— Hot Pilates
Hot Pilates in Abu Dhabi
Bare Wellness is a boutique Pilates and yoga studio opening inside Bloom Arjaan on Saadiyat Island in Q3 2026. Hot Pilates runs in the Open Studio, a mat class taught under infrared heat. This page covers what the class involves, how the heat works, what to bring and how to decide if it suits you.
The class keeps the logic of mat Pilates, controlled movement built around the core, and adds warmth that asks a little more of you. Expect a slower burn than a bootcamp and a deeper one than an unheated mat class. You leave sweating, steady and clear-headed.
— At a glance
Why work in the heat
Low-impact intensity
Mat work under heat raises the effort of every exercise without adding load or impact, so joints stay comfortable while you work hard.
Infrared warmth
Infrared heat warms the body directly rather than blasting hot air, so the room feels close and calm instead of stifling.
Core and glutes
Sequences center on slow pulses and holds that target the core and glutes, the muscles that hold posture together.
Mobility under warmth
Warm muscles move through fuller ranges, so stretches and transitions reach further than they would in a cool room.
How infrared heat changes the work
Hot classes at Bare Wellness use infrared heat, which warms the body directly in the way sun on your back does, rather than heating the air until the room feels thick. Muscles warm quickly, the air stays easier to breathe, and most people find it gentler than a conventionally heated studio.
The warmth changes the quality of the work. Muscles reach fuller ranges sooner, stretches settle deeper, and the sweat arrives early enough that you stop thinking about it. What the heat does not do is replace effort. The exercises stay precise, and the instructor still expects clean form from the first movement to the last.
Inside the Open Studio
Hot Pilates is a mat class held in the Open Studio, the room that also hosts yoga, barre and unheated mat work. A typical class moves through a standing warm-up, long core sequences, glute work in kneeling and side positions, and slow pulse blocks where the tempo does the work.
Instructors cue breath constantly, because breath is what keeps the heat manageable. Expect options at every stage: a shorter lever here, a pause there, a full expression when you are ready for it. Working at the level that lets you keep your form is the whole point, not a concession.
Is hot Pilates right for you?
You do not need to be experienced or flexible to start. The exercises scale the same way they do in any mat class, and instructors offer quieter options throughout. If you are new to Pilates altogether, a few unheated mat Pilates classes first will let you learn the foundations without managing the heat at the same time.
Heat does ask more of the body. If you are pregnant, have a heart or blood pressure condition, or are sensitive to heat, speak to your doctor before booking. You can flag anything relevant in your member profile so your instructor knows how to support you before class begins.
If you are weighing the two heated formats against each other, the short version is that hot Pilates is strength led, built on pulses and holds, while hot yoga is flow led and moves posture to posture. The full comparison, including how to choose a first class, is at hot Pilates vs hot yoga.
Towels, water and what to wear
Hydration matters more in a heated room than anywhere else in the studio. Drink water through the day, well before you arrive, and bring a bottle to sip between blocks. Bring a towel too. You will want it on the mat under your hands and within reach when the sweat starts.
Dress lighter than you would for an unheated class and keep it fitted, so your instructor can read your alignment through the sweat. Grip socks are required for mat classes and earn their keep here. There is a fuller guide in what to wear to Pilates.
- Arrive ten minutes early for a first visit so there is time to check in and settle.
- Hydrate through the day, then keep sipping between blocks.
- Bring a towel, or two if you sweat heavily.
- Wear light, fitted clothing and grip socks.
- Eat lightly in the two hours before class.
Hot Pilates on Saadiyat Island
Bare Wellness sits inside Bloom Arjaan on Saadiyat Island, minutes from Mamsha Al Saadiyat, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, NYU Abu Dhabi and the Saadiyat beaches, and a short drive from central Abu Dhabi over the Sheikh Khalifa Bridge. On-site and valet parking is available for members.
At opening, the timetable runs more than sixty classes a week across mornings, evenings and weekends, and hot Pilates holds a regular place in the Open Studio rotation. Booking runs through the website and an iOS app that launches with the studio. If a class is full, the waitlist can book you in automatically when a spot opens, if you opted in.
— Good to know
Frequently asked
- How hot does the room get?
- Bare Wellness does not publish a temperature. The heat comes from infrared, which warms the body directly rather than the air, so the room feels warm and workable rather than stifling. Expect a real sweat, a breathable room, and instructors who cue rest whenever you need it.
- Is hot Pilates suitable for beginners?
- Yes. The exercises scale down as readily as they scale up, and instructors offer options throughout. Choose a beginner-friendly class for your first visit, keep your pace easy, and rest whenever you need to. Managing the heat gets noticeably easier after the first two or three classes.
- What should I bring to a hot Pilates class?
- A towel, a filled water bottle and grip socks, which are required for mat classes. Wear light, fitted clothing, hydrate through the day rather than only before class, and arrive ten minutes early on a first visit so you can settle in before the room warms you up.
- Is hot Pilates good for weight loss?
- It can support weight loss as part of a consistent routine. You will sweat heavily, though sweat itself is water loss, not fat loss. The lasting change comes from the strength work underneath the heat, paired with everyday habits around food and sleep.
- Can I do hot Pilates while pregnant?
- Speak to your doctor first. Heated classes are often not recommended during pregnancy, and an unheated mat or reformer class is usually the better fit. If you are cleared to train, flag your pregnancy in your member profile so instructors can support you with the right modifications.
- When can I book a hot Pilates class?
- The studio opens in Q3 2026 with more than sixty classes a week on the timetable. The full schedule publishes before launch, and founding memberships open ahead of the studio. Booking runs on the website and the iOS app once the schedule is live.
— Keep reading
— Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi
Begin your Bare ritual.
We open in Q3 2026. Leave your details and be the first to know when founding memberships and the schedule go live.