Today we’d like to introduce you to Avelin Babel.
Hi Avelin, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started Miami Pilates after moving to Miami from New York during covid. I have been practicing pilates in New York since 2010 and have loved and appreciated what pilates did for my body. When I moved to Miami, I was surprised to find how few studios here had what I was looking for – experienced, qualified instructors, a space that was beautiful and worth the price of the class, and an exercise strategy that guaranteed results. The results I was looking for were to strengthen my body and let pilates be my only form of exercise. I decided to build this studio myself- focusing on those three factors. I am proud to say that we are one of the only studios in Miami to have fully certified instructors with combined 15+ years of experience, our location and equipment are unmatched- we use top of the line Balanced Body studio reformers and cadillacs- which very, very few studios in Miami choose to invest in and our pilates method truly brings results to our clients. Not only physically are they leaner, stronger and more fit, but they have managed to cure joint pain, hormonal issues, pre and post menopausal issues, had safe pregnancies with us and so much more. We strive to be the top pilates studio in Miami in terms of service, quality and variety of sequencing offered. It was only appropriate to call it Miami Pilates. I wanted Miami to see what pilates can and should be.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One of the most difficult setbacks was finding a location. Being a start up and a new business, many landlords did not want to take a chance on leasing a space to me. I was originally looking at a space on South Beach and that deal fell through after months of negotiating the lease. That made me pivot and realize it was a blessing in disguise which led me to Wynwood. This neighborhood is the epicenter of our demographic with many wellness conscious, fitness obsessed residents. It is also very walkable which is a huge bonus for Miami.
The build out process was another nightmare that delayed our opening by almost a year. The stress of dealing with the city inspections, permits and resubmissions of plans could at this point qualify me to be a general contractor. There were many lessons learned from that experience and I am grateful for all of them, but it was a lot more than I anticipated in opening a pilates studio.
For day to day operations, the biggest challenge is finding talented instructors who are qualified. Miami has been popping up new “pilates” studio left and right because it is the trendy workout of the moment. The problem with this is that the pool is being diluted by inexperienced studio owners hiring unqualified instructors to teach these classes. The general public may not know the difference until they are injured or have an accident in the class – which then gives pilates as a whole a bad name. I struggle to explain to customers that our price point reflects that we are offering an unmatched experience in terms of teaching quality and equipment quality. It is my responsibility as a studio owner to be responsible for the bodies in the room and I could not sacrifice quality of teaching experience in order to hire an unqualified instructor.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am the founder of Miami Pilates, a boutique reformer and cadillac pilates studio in Wynwood. We are opening our second location in Aventura December 30th 2025. Our studio sets itself apart in that we teach 50 minute classes – 25 minutes on reformer and 25 minutes on the cadillac. We are one of the only studios in the world to offer group cadillac classes. We offer an athletic pilates class that guarantees results in strength, physical fitness and injury prevention. Our classes change daily so unlimited members can take class with us 5-7 days a week and not get bored with the classes. Our instructors are all classically certified with accredited institutions. Our Balanced Body equipment is the gold standard for pilates equipment in the world. We offer a top of the line experience in a top of the line ground floor location with floor to ceiling windows and natural light in one of Miami’s trendiest neighborhoods- Wynwood, and we are excited to bring our second location to life in Aventura.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
We are open 7 days a week
Beginners are welcome
Pregnant clients are welcome – we offer prenatal specific classes twice a week.
We offer private lessons for 1 on 1 attention as well private groups for birthdays, bachelorettes, and corporate events.
We offer a monthly unlimited membership as well as class packages and drop ins.
Pricing:
- New client special 2 classes for $50
- Drop in $50
- 5 class pack $225
- 10 class pack $400
- Monthly unlimited $380/month
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.miamipilates.co
- Instagram: https://Www.instagram.com/miamipilates_
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1UbRkBKEjW/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@miamipilates?_r=1&_t=ZP-924tX0CdiPP
Image Credits
Images belong to Miami Pilates
