I love this intimate Pilates studio and its skilled instructors! Small class sizes mean more individualized corrections and adjustments for you. Corrections are gentle and rarely framed like you're doing that wrong unless you're about to hurt yourself. All ages and body types are represented here in a welcoming supportive environment. I truly appreciate the variety offered as every class is very different from the last. There are 5 reformers in the small room and one is extra tall and wide. Springwall units in the big room offer a lower entry price than reformer. There's a combo tower-reformer out in the big room used for privates too. Starting with some private sessions will help instructors learn how to tailor to your unique needs as you enter the group classes. They also check for injuries and ask for requests at the start of class. Anytime I join a studio where they don't check on injuries first, I'm unlikely to return, tbh. Begin instructors also have excellent habits of checking for consent on any touches. When a class is a bit smaller, it feels like they are tailored to focus on strengthening each students' particular weaknesses. Exactly what I'm looking for in my core workouts! I haven't worked with every instructor there yet, but each has a unique style. As I continue my practice there, I'm also happily becoming part of a friendly community, my secondary goal! read more

Smaller, beautiful studio. Great space and equipment. Instructors are knowledgeable, friendly and professional. Rates are competitive with other studios. Especially awesome if you are older or less flexible. I've been working out here for more than 1 year. I enjoy and appreciate having this great studio space in my neighborhood! read more

This place is extremely welcoming to people of all different sizes and abilities. I have never felt judged and have always felt incredibly supported. Emily and Casey are instructors who know more about anatomy and physiology than most medical professionals I have worked with. Pilates has given me back strength I never though I would regain. I highly recommend this studio. read more

I found this place after having a child and being non pilates active for 8 months. I'm post baby 5 months out and am seeing Kacie for Privates. This is "the" place to go if you live in NE and are a Stott Pilates person. I've searched high and low for a Stott studio close to home and have finally found it. I initially called Maria to set up an appointment over labor day weekend and she was able to work with me to find a private session. It was so easy to do! I had an injury several years ago that left my body unhappy and sensitive to other sports such as running. Pilates has helped me feel better, improved my posture and over all helped to manage the pain. Although I am now dedicated to Kacie (she is truly amazing, humorous, professional, sweet,kind and has great cues) I have previously has sessions with Emily when I lived in SF and Anna at another location. These instructors are all fantastic! They have group classes for reformer as well as other classes that look like fun too. I love that it is close to home and that its an intimate space. Street parking is plentiful. You will have a 55 minute session that feels like 20 minutes tops because you're having so much fun! My favs are the Cadillac and of course reformer but mat work is always good too. I can't wait to get back in shape post baby with Kacie and the team at Begin! read more

Maria is fantastic and really cares about helping you improve, regardless of where you're starting from. I have known Danny and Maria for many years and they are genuinely wonderful people. I think anyone could really benefit from taking classes at this studio. It's a family run business that will help you get great results. Also, how cool is the Begin Chair that Maria invented?? I can't wait to own one! PS. Did you see them on the news? They have a lot of class offerings for ALL ages! read more

I'm so grateful that Maria and Kacie can help me with my specific injuries and weaknesses in a group setting. I feel so comfortable and taken care of, it's awesome! read more

Maria Mankin's live stream Zoom Bones & Balance classes are great. She is very knowledgeable. Thanks to her I can stay fit and healthy (and sane) during these challenging times. By recording her classes and making them available for several days, I never have to miss a class. Begin Pilates is amazing; pre-pandemic I took several different classes and found every instructor I had to be very knowledgeable and professional. read more

Begin Pilates is a sweet place to do mat and reformer pilates. The instructors are very attentive to everyone's needs. The place is super clean. read more

This place is awesome. Maria and her staff are impeccable, customizing your workout based upon your needs and ability. The space is fantastic, light-filled and inviting. The equipment is all new, well maintained and of the best quality. I recommend anyone wanting to enhance their workout routine or just getting into fitness to take some group or private sessions. I was able to build strength, confidence and endurance after a hiatus from regular exercise and am now in better shape than I have been in a while. Pilates is very gentle and controlled and will support any other activity or fitness level. Check them out, you won't be disappointed! read more

Begin Pilates - Pilates Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I LOVE Kacie's reformer classes here. She is a genius. You can tell how passionate she is about bodies and sustainable movement as soon as class starts. I love that she focuses on strengthening tiny muscle groups that help stabilize the body. Her classes are so great for people with joint pain since there is zero pressure on the joints. The reformer classes are my favorite way to move my body. read more

I've been taking classes at Begin Pilates for 2.5 years and I have the highest recommendation for the studio. I have private sessions with Maria and small group (maximum of 4 people) sessions with Kacie. They are outstanding instructors -- pilates experts, kind, welcoming, and fun to be with. All the equipment is new, high quality, and very well maintained. As a 73 year old, I have improved my strength, balance and flexibility. Since COVID, I've been in Maria's Bones and Balance class online (Zoom) twice a week. With our own resistance bands, balls, chairs, Swiffer poles, books, and weights (or soup cans), she's created exercises that continue to improve our strength, balance and flexibility. And they're fun!! Anyone, at any age, will benefit from Begin Pilates and have a great experience there. read more

I can't speak to the pilates classes, but I've been taking the Yoga for the Inflexible Guy/Person classes for over a year now, and the Gentle Hatha class for about four months and really enjoy them. The instructors do a good job of accommodating people with different abilities (or lack thereof) without the feeling that they're "dumbing down" the classes or you're not doing "real yoga." The environment is supportive, and the instructors are kind and encouraging (although most of Danny's jokes are real groaners...). read more

