Red Light Therapy Pilates & Barre: What Is It and What Are the Benefits?

Pilates and Barre are already known for controlled movement, strength, stability and low-impact conditioning. But what happens when you combine these workouts with red and near-infrared light?

Welcome to Red Light Pilates and Red Light Barre — a fitness experience bringing together movement and photobiomodulation in one workout.

At The London Academy of Dance (TLAD) in Southwark, London, we've introduced Red Light Pilates and Barre as part of our fitness and wellness programme, with private sessions, group classes and standalone Red Light Recovery sessions available.

But what exactly is Red Light Therapy, what are its potential benefits, and why combine it with Pilates or Barre?

Let's take a closer look.

What Is Red Light Therapy?

Red Light Therapy uses specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light. It is also commonly referred to as photobiomodulation (PBM).

Photobiomodulation has attracted increasing interest in sport, exercise and recovery research, with researchers investigating its potential effects on muscular performance, fatigue, post-exercise soreness and recovery.

Importantly, Red Light Therapy isn't the same as using a sunbed. Red and near-infrared light treatments do not rely on the ultraviolet (UV) radiation used for tanning.

What Is Red Light Therapy Pilates?

Red Light Pilates combines Mat Pilates with exposure to red and near-infrared light during the workout.

Instead of simply lying underneath red light, you're moving.

A typical Red Light Pilates class can include familiar Pilates exercises designed to work the core, glutes, legs and upper body while developing control and stability.

The result is a workout combining two different elements: the established physical benefits of Pilates and the emerging field of photobiomodulation.

At TLAD, our 40-minute Red Light Pilates classes focus on:

• Core strength

• Stability

• Controlled movement

• Mobility

• Posture

• Balance

• Muscular endurance

• Full-body conditioning

Because Pilates is naturally low impact and based around controlled movements, it works particularly well within a Red Light fitness environment.

What Is Red Light Barre?

If Pilates is about control, Red Light Barre brings a little more burn.

Red Light Barre combines ballet-inspired fitness exercises with red and near-infrared light.

Expect small but challenging movements including pulses, holds, squats, leg work and core exercises designed to build muscular endurance.

Red Light Barre particularly targets the:

• Glutes

• Legs and thighs

• Core

• Upper body

It can also challenge balance, stability and posture.

And despite the name, you absolutely do not need to be a dancer or have ballet experience to take a Barre class.

Barre takes inspiration from ballet technique but transforms those principles into an accessible fitness workout.

What Are the Potential Benefits of Red Light Therapy and Exercise?

This is where things get particularly interesting.

Photobiomodulation has been researched in connection with exercise and athletic performance, although research is continuing and outcomes can vary depending on factors including wavelength, dose, exposure and timing.

1. Muscle Recovery

One of the areas researchers have explored is whether photobiomodulation can support recovery of muscular function following exercise.

This makes Red Light Therapy particularly interesting within fitness environments, where recovery can be just as important as the workout itself.

2. Post-Exercise Muscle Soreness

That familiar soreness you experience a day or two after a challenging workout is often referred to as delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS.

Research has investigated whether photobiomodulation used around exercise may help reduce exercise-induced muscular soreness under certain protocols.

3. Muscular Performance

Another area of research involves muscular performance.

Studies have explored whether applying red and near-infrared light before or around exercise may influence measures such as muscular endurance, fatigue and recovery of strength.

That doesn't mean Red Light Therapy is a shortcut to becoming stronger.

Your training still does the work.

But it explains why photobiomodulation has attracted attention within sport, fitness and recovery.

Why Combine Red Light Therapy With Pilates?

Pilates and Red Light Therapy make an interesting combination because Pilates is already focused on controlled, intentional movement.

Rather than rushing through repetitions, Pilates encourages you to think about how your body is moving.

Exercises can challenge deep core strength, stability, coordination and muscular control without requiring high-impact movements.

A Red Light Pilates class therefore creates an environment where movement and recovery-focused technology exist within the same session.

It's particularly appealing for people who want something different from a conventional gym workout.

Why Combine Red Light Therapy With Barre?

Barre challenges the muscles differently.

Those tiny pulses and long holds might look simple from the outside, but anyone who has taken a Barre class knows how quickly they can become challenging.

Because Barre focuses heavily on muscular endurance and controlled repetitions, combining it with a Red Light environment creates a distinctive boutique fitness experience.

