On Friday 7 March, Suna Pilates + Wellbeing will celebrate its 25th anniversary, or 'Suna-versary' as we like to call it. In these days of fad exercises and studios opening and closing regularly, it is quite an achievement to have been around that long and still be thriving. It is a testament to the enduring appeal of Pilates and, particularly, to the Suna method and the quality and caring nature of Suna’s trainers.

In the year 2000 when she was just 24 years old, Susie Cleland opened one of the first Pilates studios in New Zealand, and named it Suna Pilates. (There is some debate as to whether Suna was the first or second studio to open in New Zealand.) At that time, Pilates was not widely known – Susie discovered it while trying to heal her own back issues. She trained to be an instructor in Canada at Stott Pilates, the company which manufactured the Reformer machines, and returned home with the idea of helping others by sharing her newfound knowledge.

Initially, the Suna studio was only one room with four Reformers and four mats. Out of necessity, mat and Reformer classes went on simultaneously, with clients doing half a class on the mats then switching to the Reformers and vice versa. Suna was one of the first studios anywhere to add Swiss ball (stability ball) exercises to Pilates classes. Using good old Kiwi ingenuity, Susie incorporated Swiss balls into the workout to move clients off the equipment so the trainers could clean and sterilise the mats and Reformers before everyone switched around. Now the use of Swiss balls is understood to be an important part of a Pilates workout.

Today, Pilates is recognised as crucial for professional athletes to build abdominal strength and avoid injuries, but back in the early 2000s it was virtually unknown. Suna was one of the first studios to attract professional athletes to Pilates, including many All Blacks and Warriors.

Suna has always emphasised proper posture and correct technique. This is particularly important because the studio helps members heal injuries, not just get in shape. Since Suna’s inception, thousands of people have come to Suna – many from far-flung countries – to train as Pilates instructors, which is the ultimate tribute to the Suna method.

Through the years, Suna has continued to innovate and find better ways to use Pilates to heal and strengthen members. For example, the standard Pilates mat sessions were deemed insufficient to provide a complete workout, so towers were installed behind each mat incorporating suspension straps, springs and pull-down bars. The padded towers also provide a platform for balance and strength exercises. These supercharged mat sessions are called 'Fit' sessions in recognition of the fact that they go far beyond a basic mat Pilates workout. Suna is the only studio in New Zealand, and perhaps anywhere, to offer Fit workouts.

Today at Suna there are three studios: a nine-person Reformer room, a 20-person Fit room, and a six-person training room used for instructor courses and personal training sessions, as well as two other personal training rooms. Over 100 classes and personal training sessions are offered each week. The studio has come a long way from its humble one-room beginning, but throughout the years, Suna has remained true to its core mission: helping its members become fitter, stronger, healthier and happier, so they can live their best lives.

Come and visit the Suna Studio and see what 25 years of experience and caring can do for you. As a part of our Suna-versary, we are offering discounted pricing for people who join in the month of March.

Suna Pilates
1 Barrys Point Road, Takapuna
09 489 1987
info@sunapilates.co.nz
sunapilates.co.nz