The reformer is a great low-impact and low-intensity way to move, lengthen and strengthen the body. People with various fitness levels find it approachable and beneficial. Photos: Lens Media
A Wayzata fitness studio finds a sweet spot with its combination of strength and cardio training.
Ashlyn McDowell was four months postpartum—and a recent transplant to Wayzata from Texas—when she decided her workout routine needed a boost last summer. On a bit of a whim, she signed up for a session at Rêve Studios, a boutique fitness spot that combines cardio with training on Pilates reformers.
McDowell, a distance runner by hobby, says she had zero experience with reformers, the spring-based resistance machines used in traditional Pilates. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t apprehensive that my core wasn’t strong enough for the workout,” she says. But her instructor immediately put her at ease, and she bought a membership the moment she got back to her car. “Rêve is exactly what you need. [Do] you want community? It’s there. [Do] you want to strengthen certain areas in a supportive environment? It’s there,” she says.
McDowell says the workouts, where participants rotate between incline walking on a treadmill (cardio) and reformer Pilates movements (strength), helped her increase her pace times and improve her endurance as she trained for a 10-mile race last fall. “Being able to get out of the house and be around other humans (in real life) for an hour was another appealing aspect of joining,” she says.
That sense of community was one of the most important factors in Rêve Studios’ founding. “Group classes are 50 minutes, and we don’t have specific classes for different experience levels because our instructors are really, really good at making sure everyone’s getting a quality workout,” says Rêve CEO Aspen King.
Rêve, which opened in early 2024, is the brainchild of King and co-founder Molly Hanten. They met when King was coaching at Alchemy, a Minneapolis-based fitness concept that Hanten founded many years ago. “People were having to get multiple memberships to combine cardio and reformer Pilates, so we wanted to bring that all together in one studio,” King says. At Rêve, clients can buy a variety of packages for a host of different class offerings.
The dual experience of King (in business and marketing) and Hanten (in coaching and personnel) has made Rêve a success from the get-go. Its membership is diverse in terms of gender, age, and fitness junkies and newcomers alike. “Rêve encompasses all aspects that you need in fitness,” Hanten says. “You get the intensity of cardio on the treadmill, and then you get that lengthening, strength and endurance on the Pilates reformer.” A hallmark of Pilates is its ability to build strength quickly because the reformer requires fewer reps than, for example, free weights. “A trend in the fitness world is to go really hard with [high-intensity] workouts, but people are realizing that causes injury. It’s hard to do that for the rest of your life,” Hanten says.
The team hopes to expand its footprint soon with at least one more location in the Lake Minnetonka area and future franchises around the state and country. “Our community is incredible,” King says. “I hear so often that people are able to be consistent with the workout because you don’t leave feeling depleted.”
Rêve member Libby Boxall echoes that sentiment; she’s been with the studio since it opened. “I’ve attended 100 classes, and I still look forward to every class I do,” Boxall says. “I feel stronger and have better balance, and most importantly, I enjoy working out again.”
Rêve Studios
775 Lake St. E., Wayzata; 612.354.6406
Facebook: Rêve Studios
Instagram: @therevestudios
