Sarasota's wellness market is showing no signs of slowing down this year — and it's about to get a lot hotter.
BODY Hot Pilates is slated to open in late September at the University Town Center West District, bringing infrared heated mat Pilates classes to the Sarasota wellness and fitness community. The studio uses infrared heating technology to warm the room to between 95 and 99 degrees.
"Sarasota immediately stood out to us because there's so much growth happening, especially around Lakewood Ranch and UTC, and you can feel that people are looking for the same level of fitness and wellness experiences they'd expect in larger cities," said co-founder Lyndsey Meade. "We're not coming into Sarasota to be another version of something that's already
there. We get to introduce BODY and, for a lot of people, introduce an entirely new way of experiencing Pilates."
The UTC location fits into a broader wellness boom reshaping the region. From reformer and recovery studios at Aster & Links downtown to the massive Life Time Athletic club opening in Lakewood Ranch this fall, Sarasota-Manatee's appetite for premium fitness is growing fast.
Meade, a South Florida native and former collegiate soccer player, built the concept around classic mat-based Pilates after a career-ending concussion and neck injury led her to the practice. She took her first hot mat Pilates class in Australia in 2014 and never looked back. She launched BODY in February 2025 with three co-founders, surpassed seven-figure revenue in five months and opened a second location in Coral Gables in January 2026.
Sarasota is next, alongside planned locations in Midtown Miami and Chelsea in New York City.
What to know about BODY Hot Pilates
The studio took over the former Row House rowing studio at UTC West District and built an open floor plan flanked by double mirror walls. The check-in lobby features a wall of lockers, two restrooms, a water fountain and a retail area. There are no showers at the Sarasota location.
Each 50-minute session is designed to build strength, flexibility and mental focus using bodyweight and light equipment — no reformer machines. BODY offers four distinct heated mat class formats seven days a week, with classes running from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. most days.
"You don't need to be a Pilates person before you come to BODY," Meade said. "You just have to be willing to try it."
Meade describes the community aspect of BODY as equally important as the workout itself. "We want you to start recognizing the people who take the same class as you every Tuesday," she said. "We want friendships to form."
Plan your visit
BODY Hot Pilates is located at 315 N. Cattlemen Road, Suite 200, inside UTC West District, tucked between New Balance and Foxtail Coffee. The studio is slated to open Sept. 26, though the schedule may shift. Classes run seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. most days. For class schedules, final opening dates and membership information, visit bodyhotpilates.com.
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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: A new Sarasota Pilates studio is turning up the heat | Exclusive
