The Ilkley Fitness Centre

I go to the Pilates class once a week which I love, but tried the ‘total fitness’ class at 9:30 this morning (Tuesday) as I had a different day off. It was weights and aerobic exercises and it’s safe to say my legs and core will be like jelly for the next few days but I loved it! I find normal gym settings quite intimidating but Steve has such a nice quiet manner that I found myself laughing through the pain. It’s not often you can do a gym class overlooking a beautiful moorland. Will definitely be back when I next have a Tuesday off, but in the meantime my weekly Pilates has become a weekly highlight as all the people that go are so welcoming. Thank you!

The Ilkley Fitness Centre is a really fabulous place. There is a great range of classes to attend and loads of flexibility to make sure you can fit in exercising around your schedule. I go to several of Steve’s classes which are attended by a really lovely, friendly group of people who are kind, welcoming and supportive. Classes are not intimidating and there Is a good mix of people at all different levels of ability. The studio is a really beautiful, large, bright space; the changing facilities are lovely too so you can easily get ready for the rest of your day or change for class in comfortable surroundings. Steve is always attentive and ensures that the temperature, facilities and environment are just right in the studio. He also takes good care of his clients and ensures they are training safely and at the right level for them; often providing alternatives to individuals or the whole class. Steve’s teaching style is kind and friendly but accurate and technical too ensuring that you learn the right way to train to avoid injury and maximise results. I have achieved a great deal in his classes and now feel confident to take on new challenges.

This is an excellent fitness centre. A range of different classes are available. I attend Pilates run by Steve who is a fantastic teacher. He looks after everyone in the class and over the years I have greatly benefited from all he has taught me.

Edit: I had a bad experience at my first class with Steve where ‘banter’ crossed a line into making me feel uncomfortable. Banter is great once you have an established relationship, but not when you’re first meeting a group of people, doing something brand new where you feel vulnerable, there’s an imbalance of power and there’s an audience. I told Steve how I was made to feel, and I was very disappointed because he treated this as if it’s my problem (as evidenced by the reply below), rather than an opportunity for him to reflect and improve on creating a more welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. And I’ve been to many classes and had no problems before this. So I wrote a very very long review here detailing my experience. But i don’t think it’s good for negative internet things being attached to people/places for forever - because people do change. So I came here to delete the review entirely. But seeing Steve’s reply made me a bit concerned so I’m just leaving this edited condensed version up in case it helps anyone who wants to avoid this kind of vibe in an exercise class. Although I think most people who avoid exercise classes entirely fit into this category, because this kind of environment is sadly quite common and probably not unique to this class. Steve expressed to me that he had no conscious ill intent - which I believe. But he also conveyed to me that his intent is the only aspect that matters, and if I don’t like it then it’s my issue and inability to take a ‘joke’ (classic). I don’t think he realised that if your banter has hurt someone and the power factors are in play, then it crosses over into bullying - regardless of intent (google it). At the time, Steve didn’t really understand this and was in defensive rather than reflective mode. Overall, I’m sure he has helped many. So hopefully he has had time to reflect now and be more conscious of the impact of things like this! 🙏

I have been a regular Pilates and Fitness student of Steve Walther's in excess of 10 years and cannot recommend him highly enough. As a trained ballet dancer he understands the strengths and weaknesses of the body and tailors his classes around building core strength safely. He is the only teacher I have encountered who has his eye on every single group member and adjusts posture accordingly. He ensures that the correct technique is maintained throughout every class from Pilates through to FB and he will always encourage people to push to their maximum ability both by increasing weights or offering multiple levels of each Pilates position.