Viral workout now cheaper than ever before at $5 a class

A fully automated Pilates studio that plans to open 1000 spaces by 2028 costs just $5 a class — almost an eighth of the price of a traditional class.

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A fully automated Pilates studio that plans to open 1000 spaces by 2028 costs just $5 a class — almost an eighth of the price of a traditional class.

Pronto Pilates was opened by Steve Anson and Emma Shelton and has studios in Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide.

Ms Shelton, who is an accredited Pilates instructor, told news.com.au: “Steve was a client of mine at a Pilates studio that I owned in Perth.

“He came to me with an idea of making Pilates affordable and accessible to everyone, cause as we all know Pilates is very expensive and it’s somewhat of a treat for most people.”

Steve, who together with his wife was paying $600 a month for Pilates classes, had the idea of removing instructors and running classes on screens.

It meant that they could cut a lot of overheads and pass savings on to their members. It also means that classes can run from 5.15am until late into the night because they aren’t dependent on instructors’ availability.

Ms Shelton said the reaction from the community had been “phenomenal”, after initially opening their first studio in December 2022. At first, they weren’t sure people would even come, but 23 classes a day, and the price point, quickly saw people sign up.

There are now 6000 members, and Ms Shelton said she transformed her traditional studio into this new format after many clients moved over to Pronto. They have just opened their 15th studio, with plans to open two more this month.

There are three plans people can purchase — the casual plan, which is $55 a month and works out to be $11 a class; the lifestyle plan, which is $77 per month and works out to be $7 a class; and the enthusiast plan, which is $99 a month and works out to be $5 a class.

She said a lot of money was put into the screens so everything was really clear, as the last thing people want when they enter a space is to be confused about where to put their belongings, where to stand, or what to do in class.

“All those little details are well thought out because the whole idea is that you walk in and feel comfortable and confident and can take it at your own pace,” Ms Shelton said.

Emma Shelton runs Pronto Pilates with Steve Anson. Picture: Supplied

Ms Shelton said that everyone, even instructors in the same studio, teach Pilates differently.

“The good thing about our classes as a whole is that there is consistency throughout. It’s the same cues that you’ll get used to, it’s the same countdown styles. There is that consistency and comfort in knowing what you’re going to get,” she said.

First time classgoers are walked through an instructional guide about how to use each piece of equipment followed by a basic class to get into the flow of things. There are three class levels in all.

Ms Shelton was very hands on when it came to designing the more than 70 classes, saying Pronto Pilates has somehow attracted a clientele that have never been to a formal workout space and enjoy the fact there are no mirrors.

She said she didn’t realise until now that these two elements were stopping people from embracing their fitness.

The class is fully automated. Picture: Supplied

Road test

I am a reformer pilates girly through and through, usually going three or four times a week. So, when the offer was presented to me to try out Pronto Pilates — a studio where it costs just $5 a class and there were no instructors — I will admit, curiosity got me.

So, off I toddled. I wasn’t really sure what to expect — every Pilates class I have ever been to in my life has been different. There are more flow-style classes that remind me of Tai Chi, there are body weight classes or ones with static movements.

This was a more advanced dynamic class. But, Pronto also have beginners and more medium classes as well.

Entering the space, which is entirely automated and has screens counting down to your class, I was thoroughly impressed with the layout. It was clean and had everything from reformer machines, to circles and dumbbells.

The class was run by the screens, with a voice walking you through the steps. I won’t lie, it took me about 10 minutes to start flowing with how the class was working but I didn’t go through a typical orientation class like all other students would, so I think most people would pick it up a lot quicker.

The class was dynamic — which is something I’ve never personally loved in training but I did find it quite enjoyable to push my limits a little bit more. It’s always good to try something different!

The equipment everyone gets. Picture: Supplied

I thought the vibes were brilliant. No one is looking at you, there are absolutely no mirrors and everyone is just doing their own thing.

Need to drop springs? No issue. Need to take a second? No problem. Need to modify? Who cares!

I think the biggest issue would be, for myself personally, I suck at self taught stuff. I have always preferred having a trainer or friend or team sports or class to push myself. If I have no one to hold me accountable when it comes to my fitness, I simply do not care.

This isn’t the place for that. This is a space for motivated people — and I don’t mean insane gym freaks. I mean people who can simply just commit to doing the thing they say they want to do.

However, there are three scenarios that I personally think these classes would be brilliant for. One is people who are unsure whether they want to commit to Pilates, or feel self conscious in traditional Pilates spaces and just want to test the waters until they get some confidence. The price point is obviously a draw card, so anyone who wants to leave their home to workout but doesn’t wanna fork out up to $40 a class is also a great candidate for this class. The third, and possibly my favourite, is that it is a cheap and fun way to get to work out with your friends. I messaged my friends immediately after the class and asked if they all wanted to go together, as we typically all go to different gyms and I thought this would be a great way for us to get a little time together.

All in all, I don’t think Pronto Pilates is a workout we should be sleeping on.