What to know
- A Toronto-based Pilates company, LSD°R Studios, is expanding from its King Street West location to a larger second studio on Yonge Street, north of Davenport, opening March 28.
- The new space will offer reformer-based Pilates with a strong emphasis on breath work, along with immersive elements like headphones and a multi-sensory environment focused on sight, sound and scent.
- The studio will also introduce red light therapy and other techniques designed to enhance workouts, recovery and overall experience.
A pilates studio in Toronto is expanding, bringing new reformation techniques to a north-end Toronto neighbourhood.
LSD°R Studios is a modern pilates studio that began on King Street West near Bathurst. After a year in their initial location, co-founder Jacqueline DiRenzo said the company opened their second, bigger location on Yonge Street St, north of Davenport Rd.
With the new location, DiRenzo said LSD°R hopes to introduce new techniques for attendees looking to work on multiple areas of their bodies.
“What makes us different is we are a reformer-based Pilates studio, an athletic style reformer as well, but what makes us a little bit different is largely our breath work,” DiRenzo explained. “It’s largely designed to acclimate the nervous system for a really challenging workout and then down regulate the nervous system after class.”
She said LSD°R focuses on multiple senses, even incorporating the use of headphones in some classes.
“Our whole mantra is really sight, sound and scent,” DiRenzo said. “We’ve carried something custom and lovely to experience inside the space… the headphones kind of play into that sound aspect.”
She explained it allows attendees to have a little bit of private time in the community.
“The voice comes through really clearly,” DiRenzo said. “You can balance the volume so you’re always in control and because of the noise cancelling aspect, it just really allows you to go inward and have that true, sort of immersive experience.”
Additionally, DiRenzo said the new studio will be implementing red light therapy, a method that uses infrared light to boost cell energy, increase blood circulation and stimulate collagen production for skin benefits.
DiRenzon said these added methods in the new space will make their pilates studio stand out from the rest.
“LSD°R is really just sort of the brainchild of a lot of years of experience in boutique fitness, where we know we wanted to curate a very particular experience, and so we’re just excited for people to try it and hopefully enjoy [it].”
LSD°R Studio officially opened on the second floor of 1073 Yonge St, on March 28.
