Hello!
Welcome to the Vancouver Pilates Centre.
We're Canada's original Pilates studio - we've been in operation since 1985!
We promote whole body health, honouring traditional Pilates while evolving the method with a consistent perspective towards healthy movement.
Welcome to the VPC!
As a full-service Pilates studio, we offer a number of great Pilates programs and complimentary services.
Exlore our most popular services...
I want to try Pilates for the first time
If you are new to Pilates, or want to experience Pilates the VPC way, we suggest booking a Discover Pilates appointment.
I am interested in a reformer program
Our signature Personal Equipment Program is
I am interested in classes
We offer series and classes in Pilates mat, ELDOA™ & Myofascial Stretching and Chair, plus pop-ups and guest teachers.
Don't see what you're looking for here? Contact us and we'd be happy to point you in the right direction.
First time?
Discover Pilates introductory private session - $99
New clients only. One-time purchase.
This introductory appointment is designed for those new to Pilates. During the appointment, the teacher will assess your health and fitness goals and introduce you to some of the basic Pilates Equipment and Mat repertoire. At the end of the appointment, the teacher can recommend our best program options for you.
Create your account and we'll contact you shortly to book your appointment. Make sure to select Discover Pilates intro private under "Which service are you inquiring about?" on the form.
If you would like to book a private appointment for program design, our standard rates for private appointments apply. Contact us to book.
Interested in an Equipment Program?
Our Personal Equipment Program is designed to help you develop more efficient movement habits - this requires focus, accuracy and repetition. By asking our Personal Equipment Program members to commit to 2-3 sessions per week, your Pilates practice will ensure positive transformation and help to integrate new movement patterns into daily living.
Before joining our Personal Equipment Program, all new clients must start with our Welcome Package in which our teachers design your personalized program based on your needs using the reformer, mat, and other small apparatus, and ensure you know how to use the equipment safely.
Ready to start? Create your account and we'll contact you shortly to get you started. Make sure to select Equipment Program under "Which service interests you most?" on the form.
Ready to try a class or join a series?
We keep our class sizes small to ensure our teachers can provide as much individual attention as possible.
Our classes are offered as series or weekly classes.
Rates can be found here.
If you're new to Pilates mat, we recommend starting with our Mat Fundamentals series. This series.... Details for the next series can be found on our series schedule.
Please note: You will not be able to book classes online until we have reviewed your Health Form and issued you a VPC Membership (annual fee of $15 plus gst applies). We use your Health Form to match you with a teacher or service most suitable for you,
To ensure we can recommend classes suitable to your experience level, we will review your Health Form before activating your account. Please set up your account, complete your Health Form and let us know what series or classes you're interested in so we can get you started as soon as possible. Once your account is activated and you've paid our Annual Membership fee ($15 plus gst), you'll have access to the online booking system.
Next steps...
Start setting up an account
Complete your Health Form
You will recieve a link to complete our intake Health Form once you've set up your account.
Please note: We use your Health Form to match you with a teacher or service most suitable for you, particularly if you have injuries...
We'll get in touch to book your session/s
We can't wait to start you on your journey to healthier movement!
FAQs
What is Pilates?
The renowned exercise system now called Pilates was invented over 100 years ago by Joseph Pilates, who had named his method "Contrology". He was a German national who first developed his mat exercises for his fellow inmates while interned in England during WW I. After briefly returning to Germany, he emigrated to New York prior to World War II and continued developing his method there, assisted by his wife Clara, until his death in 1967 at the age of 83. Pilates believed that the key to optimal health was the complete coordination of body, mind and spirit. His system, which we now call "Pilates" is inherently more than just an exercise program; it is a movement education system designed to promote healthy movement for the whole body. Pilates' exercises combine stretching with strength and control, and honor the body's inherent potential for improving movement. The focus is on moving the joints through a healthy range of motion, while progressively building functional strength and coordination. The principles that Pilates' work evolved from can be adapted to a variety of populations, and today you will see many derivations of his method that build on his original ideas. Pilates' original Mat Work exercises evolved into a large repertoire of exercises on equipment that he invented over several decades, many of which use springs to create resistance. This additional weight loading with springs amplifies building strength while increasing flexibility and coordination. His equipment designs have stood the test of time, and while some of the materials used today have been updated, his original designs remain largely unchanged. The Reformer is the most well known Pilates apparatus, consisting of a moving platform on a long rectangular frame with springs for resistance and long straps for connecting to hands or feet. Pilates studios today will typically also provide other specialized Pilates equipment, with names such as the Trapeze Table, Wunda Chair, Spine Corrector, Ladder barrel, Ped-a-Pull and Tower, as well as some of his smaller apparatus (Magic Circle, Foot Corrector, etc.) His favorite was purportedly the Trapeze Table, which he nicknamed his "Cadillac" after the car that he most admired.
