I started going to Pilates of Pasadena about four years ago with Lesley. My wife had already been going for a while and encouraged me to try it, and it ended up becoming the best weekend workout I could've added to my routine. I'd been recovering from a herniated disc from years earlier, which left me with limited flexibility and reduced strength in my right hip. Lesley built sessions that targeted my core and the supporting muscle groups I'd been compensating for. After about a year of consistent weekend sessions, the improvement in strength, mobility, and stability was obvious. Lesley is intuitive, knowledgeable, and patient. She helped reduce pain, improve my posture, and rebuild core strength in a way that actually stuck. That foundation has made a real difference. Her background in physical therapy shows in everything she does. She understands muscles, joints, and personal limits, and she pays attention. She builds sessions around what each person needs, not a one‑size‑fits‑all routine. The studio itself elevates the experience. The variety of equipment--the Pilates reformer, Cadillac Reformer, barrel, and more--makes it easier to target specific muscle groups and perform different postures correctly. It keeps each session fresh, challenging, and genuinely next level. The progress really showed during travel. Long days of walking or climbing stairs used to be tough. Now I move better, hold better posture, and can enjoy places--like the uneven streets of Pompeii--without the same strain. I still have work to do, but Pilates of Pasadena has made that progress possible. I highly recommend Lesley and Pilates of Pasadena. read more

I have been working with Lesley for 3 years now and she is the best. Very intuitive, kind, knowledgeable, patient and flexible! She has helped remove pain, improved my posture and strengthened my core. I feel challenged every week! Highly recommend! read more

I have been training with Lesley for going on three years now. What really attracted me to Pilates was the fact that men traditionally have weaker cores than women. Little did I realize how important my core is for everyday tasks. Funny because the word core is defined as the central most integral and essential part of a system, i'm here. I am walking around with a weak core. Lesley's physical therapy background is really what attracted me to continue working with her. It's important to know that your instructor knows how the human body should work and what to avoid. As an avid basketball player the instruction I have received from Lesley has been revolutionary to my Basketball journey. She is amazing and Pilates Of Pasadena is an amazing studio. Amazing parking! Centralized location! Fair rates. And most important wonderful one to one training. read more

I've been taking Pilates with Lesley at Pilates of Pasadena for three years and it has been a great experience. Lesley is knowledgeable, attentive, and always encourages us to practice safely while building strength and improving posture. The studio also has a warm and supportive community that makes every class enjoyable. Highly recommend! read more

I've been going to Pilates of Pasadena off and on for over 6 years. I love the professional, caring, knowledgeable and wonderful trainers and the owner, Maria. They work individually with each client to make sure they are meeting their physical needs and level of intensity during the exercises. The trainers make sure the classes are not only physically rewarding but fun. Love Pilates of Pasadena! I read more

I've been working with Lesley for about 8 months and she has been fantastic! After dealing with a back injury, I was nervous about getting back into any kind of movement, but Lesley's knowledge, patience, and encouragement has made all the difference. She took the time to understand my limitations and tailored every session to help me rebuild strength safely. I've not only regained confidence in my body, but I'm also stronger than I was before! She is supportive, attentive, and is always checking in. I highly recommend them! read more

A very nice friendly studio. Top notch equipment and great instructors. Lisa Deines has been our instructor for almost 5 years. She it great

I give Pilates of Pasadena the highest of ratings. (There should be more stars!) The site is comfortable, immaculate with a friendly ambiance. Lesley Elliott is an exceptional Pilates teacher. She has a background in Physical Therapy so understands muscles, joints and what goes on inside the body. She pays attention to every individual and their needs. No matter your age, she will gear the workout to your abilities and needs. She does both groups and individual sessions. I've had other Pilates teachers in the past. Lesley is outstanding. read more

Every one working here is super nice and especially Lesley is an amazing, awesome Pilates instructor! She is so talented in her work and always encourages her clients they can achieve their goals. Highly recommend her if you want to try Pilates! read more

PoP is a wonderful, personal, Pilates studio. I hav been working with Lesley E for three years. After several car accidents and months of PT, she single handedly coached me back to health, giving me a wide range of movement and core strength that lets me enjoy the sports that I love again. Without her patient training and smart long term strategies I would still be in pain getting in and out of my car! You're the best Lesley- we need to clone you read more

