YAY - you’ve officially booked your first class at Feels Pilates!

This is the very first step in your Pilates journey with us  and we are already so proud of you for showing up for yourself - you should be too!

For your first class, all you need to bring is a full water bottle, a pair of grippy socks, comfortable activewear - it doesn't need to be flash, just something you feel good in... and your beautiful self. We’ll take care of the rest.

Parking is nice and easy at all of our studios, with nearby street parking available. Our Frenchs Forest studio also has underground parking available, and Cromer has both ground - level and underground parking options too. If you’d like to get a feel for your studio before arriving, you can explore each location on our website.

We do ask that you arrive around 10 minutes early for your first class so you can settle in stress free. You’ll have time to pop your belongings into the pigeonholes, use the bathroom if needed, and meet your Trainer before class begins.

If you’ve never done Pilates or used a reformer before - please don’t stress. Just let your Trainer know, and they’ll happily guide you through everything you need to know before class starts. Everyone starts somewhere, and we’re here to make your first experience feel fun, welcoming, and exciting from the moment you walk through the doors.

That is absolutely fine, we can’t wait to have you in the studio and show you what the fuss is all about! If you are brand new to reformer pilates we advise you that you book into beginners classes for your first few classes.

Beginners classes are great introductory to Reformer Pilates. This is where you will learn all about the springs, the reformer bed and we will talk in depth about all the different exercises.

We also recommend that you come to the studio 10 minutes early to class so we can show you around the studio and the reformer bed.

Grippy socks are compulsory at the studio for cleanliness and hygiene reasons. The grip in the socks is beneficial to avoid falling or slipping on the reformer.

Please wear exercise clothes you feel the most comfortable in. Grippy socks are compulsory you can bring these with you or we have socks for you to buy at reception.

You’re going to love it! Whether you’re brand new to Pilates or already love reformer or mat classes, our instructors will guide you through everything and help you feel comfortable from the moment you walk in.

Infrared Pilates is performed in a heated room (around 30–35 degrees) where the infrared heat gradually warms your muscles and joints to help your body move more freely throughout class.

We recommend wearing light, comfortable activewear like shorts and a crop or singlet, plus bringing a large water bottle with electrolytes or Hydralyte to help keep you hydrated while you sweat. We also have filtered water available at the studio.

Please bring a full length towel with you - this is mandatory for all infrared classes so you can move comfortably, safely, and confidently while you sweat

Hot tip: drink plenty of water before and after class too!

If at any point you feel dizzy or need a break, simply rest on your mat and let your instructor know -  we’re always here to look after you.

You can come back to pilates 6 - 12 weeks after giving birth depending on the type of birth you have had. Please consult with your doctor as we require clearance from your doctor before you start.

We are an evidence-based pilates studio meaning we follow the most current and up to date scientific studies including the Australian Department of Health Pregnancy Guidelines.

Which you can read: https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-11/physical-activity-and-exercise-during-pregnancy-guidelines-brochure.pdf

These guidelines highlight that during pregnancy you should:

• Be active 7 days a week
• Do moderate intensity activities for 2.5 - 5 hours a week OR do vigorous intensity activities for 1 - 2.5 hours a week
• Do muscle strengthening exercises at least 2 days a week
• Do pelvic floor exercises

Sounds like a good week of Pilates to me!

The guidelines also state that during pregnancy you should avoid:

• Lying on your back for long periods of time after 28 weeks (try tilting your body on a 45 degree angle or laying on side)
• Avoid falling (activities that require a high level of balance and coordination)
• Significant changes in pressure (e.g. sky diving and scuba diving)
• Heavy lifting (unfortunately our 3kg weights don’t count as heavy lifting)

So throughout the class if you are pregnant we may work with you to ensure that you are not put in a position where there is a possibility of falling and if over 28 weeks we will either provide a pregnancy wedge to prop you up to a 45 degree angle or lay you on your side if we are lying on our backs. Otherwise, let’s concentrate on keeping you strong and moving throughout your pregnancy!

Note that there is no mention to not work your abdominals, it actually even states that strengthening the pelvic floor is a daily importance!

Should I be doing ab curls if pregnant or if I have diastases?

Many instructors mistakenly believe ab curls increase risk of abdominal separation. This is not true.

There are multiple studios showing zero harm to pregnant and postpartum people from ab curls and a recent systematic review found ab curls actually very slightly decrease diastases. Further, pregnant people who do abdominal strengthening during their pregnancy, including abdominal curls, tend to have less diastases and recover more quickly from postpartum

Thinking about the basic anatomy. When the rectus abdominis contracts (e.g. in an ab curl) it pulls itself together, narrowing the abdominal separation.

To read the research yourself, Google

PMID: 37286390

PMID: 36934466

But, the pregnant client next to me is not doing ab curls. Should I still be doing them while I’m pregnant?

