I remember the first time I took an SLT class back in 2018. It was my first time on a Megaformer, and I couldn’t believe how much my muscles (all of them!) were shaking on the machine. The low impact, high intensity workout quickly became one of my favorites — I could tell I was getting stronger with every class and my performance improved in other workouts too. I was hooked!

Fast-forward to 2023: After close to three years of exercising at home due to the pandemic, I was so excited to finally venture back to SLT recently for a much-needed reintroduction to the Megaformer. Thankfully, all of the moves quickly came back to me, and it was like I never left. (And yes, Mega Donkey Kicks are still the bane of my existence. IYKYK.)

In addition to hopping back on the machine for a class, I also recently had the chance to chat with SLT founder Amanda Freeman about what inspired her to launch SLT, her advice on surviving your first Megaformer workout, what it takes for a brand to stay ahead of the fitness curve, and how she prioritizes her own wellness as an entrepreneur and mom. Read my Q&A with her below.

What inspired you to launch SLT? 

Prior to SLT, I had co-founded a business called Vital Juice. Vital Juice was an email newsletter company that delivered the latest in fitness, nutrition, beauty, and wellness to the inboxes of well-conscious women. While doing that, I became immersed in the emerging world of wellness. 

One of the trends that was just getting started was the idea of boutique fitness. Studios dedicated to offering the best version of one workout all day long was new and captivating. And while I loved the idea of them, I didn’t actually like the workouts that the existing studios in New York City delivered to clients. 

I wanted the “Pilates body” but with the experience of a spin studio. At the time, it didn’t exist. I found an incredible piece of fitness equipment called the Megaformer on a visit to Los Angeles and was immediately hooked. I knew I had to bring the machine and the amazing workout that can be done on it to NYC and beyond.  

What classes do you currently offer at SLT, and what does each type of class involve? 

Our signature workout is a 50-minute full body workout on the Megaformer. It’s the most efficient and effective low impact yet high intensity workout out there. We also have a studio called SLT Tread that offers a hybrid workout combining 25 minutes on the Megaformer with 25 minutes on the treadmill. 

What tips do you have for someone who’s new to Megaformer classes?

Reformer and Megaformer classes can be very intimidating for anyone new to the equipment. Some even say that the Megaformer resembles a torture device. Ha!  The key to starting out is to understand that there is a learning curve and that you won’t be able to keep up with the regulars — but if you stick with it, you will improve with every class and you will continue to get stronger while continuing to challenge yourself.  

I also recommend coming to a class that isn’t super busy — that way you get even more special attention, touch corrections, and modifications from the instructor. Lastly, come to class early. That way you’ll get a proper demo of the machine and all of its wonderful parts.  

You started SLT ahead of the big Pilates boom. What does it take for a brand to stay ahead of the curve in the fitness space? 

While I do think that continuing to innovate and evolve is important to a fitness brand, I think it’s even more important to continue to focus on delivering the best, most consistent experience that leads to results you can see and feel.  

Talent is also one of the keys to a successful brand that withstands the test of time.  Hiring the best talent, having top notch training, and having strong quality assurance procedures in place is key.   

Tell me more about your most recent fitness venture, Stretch*d, and why you decided to launch it. 

The idea for Stretch*d came from an observation I’d made. Every SLT class ends with a two-minute self-stretch guided by the instructor. On average, half the clients in the class skip the stretch and get right to wiping their machines down and leaving. 

However, if you go to a gym and watch someone work out with their trainer, they relish the end of their session when their trainer is stretching them out. While we all know we should be stretching on a regular basis, we don’t like self-stretching but we love assisted stretching.  

Given this phenomena, I wanted to create a space where you could pop in for an assisted stretch session with an expert Stretch*r for anywhere from a 15-minute post-workout stretch to a 55-minute mid-workday stretch. And Stretch*d is about more than just stretching — at our three spaces, we have a variety of recovery and self-care options on offer.

What do you think the future of boutique fitness holds in the post-pandemic world?

Boutique fitness is back with a vengeance from pandemic times. While people were forced to rethink their workout habits for a while and bring many of their favorite workouts home, we see a renewed appreciation for in-person fitness at boutique studios. 

In particular, workouts, like Pilates, that require very large and specialized pieces of fitness equipment, are popular post-pandemic. People are looking for workouts that are low intensity yet effective that they can do for years to come with minimal risk of injury. I expect to see this continue as people want to work out smarter, not harder.  

How is SLT changing the game when it comes to boutique fitness?

SLT is one of the OGs of the fitness industry, having been around for nearly 12 years. We were early movers in the “Betterformer” fitness space offering high intensity Pilates workouts. Our approach is unique in that we focus on offering the smartest, most effective, form focused, results-driven workout.  

How do you balance being an entrepreneur, a mom, and taking care of your own wellness? 

I live by a philosophy that I call “more, worse.”  I came up with it in reaction to learning about someone else’s life philosophy of “less, better.” In business school, I took a class called Women Building Businesses and was struck by how different it really is for a woman to build and run a business than for a man.

Each class consisted of a very successful woman running a Fortune 500 company speaking to the group about her career. There was always a Q&A and there was always a work/life balance question. And almost always there were tears. It struck me that each woman had sacrificed so much of her personal life to achieve her professional success.

One woman said that she had decided early on in her career that she would do “less, better.” She would prioritize her career and be amazing at it. Seeing the tears so consistently among these women led to my decision to do “more, worse.” I didn’t want to choose one aspect of my life at the expense of others. But, I realized that if you want to be number one at something, you have to give it 100% and other areas of your life will suffer.

My preference was to have both a fulfilling personal and professional life, so I’d have to settle for less than my best efforts in both areas — more, worse. 

Photos courtesy of SLT