I was introduced to Maureen through a mutual friend, one week before my first triathlon. My only…read moreregret is that I didn't contact her sooner. I have never been more nervous to do anything. With Maureen's extensive experience in doing Triathlons she was able to provide me with crucial pointers and advice that I found essential during the race. She helped me realize that these goals I had set for myself are easily achievable. Maureen is professional and at the same time extremely approachable, friendly and loves what she does. For example, Maureen went out of her way to email multiple times before the race to give final pointers. I would definitely recommend Maureen to my friends and family, she is just great!

"Endless source of motivation" should be Maureen's tagline. I've been training with Maureen…read more(cycling) for the last 3 months. With her cheering me on alongside me, we accomplished together my first 50 miler (the Loop) and an accidental 70 miler. The result: One year at the gym - no weight loss. 3 months with Maureen, 5 lbs down. She is definitely excited about fitness, and her excitement is infectious for sure. Thanks Mo!!

When On Cue Pilates opened right across the street from my old apartment, I really had no choice…read morebut to check them out. I am so happy that I did and after three plus years of sessions with Kristina I am much more strong and toned. Even after moving out of the neighborhood, I choose to continue training at On Cue. Kristina and Lynne have a beautiful minimalist pilates studio with 3 reformers and 2 Cadillacs, and *all* of the accouterments necessary for stretching and working your core muscles. The environment is bright and airy with large windows and no mirrors. Best of all is the care and attention to detail shown to me as I went through a medical situation that required reassessing my strength and abilities for a while. My doctors even commented on how flexible I was and how valuable pilates was to regaining strength and coordination. Kristina was there every step of the way and I thank her for her patience, listening ability and all of the tiny micro-corrections that helped each exercise "build me up" again. I have also taken a few sessions with Co-owner Lynne and she was wonderful, as well. This is a stellar studio and I look forward to working with these talented ladies for a long while. Brava, On Cue.

I came to On Cue after 6 months of training at a studio in San Carlos. I love the clean lines and…read morefeel of this former grocery store. But really I dig Michael Smith, a great trainer who is no nonsense and keeps enough new movements to keep it interesting. Prices are on par with market and surprisingly the parking isn't as much of a bear as I thought. Its a great studio for one on one or duo training.

Z is the most knowledgable pilates instructor I know. She looked at how I was standing and asked if…read moreI had ever sprained my right ankle. I had to think for a minute, because it was so long ago I had forgotten all about it, but Z could see the remnants of the sprain in me. AMAZING! I wish there was an option of more stars because Z is as good as it gets!

