Suna Pilates fitness and wellbeing studio has been a fixture on the North Shore since its inception in 2000. After 23 years, Susie Cleland, Suna Pilates founder and a pioneer in the New Zealand Pilates industry, passed the baton to a dynamic American duo with fresh energy: Jim and Norie Bregman. They made the permanent move to New Zealand in 2022, and are positively brimming with enthusiasm for their new venture.
Jim and Norie share a passion for fitness and healthy living. Norie is a lifelong student of ballet, and Jim is a keen sailor and surfer. Over the years, the couple has run a variety of small businesses, including a ballet studio and a squash club. Through Suna Pilates, they are combining their business experience with their love of fitness and wellbeing.
Since taking ownership in late August last year, the Bregmans have focused on upgrading the studio’s equipment and appearance. “We love the Suna method and class structure and aren’t changing any of that, but we wanted to improve the aesthetics and functionality of the studio to enhance the experience for members,” Norie explained. “It’s all about making sure our members are happy and getting the best workouts at the times they want them.”
Suna Pilates is open every day, excluding holidays, with over 100 classes and private sessions each week. The facility has two large, bright and airy workout studios. One studio is for Reformer Pilates and the other is for Pilates Fit, a unique-to-Suna variety of mat Pilates that incorporates additional Pilates equipment to provide a complete workout that is fat-burning, body-shaping and stress-reducing. The facility also has three smaller rooms for individual or small-group personal training. These sessions attract people recovering from injuries, those wanting to achieve their fitness goals more quickly, and those who might feel self-conscious about working out in a group.
The instructors at Suna are extensively trained and extremely knowledgeable about Pilates, and are constantly honing their skills with professional education throughout the year. In fact, people fly in from all over the world to train as Pilates instructors at Suna. All classes are fully supervised and directed by a Suna trainer, and the Suna team truly understands how to assist each client to work at their optimum level and to safely rehabilitate injuries. As Jim put it, “We are so proud of our trainers both as amazing human beings and as exceptional teachers of strength, wellness and health. They really care about our members and know how to motivate them to achieve their goals!”
The Suna method of Pilates emphasises proper breathing and posture throughout each workout because, as Norie remarked, “When your breathing and posture are correct, you get so much more out of each exercise.” The Suna method also includes dynamic interval training to improve both heart health and overall health. At Suna, you will never do the same class twice because the trainers are constantly adding variations to the exercises and the workout focus changes every four weeks.
You can begin your journey to a healthier, fitter you by purchasing a Suna Intro Pack, which gives you four classes for only $30.
Suna Pilates
1 Barrys Point Road, Takapuna
09 489 1987
info@sunapilates.co.nz
sunapilates.co.nz
