Chicago River North Pilates

It’s been 3 years since I first started working out at CRNP. Since my last review I tried Gyrotonic exercise and it was a really cool experience. Definitely out of my comfort zone going into it but quickly became comfortable with the equipment and type of movement. Still rec’ing this studio to friends and family who are interested in mind body fitness!

The search for a Pilates studio to fill the void after the closing of Soulistic has been hit or miss to say the least and I’m reconciled to the need to kiss a few frogs before finding a worthy successor. To be fair, my parameters– no Lincoln Park studios, instructors who won’t eat a Subway breakfast flatbread in front of me while I’m doing my hundreds, etc.- are fairly stringent. I’m happy to report that my recent private Pilates session at CRNP has cast a more favorable light on my experiences. First of all, I give kudos to the instructors/​reservationist for accommodating my same-​day request to change my appointment. I was not able to come in at 10 am as scheduled and was graciously slotted in at 12:30 pm. This was accomplished free of any drama and speaks well to the level of customer service here.
As to the studio itself, I felt comfortable going in, as I know the area. The loft like space is open and spacious. This might be a different story once the room gets filled up for a group class, but I didn’t feel at all crowded during my one-​on-​one session. In addition to the traditional Pilates setup, there is Gyrotonic/​Gyrokenetic equipment on offer. I am eager to try this, as the number of studios that boast these offerings is limited. So far, the only ones I have seen have been in NYC and London. I look forward to taking a class here in the near future and will certainly report back.
I was pleased with the Pilates instruction and had no difficulty when it came to payment/​scheduling. The only slight hiccup was experienced this weekend, when I went online to try to book a group class through the studio’s mind-​body scheduler. One of the classes indicated that I needed to take a prerequisite, which seemed odd, seeing as how I now have several mat and equipment-​based Pilates classes under my belt. I decided to sign up for a stretching/​mat class a week from now so that I may continue my observation and see whether this is a studio that I will be sticking with.

I’ve been taking the prenatal pilates class for several weeks now and would highly recommend it! $ 15/​class (based on 10-​class card) is a great value — Lisa is an awesome balance of really friendly and motivating and helps explain and correct postures as you go, the mix of mat/​exercise ball/​weights keeps it interesting, and the small class size and location near the Brown Line are also great. One small complaint is that it can be a bit of a hassle to get into the classroom, which is through two locked doors that require someone to let you in.

If you feel like you never really «got» Pilates, try it here. They limit the class size to 6 students max, so the instructors can see what you’re doing and help you make corrections. Really helpful if you’re trying to deepen your Pilates practice.

Great place for pilates — very clean, full of light, lots of equipment all in tip top shape. I love my trainer Kari but when she’s not available I’ve found all the trainers to be excellent with substantial credentials. Having spent my whole childhood doing gymnastics and dance and now a practitioner of Tai Chi for the last 30 years I expect the best in my instructors — and for pilates, I find it here at Chicago River North Pilates.

i travel from the suburbs weekly to pilates river north to have a private with katie, the owner. but all of the instructors are and friendly and competant as Katie. The Focus on the mind body connection is a primary concern at River North. They not only help you work out, but they help you move with more ease in general. most instructors have knowledge in more that one mind/​body practice and through the sharing of ideas within the studio, there is a huge bosy of knowledge to draw from. I will keep going back!

I took my first studio Pilates class on a Tuesday at noon. The space is limited, so you have reserve a space. Overall, i enjoyed my class, the teacher corrected our postures throughout the class. I learned a lot what i was doing wrong from previous gym pilates classes I’ve taken. Also, everybody is so nice!