What a fantastic place! Kianna is the best Pilates instructor I have ever had. So kind and incredibly detailed. You will be lucky to practice Pilates with her. read more

Lesley at Pilates of Pasadena is fantastic instructor. She clearly explains each move to me so I can improve each time I do it. She is very patient & kind. I was recovering from double hip replacement barely able to move freely. Now I can mover with ease & I am confident I will improve even more over time. The facility is clean & welcoming. I recommend POP to everyone who is interested in improving their life all around. read more

I highly recommend Pilates of Pasadena--it's an excellent studio. I'm a total beginner and reached out via email to set up an introductory set of classes. I received a very prompt response and was in studio with my first class within a week. My sense from watching instructors here is that all are excellent but I wanted to give a particular set of kudos to Justin, who is a natural teacher and has a knack for putting together a class that is challenging but not excruciating. The studio is also always clean and pleasant to be in, and at least at the times I've been there, there are others around but it's not overly crowded. Excellent establishment! read more

My wife has practiced Pilates with Maria for years and when I started to complain about losing flexibility and poor posture, she recommended a private class with Mirko at Pilates of Pasadena. My first class was difficult. I felt clumsy and embarrassed about my poor range of motion. By the third session, I felt things changing. Mirko is a master at exercising individual muscle groups. I began to see my posture improve and strength increase. After multiple sessions, I now see him weekly and look forward to my next session. I highly recommend Pilates of Pasadena if you are looking for a friendly, professional place to get results from extremely knowledgable instructors. Recently, the Studio received the Best of Pasadena award for the best Pilates Studio...I agree!! read more

I started coming here two years ago as a beginner to Pilates, and have not looked back since! The studio and people are warm and professional. Lesley is fantastic and such a dedicated and knowledgeable instructor - she has helped me immensely in my health/fitness journey. I highly recommend booking a session! read more

POP deserves 10 stars. Professional, thoughtful, and prepared, Maria is dedicated to her profession and very knowledgeable. The atmosphere is supportive and warm, and the equipment is top-notch and in great shape. The studio is SPOTLESS and very well run. We have moved to Zoom classes for now, and I am amazed at Maria's ability to keep us engaged, watch our form, and mix up the routines even though we are limited to what we can do at home. I came to POP two years ago with constant back pain - my back would go out 2-3 times/year and I had had enough. Since I started class with Maria I have had ZERO episodes. ZERO. read more

thank you for fixing my shoulder and ankle!! PT here was a critical part of my recovery treatment

I've been a customer for 2+ years. For me Pilates isn't a luxury, it's essential to keep this 70+yr old limber. Maria and all the teachers are excellent- diligent about form and each person's body issues. Faint music that I like and pleasant clients. read more

Been going to Maria for several years now and I don't plan to stop ever! When I started with her, I was only doing weight training, and that was tightening up my muscles and creating some pain. So Pilates has been the perfect balance to my weight training and helped my chronic lower back pain greatly with stretch and strengthening since one of my legs is shorter than the other (which she accommodates for on the machines). And she offers semi-privates which works great for me for motivation and my pocketbook! (max three clients per time slot) read more

My first Yelp review! I came to Pilates of Pasadena after a friend of mine - who has done a lot of Pilates - decided to get back into it after a fairly long break due to some big life changes. She was absolutely loving this studio and her instructor, Brittany. I had been recovering for about six months from a back injury I got in a car accident and was finally beginning to think about actually exercising. I can take pretty good care of myself, having been a yoga instructor for some time until about a decade ago. Presently, however, I am too busy with my current career to put in the time and effort necessary to look after myself! I needed to accept that I needed help, so finding out about this studio and Brittany was perfect timing. I took the 3 session one-on-one try-out package and was convinced. The studio is immaculate. The equipment is all so spic-and-span! They have reformers, Cadillacs, wunda chairs, a ladder barrel, and a plethora of accessories. I am a pretty laid back guy and was concerned that the atmosphere would be a little uptight. It isn't. The owner, Maria, is so friendly. I usually ride my bike to the studio and at first was locking it up outside against a fence. She said just bring it inside, no problem. Recently, after they rearranged the front desk, I knocked a beautiful succulent planter off the counter with my backpack, breaking glass and causing a huge mess. Still no problem. I love these guys! Once engaged in Pilates, though, be prepared to be focused! The various instructors come from different Pilates backgrounds, but I can only speak about Brittany, who took BASI training. I find myself wondering what to write here; what can I say about someone who consistently kicks my ass so badly, but has helped me so much and has me keeping on coming back for more?! As an instructor she is formidable, extremely competent, and mercilessly vigilant, but there's no stopping her personality shining through; she is so caring and compassionate, and literally a laugh a minute. It is just so much fun - I have become quite familiar with that strange border zone between laughing and crying! To sum up: my back injury is by now almost completely a relic of the past, but my sessions with Brittany at Pilates of Pasadena are a highlight of my week and I keep coming back twice a week with no intention of stopping! read more