What is the difference between Pilates Equipment & Mat?
The main difference between Pilates mat and equipment exercises is the body's relationship to what is known as the "kinetic chain", or, how parts of the body move in relation to each other. Stiff or weak links along a kinetic chain of moving body parts can create compensations above and below the dysfunction. This in turn creates stress on joints and muscles, affecting overall movement efficiency. In Pilates, the objective is to identify any movement inefficiencies, and learn to track and improve the function of the kinetic chains throughout the body. In "open-chain" movements the limbs are moving freely in space (like throwing a ball). Most Pilates Mat exercises are open-chain, with the limbs providing weight loading to strengthen muscle systems. This targets specific core and major muscle groups, but is less effective for addressing joint alignment (especially in the legs and arms) or for progressing to more complex movements. In "closed-chain" movement the body is moving against a fixed surface (like a squat). Pilates Equipment provides mostly closed-chain exercises where joint alignment is supported by the body's position on the apparatus, providing a greater variety of options for whole body conditioning. Equipment programs are considered to be the "top tier" of Pilates training in providing the most individualized and comprehensive benefits. The equipment provides a vast repertoire of movements and can be easily adapted to many forms of fitness and conditioning, from elite dance or sports-specific, to aging populations, as well as injury rehabilitation. Equipment programs are most effective when practised in a supervised setting with a qualified teacher.
Why is Pilates so expensive?
As with any physical discipline, expert coaching when learning Pilates will provide optimal results and prevent injuries. The investment in high quality, and individualized instruction is even more important than taking your car to a properly licensed mechanic. Why not invest in the "vehicle" you are actually living in - your own body? The higher cost of Pilates training reflects not only the level of training an experienced Pilates teacher has attained, but also the lower teacher/client ratio needed to provide more individual attention than lower cost alternatives, such as gym memberships or community classes. It is important that Pilates exercises are introduced in a way that will be appropriate and optimal for your body, and for your current fitness level. A well trained teacher will be able to get you started and guide you at a pace that allows you to experience the amazing benefits that Pilates has to offer.
How often should I attend Pilates?
Consistency is key! This is why many of our programs are built around a minimum attendance of two sessions per week. Your body will retain what it is learning when you are
What other services do you offer?
If you're looking for a home program of exercises, PRT, guest teachers and workshops...
I haven't exercised in a while, I'm stiff/inflexible, I'm nervous about trying something new... Help?
When you join us we meet you where you are. Our Equipment Program is designed to start you slowly and gently. If you're interested in classes, the same goes for our introductory series, ELDOA™ Lab and Mat Fundamentals. Pilates exercises progressively build movement skills based on how the body is naturally designed to move. This is the secret to why Pilates has never gone out of fashion - it teaches the human body to move more efficiently regardless of the activities we choose to do. Healthy movement is the key to longevity and to our quality of life as we age.
I am pregant or recently post-natal. Can I start a Pilates program?
We currently don't offer specific prenatal classes, but our Personal Equipment Program are personalized to each individual, so we could certainly develop a customized program suitable for your stage of pregnancy. A few of our instructors have experience working with pregnant clients. If you are interested in starting an Equipment Program with us, there are a couple of things we need from you before we proceed: 1) Please complete our intake Health Form (a link to this form will be sent in a separate email). Please make sure to include on the form how far along in your pregnancy you are. 2) We will also ask you to get your physician's clearance to begin a Pilates program.
I am interested in private instruction only. Is this an option?
We are not currently scheduling new clients for ongoing private instruction only. We truly believe that you will experience better results and receive the most lasting value when combining more intensive private instruction with the independence fostered in our Personal Equipment Program. Private instruction is an essential element for assessing your needs, and for designing an individual program that is focused on meeting you where you are now, and then providing a path forward toward healthy movement. Working one-on-one creates a more intensive experience when you will be focusing more on external cues generated from your teacher. Private sessions are valuable for program design - assessing progress, learning new exercises, and working more deeply on specific physical issues. We recognize that just as no two bodies are alike, each of us approaches learning from a unique perspective. You may feel you prefer the heightened stimulation of private coaching, or, are more comfortable being with a group. In fact, both are needed to find the essential balance between the inner and outer worlds that our nervous systems are continually processing. This ability to adapt helps build resilience as we respond to ever-changing circumstances in the world around us. By creating a healthier body you are discovering your secret weapon for increasing your shelf life!
I already have Pilates experience, where should I start?
If you know you're looking for an Equipment Program or if you prefer group classes
I have rehabilitative concerns, where should I start?
If you're looking for rehabilitative sessions, please see more information by clicking Read More below.
Do you accept third party billing/insurance?
We do not accept third party billing. We can provide invoices and gst statements (admin fee $25 for tax statement preparation).
Have more questions? Contact us today.