Bad genes, a lifetime of bad postural habits and some ingrained bad ways of exercising mixed badly…read morewith a new found drive to work out and resulted in several injuries on my back. This was about two years ago. The pain seemed to set in quite quickly and became debilitating in a matter of weeks, after much money and many trips to specialists I was left with several pain prescriptions and studies showing two herniated discs, severe foraminal narrowing and constant, shooting pain from the top of my neck to my right big toe. For two years I navigated a sea of specialists, depression, medications, insurance problems, disappointment, frustration, side effects, and bills. At the end I was left with mounts of bills and poor health. There are no silver bullets, everyone has to know that, and most likely if you have these kind of problems you will have to learn to make peace with the pain to live a happy life, but it's also easy to give up hope and throw your arms up in the air, manage your pain with too much medication and stop trying to get better both physically and mentally. As i explored surgical options and discovered how unpredictable their outcomes were, I decided to keep looking for a solution that would enable me to feel healthy and fit again. Acupuncture, chiropractors, physical therapy, active release, yoga, swimming, light exercising, I tried everything to mixed results. The problem was that I could withstand exercising, but I would invariably be working despite the pain and against it which would eventually make the problem worse. Then I discovered the Hasti studio one day walking around my neighborhood. I've heard of Pilates before but I never even considered it. So in the spirit of trying everything, I sent them a very detailed email that night explaining my situation and asking for advice. I corresponded with Shona, the owner and instructor, and we arranged for a private lesson. I've been going there now for over three months, twice a week, seeing both Shona and Leni, and they are changing my life. After two years of living in pain, my pain is now minimal most of the time to the point where I don't even notice unless I focus on it. I've stopped taking pain medication, I am stronger, I am getting back in shape, my mood has dramatically improved and in the days when the pain comes back, I am armed with knowledge of exercises and stretches that I can do to gain control without hurting myself. I feel I've learned more about how my anatomy is supposed to work in the last 3 months than ever before. I've realized how much of what I did before was just wrong, everything from the way I walk, sit, move my head, use my arms, I've been basically retraining my brain to move everything from different points and muscle groups and it's made an incredible difference. I am surprised, I feel it's sort of unbelievable but in the end of the day it objectively all makes sense. Now, I am sure that Yoga, physical therapy and other practices could be also just as good for strengthening your muscles in ways that alleviate spinal and nerve issues, but the quality of instruction is what is most crucial to success and when your problems are as bad as mine were, it is extremely hard to find not just adequate, not just good but the best instruction possible. Describing the movement of muscles to effect a particular body motion is like talking about feelings, or describing the color red, incredibly difficult. Shona and Leni are just perfectly skilled in verbalizing metaphors and imagery to make you understand which muscles to draw strength from and which ones to focus on relaxing when doing the most mundane of movements, like pulling a bar down or pushing yourself up from a sitting position. When I don't understand they relentlessly look for the right observation or demonstration to make me move correctly. This, along with their encyclopedic knowledge of exercise types, has made all the difference in the world. By constantly paying attention and focusing on exerting effort in the right ways, my brain seems to have slowly changed ever so slightly the way I do everything and the pain has been slowly dissipating. The change is gradual but unmistakable, I vividly remember recently in the middle of my workday I was going about my business when I just stopped and had a thought, I realized that nothing hurt in that moment, not a thing, for the first time in a long long time, it was wonderful. Individual results of course, may vary. This is also a LOT of work, in and beyond class, this is something that requires your focus constantly and also demands your patience. Price-wise it is comparable to a top tier personal trainer at a gym, and in some instances it may be covered with an FSA (you'll need to do a lot of phone calls though) and in the end price is nothing compared to the obscene amounts of money you will spend on pain management or surgical medical options and the payout is truly invaluable. I can't recommend them enough.

Tingzin Ellis is a superb pilates instructor who is particularly adept at assessing and addressing…read moreindividual needs. She is gentle, firm, confident, and personable. Her sense of humor makes working with her fun, and her knowledge of anatomy makes her especially able to identify problem areas. She is ready to listen to her clients in a way that allows her to pair her own observations with my description of any problem or pain so that it feels as if we are working together towards healing. She is both compassionate and skilled, a truly great teacher.

I have been doing Pilates rehab sessions at Studio 20. My body's response: I am stronger with…read moreincreased stability and my core is strengthening. The studio is welcoming, spacious, clean, and uplifting. And, there is always street parking. If you've tried it all, like me, without achieving the results you desire consider giving Caitlin and here team a visit. I work with Caitlin and Islay. My body has changed dramatically. I walk properly, pain levels have decreased, and my body is getting stronger with each session. I have a core! Their positivity is contagious.

I'm rather new to Pilates. Just had my 8th lesson with Creta. I was pretty skeptical when I…read morestarted. I love movement and being physically active and wasn't sure what Pilates could really add to my arsenal. I have practiced yoga for many years, am very in tune with my body, and love sports and physical activity of all kinds. Boy was I wrong. Over the last 8 weeks I have learned how to move my body in a totally new way and use muscles that were under utilized and weak. I can feel my strength and understanding of my body grow with every lesson with Creta. If that was all I was getting out of Pilates with Creta that would be enough. But it isn't. Creta is an amazing instructor. She gives me positive feedback about my body and my movement and I never feel self conscious or embarrassed about what I am able to do or not able to do. She is a fantastic teacher and a truly sweet and wonderful person. I highly recommend her and I look forward to Pilates every week.

As a designer I spend a lot of time behind the computer. I absolutely love pilates because it helps…read moreme with my posture. Once in a while I still take group classes, but I came to realize that my body needs individual attention. Creta's PRIVATE PILATES sessions achieve what I need: I get to exercise all of the muscles and it helps me to maintain both a strong core and increase flexibility. Creta is very good at spotting my individual trouble areas and directs the work to resolve them. Besides the individual attention for every muscle, Pilates sessions with Creta are never the same. I am the kind of a person who enjoys dynamic and varied exercises, so I am always excited to discover what awaits me at my next work out date with Creta. I have been her client for two years now, and plan on remaining one.

