The best pilates classes in London

We’re big fans of Blok’s super cool studios in Clapton and Shoreditch. While the converted warehouse spaces might be all exposed brick, poured concrete and steel beams, the mat Pilates classes take place in warm, low-lit rooms. Challenging enough for Pilates pros but also easy enough to pick up if you’re a complete beginner, it’s a tough workout where dynamic movements flow into one another, with a banging soundtrack that will distract you from the hard work. Almost. Fancy the premium option? There are reformer classes available, too. 

Studios in Clapton and Shoreditch. Single class £19-£23. Cheaper options if you buy class packs.

The addictive Frame studios are all about reformer Pilates, so if you’re new to those springy beds with neck braces and straps, you’ve come to the right place. Their beginner Pilates reformer class will walk you through the techniques slowly, and once you’ve got a few of those sessions under your belt, you can slide on over to their stretch-tastic deep release or hot and heavy dynamic classes for master core blasters who love to feel the burn. There's also a postnatal option.

Locations in Angel, Hammersmith, King’s Cross, and Shoreditch. Drop-ins £16-23 per class. Cheaper options if you buy class packages. 

Tottenham’s cosy First Reform Pilates is a small but mighty reformer studio with beginner and intermediate lessons for the reformer-curious and strong-limbed regulars alike. There’s also an advanced class for the hardcore. As N17’s first and only reformer studio, this chilled, industrial-styled neighbourhood space comes stacked with eight Merrithew V2 max machines – the Lamborghini of the reformer world. Small classes mean dedicated, helpful instruction from friendly coaches and a strong community vibe, so don’t worry about wobbling.

2B Kitchener Rd, N17 6DX. £24 a session, £12 for your first class. Discounts on class packs. 

Ten Health & Fitness limit their pilates classes to 10 people for each session so you can expect a personal trainer style experience with plenty of hands-on coaching. Classes are taken mainly lying down on reformer platforms, which is an ideal stop-gap between your bed at home and your desk at work on a Monday morning. If you’re new to reformer Pilates, your instructor will show you how to use the machine before you get started. There are also classes each week dedicated to beginners. Facilities here are good with towels, Ren products in the showers and even GHD straighteners, meaning you can travel light. We like. 

Locations in Chiswick, The City, Fitzrovia, Hatton Garden, Little Venice, Nine Elms, Notting Hill, Notting Hill Gate, Tottenham Court Road and St James’s. £38 per class or cheaper if you block book. 

With their original studio in Stroud Green and the most recent – and more central – spot on Ironmonger Row, Kinetic Pilates offers a highly traditional form of classical Pilates. That doesn’t mean it’s fusty and dusty though; the new Old Street adjacent spot is a bright, roomy space filled with state of the art (and very chic) equipment, from reformers and chairs to towers and guillotines). Teachers here have a deep commitment to the exercises invented by the OG Joseph Pilates, and to what he called contrology. Expect small group classes or one-on-one training where your technique will be impeccably honed. Studios in Stroud Green and Old Street. Equipment classes from £28 with membership. 

One for Pilates purists, this classical studio is crammed full of strange and surprising equipment: reformers, towers – with chains and coils – a cadillac, wunda chairs and barrels, an electric chair and heaps of magic circles. It would be an intimidating sight if it wasn’t for the super knowledgable, friendly and infectiously energetic instructors and the super-small class size. Exhale’s focus is on traditional Pilates, as Joseph Pilates himself originally designed it. The equipment might look wild, but it’s actually all about careful movement and correct form. The exercises take centre stage here, so the studio is simple, but there are lockers and shower facilities in The Fitness Mosaic downstairs. 

Locations in Primrose Hill, Marylebone and North Finchley. £40 for a drop-in or cheaper if you block book. 

LevelOut is on a roll. Its community-orientated studios are popping up thick and fast across London, especially in south London which has previously felt underserved of innovative fitness classes. There are 10 studios to pick from, but its HQ is in Brixton where you’ll find a bright, airy studio with well-equipped Reformer machines, as well as a strength-training studio where you can sign up for full-body sessions that will help you get the most out of your pilates classes. Across all its studios you’ll find beginner, intermediate and intense classes and high-energy instructors who take time to come up with fun and challenging routines that change day to day. 

Studios in Blackhorse Road, Brixton, Brockley, Camberwell, De Beauvoir, Deptford, East Dulwich, Peckham, St Paul’s, Wandsworth. £25 drop-in, introductory offers and cheaper bulk bookings available. 

There are only a small number of reformer beds at Core’s studios, which means intimate classes where no wrong move goes unnoticed. But that can only be a good thing. Teachers are knowledgeable and encouraging as they lead you through a series of classic Pilates exercises for an hour. Different classes cater to everyone from beginner to pro. There are also 30-minute orientation sessions to help you learn the ropes. 

Kensington and Chiswick. Buy two introductory classes for £35, £36 for single bookings after that. Cheaper options if you block book. 

