, we have an intro offer to help you get started without a big upfront commitment. Head to our Pricing page for current offers, or get in touch and we can point you in the right direction.

Our intro offer is the best way to try a few different class types and find your favourites before committing to a membership or class pack.

Our Approach

What does 'evidence-based Pilates' actually mean?

It means our teaching is informed by current movement science, not just Pilates tradition. We pay attention to the research on how bodies learn, adapt, and build strength, and we apply it in the way we cue, programme, and progress our classes.

In practice it means a few things: we use external cues (what the body does in space) rather than anatomical cues where possible, because research shows this helps people move better and faster. We don't cling to ideas that have been superseded by better evidence. And when we tell you something about how your body works, we can back it up.

It doesn't mean our classes feel like a science lecture. It just means you're getting teaching that actually reflects how bodies work.

Do you focus on weight loss or body transformation?

No, and we're pretty upfront about that.

The evidence doesn't actually support exercise as the primary driver of weight loss (that's diet's job), and body transformation isn't why we're here. We focus on what movement genuinely delivers: getting stronger, moving better, reducing pain, building confidence, and feeling good in your body.

If you have aesthetic goals for yourself, that's completely fine and none of our business. But we won't be building content or classes around them, because there are far more interesting and lasting things to celebrate about what your body can do.

I have anxiety or a history of trauma. Is Pilates safe for me?

We take this seriously, and yes, we'd love to have you.

We're aware that for people with anxiety, a history of trauma, or neurodivergent nervous systems, movement spaces can feel overwhelming or unsafe. We try hard to make ours different. Our teachers are trained to use external cues (focusing on what the body does in space rather than internal sensations), which research shows creates a more comfortable movement experience for people who find body-focused awareness difficult or distressing.

We also have a strict community code of conduct, opt-out hands-on assist policy, and genuinely won't push you beyond what feels right for you.

If you'd like to chat before your first class about anything that would help you feel more at ease, please reach out. We mean that.

Do you welcome all bodies, ages, and experience levels?

Yes. Full stop.

We work with people in their 20s and their 70s. People who are very fit and people who are just starting to move. People managing chronic illness, people recovering from injury, people who are pregnant, people who are postnatal, and people who just want somewhere to show up and feel good.

Our Community Code of Conduct exists to make sure everyone who comes through our doors feels safe and respected. We don't tolerate language or behaviour that makes that harder for anyone. We call it our no-dickhead policy, and we're very serious about it.