I was introduced to KX Pilates through a friend of mine who raved about it. I was slightly nervous…read moreabout attending a class as I heard Pilates reformer requires extreme balance and co-ordination, which I lack at the best of times. I was pleasantly surprised to be guided through personally by owner and expert Aaron who helped my each step of the way. The studio was very boutique and boast the latest beds in a light filled room with a complementary apple on your way out. I must admit that the casual prices are a bit steep at 30 a session which would probably stop me from continuing on a regular basis. I did however find a scoupon deal which includes 5 sessions for 29 on the internet & purchased it in a heartbeat. I really enjoyed the class and intend on going back to get some more experience.

I'll start by saying that I really like the concept of barre body & it's a great workout. The…read morereason for the lackluster score is twofold- 1. I think the price is utterly ridiculous & 2. There's no good 'beginner class' options which means people are more prone to injuring themselves due to lack of knowledge or technique. I did about 3 weeks of classes (and intro 2 week deal and a week afterwards) and went probably 9 times so I got a great overall view of the classes. The teachers were really lovely but a few moved far too quickly through the yoga components of the classes & I could see people struggling to keep up & rushing their poses to do so (which will lead to injury eventually). There was no explanation to newbies about the poses and no real extra attention paid to them. For those in the know the workout is excellent - it's quite lower limb heavy but different classes are varied and it is hard work- my butt & legs were killing me for days after each class!! The price. Woah. It's so expensive. Over $200 a month for unlimited classes! That's too much by anyone's standards. Their overheads are not that excessive. So what's my summary - eh, if you can afford it, do some yoga classes somewhere else first so you get to know the poses and then go nuts. You'll get a great workout with lovely teachers in a truly gorgeous space.

I admit I was pretty intimidated about the idea of doing a Barre class. I always thought it would…read morebe some kind of ballet show-off session with super toned chicks in impossibly skimpy outfits making me feel fat and frumpy. After some friends and my Pilates teacher filled me in on what REALLY goes on here, I thought I'd bite the bullet and give it a try with the two week $50 pass as a way to shake up my exercise regime. I'm really glad I did and can confirm a few things for anyone else wondering if they should take the plunge. 1) There's women of all shapes and sizes here. I once also saw a guy, but usually it's a women only affair. 2) Apart from the Barre that you use for some exercises and a couple of ballet terms, it's not very ballet/dancy at all. 3) The teachers are very kind and super lovely. There's none of that "look at me I'm so great" attitude you might get elsewhere. 4) The Barre Tone classes will make you sweat and work muscles in small but excruciating ways. 5) Your arms, legs and bum will look and feel better in just a month! I'm now attending two or three classes a week (mostly Barre Tone and Barre Body ones) and really love how it has improved my fitness, flexibility and strength in just a couple of months. The online booking system is very easy to use, though I wish you could book more than a week in advance as I like having my schedule organised a fortnight at a time. I also really like that I can use class credits in any of the Barre Body studios around Melbourne and Sydney as this gives me more flexibility when travelling.

Firstly: Whoa…read more Secondly: Seriously. Whoa. Bodhi and Ride is a stunning new fitness centre in the heart of Port Melbourne specialising in Hot Yoga, Ride45 (spin class) and meditation. I popped in for a Ride45 this morning after being told "it's nothing like any spin class you've done before." Truer words were never spoken. I walked in to the 'Spin Chamber' and felt like I was in an epic Los Angeles nightclub. Impressive LED lighting, candles, thumping Beyonce and a bunch of gorgeous gals excited for what was ahead. You might think a Ride45 class is just going to be a great cardio workout plus a bit of action for your legs. WRONG. During the class we lifted weights, did tricep push-ups, an ab workout and even semi-squats all while pedalling our little hearts out. Yes, you will need to have some skill in multi-tasking. Throughout all this the music is so loud and practically coursing through your veins that you can't think about anything else - especially the fact that you've got sweat pouring down your face and you are pedalling so hard that you feel like you might take off. The instructor was so damn adorable that I want to be friends with her. She was charming, encouraging but not overbearing and pushy like so many instructors can be. I cannot recommend Bodhi and Ride enough. Simply gorgeous studios and motivating classes. They've definitely got a repeat customer out of me and I live on the other side of the city!

