re:AB Pilates, New York

re:AB Pilates owner Brooke Siler started her Pilates instruction in 1994, and within two years was conducting training on floor mats in her living room or the client's homes. Her business continued to expand, and in 1997 she was able to move out of the living room and open re:AB Pilates. Before she allows trainers to bring their skills to re:AB Pilates, they must perfect their craft over the course of at least 700 hours. That's the amount of time required to earn Pilates certification, which ensures their classes follow Joseph Pilates' original principles. The instructors draw upon this expertise to teach Pilates sessions in a variety of styles, warmly motivating their students to strengthen their cores and increase their flexibility. Mat classes, for example, can introduce beginners to the fitness style or move at a quick pace appropriate for more experienced students. Their equipment-based classes take place on the reformer—Pilates' signature resistance-doling apparatus—or incorporate other tools, including the Pilates tower, the Magic Circle, or the Wunda Chair. Through all of their classes, the instructors emphasize achieving an overall healthy lifestyle over quickly losing weight to fit back into your elementary-school snow pants.