It's ideal if you enjoy workouts that target the legs, glutes and core without jumping or other high-impact movements.

Red Light Pilates vs Red Light Barre: Which Should You Choose?

It depends on the type of workout you enjoy.

Choose Red Light Pilates if you want to focus particularly on core strength, stability, mobility and controlled full-body movement.

Choose Red Light Barre if you love pulses, holds and strength-based movements with more emphasis on the glutes, legs and muscular endurance.

Or don't choose at all.

Alternating between Pilates and Barre can bring variety to your weekly fitness routine.

Can Beginners Do Red Light Pilates or Barre?

Yes.

You don't need previous Pilates experience to start Red Light Pilates, and you certainly don't need ballet experience to try Red Light Barre.

Exercises can be modified or progressed according to experience and fitness level.

If you're completely new to Pilates or Barre and would prefer more individual guidance, a private session can also be a useful way to learn technique before joining group classes.

Private vs Group Red Light Pilates & Barre

There are advantages to both.

Private Red Light Sessions

A private session gives you one-to-one attention from an instructor.

The workout can be adapted around your ability, goals and experience, and your instructor can spend more time correcting technique and progressing exercises.

At TLAD, private Red Light Pilates and Barre sessions last 40 minutes.

Group Red Light Classes

If you prefer the atmosphere and motivation of exercising alongside others, you can join a 40-minute Group Red Light Pilates or Red Light Barre class.

Our classes are kept small to maintain a more intimate boutique fitness experience.

Can You Use Red Light Therapy Without Exercising?

Absolutely.

You don't necessarily need to combine red light with a workout.

At TLAD, we also offer 20-minute self-guided Red Light Recovery sessions.

Instead of completing a Pilates or Barre workout, you can simply lie down and spend dedicated time under the red and near-infrared light.

This makes it easy to incorporate Red Light sessions alongside an existing Pilates, dance, Barre or fitness routine.

Is Red Light Therapy Safe?

Red Light Therapy does not use the UV radiation associated with tanning beds, but that doesn't mean every treatment is automatically appropriate for every person.

People with certain medical conditions, photosensitivity or those taking medications that increase sensitivity to light should seek appropriate medical advice before using Red Light Therapy.

The manufacturer's recommended exposure times and safety instructions for the specific Red Light equipment being used should also always be followed.

Is Red Light Therapy a Medical Treatment?

At TLAD, Red Light Therapy is offered as a complementary fitness and wellness modality, not as a treatment or cure for medical conditions.

Research into photobiomodulation continues to develop, and individual results vary.

We therefore don't promise that taking a Red Light class will cure an injury, eliminate pain, cause weight loss or produce any particular medical outcome.

Instead, think of it as another element you can incorporate into a wider approach to movement, fitness and recovery.

Where Can I Try Red Light Pilates and Barre in London?

You can experience Red Light Pilates, Red Light Barre and Red Light Recovery at The London Academy of Dance in Southwark, London SE1.

Our location is convenient for people living or working around Southwark, London Bridge, Borough and Waterloo.

We offer:

Group Red Light Pilates — 40 minutes

Group Red Light Barre — 40 minutes

Private Red Light Pilates — 60 minutes

Private Red Light Barre — 60 minutes

Red Light Recovery — 20 minutes

Whether you want the energy of a group class, individual attention from an instructor or simply dedicated recovery time, you can choose the Red Light experience that works for you.

Ready to Try Pilates in a Different Light?

Pilates and Barre don't need reinventing — but changing the environment in which we experience them can create something completely different. BOOK NOW

Move. Sculpt. Strengthen. Recover.

Discover Red Light Pilates & Barre at The London Academy of Dance in Southwark, London.

View our Red Light classes and book your session today.

Does Pilates Actually Build Strength?

It's the doubt almost everyone has before their first class: isn't Pilates just… gentle stretching? Nice for flexibility, good for your posture, but not something that actually makes you stronger — not like lifting weights does.

It's a fair question, and it deserves an honest answer rather than a sales pitch. So here it is: yes, Pilates builds real strength — but a particular kind, and it's worth understanding which kind before you decide it's not for you.

The kind of strength Pilates builds

Pilates isn't stretching. Every controlled movement asks your muscles to work — slowly, precisely, and often for longer than you'd expect. What it builds especially well:

• Deep core and stabilising strength — the muscles that hold your spine, pelvis, and hips steady. This is the "foundation" strength that makes everything else in your body work better, and it's exactly what most gym programmes skip.

