Pilates Garage

I had been meaning to try the Pilates Garage for a while now (I live just up the street) and I’m so glad I finally did! I had an incredible first session with Paige – she was super encouraging and engaging. I appreciated the variety of the session and all her guidance to make sure it was totally comfortable and accessible (though still challenging!) for a beginner like me. I left feeling better than when I came in, and I’m looking forward to making this part of my weekly routine.

This place is amazing and JoLynn is the best instructor and teacher of all time. I had never done Pilates. I came in and said "I want to work on glutes and abs" and JoLynn and I got to work. Pilates is a tricky concept to learn and the exercises don't always make sense but JoLynn makes them clear. She is an encouraging and optimistic person. I trusted her to guide me and she gladly answered all of my many questions. She helped me build mat exercises for me to do at home. We set goals together and updated them as these goals were achieved. The results have been nothing short of miraculous. I am in much better shape. My abs, hips, and glutes are strong. My posture is so much better that when I saw my doctor and he measured my height I am now 1" taller!!! I move so much freer and easier than before I started. Pilates Garage and JoLynn have changed my life - thanks soooooo much!!!!!!

I have been going to Pilates and working with Margi Douglas for several years. She always tries to mix up the routine whether it is virtual or in person and really personalizes the session for me. She is also very mindful of any issues I may have with my ankle or other parts of my body each time and always asks me prior to the session if there is anything she should be aware of or anything I would like to work on that day. She mixes in some Alexander treatment with the Pilates for me so working with Margi is interesting and I always feel great whenever our session ends. The studio is also very comforting and they have been super careful during the pandemic. The studio is always sanitized and I rarely see more than one other instructor working there for my in person sessions and most of the time it is just myself and Margi.. I would highly recommend her if you are looking for hands on personalized sessions..

I've been attending classes in person and on line for almost 3 years. Theresa S. has been my primary teacher. What I love about her class - her ability to use descriptive language in such a way that we can create mental pictures in order to execute proper Pilates techniques. The moves are simple but effective and afterwards I feel stronger yet relaxed. Theresa is conscious of all injuries and limitations we may have and never hesitates to adapt her workouts for us. I highly recommend Pilates Garage and Theresa.

I started doing Pilates about 20 years ago. After trying out most of the Pilates studios in the general Park Slope area, I settled on Pilates Garage. I have been taking private and mat classes there ever since. The studio is a gem. It is a small studio with a dedicated, experienced group of highly trained teachers and extensive equipment. The mat classes are rarely more than 6 people, which allows the teacher to adjust to clients' requests, learn clients' individual needs and provide alternatives to accommodate injuries and limitations. The degree of tailoring is much more typical of private than of mat classes in most settings. Since Covid all mat classes are still on Zoom; I have been so impressed by the ability of the teachers to provide detailed feedback even on Zoom. I cannot recommend the private classes highly enough. All the teachers bring a nuanced and sensitive understanding of the body to the sessions. (There is even a (synthetic) skeleton we call Bones, to help the client understand body mechanics.) They draw on their study of other disciplines like Alexander Technique, Yoga, Dance and even Theater to deepen and broaden their Pilates instruction. This means that whatever your limitations or injuries, or level of activity, they are able to create a practice that will help you get stronger and more fit, and feel better. I have been through several injuries over my 20 years, and my work at the Garage has been invaluable in helping me recover. The support, knowledge and sensitivity of Margi Douglas and the other teachers enabled me to continue taking class even while my practice there went from very challenging to very gentle and back again more than once. I venture to say that the Pilates Garage is one of the rare studios that has enough knowledge and flexibility to provide that kind of instruction. I cannot recommend the studio highly enough.