I Quit Expensive Studio Classes and Started Pilates by Izzy Instead—A Year Later, I'm Never Going Back
Introducing the YouTube Pilates Instructor who transformed the way I work out.
It was nearly a year ago that I first met Izzy Samuel. By met, I mean that I tuned into her sun-soaked studio from my living room, where I was all set to take on day one of her 25-day Pilates challenge. At the time, I had no idea what to expect. Her workouts had come highly recommended for being challenging, effective and efficient, but, wedded to my studio Reformer membership, my expectations remained relatively low.
It was to my surprise, then, that 25 days later, I’d fallen hard and fast for Pilates by Izzy. My body feeling sore but strong, I was blown away by how much muscle tone I’d built in just three and a half weeks. Aside from a short burst of social connection, I’d missed very little about going to the studio, and had saved myself more than £100 on membership fees and post-class coffees.
It’s why, nearly a year later, I’m still committed to my thrice-weekly YouTube classes with Izzy. From 15-minute express workouts to 55-minute studio-style sessions, there’s a huge catalogue of classes which have fitted seamlessly into my frequently chaotic schedule.
Ahead, everything I’ve discovered in my year of Pilates by Izzy and my all-time favourite classes for you to bookmark. Plus, a renowned Pilates instructor weighs in on what makes Samuel’s workouts so effective, and how to know if home Pilates is right for you.
If you’re looking to expand your Pilates practice, we’ve got guides to the best advanced Pilates moves, the best exercises for your core, and how to master the notoriously challenging Pilates Teaser. Plus, find out how Pilates compares to the trending Lagree method; a strength and postural workout which provides a serious burn.
Pilates by Izzy Blends Pilates with Strength—And I’m Completely Converted
What are Pilates by Izzy workouts?
We all know Pilates is good for us - studies frequently find evidence of its power to strengthen your core, balance, posture and functional mobility. But Izzy’s classes are a departure from the classical sequence, incorporating more contemporary and strength-based flows which you wouldn’t find in a traditional mat class.
“Izzy infuses Pilates with barre, strength, and functional fitness, which adds creativity and variety to her classes,” confirmed Pilates Instructor and Founder of Aether Spaces, Jo-Leigh Morris, when I spoke to her last year.
It’s this which makes her classes so popular, says Pilates Instructor, Eloise Skinner. “As Pilates has risen in popularity, many people have started to look for variations on the classical sequence. Izzy’s blend of strength, form, control and precision meets that need, with formats like her challenges, which inspire people to get involved.”
Samuel has an app, Strong by Izzy, with a library of over 300 workouts which you can access for £29.69 per month. So far though, I’ve managed a full year using her free YouTube classes alone, so I’d recommend starting there before investing.
Who are Pilates by Izzy workouts best for?
There’s no denying that Samuel’s classes are on the advanced side of home Pilates, which means you’ll want to build up some experience before trying them, especially because many of her classes incorporate weights.
“Safe use of weights depends on correct form, which is best to check in a studio environment first before progressing your practice at home,” confirms Skinner. “For those with a bit of experience and who want to get started with more challenging home workouts, I'd still recommend building up the intensity over time, and don't forget that cool-down and recovery routines still matter, even when you're not in the studio.”
As I’ve quickly discovered, Pilates by Izzy is great for anyone short on time or with an inconsistent schedule. “Home classes are more convenient, cheaper, easier to schedule around other commitments, better for those with additional responsibilities like childcare and enable you to work out in whatever you feel comfortable wearing without worrying about what others might think,” says Skinner. “They also allow you to repeat certain sections, personalise your practice and amend things like duration, equipment and intensity level to fit your current situation.”
Five Pilates by Izzy Workouts To Try This Month:
1. 15 minute deep core workout
What? An express class targeting the deep core muscles using the Pilates ball.
How long? 15 minutes.
2. 25 minute upper body Pilates workout
What? A deceptively challenging upper-body-focused workout using light hand weights.
How long? 25 minutes.
3. 30 minute glute workout
What? A glute-focused lower-body burn with plenty of bridging and side-lying.
How long? 30 minutes.
4. 40 minute full body Pilates workout
What? A signature Pilates by Izzy workout - plenty of core, lower and upper body moves to torch your whole body.
How long? 40 minutes.
5. 50 minute full body strength workout
What? A full-body strength workout using light handweights, targeting the glutes, core and upper body.
How long? 50 minutes.
I Gave Up My Studio Pilates Classes for Pilates by Izzy—Now I’m Stronger Than Ever
Months one to six
Having completed the 25-day challenge last September, I toyed with the idea of returning to the studio. But looking at the positive change to my bank balance and my ever-shifting calendar, I came to the conclusion that my new home set-up suited me too well to give up. Plus, I had a whole library of Samuel’s classes to explore (at the time of writing, she has 118 videos on her channel).
At first, I really was obsessed, and would do Izzy’s classes five to six times a week. Some days, it was just a 15-minute express session tagged onto the end of a morning walk or jog, and other days it was a longer 40-minute class that formed the entirety of my exercise for that day.
My favourites, though, were the 25-30 minute classes. Short enough to be manageable whatever your mood or level of motivation, but providing a burn over and above what you’d expect for their length, I found that they’d often provide a gateway into movement. It plays into that whole ‘just do it for five minutes’ theory. I’d start the class feeling sluggish and by the end would be clicking ‘watch next’ raring for more.
As Ash discovered, the light hand weights used in Pilates by Izzy workouts provide a surprisingly intense workout
In those first few months, the classes would frequently push me to my limit, even as someone who’d been going to studio classes for years. This was particularly the case in the upper body sessions, where the pulses and progressions seemed to verge on endless. Often I’d modify or pause the video to give my muscles a break - something I’d encourage as you build up to Samuel’s intensity.
Months six to twelve
By six months of consistent Pilates by Izzy, I’d noticed huge changes to my strength. I could handle pretty much any progression she threw at me (not without complaint, mind you), and hardly ever needed to pause the video or drop the weights.
I was aware, however, that I’d become a bit reliant on home Pilates classes and had begun to neglect lifting at the gym and, to an extent, cardio. Conscious of the need to lift heavy to protect my bone health and muscle mass, and to keep up the cardio for long-term heart health, I did reduce my Pilates by Izzy sessions to three days a week, with the now spare days dedicated to the gym and a weekly swim.
After six months, Ash started integrating the gym back into her routine alongside Pilates by Izzy
Since then, I’ve found the combination to be my sweet spot: weekly Pilates, running, swimming and weights serve me really well. I feel strong, fit, energised and, importantly, I’m rarely bored of movement. Involving a social element through the gym and running has also given me back the crucial connective element of exercise which I’d started to miss since leaving the studio, without the same price tag as Reformer classes. Occasionally, I still book a one-off class - if you enjoy it, there’s absolutely no harm - but from a body composition and strength perspective, I’m wholeheartedly convinced that Pilates by Izzy is as good as anything I’ve done in the studio.
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