Frequently Asked Questions
Welcome to our FAQ page, where we aim to provide answers to common questions about RTR Pilates and our studio locations. Whether you’re new to Pilates or a seasoned practitioner, we hope you find this information helpful. If you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Pilates Classes
About the Studios
All of our Pilates classes are on the Allegro II reformer machines. The reformers add resistance to your workout to help you build strength without adding bulk. Reformer Pilates also improves flexibility, balance and coordination.
- The Potomac studio (9812 Falls Road Suite 200 – above Moby Dicks) has ample parking; clients are welcome to park either in the main lot in front of the shopping center or in the back lot behind the shopping center.
- The Palisades, D.C. studio (5185 MacArthur Blvd – near Starbucks) has free, 1-2 hour street parking available along MacArthur Blvd and going North along Arizona Ave. Additionally, there are 4 free spots available along the brick wall in the shopping complex.
- The Chevy Chase studio (5406 Wisconsin Avenue – above Whole Foods & same retail plaza with Bloomingdales) has a paid parking garage with entrances on Friendship Blvd and Willard Ave. The rate for 0-1 hours is $3.00; the rate for 1-2 hours is $6.00. There is also metered and free street parking available in the area.
- The McLean studio (6254 Old Dominion Dr. – In the Safeway parking lot, adjacent to Southblock) has ample parking in the Chesterbrook Shopping Center parking lot.
- The Great Falls studio (9849 Georgetown Pike – In the same shopping center with Safeway & Starbucks) has ample parking in the Great Falls Shopping Center parking lot.
No, childcare is not available at any of our studios. We do not have enough studio space to be able to accommodate children in a safe manner. Please leave the kiddos at home!
Gift Cards
In the mobile app, click the person on the bottom right, then click on payment methods and Redeem a Gift Card, enter number and save.
Monthly Memberships
RTR Pilates has tiered membership options. Click this link to view. https://rtrpilates.com/rates/
Memberships are for single use and cannot be shared. Memberships can only be associated with one email address and each membership account must have a unique address and login.
Yes, members can take as many classes per day as they would like. The limit of your membership is the number of classes you subscribe to in a billing cycle period. For example, if you are signed up for a Monthly-12, you can take 12 classes during your membership month until all twelve classes are utilized, multiple classes in one day are permitted.
Late canceled classes (canceled within 12-hours of the start time of the scheduled class) count against all packages/memberships/drop-ins. No additional fee is incurred except for loss of class credit.
Early canceled classes (canceled prior to 12-hours of the start time of the scheduled) DO NOT count against any package/membership/drop-in.
Add-on classes for all memberships are charged at a rate of $20 per class. When a membership is exceeded, it will say you are out of class credits. The next step is to purchase the Drop In/Member Add on which will show the full price of $40, but will discount at checkout to $20 for all members. You will not be able to book beyond the allotted classes until the add-on class is purchased. In addition, as soon as you book a class, it pulls from your Monthly allotment.
They do not roll over. If you don’t use all of your membership classes during a billing cycle you will lose those credits.
Absolutely! Go to https://rtrpilates.com/suspend/ and be sure to read through all of the guidelines and restrictions before submitting your request.
Go to https://rtrpilates.com/cancel/ to view our cancellation requirements. Please note that we do require a 30- day’s notice prior to your next billing date. For example, if your billing date is the 15th of each month and you’d like to cancel by November 15th, then your request must be submitted no later than October 15th. Requests submitted less than 30 days prior to the next billing date will be honored for the following billing cycle.
Credit cards may be updated from a desktop browser or the app.
Annual memberships do not limit you per month. For example, the Annual 8 Membership gives you 96 classes to use however you’d like in one year. Therefore, there is no need for suspensions (yay!) with yearly packages and no refunds. In addition, they are purchased at a 10% discount from the monthly membership!
Pick a Spot allows you to reserve your favorite reformer when you schedule your class! Please note this feature is not available on ClassPass.
Getting Started
Signing up is a breeze with our online scheduling system! Click here to create an account. ALL NEW CLIENTS SHOULD START WITH A LEVEL 1 CLASS. To schedule on the go, download our RTR Pilates app to your smartphone where you can purchase a package, sign up for classes, and manage your schedule all from your device.
