FAQS
PILATES FAQS
THE STUDIO
Tempo 301 is a results-driven fitness philosophy that puts sustainability at its core. Our Reformer Pilates and H.I.I.T classes help you to become stronger over time – both mentally and physically.
With an emphasis on controlled movements curated to music, Tempo 301 delivers mindful, low-impact, strength-building workouts designed to tone the body, avoid injury and prolong physical health. Expect challenging yet fun workouts led by our esteemed instructors!
We have 3 different London Pilates Studios for you to choose from:
– E1 Shoreditch | Tempo Pilates
– E8 Hackney | Tempo Pilates
– SE17 Elephant and Castle | Tempo Pilates, Tempo HIIT, Massage and Facial Treatments
SE17 | Elephant and Castle
Tube: Elephant & Castle (5 min)
National Rail: Elephant and Castle Station (3 min) & London Bridge (20 min)
Buses: 53 ,453, 363 ,63,188 ,1,168 ,35,148
Parking: Parking Borough Station – Cole Street & Parking Elephant & Castle – Kennington Lane
E1 | Shoreditch
Tube: Liverpool Street or Old Street (14 min)
Overground: Shoreditch High Street (2 min)
Buses: 8, 26, 35, 42, 47, 48, 67, 78, 135, 149, 242, 344, 388
Parking: Sclater Street Car Park, Pay and display street parking.
E8 | Hackney
Overground: Hackney Central (7 min), London Fields (7 min), Hackney Downs (12 min)
Tube: Bethnal Green (25 min)
Buses: 30, 55, 106, 236, 242, 254, 276, 277, 388, 394, D6, W15
Parking: TBC
There are bike parking options in the vicinity of all our studios. Please note: The below bike parking does not belong to Tempo 301 and therefore bikes are parked at the owners’ risk.
E1 | Shoreditch
There is no bicycle parking directly outside the studio but there is parking available on Bethnal Green road which is very close. Or if you have a fold-up bike you may bring this into the studio with you.
E8 | Hackney
There are Sheffield stands on Reading Lane by Hackney Museum, fold-up bicycles are allowed in the studio.
SE17 | Elephant Park
There is ample bike parking in the Elephant Park development (Ash Avenue) and outside Sainsbury’s (New Kent Road). Or if you have a fold-up bike you may bring this into the studio with you.
Note: we do not have space for standard bikes to be stored in any of our studios. Remember to bring your bike lock to securely park your bike near to the studios.
We have changing rooms at all our locations with showers and lockers. Our SE17 | Elephant Park and E8 | Hackney studios are equipped with code combination lockers. Our E1 | Shoreditch studio also has lockers, however, to keep your belongings secure, please bring your own padlock or ask to borrow one from the front desk.
Tempo 301 studio facilities include state-of-the-art Dyson hairdryers, GHD hair straighteners and Neal’s Yard products. Showering towels are available to hire from reception for £1.
We are excited to share that you can now find a variety of luxury Neal’s Yard retail goods, available to purchase at our SE17, E8 and E1 pilates studios. From face serums to gift cards to supplements… we hope you love what we’ve got to offer as much as we do!
The Tempo 301 Gift Card is the perfect way to help someone you love become stronger whilst looking and feeling great.
Our gift cards can be used to purchase our Reformer Pilates classes, HIIT classes, Personal Training sessions, massage treatments or our wide range of retail products. Click here to purchase, and we then send them directly to your chosen recipient.
We like to keep in touch and share any special offers we have, but we promise we won’t inundate you with material. You always have the option to unsubscribe and we will never share your details with any other business. To sign up to our newsletter, click the link here and select “News and promos”
Should you wish to make a complaint, our Management Team would like to hear from you directly. For the purposes of clarity and fairness, to all parties, we do not accept verbal complaints. Please submit your complaint in writing to [email protected] and a member of our Management Team will respond to you directly.
Please be aware that our desk staff and our trainers are not authorised to deal with student complaints and have been instructed, by Management, to refer you as stated above.
BOOKING CLASSES & PACKAGES
Head to our studio pages here, click on you favourite studio and get booking.
Our timetables are open months in advance, so please feel free to take a look at our studio schedules and book your favourite classes with lots of time to spare!
We allocate three/four spaces on our waitlist for each class, increasing the likelihood of accommodating your preferences. Please be aware that waitlists close 13 hours before the scheduled start time of the class.
