Why We Don’t Offer “Beginner” Pilates Classes at Speakeasy Pilates

A Fundamental reformer class at Speakeasy Pilates in Lexington, Virginia.

(And why our Fundamental and Tower Power classes are designed to work for almost everyone)

People sometimes ask why Speakeasy Pilates doesn’t have a class labeled “Beginner.”

It’s not because we don’t work with beginners. We do, all the time. It’s because the word beginner doesn’t actually tell you much—and in a small town, it can be more limiting than helpful.

Lexington, Virginia has about 8,000 people. On a good day. In a place this size, a strictly designated beginner class might end up with two people in it, both of them feeling vaguely self-conscious about being there. That’s not a great way to learn something new, and it’s not how Pilates is meant to work.

So instead, we teach Fundamental classes.

Fundamentals are where Pilates actually lives. They’re where you learn how to set yourself up, how to move with control, and how to understand what you’re doing rather than just going through the motions and wondering why this Pilates thing isn't "hard" like a Boot Camp class.

Fundamentals are also where people who’ve been doing Pilates for years come back to clean things up, slow things down, and remember why the work matters in the first place.

Our Fundamental classes are built to accommodate a range of experience levels without turning into a free-for-all. The exercises are familiar, adaptable, and layered. A brand-new client can focus on learning the basics. Someone more experienced can take the same movement and drill down into the mechanics and muscle engagement....really feel that posterior tilt of the pelvis and ensuing engagement of the abdominals. Everyone is doing the same class, but not necessarily the same work.

That’s intentional.

We don’t believe beginners need to be separated out, rushed through, or distracted with novelty. We believe they need clear instruction, thoughtful pacing, and enough room to figure things out without feeling like they’re falling behind.

This approach also makes things easier for visitors and drop-in clients. If you’re traveling, new to town, or just unsure where you fit, you don’t have to decode a complicated class hierarchy. If you’re new to Pilates, start with Fundamental. If you’re not new, it’s still a smart place to be.

Pilates doesn’t stop being fundamental once you know what you’re doing. If anything, that’s when it starts to get interesting.

New to Speakeasy Pilates? Start here.