Who We Are
Creating change through movement
Located in the heart of Diamond Head on Monsarrat Ave, you’ll find Honolulu’s largest Pilates studio (and the only one to offer Classical Pilates). Airy, bright, and inspiring, Pilates O Ka Lā is thoughtfully designed to be the perfect escape where hard work and joy intersect beautifully.
Whether you’re a beginner or a professional athlete, Pilates O Ka Lā is Honolulu’s trusted studio for Classical and Contemporary Pilates.
Connect with your body in a transformative way through the art and science of Pilates. Focus on refining your breath and posture through mindful movement that leaves you feeling and performing at your best.
Choose from group, duo/trio, and private classes with exceptional instructors trained to work with a wide range of requirements, including injuries, pre and post-natal, and high-performance athletes.
Meet our team and start the next chapter of your fitness journey.
What is Pilates?
Pilates is a physical fitness system created by visionary Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century. Inspired by yoga, martial arts, boxing, gymnastics, wrestling, and bodybuilding, Joseph Pilates articulated his Contrology system, blending Eastern and Western fitness concepts.
The essence of Pilates is core strengthening that conditions the body from the inside out and improves balance, posture, and muscle tone. Pilates exercises can be done on a mat, but most exercises are performed on various Pilates apparatuses designed by Joseph Pilates. Common equipment includes the Reformer, Cadillac, Pedipole, Arm Chair, and Wunda Chair (which use tension springs for resistance). Additionally, we may use the Ladder Barrel and Spine Corrector (using a unique arc shape) to perform specific exercises better.
One of the keys to understanding how Pilates differs from other fitness methods is experiencing its principle of oppositional movement—a simultaneous lengthening and strengthening of the muscles while connecting to one’s center. Oppositional movement helps develop healthy, balanced movement patterns and prevents strain and injury.
Another way Pilates feels different than conventional exercise is that it requires mental focus and concentration. As clients embrace the Pilates discipline, executing each exercise with precision and control, not only do they experience a transformation of their bodies, there’s a sharpening of the mind. So enjoy the pocket of peace of tucking away into our studio and training your body and mind in harmony.
Trust Us, We’re Different.
What sets Pilates O Ka Lā (other than the Honolulu scenery) is our team of exceptional instructors. Each Pilates instructor is fully certified with a minimum of 450 hours in the Classical Pilates Method of “Contrology” invented by Joseph Pilates.
While we offer many different styles of Pilates at the studio, from Classical (the original method) to Contemporary (like our “Cardio Class”), the focus of our teaching is to connect your core through strengthening and stretching. Our top-of-the-line equipment is specially chosen to help squeeze the most juice out of each exercise. At Pilates O Ka Lā you’ll find Gratz, Balanced Body: Contrology Line, Balanced Body, & Legacy Apparatus.