While obtaining a spot from the waitlist is not guaranteed, if a cancellation takes place before the waitlist closes, you will automatically be shifted from the waitlist to a spot in the class.
Upon successfully securing a spot, you will receive either an email or an automated text notification from MindBody (depending on your subscription selections) confirming you have been booked into the class. If you can no longer attend, you can simply reply “9” to the text/email to cancel.
You have to be at least 16 years old to attend both Tempo Pilates and Tempo HIIT classes.
The most common Pilates FAQ! Depending on fitness levels and ability, we suggest a minimum of two sessions a week to start. As strength and flexibility increase more classes can be added. For best results three times per week is advised.
For a balanced fitness schedule we recommend that you find a routine with both Pilates and HIIT classes.
All booked classes require 12 hours cancellation notice prior to a class or you will be charged in full.
Classes can be cancelled via your online account, email or call your preferred studio.
Elephant Park SE17 | [email protected] | 07881 746 243
Shoreditch E1 | [email protected] | 07798 586 925
Hackney E8 | [email protected] | 07563 578 165
Absolutely! You can swap classes anytime before the 12-hour cancellation window. Simply log in to your online account or reach out to the studio via call/email.
If it’s within the 12-hour window, you can switch to a class led by the same trainer on the same day. Please reach out to the studio and they will swap you over!
To swap to a class with a different trainer, it’s a drop-in only; a space won’t be reserved for you, but you are welcome to turn up to the class and we will do our best to fit you in.
At Tempo 301, we’re committed to delivering top-tier classes, with a zero-cancellation policy on our timetable. We take pride in providing you with the freedom to swap classes while maintaining a mutual commitment between you and our dedicated team. This ensures minimal schedule disruptions and provides you with a high-level experience, exceptional class standards, and a studio you love.
The expiry period of your package begins on the day of purchase. The expiry date will be noted when you select your package, on the receipt, and can also be found on by logging into your online account here.
If you are struggling to complete all of your classes before the expiry date, depending on the package you have purchased, we may have some options for you. Please contact the relevant studio to discuss.
TEMPO PILATES FAQs
Tempo Pilates provides all the benefits of the classic Pilates principles. With higher intensity and increased resistance, our classes will raise your heart rate, which means you will burn more calories with a full-body workout.
This technique is ideal for increased strength, long lean muscle tone, increased energy and is also great for your mind!
Joseph Pilates was originally a gymnast, diver, and bodybuilder, but when he moved to England in 1912, he earned a living as a professional boxer, circus performer, and self-defence trainer at police schools and Scotland Yard. Nevertheless, the British authorities interned him during World War I along with other German citizens in an internment camp, first in Lancaster Castle where he taught wrestling and self-defence, boasting that his students would emerge stronger than they were before their internment. It was here that he began refining and teaching his minimal equipment system of mat exercises that later became “Contrology”. He was then transferred to another internment camp on the Isle of Man. During this involuntary break, he began to intensively develop his concept of an integrated, comprehensive system of physical exercise, which he himself called “Contrology.” He studied yoga and the movements of animals and trained his fellow inmates in fitness and exercises. It is said that these inmates survived the 1918 flu pandemic due to their good physical shape. Read more on Wikipedia.
For many, these eight principles are the foundation of the Pilates approach to exercise. Their application to the Pilates method of exercise is part of what makes it unique.
Concentration – brings full attention to the exercise and does it with full commitment, maximum value will be obtained.
Control – movement is done with complete muscular control.
Precision – body awareness is sustained throughout each movement, appropriate placement, and alignment relative to other body parts.
Breathing – pilates exercises coordinate with the breath, and using the breath properly is an integral part of the movement.
Centering – physically bringing the focus to the center of the body, the powerhouse area between the lower ribs and pubic bone. Pilates exercises are sourced from the center.
Flow – the flow of movement brings better concentration, control, breath, and precision and requires centring. The Reformer machines are very good mirrors of flow and concentration as they tend to bang around and suddenly become “machine-like” if one loses one’s control and flow.
Challenge – reformer pilates aim to challenge body and mind with each controlled movement connected to the breath.
Pace – slow controlled movement to improve form and maximise the time muscle remains under tension.
This allows us to offer a safe and effective full-body workout using a wide range of pilates exercises. You will use your own resistance, in addition to the resistance provided by the machine’s springs, to tone the powerhouse and focus on building core strength.