ALL NEW CLIENTS SHOULD START WITH A LEVEL 1 OR LEVEL 1+ CLASS
Absolutely! Our Level 1 classes are specifically designed for beginners — no experience necessary. Don’t hesitate to tell the instructor it’s your first time; they’ll be able to keep an eye on your form and help you with any questions. We recommend arriving a few minutes early so the instructor can introduce you to the Pilates Reformer and equipment we use in class. Also, be sure to have grip socks!
Not necessarily. While taking classes through RTR will be helpful, it’s not required. Whatever your background and experience, training will give you the necessary tools to learn Pilates and how to teach a great class.
Pilates is a great workout for all fitness levels! However, you do need to be at least 16 years of age in order to take a RTR Pilates class, and at least 4’11” tall in order to be able to comfortably operate the reformer.
Regardless of experience we that everyone take at least one Level 1 or Level 1+ class when coming to our studio for the first time. Teaching style and terminology can differ from studio to studio, so there may be aspects of the higher-level classes that you are not familiar with.
Comfort is key. Think tank tops, yoga pants, leggings, etc. Overly baggy clothing can make it difficult for the instructors to see your form, so fitted clothing is best. Please refrain from wearing jewelry and other loose accessories.
Don’t forget grip socks!
Grip socks are required in all classes! The grip socks help with your safety and stability on the machine, as well as cleanliness. ToeSox and Tavi Noir brand grip socks are sold at all of our studios starting at just $20 per pair, and may be purchased with a credit or debit card at the self-checkout station in each studio.
Clients that require supportive footwear for class due to injury or other health issues must provide a current doctor’s note, low profile, low tread, studio ONLY shoes that have been approved by the RTR Managment team.
Interested in Becoming an Instructor?
If you’re interested in becoming a Pilates instructor, please visit https://rtrpilates.com/training/ for more information on instructor training opportunities.
Billing and Account Information
You can update your billing information in the mobile app by clicking the person on the bottom right, click payment methods, add new card, save.
ALL SALES ARE FINAL, and refunds will not be provided for classes. We allow transfers to a family member or friend only for drop-in classes and 5 or 10 class packs.
Unfortunately, we do not have the ability to change any reservations made through ClassPass in our system. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience. If you have any issues regarding your reservation made through ClassPass, you must contact ClassPass directly at info@classpass.com.
- New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King Day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day — July 4th
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Eve — ½ day
- Christmas Day — December 25th
- New Year’s Eve — ½ day
Perkville
Perkville is a rewards system that allows you to earn points for attending classes or interacting with us via social media. You automatically accrue points with Perkville by attending classes and referring friends, you even get 100 points on your birthday! Perkville points can be redeemed for RTR freebies such as drop-in classes and guest passes. To sign up, Perkville will send you an email after you attend your first class. If you think you’ve missed that initial email, just go to www.perkville.com and login using the same email address and password you use to login for Pilates so you can start tracking your points!
Go to Perkville tab on the RTR app (gift tab on the bottom) or rtrpilates.perkville.com. Click Redeem on the reward you would like to receive.
Please allow up to 15 minutes before this credit will be added to your account.
Next Steps
– Go to the class you want to schedule
-Select a Spot
-Click on Pay with (Perkville class you redeemed)
-Reserve Now
-Click calendar top right corner to add to your calendar
Etiquette
Cancellations must occur at least 12 hours prior to class in order to be considered early. Classes must be canceled online through either the online scheduler or the RTR Pilates app by the client.
When cancellation of a reservation happens as an “early cancellation”, there is no fee associated and you retain your class credit. An early cancellation does not count against your class package or membership tier.
Cancellations occurring less than 12 hours prior to class are considered late. The penalty for each late cancellation is loss of a class credit. What does this mean? If you’re using a class package or membership, a class is deducted from your account. You may use another class credit from your package or membership to attend a class for that same day or purchase a Member’s Add-on Class for $20. Perkville points can also be redeemed for a Member’s Add on Class to be used for the same day as a late cancellation.
Failure to attend a scheduled class results in a $15 fee in addition to loss of the class credit (see description above). No exceptions! Our classes fill up very quickly, and often times there’s a waitlist of clients hoping to take your spot. Please be respectful of our staff and our other clients… CANCEL if you can’t attend! This not only spares you from the $15 fee, but also gives us the opportunity to fill your space.
