This Just In: Pilates Is Served With a Side of Red Light Therapy at This New Manly Beach Studio
Studio Red offers strength training and muscle recovery in three player modes: chill vinyasa yoga flow, sculpting mat pilates burn or hardcore HIIT sesh.
Pilates had a major moment in Sydney in 2025, from the runaway popularity of glossy reformer pilates studios to novelty concepts like floating classes held on Bellamy Beach's surf. This year, Studio Red is bringing an innovative spin on the century-old workout: it's paired with a dose of red light therapy.
Opening on January 31, Studio Red is rolling out pilates, yoga and HIIT classes in rooms jazzed up with infrared red lights. Besides making a statement, red light therapy speeds up muscle recovery by boosting cellular energy and easing inflammation at the right wavelengths. It's a clever workaround for the inevitable post-class aches, especially in tandem with movement and heat.
Pilates might be a low-impact workout, but it's far from low-effort. As a former national powerlifter and bodybuilding athlete, founder Libby Angus folds strength and conditioning into the flow at Studio Red. "Strength training plays a critical role in long-term health. We're able to support movement quality while also addressing strength and bone density, which is something many women don't get enough of in traditional group fitness," Libby says.
There are two heated options: an hour of vinyasa yoga or a slightly more intense 50-minute mat pilates session. High-intensity interval training is ideal for busy days — it's the most hardcore offering on the schedule and wraps up in 45 minutes. Expect plenty of weight work and form checks from the instructors here. With intimate groups capped at 12, there's no hiding in the back of the class.
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