The difference between Group Classes and Private and Duet Studio Sessions

When an instructor says, “find more length through your whole body” or “create space between your ribs and pelvis,” those cues aren’t invented in the moment. They come from having felt that exact shift in someone’s body — hands-on — and understanding what it needs to feel like before translating that experience into words for a group of six or more people at once.

That’s what a 1:1 Private or 1:2 Duet Studio session can offer: direct, physical feedback.

An instructor can place a hand on a shoulder that’s creeping towards an ear, feel a spine that isn’t rotating evenly, or notice when the pelvis has tipped a fraction too far — and help you find the adjustment in the moment.

Group classes don’t allow for that same level of individual attention. But they offer something valuable in their own way: the opportunity to practise listening to your own body, noticing your individual movement patterns and learning to recognise what feels right for you.

What this means for you in a group class

Understanding this changes how you listen.

When your instructor asks you to “find length through your whole body” or “create space through the torso,” the cue is an invitation — not necessarily an instruction that every body needs to respond to in exactly the same way.

Your body is constantly changing. What feels appropriate in one movement, on one day, may not be what you need in another. Sometimes you may need to find more length. Sometimes you may need to soften, stabilise or simply stay where you are.

This is where individual practice becomes so valuable.

A 1:1 Private or 1:2 Duet Studio session gives you the time and space to slow down, receive hands-on feedback and understand your own movement patterns without the noise of constant, consistent cueing.

What you get in a group class

A group class gives you something different: the opportunity to practise these principles for yourself.

You learn to listen to the instructor’s cues, experiment with how a movement feels in your own body and begin to recognise your individual movement patterns. You also develop the ability to make small adjustments for yourself — rather than relying on an instructor to tell you exactly what to change every time.

The group environment gives you space to practise that awareness independently, while still having the structure, guidance and shared experience of the class.

Over time, you begin to develop a sense of what your body needs — rather than automatically trying to create a particular shape or sensation every time a cue is given.

Because more isn’t always better.

If you’re continually told to “find more length” or “reach further” without understanding whether your body actually needs it, you can move beyond what is appropriate for you, over-stretch, or create a movement that was never intended by the exercise.

The goal isn’t to become better at following cues.

It’s to become better at listening to your own body.

The short version

Group classes of six or more people give you the opportunity to practise, move and learn alongside others. 1:1 Private and 1:2 Duet Studio sessions give you the space to slow down, receive individual feedback and develop a deeper understanding of your own body.

The two aren’t in competition.

One gives you the experience of moving within a group. The other gives you the opportunity to understand your own movement more deeply.

Over time, the aim is to listen less to what you think you should be feeling — and more to what you actually feel.

— Lauren Hulbert, Evolution Pilates Studio