In the event of severe weather, class cancellations and/or studio closures may occur. RTR Pilates makes a studio-by-studio, class-by-class decision regarding weather-related cancellations. If we decide to hold classes, the standard cancellation and no-show policies do still apply, so please cancel your own reservation online if you are not able to attend. If classes are canceled, we do our best to provide as much notice as possible. The best and most accurate way to view cancellations is to check the Mariana Tek Online Schedule via the web or the RTR Pilates mobile app. The schedule is updated online immediately as decisions are made. You will also receive an email notification from us if your class has been canceled (please check your settings within your RTR profile to ensure you are opted-in to receive these notifications!).
If a class is full, you have the option to add yourself to the waitlist. You must have an active class, package, or membership available on your account in order to join a waitlist. When someone early-cancels their reservation, the first person on the waitlist will be automatically added to the class. If you no longer wish to attend a scheduled class or your waitlisted class, you are responsible for canceling the class online (late-cancel and no-show policies apply). For example, if you have a class scheduled along with adding yourself to a second class’s waitlist on the same day, you, the client are responsible for canceling the class you do not wish to attend. The waitlists only work outside of the 12-hour late-cancellation window — this ensures you have the opportunity to early-cancel a class you moved into from the waitlist if needed. It is best to remove yourself from the waitlist if the class is less than 12 hours away, as this will allow you to view and sign up for an opening in the class if it becomes available.
**Joining the waitlist is like signing up for class. One valid credit in your account is needed. If you do not get off the waitlist at the 12 hour cut off, you must manually go in and remove yourself if you want that credit back in your account immediately. Otherwise it will be back in your account 2 hours after the class takes place.
You must show up for class no later than 10 minutes after the scheduled start time in order to ensure your spot in the class. After 10 minutes, your spot may be given away to a standby client. This helps to minimize distractions for the instructor and for other clients during class. The instructors have the right to refuse entrance to a class after the ten minute late window. This is to ensure the safety of the client.
If you inadvertently arrive at the wrong studio, please reach out to the management team info@rtrpilates.com or 301-983-3745 to accommodate the change fees associated with scheduling the new class at the new studio. Additionally, alert the instructor that you have arrived at the wrong studio.
Any adjustments to your schedule can be made here. Our classes fill up quickly, so please only schedule yourself for classes that you plan to attend.
We reserve the right to cancel or reschedule any class with one or fewer registrations. In this event we will contact you via email and/or phone call with reasonable advance notice. RTR reserves the right to have instructors subject to change without notice in the event that the regularly scheduled instructor is unavailable. Absolutely no refunds or credits will be issued due to a substituted instructor.
We want RTR Pilates to be your happy place! Thus we have a few simple rules for everyone to keep in mind during their time in our pilates studios. This is to ensure you and your fellow classmates have the best experience possible.
Please be sure to arrive on time, or a few minutes early if you are new to our studio. This allows the instructor time to introduce you to the equipment and discuss your goals or any health issues he/she may need to be made aware of. If there is a class in session, simply wait quietly in the waiting area of the studio as to not disturb.
During your pilates class, focus on the instructor’s cues, be sure to watch and listen! You may hear new terminology and some of the movements may feel foreign to you at first. Watching your fellow classmates and listening for your instructor’s direction will help you ensure you are getting the most out of your time with us. Our classes become a small community of friends overtime and chit chat here and there is common. Please refrain from holding private conversations as this can be distracting to other clients and to the instructor. This will also obstruct from your ability to follow along safely and thus get the most out of your reformer pilates class.
Please set your cell phone to silent or vibrate before entering the studio. For your safety, cell phone usage is strictly prohibited during class. All cell phone devices should be silenced and stowed away with your belongings prior to class. The Pilates method focuses on a mind-body connection and we want to ensure that everyone in the class can connect more deeply with the movement in their bodies and follow along without any annoyances or interruptions. This is for your benefit! Thank you and we appreciate your cooperation.
Clients are not allowed to film or take photographs while a class is in session.
Use HSA/FSA dollars for Pilates!
Your Rock the Reformer Pilates payments could be eligible for HSA/FSA reimbursement. Exercise is medicine and can often count for tax-free spending – saving an average of 30%. We are partnering with @truemedpayments who will handle all the intricacies of using your HSA/FSA funds on your behalf, making the reimbursement process seamless and hassle-free. If you have an HSA/FSA (or plan to contribute for next year), click the link below to see if you qualify.