I have been going to CP for a month now, and as someone who has not worked out in over a year,…read moretheir classes are a great introductory to getting back into the groove of things. I am not new to Pilates and have done it before so here is my experience and what you can expect:
Location[s]: 9.5/10 CP is a national chain and here in the KC area, there are many locations - including a new spot opening in Olathe on 119th. So far, I have visited the 435 and 87th Street location and the 135th and Quivira spot. I prefer the 135th spot because the member population is more diverse and has a better vibe. The type of workout and vibe you get will vary on the location, so keep that in mind. I appreciate the cleanliness of each location and the friendliness of the staff.
Pricing: 6.5/10 For an individual drop-in class it is $35. They have a free intro class where you get a 30 minute preview of a full body workout. They also give you a price breakdown at the end of class. I went ahead and signed up for a 3-month membership because I knew I needed to come at least two to three times per week. This is $259/month for 3 months. Keep in mind that your goals are dependent on what you are needing and you may not have to pay that much a month. Personally, if you are just starting out, you can attend a drop-in class once a week and supplement for other workouts. They also have a "four-pack" that you can buy.
Membership Offerings: 6/10 They do not offer yearly memberships any longer and you can do a number of classes per month. 4 classes (once a week) can be about $90. 8 classes (twice a week) can be about $150. Unlimited is as many times as you want for $259/mo. Yes, it is pricey and you can definitely hit up a Planet Fitness or Crunch for way less.
Instructor Vs Class Type: 5.5/10 I rated this section a little lower. Why? After a month of attending classes, I will say that some of the instructors either do not fully know the flow of the movements (I have seen some instructors looking at clipboards or seemingly pulling workouts from the thin air) or they do movements that have nothing to do with what is scheduled. For example, if I am taking a CP Suspend 1.5 class, (This intermediate workout involves TRX bands.) then I expect the class to be majority TRX workouts, not 5 minutes on the bands and the rest reformer/mat/Bosu. That is not a TRX class. That is just an elevated flow class. I also have had better luck with the more seasoned instructors because they provide more variety and you never do the same movements or flow each time you take their class.
Class Offerings: 5.5/10 The classes are booked on the app and each location has 10 reformers available per class. Depending on the location, a class can start as early as 6am. The Cardio Sculpt and Suspend classes are pretty popular, and fill up quickly. I have a busy schedule working full-time and managing kids activities, so it is more difficult to find a class I want to take without waiting. The times I have waited, I was able to get on the list an hour or two on the day of, but it is like a lottery. I have also been in a full class and only half of the attendees show up. I suggest booking the classes you want to take at least two weeks in advance or take a chance and go to a full class. Chances are, you can grab a reformer if people don't show up. I would also like to see the more popular classes offered more than once a week, more than once a day. I also like the classes that start at the :30 mark instead of top of the hour.
Instructor diversity & population: 8/10 There are Black instructors and I appreciate the variety of people who attend. (Young, seasoned, just starting out, advanced..) This makes for a good experience and a good vibe. I can also tell that the instructors help one another out and sub when needed. I would also love a more upbeat playlist for the cardio classes.
Overall: 6.8/10 CP is a good place to start your fitness journey, but long term, it is not for me. I will stick with my the 3-month membership, but after that, I will be cancelling and attending another studio where I get more of a challenge from master instructors with better class offerings. Further, CP is quite pricey and for what you pay for a 3-month unlimited membership, it is not worth it. What would make it worth the money is: a) more seasoned, energetic instructors, and b) more class offerings, with more accommodating availability and class types. It also exhausting to try to squeeze two classes in a week when most of them are waitlisted. After some light research, there are independently own studios that have better offerings and are less expensive.
