Miami Lakers have two new Pilates studios on opposite sides of town to choose from.
Forme Pilates and Soulates Studios both opened in June and are accepting new members who may already love Pilates or are new to the popular, low-impact workout.
Both studios are owned by local families.
Forme Pilates, at 6608 Main St. near Town Hall, is co-owned by Ana Isabel Hevia and her mother, Isabel Maria Fernandez.
Nora Tarquino, her husband Humberto Fernandez-Moran and daughter Melissa Aura Martinez own Soulates in the South Pointe Apartments & Shops, at 8205 Commerce Way.
None of the parents teach, though their daughters are instructors in their respective studios.
Pilates is a workout that can be performed on either a mat or using a reformer machine, which has weighted springs to create resistance.
The goal is to lengthen muscles while building strength.
Pilates students also use balls, light weights and a Pilates ring during the exercises.
The classes can be taken as a sole practice or as part of a larger workout routine and are for all fitness levels.
Soulates also offers yoga classes.
In addition to their techniques, the two studio owners have something else in common: They want to make Miami Lakers feel welcome.
Forme Pilates
Ana Isabel Hevia decided to open her studio to fill a need the town had.
Hevia, 25, has a reformer machine studio and it feels like a concierge experience.
“We only have six reformers which is basically like a semi-private class,” Hevia said.
Having such a small number of students allows the instructor to focus on each student and ensure they’re doing the exercises correctly, she said.
Hevia decided to open the studio after hearing a clothing store was closing. Her mom suggested that the space would be just right for a Pilates studio.
“Just because it was in the downtown area and there is so much traffic there, because of the apartment buildings,” Hevia said.
She said the size was perfect for her because she had always wanted a small boutique studio.
“That’s why we went with that space,” Hevia said.
Classes are full since she opened, and some hours are more popular than others.
“The 6 a.m. class surprisingly is super booked,” Hevia said.
Pilates is popular and in demand. She has a waitlist and says that people show up in hopes of snagging a spot.
Hevia encourages residents to come try it out, since it’s a small space and it’ll keep them from feeling overwhelmed.
“I think Pilates is a great place to start [on a fitness journey],” Hevia said.
Whether people are beginning a fitness routine or trying to add Pilates into an already established one, she said the workout is for everyone.
A single class for enrolled students costs $40 per session and packages are available.
Hevia said new customers can try out a class for $30. She also offers private lessons.
Visit FormePilates.com to sign up or on Instagram @ formepilatesmia.
Soulates Studios
Melissa Aura Martinez said she was tired of driving all over South Florida in search of Pilates and yoga classes.
It’s what led Aura Marinez, 29, to open her business, Soulates Studios.
“There was no [reformer] Pilates … in Miami Lakes for a really, really long time, so that kind of inspired the idea of bringing this space to Miami Lakes,” Aura Martinez said.
Her idea was to bring the studio to her hometown and make it feel like home for her customers.
“I know Miami Lakes needed this,” Aura Marinez said. “I needed this.”
“At our studio, we offer three different modalities,” Aura Martinez said. “We have the reformer Pilates on the machine, we have mat Pilates and yoga. I think that’s what makes us stand out.”
The idea is for people to come try out different forms of movement, to figure out what works best for them.
All of her classes are small. The studio has nine reformer machines, and her mat Pilates and yoga classes are limited to 12 people.
“I love that, because it’s intimate,” Aura Martinez said. “That way you get that attention to detail.”
Teachers can give corrections to students while they workout and help them develop technique.
For residents who may be unsure, she says they are welcome to come to class and try it.
It may look intimidating, but it isn’t, she said.
Drop-in rates for reformer Pilates are $35; $25 for yoga or mat Pilates.
Students can buy a series of classes too.
Visit the website at SoulatesStudio.com to sign up.
It was a weekend for ribbon cuttings at Pilates studios in Miami Lakes June 21 - 22. At left during their party are Forme Pilates co-owners Isabel Maria Fernandez, Ana Isabel Hevia and Ana’s husband Andres Ospina. Shown at right at the Soulates Studio are Tico Casamayor, president of public relations for the Miami Lakes Chamber of Commerce; Anthony Tarquino, brother to Melissa Aura Martinez, co-owner with her parents Humberto Fernandez-Moran and Nora Tarquino; Miami Lakes Mayor Josh Dieguez and Miami Lakes Councilman Alex Sanchez.