My husband and I had agreed long ago that I was a lemon. Given a chance for injury or…read morecomplication, my body would jump at the opportunity from falls to always being in the 5% when a procedure has a 95% success rate. It was getting to the point that my husband and I were afraid someone was going to report him for abuse. After another computing/typing related flare sent me to a neurologist, she suggested physical therapy, but also to start Pilates. An active person who avidly walks and cycles daily, I'd always considered PIlates a luxury exercise, but Reform Your Body Pilates was close, soI thought I would give it a shot. It may have been the single best decision I have made for my health. In the individual assessment Sornam listened attentively to my historical laundry list of maladies (repetitive stress injuries, broken foot, ankle, wrist, breast reduction complications, back/neck problems, pelvic floor collapse, etc.). Where few others had, she saw a bigger picture emerge and began devising a treatment plan. She gently introduced me to the exercises, the equipment, and her approach in a manner that made it accessible to someone who always hated group activities or use of equipment due to lack of coordination. When I began sessions with two other clients, she was and has always been careful to modify exercises for each of us according to our bodies' requirements. Remarkably, with her guidance both in class and outside of class, many of my symptoms across various ailments began to dissipate. I grew stronger and surprisingly to me, less clumsy. In the subsequent years, I went from once a week to twice a week sessions because Sornam has kept me in motion. When I experienced another unrelated series of surgical complications, Sornam nursed me back to a state where I could resume bicycling daily. When I developed a autoimmune disorder that results in chronic pain, (I mentioned I was a lemon, right?), I began running to manage my emotions and avoid opiates. Given the sheer number of potential injuries associated with running, Sornam could never counsel someone like me to pick it up, but when I insisted, she helped me through the repeated beginner's injuries. Twice in five years, when out of town, I have dropped into a different Pilates class. These other instructors took no care to accommodate, nor to recognize the exercises that could easily cause injury even to a healthy body. I could not finish either class. They reminded me of how incredibly fortunate I am to have Sornam. Sornam is an essential part of my continued health plan. I recommend her for any lemon, as well as any other kind of fruit in the bowl. She is in a word, marvelous.

I was suffering from a debilitating back issue when I sought out Pilates. Sornam came up as one of…read morethe highest rated Pilates instructors in the area and I would soon learn why. She helped me become better aware of my posture, my core, and to carefully strengthen my body to better support itself. Working in a small trio class, I received closer attention and Sornam could correct me if needed. Highly recommend her studio if you are serious about working with a warm, knowledgeable and capable instructor, getting leaner and stronger in a safe way without injuring yourself, &/or if you would just like to maintain a conditioned and flexible body overall. Time/location restrictions (on my part) have prevented me from further sessions with her, but it was one of the best investments I've ever made. She is generous with her knowledge and I am so much better for it. Thank you Sornam!

As someone new to Pilates, working with Sandy for the past year has been truly life-changing. She…read moreis a gifted teacher who has helped me completely transform my posture and breathing. She carefully studies my movement and alignment, cueing subtle adjustments that help me engage and strengthen muscles I didn't even know existed. She gives me exercises to practice at home so I can continue my progress between sessions, and she often checks in to see how I'm feeling days later. I had been struggling with sciatic pain, and through our work together, it has been almost completely eliminated. I have never felt so strong, and as a 55-year-old former athlete, that is saying something. Her studio is light-filled and overlooks a beautiful garden, and the ambience reflects her gentle and encouraging nature. Our sessions have become a true highlight of my week.

Sandy is a wonderful human being. The exercises that she taught me , helped me to release the…read moretension and stress on my left leg. I am much better of my sciatica symptoms, with my left hip more unlocked and walking with less leaping! Sandy's holistic work through the Pilates involves lots of compassion and car for her students! Lots of gratitude!

I have been working with Lise for over 7 years now. I've done classes and private sessions. She is…read moreamazing! She has the foundational knowledge of a doctor about the workings of the body and the compassion and thoughtfulness of a therapist. Lise works intuitively and can tailor your sessions to your day- to- day needs.

