The new studio is located in the Fairfield Building in downtown Sturgeon Bay and offering free intro classes through Saturday, October 30.
Sturgeon Bay, Wis. (October 18, 2021) — Door County Pilates, the peninsula’s only fitness studio to focus specifically on the Pilates fitness system, announces the beginning of both group and private classes in its studio in Sturgeon Bay’s Fairfield Building (242 Michigan Avenue, Suite B101). The studio is housed in the former Pearl of Door County retail space.
Pilates is a form of body conditioning and exercise developed by Joseph Pilates, who initially designed it as a method of injury recovery for dancers. Over time, the method and its movements have become popular among those who are looking to build strength, increase mobility and flexibility, and improve balance.
The studio, owned and operated by Michelle Schuster, focuses on contemporary Reformer Pilates — a series of core Pilates exercises and movements enhanced through the use of a reformer machine. The reformer is an apparatus with a moveable carriage or mat that sits within the frame and moves back and forth — utilizing springs and a person’s body weight for resistance.
Schuster, a Door County native and graduate of Sevastopol High School, moved back to the peninsula from Denver, Colorado with her husband Ian and son Latham in March 2020. She discovered Pilates in 2017, after years of living with an autoimmune condition, coupled with a back surgery that left her wanting to find a way to strengthen her muscles without adding more pain and inflammation to her joints. On the recommendation of a co-worker, she gave Pilates a try — and has been hooked ever since. Wanting to help others in a similar position gain or maintain their own mobility and strength through Pilates, she began her 500-hour comprehensive Pilates teacher training in August 2020 and completed the hours and teaching requirements to be an instructor this summer.
Through Saturday, October 30, the studio is offering free Reformer Intro Classes for anyone who is new to Pilates or who would like to check out the new studio. Intro classes will need to be booked in advance and can be done through the Door County Pilates website at https://www.doorcountypilates.com/classes. 50-minute private sessions can also be booked during this time for $60/session.
After the initial intro period is complete, the studio will offer four classes on an ongoing basis in addition to an regular Intro class:
- Reformer Foundation: A class for all levels, focusing on foundation movements to strengthen the body using the reformer and supportive equipment.
- Reformer Level-Up: A faster-paced class for those who have had practice with the foundational movements, with quick transitions, less downtime, and more complex movements.
- Reformer Cardio Jump: Utilizing the jump board on the reformer, this class focuses on jumping and using the tension of the reformer springs as resistance for periods of jumping and active recovery.
- Reformer Flow: Focused on stretching and increasing flexibility, this class takes movements from Reformer Foundation but with slowed transition and decreased tension.
“Pilates has been a game-changer for me in terms of improving my overall mobility, activity, and health — and I’m excited to bring these movements and exercises to the Door County community,” Schuster says. “I also remember the beginning of my Pilates journey — the equipment was intimidating, and I wasn’t sure if I could learn the choreography of the movements. The studio where I learned was small, local, and incredibly supportive — the energy and camaraderie of the group made a huge difference when it came to learning the movements and me returning week after week. My goal is to create that same experience for those who are new to Pilates as well as those who are longtime practitioners.”
For more information on Door County Pilates, including class schedule, please visit https://www.doorcountypilates.com.