Since my accommodation in Melbourne didn't have a gym I hopped on Yelp in search of nearby exercise…read moreoptions and found Barre Body. The studio's wide timetable coupled with the fact that it was literally steps away from my hotel made it an easy choice for me. I took advantage of the $50 unlimited two week class pass. During my four night stay I made it to six classes at Barre Body. Each visit I found the studio to be clean and inviting, the instructors warm, friendly and competent and the other students to be of varying ages and abilities. (Note to men: I never saw another guy at Barre Body except the one I brought with me on my first visit. This is a very female centric studio.) I sampled all of Barre Body's barre classes during my stay. Each is a bit different but all include a bit of a yoga/pilates mat aspect. Here's a more simplified breakdown of each: Barre Moves = more dance focused than the other classes, a good one if you like/miss ballet Barre Body = weights + yoga Barre Tone = weights + pilates Barre Cardio = weights + faster movements than any of the other class. expect to sweat more too. You need not bring anything with you to Barre Body, except maybe a water bottle. All mats, weights and balls are provided and in good condition. The two week pass is great value and definitely a good option to sample this studio.

I'm always keen to try new things so when I heard about this class that is a mix of yoga and barre…read moretraining I was certain I had to give it a go. The studio is at the back of Endota spa on Flinders Lane and is beautifully clean and serene. I attended a lunchtime class which was taught by the owner (Emma) and it was lucky I got a spot, as the class was full. The barre body class uses weights and mixes yoga with it. I'm not going to lie, it was a hard class, especially because I've never been to a gym before. My body is so sore now, but the sorer the better right?! I must say I'm looking forward to going back and trying the other types of classes. They also support One Girl (a charity dedicated to providing education scholarships to girls in Sierra Leone). I have signed up for the 2 week unlimited pass for $50. What can I say I'm a sucker for punishment.

Kula means community and that's exactly what this lovely yoga studio creates. Its friendly,…read moreknowledgeable staff create a holistic approach to health and wellness through their 60 minute hot, flow and yin classes. In addition to this, the facility houses Eastern Osteopathy and other complementary health services. They have recently started classes for mums to be. The yoga classes are housed in one of two spacious and welcoming rooms, birds and flower wall art, as well as dim lights creates a peaceful, reflective atmosphere. Each instructor will deliver the class with different poses and balances. Challenges are provided for those who want extension, but classes are just as enjoyable for beginners with plenty of alignment cues and individualised options provided. It's a beautiful place...

Wonderful studio located on Camberwell Road (roadside parking) on the second storey. The studio has…read morecubby holes, kitchenette, showers and 2 studio rooms but you should bring your own mat, towel and water bottle. I have attended 2 hot yoga classes here using Bodypass and both of them have been very similar. It is a stronger yoga but not Bikhram as the temperature is slightly lower and the moves have more flow. The instructor roams around which is fine but they don't really adjust people...to make this place really great would be if the instructor could provide clearer options for different levels and demonstrate more positioning and alignment. To me a beginner may find Hot yoga slightly daunting but please don't give up, it probably takes 2-3 goes in this class to be more comfortable but it is great the instructor always encourages you to take a breather in child's pose or downward dog whenever needed. They also offer many other types of classes but not all of them are available to bodypass so you may wish to go directly to the studio to inquire about this.

