Guided Pilates Across Two Coastal Studios: Myrtle Beach • North Myrtle Beach.
Why Every New Client Starts With Intro Reformer Foundations at Powerhouse Pilates
Experienced in Pilates, Lagree, Solidcore, Pilates Addiction, or Pilates Inspired? Learn why every new Powerhouse client starts with Intro Reformer Foundations.
Amanda Ord
8/29/20264 min read
Why Every New Client Starts With Intro Reformer Foundations at Powerhouse Pilates in Common
If you already have Pilates or reformer experience, you may wonder:
“Why do I need to take an Intro class?”
We hear this question often at Powerhouse Pilates in Common.
Some new clients have practiced Pilates for years. Others come to us with experience in Lagree, Solidcore, Pilates Addiction, other Pilates-inspired or reformer-based fitness programs, personal training, yoga, barre, or other forms of movement. Some even hold fitness, wellness, or health-related certifications.
We welcome that experience. But every new Powerhouse client starts in the same place: Intro Reformer Foundations.
Here's why.
Reformer Experience Isn't Always Pilates Experience
A reformer-style machine can make two workouts look similar, but the training methods behind them can be very different.
Lagree, Solidcore, Pilates Addiction, and other Pilates-inspired or reformer-based fitness programs are distinct from Pilates and may use different equipment, terminology, movements, pacing, resistance, class structures, and training philosophies.
That doesn't make one method better or worse than another.
They're simply different systems.
Experience in those workouts may give you excellent strength, endurance, coordination, and familiarity with resistance-based movement. Those skills can certainly be helpful when beginning Pilates.
But they don't automatically translate into a Powerhouse Pilates level.
What If I've Done Traditional Pilates for Years?
The same principle applies.
Even if you have extensive Pilates experience, another studio may use different equipment settings, terminology, exercise variations, transitions, safety procedures, class expectations, and leveling criteria.
You may have been considered intermediate or advanced at another studio.
We respect that experience—but levels don't automatically transfer between studios.
Powerhouse Levels 2 through 6 describe progression within the Powerhouse Pilates in Common system.
They're not a judgment of your fitness, strength, knowledge, credentials, or previous experience.
Think of our levels as a roadmap through our studio's program.
Everyone New to Powerhouse Starts the Same Way
We've intentionally made the process simple:
New to Pilates → Intro Foundations
Experienced in Pilates → Intro Foundations
Coming from another Pilates studio → Intro Foundations
Lagree, Solidcore, Pilates Addiction or Pilates-inspired experience → Intro Foundations
Fitness or wellness certification → Intro Foundations
And then:
Intro Foundations → move to Level 2
No guessing which class you should take.
No trying to translate another studio's levels into ours.
No need to prove how much experience you have.
If you're new to Powerhouse Pilates in Common, Foundations is your starting point.
What Happens During Intro Reformer Foundations?
Intro Foundations isn't simply a class for someone who has never exercised or never seen a reformer.
It's your introduction to how we do Pilates at Powerhouse Pilates in common.
You'll become familiar with our equipment, setup, terminology, class flow, movement expectations, and studio procedures.
That common starting point matters because our regular classes build on what clients learn as they progress through our system.
After completing Intro Reformer Foundations, you begin at Level 2.
From there, your instructors can approve advancement as you demonstrate familiarity and readiness within the Powerhouse progression.
If you arrive with substantial previous Pilates experience, many movements and concepts may already feel familiar—and that's great. Your experience hasn't disappeared simply because you're new to our studio.
You're just learning a new system.
“But I'm Advanced at My Current Studio.”
We understand.
You may genuinely be an advanced participant at another Pilates studio or highly experienced in another training method.
But “advanced” isn't universal.
One studio's intermediate class may resemble another studio's advanced class. Different studios may emphasize different movements, transitions, equipment configurations, terminology, or prerequisites.
That's why we don't try to convert another studio's level into a Powerhouse level.
Instead, everyone follows the same starting process:
Foundations → Level 2 → Instructor-Approved Progression
Your Powerhouse level reflects your progression at Powerhouse Pilates in Common.
Why Can't a New Client Just Book Level 4–5?
Our higher-level classes assume that participants already understand the movements, terminology, transitions, equipment settings, and expectations established through the earlier Powerhouse levels.
That's why our booking system may prevent a new client from registering for a class above their approved level.
The restriction is intentional.
It allows an instructor teaching a Level 4–5 class to actually teach a Level 4–5 class.
The instructor shouldn't have to use higher-level class time to introduce basic studio procedures, explain foundational terminology, or determine a brand-new client's familiarity with our system.
It also creates a more consistent experience for the other clients who have progressed through the Powerhouse levels.
Your Previous Experience Still Matters
We want to be especially clear about this.
Starting with Foundations does not mean we think you're a beginner.
It does not erase years of Pilates experience.
It does not diminish another training method.
And it certainly doesn't diminish a professional certification you may hold.
It simply establishes a common starting point for everyone who is new to Powerhouse Pilates in Common.
Your previous experience may help you understand movements more quickly, develop familiarity faster, and progress confidently.
But everyone first learns the Powerhouse Pilates in Common system.
What About the $15 Intro Class?
Our $15 introductory rate is specifically for Intro Reformer Foundations.
It is not a $15 first-time drop-in rate that can be applied to any class on our schedule.
Intro Reformer Foundations: $15
Regular drop-in class: $30
Regular leveled classes also require the appropriate Powerhouse level before booking.
So if you're visiting Myrtle Beach, have years of Pilates experience, and see a Level 4–5 class you'd like to attend, the $15 introductory offer doesn't provide immediate access to that class.
Your first Powerhouse Pilates in Common class is still Intro Reformer Foundations.
Why We Use This System
Ultimately, our leveling system isn't designed to keep people out of classes.
It's designed to provide guidance about which classes to take and when to progress.
A clear progression allows instructors to know what clients entering a particular level have already been introduced to. Clients know what is expected of them. And everyone can spend more of the class actually moving rather than trying to determine where someone should begin.
That's why one of the ideas behind Powerhouse is simple:
Guidance makes the difference.
The Powerhouse Rule Is Simple
You don't need to compare your experience with someone else's.
You don't need to determine whether your previous studio's Level 3 equals our Level 3.
And you don't need to figure out whether years of Lagree, Solidcore, Pilates Addiction, another Pilates-inspired program, or traditional Pilates should place you into a particular Powerhouse class.
We make the starting point simple:
New to Powerhouse = Start with Foundations
Your previous Pilates experience is welcome.
Your reformer-based fitness experience is welcome.
Your certifications are welcome.
Your strength, coordination, and movement experience are welcome.
You simply begin by learning our system.
Intro Reformer Foundations → Level 2
Every new client gets the same clear starting point—and from there, we'll help guide you forward.
Control.
Concentration.
Precision.
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Breath.
Powerhouse Pilates in Common offers transformative Pilates classes on brand-new handcrafted reformers in a peaceful, modern studio located in Myrtle Beach, SC. Our certified instructors specialize in reformer Pilates and private training programs designed to improve strength, flexibility, and mental clarity. Whether you’re new to Pilates or an experienced practitioner, we offer beginner-friendly classes and advanced workouts tailored to your needs. With flexible memberships, intro class packs, and a supportive community, Powerhouse Pilates in Common is the trusted choice for locals and visitors seeking wellness, balance, and strength. Proudly serving members from Pawleys Island, Conway, and Calabash, NC, we are committed to helping every client achieve their fitness goals safely and effectively. Book your class today and experience the difference our modern studio and handcrafted reformers can make for your body and mind.