Amazing workout before covid and during covid (and after covid too!) The zoom classes are wonderful routines. You feel great afterwards, see your fellow gym-mates, and have excellent instructors. PoP have perfected the zoom workout! I look forward to the workouts and the day after burn! read more

I joined the studio about 8 weeks post pregnancy. I started with private classes with Brittany. She has been just amazing. She has motivated me to go above and beyond my own body expectations. Now, just after 5mo, I was also able to join reformer group class with Samantha - max 4 students per class. The classes are intense and fun, great exercise for body and mind. I found both the instructors to be very well prepared and details oriented. They can guide you to push your body at the maximum level while avoiding any injury. They are also very fun ladies to workout with :) I strongly recommend this studio, the best I could find in Pasadena. The classes are certainly a good way to give it a try! read more

I love Pilates of Pasadena. Samatha very patient and knowledgeable. Sam pushes me just enough and I can feel and see my progression. I started with private lessons which was really good for me to know how to properly do the different exercises. I also did the duo class and now the reformer classes which I have fallen in love with. My core has gotten a lot stronger and the pain in my lower back and hips from work is a lot better! Thank you ladies! The atmosphere is very friendly and clean equipment and restrooms!! read more

Amelia and Samantha are both wonderful instructors. I've dealt with chronic low back pain for the past 15 years and I really have noticed a difference with pilates more than anything I've done in the past. The small class size of 4 allows for a little more one-on-one attention than a larger class would allow for. read more

I have been taking Pilates classes for 7 years now, and since I lived in several different places, I had the opportunity to experiment many different studios. Pilates of Pasadena rates up with the best I have had. The instructors are very attentive and through in their directions, the place is very nice and well kept, a very pleasant experience. I love the reformer classes with Samantha and the Movement 360 with Charletha. read more

Satoko is a wonderful instructor and a beautiful person inside and out. I really enjoy working out with her, and she has helped me with my posture and has also been instrumental in strengthening those muscles that get lazy. Thank you, Satoko! read more

This is a great place and Satoko is just fabulous. She understands your needs and really caters to them. She gives a great workout!!

I absolutely love my sessions with Samantha at Pilates or Pasadena. As a dancer, with Samantha's guidance I have been able to maintain and gain more strength and flexibility. Samantha's energy as and depth of knowledge as an instructor really lended not only to my learning but also understanding thdifferent exercises! Thank you Samantha! read more

This is a review for the Monday night semi-private group classes done by Amelia Wise. I honestly love her energy, she is super positive and educated on pilates, she corrected any form mistakes before I injured myself! I had such an amazing work out too- could barely walk because I was so sore the next day. I'll definitely will go back to her class again. I think she has classes of 4 people max 6 and 7pm. Highly recommend. read more

I have found a new home at Pilates of Pasadena. I am confident that I will be here for a long time to come. What brought me to Po/P? After 3 1/2 years my last Pilates Trainer moved 100's of miles away so driving to her was out of the question. After some trail and error I found this exceptional studio and with great rates, I was thrilled. My trainer is knowledgeable and keeps the sessions fresh and new, unquestionably a plus. It is so easy to get bored with those who do the exact same routine session after session, week after week. She is experienced and sensitive enough to injuries to adapt easily and suggest alternatives. Maria makes a point of staying current in her skills. She has trained herself with Pilates Master Rael Isacowitz, who travels the world teaching technique. Method and proficiency are important enough to this studio that they host workshops with guest lecturers for trainers. The other thing that makes me happy is that the equipment is kept up. The environment is clean with an artsy feel. Another great bonus is the friendliness and supportive nature of the instructors and the other clients. It is like walking into the Cheers Bar, as a new client I felt welcomed. read more

Audra leads an awesome class! She provides clear direction and makes the session a lot of fun. Great workout, too. Thanks again!