I really did like the Australian Academy of Yoga, mostly because of the teachers. They are very…read moreknowledgable and helpful. The space itself is quite pokey, with bollards in the Shallah, mats are available to hire, there is no structure on how you lay your mat so you feel kind of crammed. Shoes are to left downstairs at the door. There is one toilet which again is pokey. Valuable are to be left in a shelf in the Shallah which has about 16 spaces. The classes themselves are brilliant. It can and does get very sweaty in the room mid practice, kind of smelly off putting as in suffocating. Lots of asana -they also hold special nights for meditation etc. Training, music meditation too. Look for the cost I have had so much better. I think their studio in Prahran needs relocation or remodel. I will iterate that the teachers are great. Its the studio that loses points. At the end of the day it is what you are used to.

The Academy was different from what I imagined. I expected a more formal yoga school however found…read moreit an easy going studio. Head up the stairs to reception and sign in and you will pass the toilets on the way to the yoga room. The room layout is a bit strange, it is L shaped and there is a small beam in the room and the walls are decorated with encouraging and wise words which I quite enjoyed reading. The class I tried out was part of the Classpass package and in this class the instructor randomly invited a participant (turns out they are a fellow instructor) up without notice to teach part of the class. It was ok however it felt a bit of a rough transition and the other instructor was a bit surprised. Overall the class was enjoyable but I would only go back if I lived close by or was already in the area.

This is a great studio if you love the incredible health benefits of hot yoga and is one of the few…read moreremaining studios in Melbourne dedicated to Bikrams original series. The studio owners/teachers Michael and Susan are an inspiration.

OMG I LOOOOVE this studio!! I normally live/practice in NYC, but I was on vacation in Australia &…read moredecided to check out the Fitzroy studio. First of all, I have to say that the quality of the studios I visited down under were far superior than most that I've seen in NYC. I spoke to the owners of this studio (a friendly American couple who have lived in Australia for years & years), and they said that rather than competing with each other, the Bikram studios in Australia have an agreement to keep all of their studios beautiful, clean, and impressive. Very cool! I loved a lot of things about this studio. The atmosphere was very friendly... I think that's something about the Fitzroy neighborhood and great owners. And the studio itself was very cool... They had sort of "Bikram graffiti" decorating the studio... quotes from Bikram, a funny chart about each posture, etc. The yoga room was nice & clean as well. I truly have no complaints about my experience here! Definitely a worthwhile Bikram studio to check out!

In an attempt to mix things up a little I deviated away from my traditional, weekly exercise…read moreroutine and battled the heat in my very first Bikram Yoga class. Pre-Bikram nerves were raging, yet I was also excited for the challenge. I entered with little knowledge of the activity, other than that I was about to torture myself with ridiculous poses in a 40 degree Celsius room for 90 minutes. It's actually a wonder why anyone would be interested in such a thing. But let me assure you, even after one class I think it will be my new addiction. The facilities offered at the Prahran location were fantastic; clean rooms and super friendly staff keen to make your Bikram experience as comfortable as possible. I will warn you however, be prepared for the overwhelming smell of sweat that hits you in the face like a tonne of bricks the first second you walk in. Give it 5 or 10 minutes though and the smell somehow becomes normal...well, bearable at least. Interestingly, the turn-out of males in this class was overwhelming. I wondered if they actually knew what they were in for or if they had been dragged in by their 'other halves'. I powered through the class - for the first 60 minutes - yet completely struggled with the last half hour. By the time 8.15pm rolled around I was drenched and exhausted. Don't forget your yoga mat and especially not your water bottle. Another must is a towel. Trust me you will be wiping sweat out of places you didn't even know could sweat. Bonus* first-timers pay $19 for a 10 day trial. Yoga mats available to hire for $1.

As a way-out-of-towner, I was looking for a nice Bikram studio. The first one I went to had a…read moreproblem with their heater, so they sent me here. I'm glad they did. The staff were super-friendly and the facility is charming and welcoming. I love the astro turf in the lobby area. Shower were great. They also had locking lockers, which we don't see much at yoga studios in the US. The studio itself is very wide but narrow front-to-back. Seemed like a hard place to get the temperature and humidity right, but both were perfect. Overall, a great location, great facility, and a friendly, welcoming staff. The next time I'm in the Melbourne area, I'll be back!