Reforming Bodies With Rockaway Beach Pilates

By Katie McFadden

One hundred years ago, Joseph Pilates introduced the first Pilates studio to the world, right in New York City in 1926. About two years ago, fitness trainer Patrick Lewis introduced reformer Pilates to Rockaway, with humble beginnings using two reformer machines in a small studio above Carvel. But Rockaway was burning for more, leading Lewis to expanding in what is now Rockaway’s first full reformer Pilates studio, Rockaway Beach Pilates, located on the second floor of 241 Beach 116th Street.

What is reformer Pilates? It is a low-impact, full-body workout performed instead of on a mat, on a specialized machine called a reformer, a bed-like frame with a moving carriage, springs, straps for hands and feet, and a foot bar, offering support for improved alignment, improved balance, increased flexibility, and significant core strengthening, reducing injury risks, making it a workout almost anyone can do. “I have people in their 80s doing the same exercise in the same space as clients in their 20s and 30s, and they can keep up,” Lewis said.

Lewis first introduced this style of Pilates to private clients, in a shared space above Carvel. As demand grew, his two reformer machines soon turned into four machines. “Then four turned into, I need a bigger space,” Lewis said.

As a student of jiu jitsu for about three years with Tru Force on Beach 116th Street, the opportunity to expand Rockaway Beach Pilates fell into his hands as the space across from Tru Force opened up. “I met the landlord and did a handshake deal on the spot in July and from there, I was building this spot out. I tore down the walls and got the reformers in, which was something missing in the Rockaways,” Lewis said. Now with nine machines, more clients can take advantage of reformer Pilates classes at the same time, which have also expanded in offerings due to a growing staff, allowing for 25 classes across seven days a week.

Since the start, Lewis has taught most of the classes himself. But he’s now joined by Mary Edwards, formerly of Rockaway Gliders Fitness studio, teaching some morning classes, Carly Shannon, formerly of GoodForm Studios, and recently certified teachers, Jackie Banker, and Chelsea Dwyer, who teaches a Level 1 class for beginners on Saturday mornings, and Jodi Heywood bringing a barre sculpt class to the mix on Thursday mornings. After Level 1, which lays the foundation for reformer Pilates, there are more intermediate options like Flow, focused on fluid movement, breath, and full-body balance, 50/50, in which half the room focuses on weightlifting while the other half is on the reformer, alternating circuit training and a more advanced Reformer class combining Pilates principals to focus on form, breath, and muscular endurance. Currently, classes are offered daily in the mornings and some weekday evenings, and clients are encouraged to sign up early as they can fill up quickly.

Two students in a busy Monday evening class vouched for why those classes stay full. “It’s a peaceful atmosphere,” a student named Christine said. “I feel like, even though I’m older, I can do everything here and it makes you feel really good.” Another student, Brianne added, “It’s always a good workout and I never feel confused during it. It’s well directed and led.”

Lewis moved to Rockaway in 2013, after spending time surfing in the area. Some may know him as a former bartender at Pico. “This community has been a gift to me. I’ve lived in Florida, Chicago, all over, but Rockaway feels like a village and a community that you can’t really find anywhere else in the country. I love it here,” he said.

His own fitness journey and career began with a major wakeup call for his own health. “I was diagnosed with testicular cancer when I was 30 years old. It was Stage 1, so we found it early, but it was an awakening. It took me about five years to get my footing after receiving the diagnoses, but it made me start getting more serious about fitness. I grew up as an athlete, but you can lose that as you get older, but I still loved working out and being outdoors and I was able to become a personal trainer and get certified about two years into it. Then, I became certified in Pilates because continued education is huge in this field and from there, I just started to do my own business, and the pandemic hit, which was a gift and a curse because it really helped my business grow quicker,” he said. As gyms closed down, Lewis offered personal training online and in open spaces like the beach and boardwalk. As restrictions lessened, he began offering in-home classes, and in places like the Belle Harbor Yacht Club, offering training for kids to adults, eventually leading him to opening his own studio.

Now with that diagnosis almost 10 years behind him, his health in check, married, and a father of a healthy boy and a thriving reformer Pilates studio, Lewis is happy to give back to the place he calls home.

“We are more than just a Pilates studio. Rockaway Beach Pilates is where neighbors, family and friends come together to build a community through strength and fitness,” he said. “Rockaway made this possible for me. The people here support local businesses in a way that lets someone like me build something unique and support a family. Rockaway is a special place, and I owe everything to the people here. When we invest in local businesses, we’re really investing in the strength of our entire community.”

Rockaway Beach Pilates is located on the second floor of 241 Beach 116th Street. For class and membership info, head to www.rockawaybeachpilates.com. For more updates, check out rockawaybeachpilates on Instagram.