The Truth Behind So-Called Boutique Fitness Studios

Boutique fitness studios are all the rage -- popping up in high-end shopping districts and suburbs across the country. Tulsa is just now fully experiencing this phenomenon, although some industry experts predict that the boutique fitness "bubble" is about to burst in larger cities. As a boutique studio, before boutique was a thing, we've seen the best and worst of the concept during our 20 years in business.

Boutique studios used to be the opposite of the regular gym concept. They focused on a specific discipline (think Total Pilates, the Yoga Room, Physiques by Monique) and were often locally owned and operated by the founder who was an expert in their practice. The  boutique label came about as a way to describe a smaller, more personal workout compared to the large gym experience.

​With the introduction of national franchisers eager to cash in on the boutique fitness craze, the "smaller" part of the equation now translates into smaller spaces, and the "personal" part now means you will get more personal with the person working out one-inch away from you. Think of it this way:  You are the sardine and your "boutique" fitness studio is the can. For example, one national Pilates chain has opened hundreds of franchises across the country with this exact business model. An owner of one of these chains said it best on the company's website, "

"I chose {XYZ Franchise} because I fell in love with the simple business model, the semi-absentee ownership model, the limited amount of employees needed and the high margins on average the studios produce. "

The truth behind these chains is simple: they pack as many heads into a room as possible (yes, they actually use the word "heads"), and charge them a monthly or yearly fee, all while hiring one instructor to teach the class, answer the phone and clean the toilets. Meanwhile, the "heads" are dazzled by the new equipment, loud music and lifetime membership rates. What the chain is hoping for is to lock these unwitting consumers into automatic monthly renewals, which guarantees a solid income stream for the business and charges to the clients' accounts whether they attend or not. This is the large gym model, but in a much smaller space.

Many fitness groups have a set of standards for safety and quality. The Pilates Method Alliance is an international organization with a code of ethics required of all certified Pilates instructors. Within this code we are required to teach no more than five clients per teacher in an equipment class and no more than ten clients per teacher in a mat class. We strictly adhere to these standards in our studio because we are committed to personal instruction and the safety of our clients. Large chains often pack twelve or more people in an equipment class with one teacher. This is unethical and dangerous for the clients, but a big money-maker for the franchise!

At first, one of these studios might seem like a good idea, but the long-term costs are higher and the lion's share of the profits are shipped out of the local community and into a corporate office far, far away.

When you walk through our studio doors, you will experience an inviting atmosphere where all students are welcome and where there is plenty of space to move. We serve clients from 9- to 94-years old who come in all shapes and sizes. Our owners and instructors practice Pilates themselves and have pursued advanced training in their fields. We give back to our community by bringing Pilates to incarcerated women through the Resonance "Commit to Change" Program, and we teach free classes at community events.

Whether you practice with Total Pilates or another reputable studio, we want you to love Pilates and all of the benefits it can bring to your life. Most of all, we don't want you to become a sardine. Sardines look very unhappy...but that's just my opinion.

Pilates Love,
Lisa Coffee-Smith, MBA, PMA-CPT
Total Pilates Studio and Instructor Training Center


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REGARDING "PILATES BREATHING," I'VE NOTICED OVER THE YEARS THAT BEGINNING CLIENTS OFTEN HOLD THEIR BREATH WHILE DOING THE WORK. SOMETIMES I THINK IT'S A STRESS RESPONSE AND OTHER TIMES THEY ARE JUST ACCUSTOMED TO HOLDING THEIR BREATH DURING EXERTION. WE INTRODUCE THE CONCEPT OF BREATHING TO NEW CLIENTS AS ONE OF THE PILATES PRINCIPLES, BUT WE DON'T FORCE FEED IT TO THEM. I OFTEN FIND THAT WHEN I CUE THE CLIENT(S) TO EXHALE, THAT THE INHALE TAKES CARE OF ITSELF.
-LISA COFFEE-SMITH
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Reprinted from a studio message sent July 4, 2014.

The current buzzword in fitness anatomy is "Fascia" (pronounced: fasha). But what exactly is fascia and why all the fascial fuss? To make this simpler to conceptualize, we often tell our clients that fascia is like the white sheets of connective tissue surrounding raw chicken. (Eww, but it's true.)

As it turns out, our entire bodies are made up of the stuff, but you'll almost never see it on an anatomy chart like the ones we have hanging in our studio. As important as fascia is, it is equally difficult to study. When supple and healthy, fascia slides easily and supports the fluid movement of the body. It literally weaves its way throughout the entire body -- separating organs, supporting muscles and (basically) keeping us from becoming a bag of bones! When my husband performed dissections on cadavers in medical school, he had to remove as much fascia as possible to get to the important things inside like bones, muscles and organs.  Now we know that fascia plays a starring role in every move we make as well as every injury and stressor we've ever experienced. 

What does this have to do with Pilates, you ask? Quite a bit, actually. Our Pilates repertoire from "Leg Circles" and "100s" to "Swan" and "Bridge" help break the patterns that cause our fascia to become rigid and unyielding. Instead, Pilates exercises help us lubricate our fascia through movements that begin at our core and weave throughout our bodies. 

Far from a rote collection of unilateral repetitive movements, Pilates provides the exact opposite by working the body in numerous planes of motion at the deepest levels of our anatomy. For example, many of our clients enjoy recreational and competitive running. When they come in for a session, their hamstrings are tight; their hip flexors are overdeveloped and their cores are often weak. These are all observations about muscular health, but the patterns actually go much deeper.

Beyond stretching the hamstrings and hip flexors and simply strengthening the core, we teach our clients how to work the body as a whole, not as as sum of its parts. During a Pilates session, the runner mentioned above will work through their body's ideal range of motion, restoring fluidity and balance to their anatomy -- at once undoing and enhancing the effects of running on their body. This is what we call "total body fitness."

The Pilates effect works not only for runners, but for people of all ages and fitness levels who engage in a range of activities. Profound results are also achievable for sedentary and injured people who experience pain when moving.

Perhaps you've never before considered taking care of your fascia the way that you take care of your muscles and bones. When you practice Pilates with one of our knowledgeable instructors, we will help you enhance your strength, flexibility and fascial fitness so that you can be your best "you."

Lisa Coffee-Smith, MBA
Certified Pilates Instructor