Ottawa's Hottest New Pilates Studio: TREMBLE

PTGO founder Sissi De Flaviis trying her first pilates class

The Tremble studio

The mirrors give the illusion of a much bigger space, which is a plus

Sissi and content creator Liya Huang pose after a pilates class

Popular Pilates studio TREMBLE has officially opened its doors to Ottawa, and I was lucky enough to be one of the first to try it out!

With locations scattered across the United States, TREMBLE has crossed the border for the first time, making the Ottawa studio its Canadian debut. Located in the heart of Centretown at 394 Bank Street, it's incredibly central to the city, which means it's quite easy to get to whether you're driving or taking transit.

The classes at TREMBLE are high-intensity, low-impact, full body workouts, combining strength training, cardio, and Pilates-inspired movements in one session, entirely on reformer machines.

The studios are purposefully small to uphold limited group sizes, which is beneficial for instructors to give each participant the attention they need for form correction, adjustments, and general help.

A friend and I were invited to try out a class before TREMBLE's grand opening, and as someone who hadn't yet tried Reformer Pilates in Ottawa, I was a little nervous going in.

If you're not familiar with it, Reformer Pilates is done on a reformer machine, which is a unique piece of equipment comprised of a sliding carriage, ropes with handles, springs, and a foot bar. Each of these components provides you with resistance and support, depending on what movements you're doing.

The exterior of TREMBLE is modern and sleek. (Miranda Caley/PTGO)

The modern space

Walking into TREMBLE, you're immediately greeted by your class instructor in a dimly lit entryway. Our instructor was the lovely Lucy Hua, who is also the owner. She swiftly gave us the rundown on where we could leave our boots, jackets, and gym bags.

Hats available for purchase at TREMBLE. (Miranda Caley/PTGO)

In the lobby was also some very fashionable merch, branded with TREMBLE, of course. My favourite was the ballcap, which had a chic cream and brown colour palette. They also had grippy socks available to buy, which are essential for any Pilates class, but especially when using the reformer.

We tucked our bags into cubbies and hung up our jackets, then entered the actual workout space. It was quite dark, though gently illuminated with a deep, red light. Lucy gave me the rundown on how the reformer functions, which I greatly appreciated as a first timer.

The walls are also covered in mirrors so you can keep an eye on your form. However, the mirrors also give the illusion of a much bigger space, which is a plus. The reformer machines are staggered to prevent any bump-ins with your neighbour.

Trying reformer Pilates for the first time

Once the class started, an incredible playlist of 2010s music rang through the speakers, from Pitbull to Ke$ha. The class was a full body workout, and I found it to be quite challenging. However, Lucy was amazing at thoroughly explaining the different moves! She consistently checked on me and my friend, correcting our form to ensure we were doing everything safely and for the maximum workout effect.

The studio space is intimate and filled with the largest reformer machines currently available on the market. (Miranda Caley/PTGO)

The Pilates shakes were very real. Thankfully, I was able to take some short breaks where needed, and Lucy was quite helpful. Any moves I struggled with, she was right there to either adjust me or provide alternate moves that would allow me to experience the same burn in a way that was safer for my body.

The smaller class size was a plus, too, as it made the experience much more personalized. Having an instructor call us by our names is a unique feeling: it gives you a sense of true acknowledgement and consideration. As someone who is used to attending massive classes at my gym, it was nice to experience that.

Final thoughts

As I write this a couple of days after the class, I am definitely still feeling it! My muscles are sore so I've been taking it easy, but I know the gain is worth the pain. Even after one class, I am feeling a little more toned and a bit stronger, which I don't typically experience after my usual mat Pilates class.

If you're looking for a new reformer Pilates studio in Ottawa, check out TREMBLE! They currently have an Intro Offer available of five classes for first timers at a pretty discounted rate, so I suggest taking advantage of it to see if you'd enjoy it. You can also find their daily class schedules here.

I highly recommend stopping by to experience even one class, because you'll get an incredible full-body workout that feels personalized, thanks to the lovely instructors.