Okay um....so Begin Pilates is a sweet, well-equipped, cozy studio tucked away on NE Fremont & 24th Streets behind The Guilder Cafe (also lovely). I was trying to find a place to learn Pilates that felt welcoming to me. For those of us with bodies quite a bit larger than we'd like to carry around, I was very hesitant to get started in a place with other people. I kept seeing the sign "Begin Pilates" -- and the "Begin" part just spoke to me time and time again -- it was almost like the "Begin" sign was a like a "Pilates Whisperer" which eventually drew me in. So I finally began to "Begin." My wife and I actually began together. We started with a few private lessons (duet lessons) mostly on the "Reformer" which is like a short, slow ride with pulleys, sorta, kinda and really enjoyed it. Yep, you've heard right, Pilates is a challenge, but it's an interesting one​ and one that even the "big boned gals" (ala k.d. Laing) can invest in doing. Our group teacher, Kira, is exceptional. She's wise, professional, respectful of each of our limitations and needs, and has a wonderful and creative teaching style. I'm sure the other instructors are also rockin'. While we are in our class, there is Yoga going on simultaneously entitled "Yoga for the Inflexible Guy," which appears to be well-attended by a wide range​ of folks. Begin Pilates is a wonderful addition to ​our neighborhood community and I am hooked! read more

Don't let "social distancing" get you down, try Begin Pilates, streaming classes they are fantastic! Help a small business help you. Maria & Danny Mankin, are working hard to keep us fit both, physically & mentally. They are offering Mat, and Bones and Balance classes several days & times during the week. The props used are items you already have around your house. The sessions last 50 minutes and you get a great work and can share the camaraderie of a group class. Go to there website for "streaming classes" schedule & times. read more

I have been going to Begin Pilates for private sessions with Maria for 3 years and I can't rave highly enough. The facility is beautiful and Maria is a great instructor who gets the best out of me. read more

I wouldn't really call myself "inflexible," but it took the title of the class Yoga for the Inflexible Guy to get me in a yoga studio for the first time. And I haven't regretted it! The instructor makes it easy for newcomers to get up to speed and is careful to remind us not to go farther than our bodies can handle. After a month of attending regularly, I find my body wants to sit more upright, to stretch, and I'm more present at home. Looking forward to seeing you Tuesday and Thursday evenings. read more

Great spot for the Sabin/Irvington neighborhood! They have a bunch of different classes at various times to accommodate anyone. I love Danny's Tuesday and Thursday night yin yoga class at 6:30. It's perfect for after work to stretch and relax :) read more

I take two classes from Maria: Bones and Balance (twice/wk) and the Reformer (once/week). She possesses the very special skill of pinpointing the needs of each body and as well as the group, For example, in Bones and Balance we work on balance as well flexibility, both essential in maintaining a well-functioning older body. read more

I have been working with Maria to start with the basics for developing and using core muscles. This is my first time trying pilates, and Maria has made it enjoyable and effective. She is mindful of my individual limitations and can clearly instruct/explain movements and the body's mechanics. It's a relaxed, friendly, and professional environment. read more

Unlike previous attempts at yoga, Yoga for the Inflexible Guy at Begin Pilates provides a comfortable, supportive atmosphere. Under Danny's tutelage we work within our comfort limits and are developing core strength and stretching muscle groups inherently tight in our gender. Any male, regardless of age, should get acquainted with the principles taught in Yoga for the Inflexible Guy. read more

I have been attending reformer classes since last spring and will keep coming back! I love the personal instruction and attention to corrections that Kacie and Maria provide. Every instructor I have taken a class with is knowledgeable and thoughtful in their instruction. They are the best at what they do. I'm a Begin Pilates fanatic! read more

We are very fortunate indeed to have Begin Pilates and Maria here in West Marin! Maria is delightful and so knowledgeable. I feel very safe with her because she has deep experience, and a perspective which allows her to monitor everyone in the class and to adjust the exercises for each of us according to our individual needs. Plus, it is fun, and the hour flies by. I am so much stronger now, have better balance, and am able to do things easily that were struggles in the past year. Highly recommended!! read more

"Yoga for the Inflexible Guy" is a good title for a great concept and a great practice. No longer a young guy, it's great having a class to go to once or twice a week that stretches age-related contracting muscles, moves and twists under-used core muscles, and leaves me - at the end of a class - relaxed. I wish more doctors and physical therapists knew of this resource. Fact: getting older requires more on-going maintenance. This class meets the requirement to stretch, bend, and connect with the experience of your body - a capability that is generally harder for men. Danny is an experienced yoga practitioner with an easy-going, humorous teaching style. He emphasizes a wide range of yoga poses and stretches in ways that accommodates the less flexible gluts, hamstrings, and core muscles that participants bring to the class. He runs much of the class with the creative use of a chair that offers more support, hence better stretch. He's sensitive to the various health issues of different participants. Judgment and competition are, appropriately, not encouraged. The small size of the class allows a lot of individual attention with a supportive group of guys. Again, this class is great resource for guys who need and want to stay in charge of their own growing-older experience, in a supportive and challenging environment. read more

My partner and I both started taking Pilates when this place opened. The classes are small and the teachers are so attentive to each person that it's like private lessons. All the teachers we've had so far really know what they're doing. They will zero in on anything you're doing incorrectly and help you fix it. Nothing goes by them. And now that I'm learning something about Pilates, I can appreciate how important all the subtleties are! And the way they explain it really helps you understand the anatomy of it and why it all matters. I'm sold! Pilates for life! And I should mention that the space is immaculate and airy, with wonderful natural lighting. They've created an ambience that's extremely pleasant to be in. read more