Lise is my life saver!!…read more I've been seeing Lise for over 2 years, once a week and I've learned so much about my center and my body from her. She has a lot of patience with us and always there to correct our postures to maximize the work out. She also helps me with my back and neck problem. One time, I had this horrendous back pain that I couldn't even stand up straight or getting up and down, after an hour of pilates work and her body work on me, I was standing up straight and was able to walk normally again!! She's now in the Rockridge area at Claremont/College.

As a newcomer to Pilates, I was really unsure of where to go or how to start. I found Bayside…read morePilates on the web, and went with them because they had a nice site and because they had great prices on classes. I have been really pleased with my choice. Faye is an excellent teacher! She provides excellent group and individual classes. She pays a lot of attention to each student and remembers all of their physical histories. She really works with past injuries and current concerns. I've seen a lot of progress, and actually enjoy coming to class to exercise! Faye makes the workouts challenging without killing you, and makes exercising fun.

I was referred to Bayside Pilates by a friend to whom I am now forever indebted. I had an injury…read moreto my ankle, knee and lower back. I was at the point where the injury was mostly healed but all of the surrounding muscles lost their strength and were not working properly due to over-compensation and in the case of my abs, inactivity. I came to Faye suffering from severe sciatica. I couldn't walk more than a half a block without severe pain in my lower back. Faye took on a pretty hard case with me and let me tell you, Faye is a GREAT teacher! She has infected me with Pilates. I can't stop! It doesn't hurt my back! Her passion for her calling is wonderful and inspiring. 1. She is very knowledgeable and well-trained in her field. She explains everything she is asking you to do and how it works to strengthen you. 2. She corrects your form carefully so that you will not hurt yourself. Make sure you fill out her form thoroughly so that she can help you not to re-injure yourself. 3. The studio is beautifully designed, furnished and is spotless! Very zen and all new! She takes very good care of her equipment and asks you to do so too. I really like that. It shows her respect for her calling, herself, and her clients. 4. She is affordable. Believe me, other studios are more expensive and aren't nearly as approachable or nice. 5. Her attitude towards her students is helpful, nurturing and fun. She makes you want to come back. For those who know me, exercise was NOT my favorite thing. But this is really fun. She is encouraging, even when I feel like a beached whale on her equipment. 6. You will see results. I have gone for 6 times now, I think, and I can see the results in my yoga, cycling and walking. Yes, Pilates is making other exercise more fun for me. Already, less pain, and my workers comp chiropractor says that Faye is having me do exactly the right things! Oh Joy! 7. Her studio is in a safe area with a big inexpensive parking lot about a block away. And after your workout... there's Piedmont Avenue to explore! This is great for your body, and I love it. I am not some perfectly trim, dancer's body, young, athletic hipster. I'm a plump mom in my late 50's. If I can be helped, ANYONE can be helped by Faye and her Pilates studio. Give her a try. You will love it.

I had the pleasure of working at Studio InForm for just over two years with two of their…read moreinstructors Jana and Rebecca. Consider yourself very lucky if you get the chance to work with either of them. The studio is worm, clean, professional and always welcoming. The workouts were always exciting there trying out all of the great equipment. Studio InForm is a peaceful environment and a little escape from the world. Jana taught me to have a completely new understanding of how to use my body. She was constantly thinking of news ways that would help me in my everyday life despite having a medical condition. She is understanding and beyond thoughtful in her passion for Pilates and her students. Jana is the BEST in the Bay Area! Rebecca is also a great instructor. She always took time making sure you got the most out of every session. She is so caring and understanding in finding the best solutions for each person she worked with at the studio. I always felt like a new person after working with Jana and Rebecca. You can't go wrong with Studio Inform!!!