Sonya is not only an extraordinary Pilates teacher, but also a brilliant physiologist. She can…read morealways identify why my body is misaligned or why my knee (ankle, shoulder, you name it) is painful. Every session she focuses on what you indicate as well as what she sees. I prefer instructors like Sonya who pay attention to the details so you learn the right practice as you grow your Pilates skills. Sonya is friendly, but firm enough to help you get past laziness or fear. Our sessions are positive, focused and really effective.

I started with Sonya in 2011 and she quickly helped me get my posture ready for my first knee…read more More than 8 years later I treasure the way she continues to keep all the parts working well. As a professional ballet dancer she gets how to figure out what to work on. her style is gentle but effective. I highly recommend Sonya

Kinh is an amazing Pilates instructor who is a mindful practitioner of the body and has a…read morefundamental understanding of anatomy and physiology. Moreover, with her kind personality, warm spirit & sharp wit she is a delight to be around! I am immensely grateful to have found such a talent right here in our little city of Sonoma! Over a decade ago, I became attracted to Pilates upon learning of the 'Pilates Promise' as referenced by Joseph Pilates. Since then, I've been fortunate enough to have had several talented Pilates instructors but none have been as well rounded as Kinh! In our sessions, Kinh has a laser focus and observes and adjusts the multitude of micro-articulations required in a single exercise. We quickly transition from one exercise sequence to the next switching from the various apparatus of Cadillac, Reformer and Chair etc. In addition to Pilates, Kinh has helped me to grow in my yoga practice too, which has been an incredible added bonus! Our private Pilates sessions are tailored to the evolving needs of my body on a given day. Our workouts are rigorous and build strength yet also promote healing and defend against my low back issues. When I leave a session I feel light, refreshed & balanced. For me, I'm living my best life when I have Pilates in it and sharing time with such a wonderful person as Kinh makes my sessions twice as great!

I was looking to find a new workout to incorporate with my running. I had always heard of people…read moredoing Pilates, however had never tried it out for myself. I looked into the mat and Pilates machine classes (reformer, chair, etc.), but felt that a private lesson would be a good first step to ensure that I have the correct form, movements, etc. I was never athletic growing up - I was a dancer for a few years, but then gave that up. Finding the right sport / exercise other than running has always been a challenge for me. Well my first private lesson was so worthwhile that it has led to weekly privates with Kinh. In my first meeting with Kinh, I knew we would get along and be on the same page. When I work out I like to understand what my muscles are doing, and what I should be feeling - Kinh explains the Pilates methodology as well as each movement. Pilates is a full body workout and I love how I feel after each lesson. I work muscles that I didn't even know about as well as areas of my body that I want to improve (ex: inner legs). I have been working with Kinh for a few months now and have noticed a difference in my overall strength as well as my body in the mirror. I can be hard on myself in terms of my body not understanding a movement or being able to accomplish the first time around. However, Kinh brings me to reality regarding the moves being really challenging and that I will be able to conquer it. Let me tell you it is the greatest feeling to finally be able to do something that 1) never thought I could and 2) wasn't able to do a few lessons prior. I absolutely recommend privates with Kinh - she is honestly awesome!

I have been training with Abui for several years now and am so grateful for her amazing skills as a…read moretrainer and body worker. I have had back problems for many years and I truly don't think I'd be able to do any meaningful exercise if it weren't for her. She helps treat my pain issues with MAT (Muscle Activation Technicque) which in turn allows me to work out. I continue to get stronger all the time and painful flare ups are less frequent and intense. She trains with many different modalities, including kickboxing, Pilates, and weight training with a little bit of ballet thrown in sometimes as well! In addition to the satisfaction of working hard, our workouts are always fun too. I'm very excited that we have recently moved into her wonderful new private space in Japantown. I look forward to many fantastic workouts there...and maybe treating myself to yummy Ramen afterwards ;-)

Looking for a way to take care of your body while pushing yourself to a new level? Abui is the…read moreanswer. OH yay! She is the perfect mix of not just a personal trainer and a highly trained physical therapist, but also a coach and cheerleader too! Whether it is a healing hand, a kick in the bootie or a word of encouragement, Abui is there to help you over your next hurdle, By working with her on a consistent basis, she avoid injuries before they happen with magic MAT fingers and detailed list of exercises to take home. I lovely love love Abui!