Thoughts on Changing Studios Due to Moving or Job Transfers While Continuing Pilates
I thought about "what if I had to move"
The other day, a friend told me, "I have to move because of my husband's job transfer."
When she asked me, "What should I do about the Pilates studio I'm currently attending?", I seriously thought about "what if I had to move" for the first time.
Today, although I haven't actually experienced moving myself, I will write about "how to think about changing studios" that I considered through my friend's consultation.
Many studios have expanded nationwide, so I think this might be helpful for some people.
If it's the same chain, there's a possibility of transferring
The studio my friend attends is Rintosull, just like me.
Since Rintosull is a chain with over 250 locations nationwide, the first thing to check was "is there a store of the same chain near the new place?"
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Benefits of considering a transfer to the same chain:
・Familiarity with the lesson flow and methods
・No need to relearn the membership system or how to use the app
・In some cases, there is a system for transferring membership information
・There are cases where cancellation fees or re-enrollment fees are waived ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
It seems that some Rintosull studios actually have a system to support transfers due to moving. Checking the terms and conditions at the time of contract will save you from panicking when the time comes.
Things to check when considering a transfer
I will summarize the points to check that I organized with my friend.
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Things to check before transferring:
✔ Is there a store of the same chain near the new residence?
✔ Is there a transfer system, and are there any fees?
✔ Will membership rank and usage history be carried over?
✔ Is the reservation system the same, and am I used to it?
✔ The instructor will be a different person (requires getting used to) ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
In particular, the point that "the instructor will change" is an important point directly linked to ease of continuation, as I wrote in Day 17. I think it is important to know this in advance as mental preparation.
How to think about changing to a different chain
If there is no store of the same chain at the destination, you will have to look for a new studio from scratch.
In this case, the "basics of choosing a studio" that I wrote about in Days 1-7 will be useful as they are.
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Flow when looking for a studio in a new area:
① List studios around your new home on a comparison site
② Compare prices, reviews, and access
③ Take trial lessons at multiple studios
④ Judge based on the "conditions for a studio that suits you" written in Day 28 ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
If you have a standard like "my current studio was good, so I want a place with a similar atmosphere next time," choosing a new studio will be smoother.
What you have "experienced" can be carried over
Even if the studio changes, what you have learned with your body so far will not be lost.
How to breathe correctly, how to use your pelvis, how to move your shoulder blades.
These are things that will remain in your body even if the studio or instructor changes.
If you think of it not as "starting over from scratch," but as "getting used to a new environment while keeping your foundation," your anxiety about moving might ease a little.
The importance of "self-care" during the transition period
While you are looking for a new studio, or while you are busy with the chaos of moving, there may be periods when you cannot attend lessons.
The self-care habits I wrote about on Day 13 and Day 74 are especially useful during these "transition periods." Even if you cannot attend lessons, you can maintain your physical condition to some extent by continuing the breathing exercises and stretches you can do at home.
It is important to have the perspective that "not being able to go to the studio does not mean everything is reset," but rather that "there are things you can continue even without lessons."
Advice from a friend who moves frequently for work
I asked a friend who moves every few years for work about their tips for continuing Pilates.
"Choosing a nationwide chain makes it easier because you don't have to search from scratch every time you move. Also, having the experience of going to trial lessons many times means you are used to choosing studios in new places, so there is less anxiety."
I thought this perspective made a lot of sense. The experience gained from choosing studios might also be a kind of "transferable asset."
Moving is also an opportunity to rethink how you interact with your body
Moving or transferring for work is a time when your life changes significantly. It might be a good opportunity to rethink how you interact with your body at that time.
Instead of just going out of habit because "I've been going there until now," think again about "what is the best way to attend that fits my new life." Reviewing your plan (see Day 72) and adjusting the frequency of your visits are also worth considering at this time.
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Summary of choosing a studio when moving:
✔ Check the transfer system if it is the same chain
✔ Check if membership information can be transferred
✔ If it is a different chain, go back to the basics of choosing a studio from scratch
✔ What you have learned with your body will not be lost even if the studio changes
✔ Maintain your physical condition with self-care during the transition period ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Choosing a chain that has locations nationwide is also a preparation for such "unexpected moves."
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▼ Compare Pilates studios near you
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Next time, I will write about the "changes in my partner's reaction" that I noticed while continuing Pilates.
Yuki/Living in Yokohama, 40s, desk worker. I started Pilates because I wanted to do something about my stiff shoulders and hunched back. I intend to write honestly about both the good and the bad.