We suggest wearing comfortable clothing, with some stretch that allows your body to move easily. It is important that our trainers are able to check your form during the class, so try not to wear anything that is too loose fitting.
We recommend that our students wear grip socks in class to avoid slipping and to help your positioning (as well as for hygiene reasons).
Our Tempo Pilates grip socks are available to buy at reception. Water and towels are also available to purchase/hire.
We look forward to seeing you in class soon!
Our L1 Tempo Pilates classes are suitable for beginners and intermediates alike. As our classes are small, trainers will give you personal attention and can guide you to perform exercises whilst considering your individual needs/goals. It is likely that you will find other beginners in this class, so you won’t feel alone in your introduction to the Tempo Pilates method.
If you would prefer, we also offer Beginner only classes at our E1 and SE17 studios. Please note, these classes are a workshop; the music is softer with more explanation and demonstration than in a regular Tempo Pilates class.
All of our Tempo Pilates classes are 55 minutes in length and taught on the reformer. Our classes are small, with a maximum of 11/12 students per class, allowing our trainers to give you personal attention and guide you to perform exercises whilst considering your individual needs and goals.
Beginner’s Only – designed for new students to the Tempo Pilates method or Pilates in general. These classes will teach you our core repertoire and allow you to learn the Tempo Pilates method with other newcomers at a slower pace, in a workshop-style class.
Contemporary – This class combines classical and modern exercises, with a heavy focus on flow. Music is provided in the background rather than being the sole focus, allowing students to follow their own rhythm, ideal if you are new to exercise, returning to exercise after injury or childbirth or have a busy and stressful lifestyle.
L1 – Ideal for beginners and intermediates alike, the first 30 minutes of the class follows our signature Tempo Pilates repertoire, specifically designed to warm up the body whilst strengthening your core. The second half of the class is the individual trainer’s freestyle, meaning you’ll never get the same class twice.
L2 – These classes build on the strength gained in our L1 classes and are intense, with less rest and more challenges, incorporating new exercises. Choose this class if you’re ready to take it up a level.
L3 – L3 Up-Tempo reformer Pilates classes are ideal for students already familiar with the Tempo Pilates method and are not for the beginner or the faint-hearted; an unapologetic, “tough love” class that challenges your core, flexibility, stamina and overall body strength to its maximum capacity.
As a general guide, you should be able to move from an L1 class into an L2 class when you are taking all the intermediate options in an L1 class and feel ready for more of a challenge. You should then be able to move from an L2 into an L3 class when you are taking all of the advanced options in an L2 class and want to be more challenged.
Remember our L2/L3 classes are much more intense, with less rest and more challenges than our Level 1 classes. You can expect more variety of movements on the reformer so you should really feel confident with the fundamentals in the Tempo Pilates Method before progressing to the next class level. If you are unsure, please speak to your trainer and they will be able to help support you on your Tempo Pilates fitness journey.
We recommend attending at least one L1 class before attending an L2 class; and one L1 and L2 class before attending our L3 classes if you are new to Tempo, regardless of your previous Pilates experience.
Our personal training sessions are delivered by our expert trainers and are designed specifically for each student. So whether you prefer a gentler session; or you simply want to work on specific exercises to refine your form… we have a bespoke session just for you.
Please contact your preferred studio to book with your favourite trainer.
Elephant Park SE17 | [email protected] | 07881 746 243
Shoreditch E1 | [email protected] | 07798 586 925
Hackney E8 | [email protected] | 07563 578 165
Numerous professional athletes across a wide range of sports have added flexibility and core strengthening to their existing fitness routines by using Pilates. It reduces the risk of injury, enhances body conditioning and improves performance. In addition, many of our clients find the variety and intensity of our classes to be the perfect toning complement to cardio training.
Classic pilates tends to focus on subtle, slow and controlled movements with low reps. The introduction of Tempo Pilates, however, allows our students to gain all the benefits of classic pilates principles but due to the higher intensity and increase in resistance your heart rate tends to raise more, allowing more calorie burn. This technique is also ideal for increased strength and long lean muscle tone. Results can be seen within ten sessions.
I am trying to become pregnant: If you are trying to become pregnant, you can attend any Tempo Pilates class. Please inform us (in confidence) once your pregnancy has been confirmed so that we can provide you with the best possible care and advice.
During my pregnancy: During your pregnancy, we will advise you to attend our Beginner/Intermediate and/or Contemporary classes with one of our experienced antenatal trainers. Please note that once you reach week 16 of your pregnancy we will require you to attend a one-to-one session with one of our antenatal qualified trainers (contact the relevant studio for more information), where you will be instructed in the necessary modifications to continue attending our classes.
