ADVERTORIAL
Inside Scripps Ranch’s First Pilates & Wellness Studio
Charis Pilates & Wellness, the family-owned studio known for small classes and welcoming, boutique Reformer Pilates in Poway and Escondido, opens its third location in Scripps Poway on Aug. 1. Alongside the signature Pilates classes, the new studio introduces a full suite of recovery-focused wellness services and private Cadillac training to bring whole-body health benefits to the community.
Red Light Therapy: Recovery at the Cellular Level
Q: What does a Red Light Therapy session actually involve?
A: The studio’s full-body bed uses several precisely calibrated wavelengths of red and near-infrared light to penetrate skin and muscle tissue, stimulating the cells. At the start, clients select one of 12 protocols that determines the frequency and focus of that session, anything from boosting cognitive function to inflammation reduction to relaxation. Sessions run 10 minutes for maximum absorption, with no heat, no discomfort and no downtime. Clients simply lie back and let the light do the work!
Q: What are the benefits of Red Light Therapy?
A: Clients can tailor the session to fit their specific goals. Red Light Therapy has been clinically proven to reduce inflammation, speed muscle recovery, support collagen production and improve circulation. Many clients also notice better sleep and mood, since the light influences the body’s natural circadian rhythm.
Q: What more can you tell us about the bed?
A:The studio’s team spent the past year researching and personally using Red Light Therapy beds to find the highest quality, science-based option for clients. The bed is the same one used in the NFL and in medical clinics across the country. It integrates Red Light Therapy with PEMF (Pulsed Electromagnetic Field therapy) and Precision Vibration to stimulate cellular activity and circulation alongside the selected protocol.
Power Plate®: Whole-Body Vibration
Q: What is Power Plate®, and how does it work with Pilates?
A: Power Plate® is a vibrating platform that oscillates in three directions at once, causing muscles to fire in rapid, involuntary contractions many times per second. This isn’t your old-fashioned vibration plate. Trusted by hospitals, elite athletes and rehabilitation professionals, Power Plate® uses medical-grade vibration technology to send messages to the nervous system, activating muscle fibers, improving circulation and supporting cellular health. It offers a low-impact approach to deepening core engagement and promoting controlled movements, which enhances the Pilates experience.
Q: How do clients typically use it?
A: Power Plate® is incredibly versatile! Some clients use it as a 10-minute warm-up to increase circulation and muscle activation before a Pilates session; others, for post-workout stretching and recovery, since the vibration helps muscles relax. Mostly, clients use it as a stand-alone 20-minute targeted strength workout.
Q: What are the benefits beyond muscle activation?
A: The controlled vibration also supports circulation, lymphatic drainage and pain relief. It has been proven to stimulate bone-forming cells, making it popular with clients focused on long-term bone health. Increased balance and mobility are among a host of other benefits.
Localized Cryotherapy: Targeted Cold for Faster Recovery
Q: How is localized cryotherapy different from a cryotherapy chamber or cold plunge?
A: Rather than standing in a chamber or submerging the whole body in cold water, localized cryotherapy delivers pressurized, ultra-cold carbon dioxide gas directly to a specific area, like a sore shoulder, an inflamed knee or tired legs after a workout. The studio’s device is handheld and non-invasive. Sessions typically take just a few minutes and are conducted by a trained staff member.
Q: What happens in the body during a session?
A:The rapid drop in surface temperature triggers a thermal shock response in which blood vessels constrict and then rebound, flushing the area with fresh, oxygen-rich blood. This process activates the body’s healing response and helps calm inflammation, ease muscle soreness and support the skin’s natural collagen production.
Q: Who is localized cryotherapy best suited for?
A: Localized cryotherapy is a great tool for clients managing joint stiffness, post-workout soreness or recovering from an injury. The cold exposure provides immediate pain relief by temporarily numbing nerve endings and boosts circulation after treatment. As a result, cryotherapy offers relief for both new injuries and chronic discomfort.
The Cadillac: Private Sessions To Take You Farther
Q: What is the Cadillac and why bring it to the new studio?
A: The Cadillac is a traditional apparatus that allows for a more personalized Pilates practice. Joseph Pilates originally taught one-on-one, and the Cadillac was central to that method. Private sessions on the Cadillac give clients an instructor’s full attention, offering individualized programming built around each client’s body and goals.
Q: Who benefits most from private Cadillac sessions?
A: The Cadillac is especially useful for clients recovering from injury or surgery, working through chronic pain or training toward a specific performance goal, since instructors can adjust every exercise in real time. Private sessions are also a great option for both beginners who want to build a strong Pilates foundation or for experienced clients ready to go deeper than a group class allows.
Q: How does it fit alongside the studio’s group classes?
A: Private Cadillac training complements Charis’ small group classes rather than replacing them. Many clients mix the two, using private sessions for a more targeted practice that they can apply in group classes.
Pilates Made Even More Personal
For the team at Charis, the Scripps Poway studio represents the next chapter of a philosophy they’ve held since day one: movement should feel intentional, welcoming and tailored to our clients. By pairing science-backed recovery tools with private Cadillac instruction, the studio is committed to supporting clients in building a practice designed around how they want to move and feel.
Charis Pilates & Wellness’ Scripps Poway studio opens Aug. 1 at 12265 Scripps Poway Parkway, Suite 101. For more information on founding memberships or to book a session, visit charispilates.com or call (858) 324-4649.