Thinking About Trying Pilates? This Is Your Sign.

Hilary Steinberg practicing Mat Pilates at Jaya Yoga Studio in Clarks Summit, PA.

If you’ve been looking for Mat Pilates classes in Clarks Summit, PA, you might be surprised to learn that Pilates has been part of Jaya Yoga Studio since the very beginning.

Actually, Pilates was my first love.

I started practicing in my early twenties after moving to California, and I loved it immediately! Sometimes I would go to the gym in the morning and then head to a Pilates class with my boss after work, not because the morning workout hadn’t “counted,” but because Pilates gave me something completely different. And yes those two a days made me sore.😉

It was challenging without feeling like aerobics. The controlled movements reminded me a little bit of dance, and sometimes the tiniest movements were the hardest. Classes seemed to fly by because I was always concentrating, moving, and discovering something new.

Pilates changed how my body looked, but more importantly, it changed how my body felt. I became stronger and more supported without needing to lift weights or use large machines to get there.

Pilates eventually became more than a class I enjoyed. My first certification was in mat Pilates. I later became certified on the reformer and then completed a second mat Pilates certification. While yoga is what many people know Jaya for today, Pilates has quietly been helping our community build strength, improve posture, and move with greater confidence for years. I sometimes joke that Pilates was my first love and yoga became my true love. Luckily, I’ve never had to choose between them.

Mat Pilates Is Incredibly Effective

When people hear “Pilates,” they often picture large reformer machines. I’m reformer certified, and I absolutely appreciate what the equipment can bring to the practice but mat Pilates is a powerful practice all on its own.

Using your own body, gravity, and intentional movement, mat Pilates builds strength, stability, and body awareness without requiring large or complicated equipment. Small props such as a ball, band, or Magic Circle can add variety, offer feedback, and make an already challenging movement even more interesting.

That simplicity is one of the things I have always loved about it. The work can be deep and demanding, but it doesn’t require a complicated setup. You, your mat, and your attention can do quite a lot together.

Small Movements Don’t Mean an Easy Class

One of the biggest surprises for people trying mat Pilates for the first time is how challenging such small movements can be.

Pilates isn’t about moving your body through the biggest possible range of motion or moving as quickly as you can. It asks you to slow down enough to notice what you’re doing. You learn to move with control, connect to your center, and pay attention to the details.

That focus changes everything.

A leg lowering a few inches may not look dramatic from across the room, but the person on the mat knows exactly how much work is happening. The challenge comes from control and precision, not from making the movement bigger or faster.

And because there are so many ways to adjust an exercise, there is always another layer to explore. You can change your range of motion, add a prop, slow the movement down, or focus more closely on your alignment.

There is no real finish line where Pilates suddenly becomes easy. You simply become more aware and then discover the next place you can grow.

You Don’t Have to Love Heated Workouts

Pilates is having a well-deserved moment right now, and many people are discovering it through heated or high-intensity classes. I’m always happy when someone finds a way to move and take care of themselves in a way they genuinely enjoy.

But heated Pilates is not the only way to practice.

At Jaya, our Mat Pilates classes in Clarks Summit are taught in a comfortable, non-heated studio. The challenge comes from the movements themselves: control, concentration, repetition, and learning how to engage your body more intentionally.

You don’t need heat to make the work effective, and you don’t need to leave class completely out of breath to know you worked hard. If you enjoy traditional mat-based movement or simply don’t love exercising in a hot room, there is a place for you here.

Your First Class May Feel Hard and That’s Okay

When I first began teaching Pilates in Clarks Summit, people would often come to class, tell me it was hard, and then wander back to yoga. This always made me smile a little. People wanted Pilates on the schedule, but Pilates was asking them to do something new and new can feel difficult.

Here’s what I want beginners to know: finding a class challenging does not mean you are bad at Pilates. It usually means your body is learning a new way to move.

You aren’t expected to know every exercise. You don’t need to arrive with a strong core before taking a class designed to help you build core strength. You can work with a smaller range of motion, rest when you need to, and let your understanding develop over time.

Pilates gives you room to grow, but first you have to give yourself permission to begin.

A Saturday Pilates Community Is Growing at Jaya

Over the past couple of years, I’ve reconnected with Pilates in a deeper way. Lately, something especially nice has been happening in our Saturday Mat Pilates class.

A consistent group has begun showing up. They work hard, laugh, learn, and keep coming back. The class is challenging, but it is also welcoming and supportive. No one needs to perform, prove anything, or complete every repetition. We are simply there to move, get stronger, and keep discovering what our bodies can do.

This community has reminded me why I loved Pilates in the first place.

It’s focused without being boring. Challenging without needing to be frantic. Familiar enough that you can notice your progress, but varied enough that there is always something new to discover.

Maybe This Really Is Your Sign

If you’ve been curious about Pilates but have been waiting until you feel stronger, more coordinated, or more prepared, you can stop waiting.

You begin by beginning.

Come try traditional, non-heated Mat Pilates in our welcoming Clarks Summit studio, just minutes from Scranton. You don’t need experience, fancy equipment, or the ability to complete every repetition. Bring your curiosity, a sense of humor, expect those tiny movements to be more challenging than they look, and give yourself room to learn.

You can explore our current yoga and Pilates class schedule to find an upcoming class. If you’re new to Jaya, our 14-day introductory offer gives you time to try Pilates, yoga, and other classes to see what feels right for you.

Pilates was my first love. Maybe it will be yours too.

Still have questions? We’d love to help. Reach out or stop by the studio, we’re always happy to answer them.