As one of the coolest places to break a sweat in east London, The Refinery’s Pilates class was never going to be run-of-the-mill. They run a number of ace classes for beginners and experts alike. Mattitude is a fun-fuelled, dynamic class where you hit the mat and do a bit of barre, as well as using resistance bands, dumbbells and Pilates balls. Hard-Core focuses on, you guessed it, your core, while Pilates Yin and Yang is a tough 40 minutes of mat work followed by 20 wonderful minutes of deep stretches. Don’t be fooled by the studio – it might be cute and colourful (and home to a dog), but a session here is definitely not child’s play. Bring along your A-game, and you should fit right in. Its prices are also refreshingly competitive, too. 

14 Collent St, E9 6SG. £8 for first class, £15 (avg.) per class afterwards. Class passes are available. 

Founded by Pilates teacher Isobel Palmer, LIM Studio is a light and calming space in Highbury (you can even pause for a herbal tea if you need to destress before you hit the mat), but classes here pack a powerful punch. Book onto Lim Signature for a challenging yet upbeat mix of barre and Pilates that’ll leave you with wobbly legs. The mat Pilates classes are great here, too – expect a focus on technique from instructors who really know their stuff – while there’s a range of yoga classes on the timetable if you never want to do ‘the hundred’ again. Chances are you will, though – Isobel’s cheery and positive demeanour is totally infectious. 

114 Highbury Park, N5 2XE. Studio drop-in £17. Cheaper options if you block book. 

If it’s directly opposite-the-tube convenience you’re after, it doesn’t get much better than Pilates HQ, whose small fourth-floor studio is seconds from Angel underground. The set-up is simple, but it gets great light (and a waft of fried chicken from the Upper Street takeaways – we’ll leave it up to you to decide if that’s a pro or con). The lunchtime reformer Pilates session is ideal for beginners who want some core-strengthening action they can fit into work hours. Classes are just the right size for the space, allowing the attentive instructor to offer advice without leaving you feeling exposed. Everything is based around the reformer machines, and there’s a big focus on that thigh-squeezing resistance ring. The pace is relaxed, so you won’t feel the effect until the next day, but trust us, you will feel it.

4th Floor, 17 Islington High St, N1 9LQ. Peak classes (Mon-Fri 5.30pm-8.30pm and weekends) £25 per class. Off-peak classes (Mon-Fri 6am-5pm) £22 per class. All classes cheaper when you block book.

Don’t be fooled by the name, TriYoga is much more than just a place to do yoga. With spaces in Camden, Chelsea, Shoreditch, and Ealing, each studio teaches yoga and Pilates classes, offers a range of holistic treatments and has a juice bar and small shop. The whole vibe is very friendly and welcoming, the staff are informative and knowledgeable without being snooty. They offer mat-based Pilates, which is great for all levels, equipment-based classes and one-on-ones for the more adventurous and warm Pilates, where you practice a slower set of moves in a room heated to 35 degrees. The studios are light and airy, and all the equipment is free to use.

Locations in Camden, Chelsea, Ealing and Shoreditch. Start with a £39 beginner’s pack, which gets you unlimited classes for seven days. Single class £25. Cheaper options if you block book. 

With a swanky studio and plenty of snazzy merch, it’s no wonder Fulham’s Pilates massive speak highly of PBB. The barre dynamic Pilates core class is a mixture of mat-based Pilates and ballet barre, and during the 50-minute session, you’ll get good and sweaty doing the kind of moves that wouldn’t look out of place in ‘Swan Lake’. That doesn’t mean you won’t be pushed to the limit, though. There’s plenty of cardio in this class, so by the time Paola gets through with you, you’ll never look at pliés the same way again. 

2 Fulham High St, SW6 3LQ. £20 for single class. Introductory offers and block bookings available. 

When it comes to any sort of bootcamp, you know the drill: militant taskmasters and gruelling exercises so intense you’ll want to have serious words with yourself afterwards. Well, Bootcamp Pilates is no different. This reformer-based class will really put your through your paces – but at least the music’s good and you will get results. Sessions are also straightforward and use a variety of Pilates equipment, so you won’t need to be an expert to try their standard or cardio classes. Just remember to bring lots of energy (you’ll need it).

4 Red Lion St, TW9 1RW. £35 for single class. Introductory offers and block bookings available. 

Heartcore’s got studios in the poshest parts of town, so their Pilates sessions are pure class. Specialising in reformer-style Pilates, their spaces are stunning – the St John’s site in particular is a beaut. The classes are mixed ability. You can feel like you’re getting personal training, while other instructors opt for a more hands-off approach so make sure to flag your beginner status if you’ve never stepped foot on a reformer bed before. For those that like to switch it up, Heartcore also offers barre, kettlebells and TRX classes – but really, folks flock here get their stretch on.

Locations in Bayswater, Chelsea, Fulham, Hampstead, Kensington, Notting Hill and St John’s Wood. £25-£35 for a single class. Cheaper options if you block book.