• Muscular endurance — the ability to hold, control, and repeat, rather than just lift once and stop.

• Functional strength — strength you actually use: carrying, bending, standing tall, moving without pain.

• Balance and control — strength that shows up in how steady and capable your body feels day to day.

  
  

The NHS lists strength alongside flexibility and balance as core benefits of Pilates, and it counts toward the recommendation to do muscle-strengthening activity at least twice a week.

What Pilates won't do

We'd rather tell you straight. Mat Pilates, on its own, isn't built to pile on visible muscle the way heavy barbell training is. As Cleveland Clinic puts it, Pilates focuses more on toning and endurance than on bulking — and it lays a strong foundation that makes every other kind of training safer and more effective.

So if your one goal is maximum size and maximum load, Pilates alone won't be your whole answer. For nearly everyone else — people who want to feel strong, stable, capable, and pain-free, and who want a body that works — it does exactly that. And it does it without wrecking your joints or leaving you too sore to move.

"But is it enough?" — where Strong Pilates comes in

Here's the part most people don't realise: if you love how Pilates feels but you want more — more resistance, more challenge, more of that muscles-actually-worked feeling — you don't have to leave Pilates to get it. You just add load.

That's exactly what Strong Pilates is. It keeps everything that makes Pilates work — the control, the precision, an instructor watching your form — and adds resistance bands, light weights, and Pilates rings so your muscles work harder through the same controlled movements. If you're curious how that plays out in a class, we break it down in What Is Strong Pilates, and if you're weighing it against the classic version, Strong Pilates vs Mat Pilates walks you through it.

The honest path for most people: start with mat to build the foundation, then add load as you get stronger. Both live under one roof.

Try it near London Bridge

Our Pilates classes run at our studio on Copperfield Street in Southwark SE1 — minutes from Borough, London Bridge, and Waterloo. Whether you start with Mat to build your base or jump into Strong for more of a challenge, classes are kept small so your instructor can actually see you and meet you where you are. No experience needed, complete beginners welcome — £10 a class, no membership.

You don't have to decide today whether Pilates is "enough." Come try one, feel what your body does over a few weeks, and let that answer the question. We'd love to have you.

Not sure which class to start with? Have a look at everything we offer — there's no wrong place to begin.

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FAQ

Does Pilates build strength?

Yes — Pilates builds real strength, especially deep core, stabilising, and functional strength, plus muscular endurance. It's recognised by the NHS as a strengthening activity. It focuses on tone and control rather than building bulk.

Can Pilates make you stronger without weights?

Yes. Mat Pilates uses your own bodyweight as resistance and is genuinely effective for core and functional strength. If you want more of a strength challenge, Strong Pilates adds bands, light weights, and rings.

Is Pilates a good workout, or just stretching?

It's a proper workout. The movements are controlled and precise, which makes them harder than they look — you'll feel your muscles working. It's not stretching, though it does improve flexibility along the way.

Is Pilates enough on its own?

For most people who want to feel strong, stable, and pain-free, yes. If your specific goal is maximum muscle size, you'd pair it with heavier resistance training — and Pilates makes that training safer and more effective.

Which class should I start with for strength?

Start with Mat Pilates to build your foundation, then move to Strong Pilates for added resistance as you progress. Both are suitable for beginners and cost £10 with no membership.

Pilates for Pregnancy Back Pain: Gentle Relief, and a Room That Understands

If your back has started aching in a way it never used to — a dull heaviness low down, a twinge when you stand from a chair, a stiffness that settles in by the evening — you're in good company. Between half and two-thirds of pregnant women experience back pain at some point, and for many it's one of the least talked-about, most wearing parts of pregnancy.

The good news, and really it's good: you don't have to just put up with it. Gentle, guided movement is one of the most effective things you can do — and it's one of the few things the NHS and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists actively recommend. This is a caring, no-pressure guide to why your back hurts, what actually helps, and where to find a class near London Bridge where someone keeps a proper eye on you.

Why pregnancy does this to your back

None of this is your fault, and none of it means anything is wrong. Your body is doing exactly what it's supposed to:

• Your ligaments soften. A hormone called relaxin loosens the joints of your pelvis and lower back to make room for your baby and prepare for birth. Looser joints mean less stability, and your muscles work harder to compensate.

• Your centre of gravity shifts forward. As your bump grows, your posture changes and your lower back curves more to balance the weight. That extra curve is a common source of ache.

