Julie Michaels – Founder & Studio Owner, Ray Pilates
Julie Michaels is the founder and studio owner of Ray Pilates. A former film industry professional turned movement educator, Julie’s career path may seem like a complete pivot — but for her, it was a natural evolution. Movement has always been a part of her DNA.
New to Pilates?
Benefits & History of Pilates
Core Strength
Whole Body Fitness
Long and Lean Muscles
Work Smarter, Not Harder
Flexibility
Adaptable to All Fitness Levels
Functional Fitness
Imagine what a spring looks like as it is uncoils and there you have it. By exploring each and every plane of movement, we will challenge your body to produce smooth, fluid movement patterns in a dynamic and continuous sequence that will increase your strength and stamina. Whatever your fitness goals, we will put a spring in your step and have you moving with greater ease.
You need strength and stability for both exercise and everyday life, whether you’re training for a marathon or learning to climb a set of stairs. Discovering your optimal movement patterns will afford you the freedom to move and carry the benefits of your workout with you all day long.
Precision
Your body is like a set of building blocks that can sometimes slide out of alignment. These blocks can often shift to one side and tilt forward or back, but Pilates will help restore the body to its optimal alignment. Executing one exercise with deliberate focus on form is more efficient than doing multiple repetitions with sloppier form. We give you an extra level of knowledge to tap into your various muscle groups and improve the patterns in your body. Our goal is to help you become the tallest and strongest version of yourself.
Flow
Imagine what a spring looks like as it is uncoils and there you have it. By exploring each and every plane of movement, we will challenge your body to produce smooth, fluid movement patterns in a dynamic and continuous sequence that will increase your strength and stamina. Whatever your fitness goals, we will put a spring in your step and have you moving with greater ease.
Everyday
You need strength and stability for both exercise and everyday life, whether you’re training for a marathon or learning to climb a set of stairs. Discovering your optimal movement patterns will afford you the freedom to move and carry the benefits of your workout with you all day long.
The
Studio
We hold our studio to a high standard of cleanliness. We staff a team of pool professionals to ensure the quality and safety of the pool water.
Our filtration system filters the whole body of water 10 times a day and our salt generator is one of the most advanced technology on the market. We are proud to say that we have always successfully passed every Health Inspection since opening our doors.
Pilates Equipment
We believe that Pilates is the path to a fuller, more satisfying physical existence. We believe that being in control of your body helps you to be in control of your life.
The Reformer
The Reformer is a resistance training machine designed by Joseph Pilates and is the most commonly used Pilates machine. It consists of a platform that glides back and forth along a carriage using an 8-wheel suspension system to provide a smooth and quiet ride. Resistance is added using a spring tension system that can be adjusted to accommodate a variety of exercises. The Reformer is great for closed chain exercises, such as a squat, lunge or push up, where your hands and feet are in a constant fixed position. Closed chain exercises improve functional fitness by imitating movements we do in our daily life. In addition to building functional support, closed chain exercises work many muscle groups at once and they are safer for your joints, especially your knees which can be stabilized on the Reformer while strengthening.
The Trapeze Table
Our Pilates studio has a Trapeze Table, also known as the Cadillac, which comes with all the bells & whistles you could want in one machine. It looks like a four-post bed with various moving parts (leg springs, arm springs, a push through bar to stretch you out and a hanging trapeze) to challenge or assist your movements. Joseph Pilates designed it during World War 1 to help rehabilitate bed-ridden soldiers. The Cadillac is an incredibly versatile machine that is suitable for everyone, whether you’re a beginner or an advanced Pilates student. It allows you to challenge yourself in a variety of different positions and offers a nearly infinite progression of exercises.
The Wunda Chair
Joseph Pilates designed the Wunda Chair for a friend who wanted a Reformer, but didn’t have enough space in his New York apartment. Many exercises using the chair are performed in a seated or standing position. The chair is a box with a pedal on one side that can be pressed down against the resistance of springs. Sometimes the pedal is divided into two parts that can be worked independently. At Ray Pilates, we use the split pedal chair to strengthen individual limbs and tackle asymmetries in the body. The split pedal chair also creates the opportunity for fluid rotations through the spine.
In addition to the Pilates equipment, our studio in Toronto also uses many small balance and resistance props including:
Joseph Pilates designed the Wunda Chair for a friend who wanted a Reformer, but didn’t have enough space in his New York apartment. Many exercises using the chair are performed in a seated or standing position. The chair is a box with a pedal on one side that can be pressed down against the resistance of springs. Sometimes the pedal is divided into two parts that can be worked independently. At Ray Pilates, we use the split pedal chair to strengthen individual limbs and tackle asymmetries in the body. The split pedal chair also creates the opportunity for fluid rotations through the spine.
In addition to the Pilates equipment, our studio in Toronto also uses many small balance and resistance props including:
- Jumpboards for the Reformer (great for adding a little cardio into your workout)
- Bosu
- Foam Rollers
- Orange Acupressure Ball
- Free weights
- Therabands
- Rotator Discs
- Sitfit Discs
- Clean and Airy Space perfect for Private and Semi-Private Classes
Club.
For Women
Only.
