This means that gyms and studios in Washington, and throughout the country, are suddenly free to offer Pilates classes without skirting use of the name. Some feature mat work and some, work on equipment with pulleys and tension springs. There's also the matter of certification. The company stakes its lineage through its septuagenarian training director, Romana Kryzanowska, taught by the master himself.
Competitors beg to differ.
Jennifer Gamboa, director of Body Dynamics in Arlington, says gifted Pilates instructors don't come from just one school. And certification course length doesn't tell the whole story. Her studio requires instructors to undergo further training. She says she's worked with Pilates purists who couldn't make adjustments. Ask instructors how much experience they have and how much training their certification entailed.