I have been training with Maria for 3 years now and I can't recommend her or her instructors more. They are kind, creative and knowledgeable. They go the extra mile for their clients and I never feel uncomfortable or like I don't belong there. It truly is a warm, welcoming environment with wonderful people. My back has never felt better, and I no longer have to visit a chiropractor all the time. If I could give this place more than 5 stars I would! read more

I have been a trainer for over 20 years. I highly recommend Pilates of Pasadena. The staff are always professional and courteous. The place is kept clean and calm. The clients are quite friendly. This is a great place to train my clients. Maria is the owner. She is more than fair and a great example of an accomplished fitness professional. Check us out !! read more

I have worked with Maria for two years at Pilates of Pasadena and I absolutely love her! She kicks my butt while still having fun! It is such a great workout... I have gotten so toned and flexible because of her! Plus, the studio is super clean and equipment is top of the line! read more

I went to my first mat class at Pilates of Pasadena and it was great. My instructor was Heather and I cannot say enough good things about her! She was able to effortlessly modify movements for my specific needs without loosing any of the integrity of Pilates. I have been to many studios in search of an instructor who is passionate, educated and a talented, kind teacher of the Joseph Pilates method of mat exercise. Heather is it! I left her class feeling energized and happily muscle fatigued. I can't wait for our next class. The studio was calming and inviting too. read more

I started training with Maria last year when I was 2 months pregnant and getting married a few months later. I was concerned about still looking good in a wedding dress and also staying fit and healthy for my delivery. Having been trained in prenatal Pilates, Maria was able to design fun, safe and effective workouts that helped me remain fit throughout my pregnancy. I only ended up gaining the recommended 25 lbs of weight for a healthy baby. I returned to Maria's studio six weeks after my son was born and have been working on getting the strength back in my core back. At almost 3 months, I do see a difference and have tightened back up. Also, because her workouts are customized to everyone's body types, I can now try new exercises I wasn't able to do while pregnant and nothing ever seems dull or repetitive. Maria's studio is bright and spacious, which makes the workouts really comfortable even when she increases the resistance and gives you a more challenging routine. I'm totally sold on Pilates thanks to Maria. read more

Pilates of Pasadena gets an A++ in my book. Not only did Maria help me get my pre-baby body back after my first child, she also helped me stay fit during my second pregnancy. She is very patient and understanding when it comes to varying skill levels and I'm officially hooked on Pilates now! Will definitely be going back for more and can't wait to bring my girlfriends to her group classes. read more

This is the most professional Pilates facility that you will ever experience I have been going to Maria for over 9 years now She is a superlative, competent and creative instructor Everyone who works with Maria is equally professional In addition her team is flexible and any injury or discomfort is taken seriously in each session Kathy read more

I'm new to Pilates and have just started to take private sessions with Arden. I really needed to work on my posture and this has definitely been helping. She doesn't let me cheat anything!!! But it's great, I need it. The studio is super clean and has a relaxed atmosphere. read more

I recommend Pilates of Pasadena because: 1. Maria is an excellent, well trained, and caring instructor. She understands your body, your limitations and your goals. With her help, I have been able to achieve and keep results that have surpassed my previous experiences with personal trainers. 2. Those "innocent" looking Pilates springs on the equipment continually provide a focused, challenging and rewarding work out. No more heavy weights needed to achieve tone, definition, and no more worry about putting too much strain on my joints, muscles, etc. 3. The studio is clean, the equipment well maintained, cardio equipment and a TRX are also available. Like another reviewer, I too am "hooked, miss it when I don't go, and would encourage anyone who has considered Pilates to give Maria, or one of the other instructors, the opportunity to demonstrate its benefits. read more