After I have given birth: After giving birth we advise that you can attend Beginner/Intermediate classes and/or Contemporary classes after 6 weeks post-medical clearance.
If I have a caesarean: Should you have a caesarean, we advise that you wait 12 weeks prior to returning to classes post-medical clearance.
I am new to Tempo Pilates: If you are pregnant (and reaching your 16th week of pregnancy) and you are new to Tempo Pilates, you will be limited to our personal training sessions and/or Contemporary classes.
TEMPO HIIT FAQs
The aim of our 45-minute Tempo HIIT classes is to get your heart rate up quickly, improve blood flow and oxygen to your muscles, and burn more calories.
High-intensity interval training, or H.I.I.T, is a form of physical training that intersperses short periods of intense exercise with periods of rest or less intense exercise. Our Tempo HIIT method can easily be modified for people of all fitness levels.
Tempo HIIT is a fun and challenging way to gain muscle and work up a sweat without the chaos of interval training!
Tempo HIIT focuses on low impact, time under tension strength movements, and HIIT (cardio) in a circuits based environment. Tempo 301 | SE17 Studio 2, is divided into 3 Zones with a maximum of 8 students per zone. Each zone consists of cardio and resistance equipment, including the following:
– Air Bikes
– Rowers
– Spin Bikes
– 2-15kg dumbbells
A sweat towel will be waiting for you at the start of each class, please collect from front desk. Towels for showering are available to rent from reception for £1.
Tempo HIIT Classes will physically challenge you to focus on and improve your entire body strength with our meticulously planned workout program. The class focuses on the correct ratio of short bursts of high-intensity cardio combined with rest intervals while being low-impact and sustainable for your body in the long term. With the avoidance of impact cardio work, you will feel an improvement in cardiovascular fitness while avoiding any aggravation in your joints.
Our skillful trainers are experienced in providing you with the adjustments required to adapt your movements to your current physical state, ensuring that you experience support through each controlled movement. If you have an injury or are recovering from one, please speak to your trainer who will advise how to modify exercises so you remain safe during your workout.
No there is no running in our HIIT workouts, London. Our Tempo Fitness philosophy is to create classes that are sustainable and include low-impact to impact-free movements avoiding stress on the joints, especially the knees. Instead, we have spinning, rowing and air cycling as alternative cardio options.
We recommend comfortable fitness gear, trainers and a water bottle. We will provide a complimentary sweat towel.
Absolutely! Our Tempo HIIT classes are accessible to everyone and we’d love for you to join us. Please speak to your trainer if you have questions before the class; they’d be happy to help you.
We recommend arriving at least 15 minutes early, so we can show you around and run through the equipment.
During high-intensity interval training (i.e. HIIT workouts) you can burn more calories than more traditional workouts and raise your metabolic rate. One study has shown that high-intensity interval workouts burn 25–30% more calories than other forms of exercise. HIIT training also increases your resting metabolic rate, so you can burn more calories once your workout is complete.
It is an effective way to burn fat and calories in a short period, and the best news is… Tempo HIIT can easily be modified for people of all fitness levels.
Some of the benefits of High-Intensity Interval Training include:
– improving your mental health
– burning calories and body fat
– Increasing your strength and lean muscle
– Improving cardiovascular health and lowering cholesterol
– Lowering your blood sugar and blood pressure
– improving your stamina
Unfortunately, we are not able to accommodate pregnant students in our group HIIT classes at this time. However, we can offer strength-only PT sessions dependent on trainer availability. Please contact our SE17 studio to book: Elephant Park SE17 | [email protected] | 07881 746 243.
You can return to class 6 weeks after birth (if no complications) or 12 weeks after birth (if Caesarean). Please ensure you have been signed off by your doctor.
Our strength/cardio personal training sessions are delivered by our expert trainers and are designed specifically for each student. So whether you prefer a gentler session; or you simply want to work on specific HIIT exercises to refine your form… we have a bespoke session just for you.
Please contact our SE17 studio to book with your favourite Tempo HIIT trainer:
Elephant Park SE17 | [email protected] | 07881 746 243
Please visit our Pricing page here to view our Tempo HIIT specific packages, all of our other packages can also be used to book Tempo HIIT classes… so you have a variety of options to choose from.
