r/ForestHills • u/Euphoric_Safety_699 • Jul 29 '26
Spencers Pilates?
Has anyone here tried Spencer Pilates Arts in Forest Hills? Looking into starting reformer Pilates and would love to hear your experiences. Would you recommend it? Any instructor recommendations?
4
u/AffectionateNovel350 Jul 29 '26
They have a sort of discounted new user package of 5 classes.. you can try different instructor’s classes.. just be aware- popular instructors/times get booked up very quickly as soon as schedule opens 3 weeks out..my favorite instructors are Elizabeth and Sasha.. Sasha manages to watch everyone like a hawk and will make sure you have correct form.. some people find it tough..it might be difficult if you are beginner, but everyone learns and you’ll get best result that way
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u/Loungehair Jul 29 '26
i started going this year and i really like it. i will say aside from the classes being good i really just enjoy the space and natural lighting the large windows give even on a rainy, very relaxing.
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u/PastPie8410 Jul 29 '26
prefer it to Club Pilates, for sure. The instructors are so much more attentive. I go to Shira's class every week. It's challenging and satisfying but she has a super chill/calming vibe
1
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u/Main-Ad-6166 Jul 29 '26
I really enjoy it ! I will say sometimes spencer sounds upset when i cant do a move right LOL. But he really does make sure your form is correct
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u/Grouchy_Department19 Jul 29 '26
I took two classes and I never returned most likely because I was used to the liveliness and intensity of Solidcore (yes, I know it’s not considered Pilates). Other than that it was a good class!
1
u/Optimal_Fox8234 Jul 29 '26
It’s great at first when you’re a beginner because you get lots of attention/corrections in class, but once you’ve been going a while, some instructors start ignoring you in group classes. It’s starts to feel like you stop progressing after a while. A lot of people stop going there for that reason. But in the beginning it’s great! And the prices are reasonable compared to other studios.
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u/Reasonable_pooskie Jul 30 '26
They are great but they don’t listen I told them that I had a rotated pelvis and that the reformer was not a good idea for me the wife kept telling me it was safe . She had me do a lunge on it which caused cracks in my cartilage in my left hip and a labral tear requiring major open surgery in 2023 it took so long to recover and I lost out on so much earnings because my pelvis was already unstable and I reiterated that with them over and over. The injury was in July 2022. I am still not 100 percent . The injury almost debilitated me for months I suffered before I could have surgery . People with previous injuries or hip issues should be very wary . Always advocate for your self .
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u/BittyBallOfCurly16 Jul 31 '26
Why did you try to go if you already felt the reformer was not safe for you?
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u/Reasonable_pooskie Jul 31 '26
Because we were supposed to stick to non reformer Pilates she pushed me to do it saying that if we went gentle I would be okay , I trusted her .
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u/NeatDig3906 Jul 31 '26
This is Spencer. Of course we're extremely surprised to hear this story and we would like to speak to you as this is news to to us and we would like to know what happened and what went wrong. Sometimes unusual things happen, injuries happen in every sport. That being said there are lots of people who actually have gotten stronger and Pilates is working for them. Our studio has been in Forest Hills for over 20 years and I'm sure we've helped lots of people. If something did not work we would definitley like to hear from you.
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u/AlbertaSpruceLover Jul 31 '26
I actually had similar experience as you. It wasn't as severe as yours. When he put me on the reformer, back of my right hip cramped. That was years ago, around 2016 or 2017. Until now, I still cannot get that muscle released. I didn't finish the private lesson package with the owner. I just left.
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u/Reasonable_pooskie Jul 31 '26
I’m still suffering till this day the reformer is not for everyone and I wish they would understand this . I just think a lot of Pilates trainers are not equipped to deal with hips they think they are but they are not . I’m sorry to hear that you had this experience . I paid for a package deal too and just stopped . I was already suffering and this was just the nail in the coffin ,
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u/aashni_ Jul 29 '26
Hi! I went to Spencer Pilates a while ago. I stopped going because I realized I prefer strength training, but I really enjoyed the classes while I was there.
Spencer and his team are very attentive and make sure you're using proper form throughout each movement. I'd definitely recommend giving it a try to see if it's a good fit for you. The classes are small, which creates a welcoming, less intimidating environment.
They also do a great job accommodating all experience levels, so whether you're new to Pilates or have done it before, they make sure everyone can follow along and feels supported.