Under the guidelines is also a note on keeping the pregnant client as comfortable as possible. As each pregnancy and bump is completely different some movements including laying on your back, single leg work or ab curls my feel more uncomfortable to one pregnant person than the next.

Therefore, at Feels we try to care for each pregnant client as an individual and understand that we may need to modify the exercises differently for each pregnant person in relation to their own body and pregnancy.

Yes, if you have never been on a reformer bed before we highly recommend booking into a beginners class to learn how the spring tension works and to get use to the moving carriage. Once you feel confident with the reformer machine and the pilates language we use, you are welcome to move into our other class types, mix up your weekly pilates!

Our reformer studios are located in Avalon, Narrabeen, Cromer & Frenchs Forest. Our Infrared Mat studios are located in Newport & a small boutique space in our Frenchie studio.

We have sister studios... Those with memberships & packages at Narrabeen, Newport or Avalon can use either studio, and those at Cromer or Frenchs Forest can swing between each studio. For those that would like to go between any studio, you can be on a membership & use the extra class prompt to attend a non sister studio!

Yes, our trainers are highly knowledgable and will be able to cater and modify the exercises to best suit you and your injury. However, if the injury is in an acute stage we recommend that you get physio clearance before coming to a group reformer class.

Yes you can! We offer one on one sessions with a qualified reformer pilates instructor for $100. We have these classes available around class times & instructors normal teaching hours - usually after midday and on the weekends.

If you add yourself to a waitlist and a spot becomes available, you’ll be automatically added into the class.

We see the waitlist as you putting your hand up and saying “yes please, I’m ready to go!” So if your plans change or you’re no longer sure you can make it, please remove yourself from the waitlist to avoid being added into the class automatically & late cancellation fees (these still apply within 8 hours of the class time).

HOT TIP: set an alarm for early morning classes, as you may get a spot overnight!

Yes we do!! If you refer a friend and they sign up to an Intro Pack, please tell us within the week to claim a free pilates class or sauna credit!

Our membership programs are the most cost effective way to workout at Feels. We have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, & 7 classes per week memberships to offer our clients, and you can upgrade your classes per week at anytime! We have a minimum term of 12 weeks, the membership will continue to stay active until you tell us to cancel it. You can book your classes up to 6 weeks in advance with your weekly allocation of credits (these credits don't roll over each week). Memberships are best for those clients who stick to a weekly routine and know the classes they want to attend each week to avoid waitlists. You can also put your membership on hold at anytime for $5 per week.

Yes you can, we charge a fee of $5 a week while your membership is on hold, your membership will pick up where you left off once you are back. Our hold periods are for one week minimum, they start on the day your memberships starts each week. Please book any classes for the period after your holidays, as when your membership is put on hold, your ability to book future classes will be stopped. Then email the studio for the dates you would like to go on hold.

We have an 8 hour cancellation policy, if you cancel your class inside of this time you will lose your class credit.

If you do not cancel out of your class in your app, even within the timeframe of the late cancellation period (8 Hrs), you will be marked as a No Show. This means you will forfeit your class credit as well as be charged a $10 fee. This is not to penalise our clients but to get our clients into the habit of cancelling every class they cannot make.

You can certainly move around to multiple studios however some are linked and some are not!

Narrabeen, Newport & Avalon are sister studios, and Frenchs Forest & Cromer are sister studios. So the sister studios allow you freedom to swing between studios.

If you buy a pack at Narrabeen and want to go to Frenchs Forest (unlinked studios), just buy a membership/package at your most favourite studio and then buy a 1 class pack or yearly pack at the studio you just want to pop into now and then! 

You can call the studio on 0422 683 823 or email hello@feelspilates.com.au (please avoid messaging us on social media as these can be missed).

Bring your pilates grippy socks if you have some and  your water bottle. If you don't have either, they can both be purchased at the studio.

This can be done in your Feels Pilates Studios app. Simply go into the Profiles tab, then into your Schedule. You will then see your future bookings, press the Cancel button underneath the booking you wish to cancel.  Please refer to our cancellation policy question.

You can book this via our Feels Pilates Studios app. You don't have to do pilates to enjoy our Sauna! Buy your sauna credits in the app in the BUY tab, press the "Infrared Sauna" tab,. From there we have a selection of packages you can buy. The cancellation policy still stands for all sauna bookings, if you can no longer make a sauna session and its within the 8 hr booking time, please email your studio.

Go the the Feels Pilates Studios app, login and head straight to the Profile tab. Inside this you will see the Wallet section. In Payment methods you can change your credit/debit card information, don't forget to save this change.

Like most small businesses, our clients pay for the credit/debit card fee on top of the price of their purchase.

If you pay by debit/credit card, standard processing fees apply: $0.30 + 1.59% for Visa/Mastercard and 4.39% for Amex.

If you would prefer to pay via bank transfer the fee is $0.85 per transaction - please contact us via phone to update your payment details for you. This can only be done via our app backend.