I've been practicing yoga with Rosy Moon pretty regularly over the past year. Prior to that I…read morespent 13 years exploring different teachers and styles. Living in The Bay Area and at a yoga retreat center in Hawaii has exposed me to a wide range of celebrated instructors. But studying with Rosy has been one of the pivotal experiences in my life. When I joined an intensive series in which she teaches Primal Core yoga, I was healing from a major back injury and surgery. It was almost like starting yoga from scratch to practice post surgery. Rosy always approached me with care and helped modify poses to make them appropriate for me. I was inspired to explore the boundaries of my body within the safe container of her class. After a couple months I found myself able to get into a full wheel pose! A full back bend was impossible at the beginning of the series. Rosy's compassionate but firm teaching style is a wonderful way to challenge yourself from a place of love in order to find your true strength. Approaching the body as Rosy instructs facilitated major healing in my body, my heart and my mind. Warning! Beware of the Transformational Power Breath if you want to stay in the same ruts you have been in. If you are ready to bring about positive changes in your life, come take class with Rosy. You will sweat, breath deeply, stretch, strengthen, laugh, meditate, release and maybe even shed a tear.

Wow. This woman is a wizard. I hadn't done yoga in *years,* but a friend recommended that I try a…read moreone-on-one session with Rosy to help with some of my foot and knee problems. Because I am pretty picky, I wasn't sure I'd be into it, but 6 years of knee pain made me willing to try. Rosy taught me some ways to work with the alignment of my feet, knees and hips that I'd never seen before, even after working with 3 different physical therapists in the past. At one point, my knee started hurting, and she was able to simply and quickly move my leg around and get my joints back in sync. Rosy's style is so warm, compassionate and accepting, I felt really good in her presence and inspired to get stronger. Now I am back on track with exercise and credit this change in large part to Rosy. If only I could get myself to wake up early, I would try her boot camp for sure!

I have worked with Haley since 2014, and I can't say enough good things about her. I'm a very…read moreactive person and I do a lot of shit that is hard on my body - ice hockey, running, skiing, biking through the city. I have a lot of mechanical issues with my body, and she tunes my ass up. IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE. She has trained me through bilateral rotator cuff injuries, SI Joint dysfunction, trigger points, and all kinds of injuries from falling on ice, snow, and the Market St Tour de FU. She always puts me back together to make me stronger than I was when I started. Haley is amazingly knowledgeable about anatomy and how the body works. She is patient and kind and funny, and she always brings me back to a positive place of love for this body that carries me through life. I appreciate VERY MUCH that she is body positive and focused on functional strength and athletic goals - not appearance or weight loss. Haley wants everyone to love movement as much as she does, and that's really the best kind of coach. I can't recommend her highly enough.

Exercise professionals like Haley are few and far between - I can't emphasize how much she goes…read moreabove and beyond for her clients and continues to seek knowledge and continuing education to improve her skills. I'm a physical therapist who specializes in perinatal and pelvic floor issues, and I wish I could send all of my clients to Haley. She has a true love for movement and expertise that is contagious and has taught me a lot about how I can better work with my own clients (and my own body!). She is creative, passionate, and most importantly, gets amazing results! If you're ready to get curious about your body, have fun with movement, and feel better than you have in a long time, don't hesitate to contact her!

**5 stars** I've…read morebeen going to Nikita for private session pilates for about two years, and it's one of the best decisions I've made! She has an incredible ability to push you, while still keeping the sessions enjoyable and lighthearted. Her energy is fun and welcoming, and you can tell she truly cares about her clients' progress. If you're looking for a Pilates instructor who is experienced, knowledgeable, and makes you feel comfortable from day one, I couldn't recommend anyone better.

I have been training with Nikita for almost two years, and practicing Pilates for over ten years…read more Nikita is highly knowledgeable about Pilates in particular and body mechanics in general. She has introduced me to many new and effective moves that I had never tried before. She does a great job of mixing things up while ensuring progress with exercises we have been working on over time. Most importantly, Nikita creates an environment where I can be honest about what my body needs. She is not afraid to push you to your limits, and helps you approach them with courage. Thank you Nikita!