Photo by Ron Burkett.
Lindsay Booker, Club Pilates
At Club Pilates, Lindsay Booker strengthens her clients’ minds along with their bodies.
Booker, a Cherokee Bend resident and mother of two, opened her franchise of Club Pilates in Cahaba Heights in November 2015. Her previous career was in corporate finance, not running her own business, but Booker was armed with an entrepreneurial streak and a willingness to work long hours to build her business.
“It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” Booker said.
Club Pilates is a franchise based out of southern California, and Booker said part of her inspiration to open her own location was to make Pilates more accessible and affordable in Birmingham. Club Pilates is a contemporary style that mixes traditional Pilates with the reformer machine, TRX suspension training, springboards, barre and more.
Booker said many of her clients choose this style because the variety keeps their workout interesting. In addition to the traditional reformer classes, there are also boot camp-style workouts and classes targeting cardio, stretching and more.
“We try to make sure there is a good variety of classes offered throughout the day so all of our members can come to at least five classes a week,” Booker said.
Because Pilates focuses on strong core muscles, Booker said, the results of training can be seen in every area of fitness. Several local athletes have added Club Pilates to their fitness routine because they have seen a difference in speed, strength and flexibility, Booker said.
“It’s a full body workout,” Booker said. “You don’t end up with these bulging biceps and weak triceps. You don’t end up with big quads and tight hamstrings.”
The classes at Club Pilates aren’t just about physical strength. Booker said she enjoys seeing the smiles on clients’ faces as they leave her studio, even if they’re still sweating and breathing heavily.
“It’s a really happy place,” she said. “People leave Pilates feeling really good, and it’s so good for people who have back issues, any kind of injuries or limitations. Pilates is something that most people can do.”
Several of her clients have used Pilates to help them respond to challenges in other areas of their lives, such as depression, anxiety and even surgery. The mental changes that happen in Booker’s studio are perhaps more important to her than the physical changes.
“Being of service to other people — that alone is worth it,” Booker said.
Club Pilates now has seven staff members, and each trainer has been certified with at least 500 hours of training. Though she’s still heavily involved in the business day-to-day, Booker has been able to take a step back and spend more time focusing on the company’s growth. She’s planning to open a second location in 2017.
Club Pilates has about 40 different classes per week, with weekday classes starting at 5:30 a.m. and final classes beginning between 5 and 6:30 p.m. The studio is also open Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons.