• Your deep core stretches. The muscles that normally support your spine from the inside are gradually stretched around your growing uterus, so your back loses some of its natural support.

Understanding this matters because once you know why it's happening, the fix makes sense: gently rebuild the support your back has lost, and move in ways that work with these changes instead of against them. That's exactly what Pilates does.

How Pilates eases the ache

Pilates is almost tailor-made for this. It's low-impact, endlessly adaptable, and it targets precisely the areas pregnancy affects most:

• Deep core support — it retrains the muscles that stabilise your spine, so your lower back stops carrying the load alone.

• Pelvic floor — a strong, coordinated pelvic floor supports the weight of your pregnancy and is central to a comfortable back (and to recovery later).

• Posture — it strengthens the muscles that counteract the forward pull of your bump, easing that lower-back curve.

• Breath and calm — slow, breath-led movement releases the tension that pain quietly builds up in your shoulders, hips, and back.

Many women tell us they feel a difference in how "held" and supported their back feels within just a few sessions. Not a miracle — just consistent, sensible movement doing what it does. If you'd like the fuller picture of what a class involves and how it's kept safe, our guide to prenatal Pilates and whether it's right for you walks through it trimester by trimester.

First, the caring bit of honesty

We'd never want you to push through something that needs proper care. So before anything else:

Have a quick word with your GP or midwife before starting a new class — standard advice, and they'll know your pregnancy.

Some pain needs more than movement. If your back pain is severe, came on suddenly, or comes with bleeding, a fever, or pain when you wee, please seek medical advice promptly rather than heading to a class. And if the pain is really in your pelvis — the front or back of it, around the joints — that can be pelvic girdle pain (PGP), which an obstetric physiotherapist can help with (your GP or midwife can refer you).

A good prenatal class works alongside that care, never instead of it — and a properly trained instructor will always adapt around whatever you tell them.

A few gentle things that help between classes

While a guided class is where the real, tailored work happens, these are kind to your back day to day:

• Bend your knees and keep your back straight when lifting; let your legs do the work.

• Sit with your bottom right back in the chair and something supporting your lower back.

• Avoid standing still for long stretches, and try not to lie flat on your back for long periods after around 16 weeks.

• Rest when you can. This isn't a time to earn anything.

For more of these, the NHS back pain in pregnancy page is a lovely, sensible resource.

Where to come, near London Bridge

Our Prenatal Pilates classes run at our studio on Copperfield Street in Southwark SE1 — a few minutes' walk from Borough, London Bridge, and Waterloo. They're taught by instructors with specialist ante- and postnatal qualifications, kept deliberately small so you're actually seen and supported, and every exercise is adapted to your stage of pregnancy and to your back. No experience needed. No membership, no commitment — classes are £10, and you can simply book a single one and see how your body feels afterwards.

Honestly, the thing regulars mention most isn't the exercise. It's the room. Being among other women going through the same thing — the same aches, the same questions, the same strange, wonderful in-between — turns out to matter as much as anything. You're very welcome in it.

Come and try a class— we'd love to look after you.

And when your baby arrives: your body will need a different kind of care, and we've got you there too — from safely returning to exercise after birth to Mama & Baby Pilates, where your little one comes along. It's the same community, a few months on. And when you are ready to leave a little one for an hour or so, our fitness classes is a great way to get back to it.

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FAQ

Is it safe to do Pilates for back pain while pregnant?

For most straightforward pregnancies, yes — gentle, guided Pilates is one of the forms of exercise most often recommended in pregnancy, and it's especially suited to easing back pain. Always check with your GP or midwife first, and tell your instructor your trimester and about your back so they can adapt.

When will Pilates start helping my back?

Everyone is different, but many women notice their back feels more supported within a few sessions. Consistency helps more than intensity — a gentle class you attend regularly does more than an occasional hard one.

Which trimester can I start in?

Any, once you've been cleared by your GP or midwife. Many women start in the second trimester when early tiredness has eased, but earlier and later are both fine with the right modifications.

What if my pain is in my pelvis, not my back?

That may be pelvic girdle pain (PGP), which is common and very manageable. Let your instructor know, and ask your GP or midwife about a referral to an obstetric physiotherapist. Classes can often continue alongside that care, adapted to keep you comfortable.

Do I need experience or a membership?

Neither. Our prenatal classes welcome complete beginners, cost £10, and need no membership — you can book a single class.