Hot Pilates vs. Non-Heated Pilates: Which One's Actually Right for You

Walk into two different Pilates studios in Miami and you might have a completely different experience before you even get to the exercises, because one room is 90 degrees and the other one isn't. Here's how to actually pick between hot and non-heated Pilates.

Hot Pilates

A mat or reformer-based class held in a heated room, usually somewhere between 85 and 95 degrees. The heat raises your heart rate faster, helps you sweat more, and can make your muscles feel looser and more pliable through stretches. A lot of people compare the feeling to hot yoga, but with more core-focused, controlled movement mixed in.

Good for: people who like an intense, sweaty, detox-y feeling workout, want a cardio boost alongside the core work, or already love hot yoga and want something similar with more strength built in.

Worth knowing: hot Pilates isn't for everyone. If you're pregnant, have a heart condition, or don't do well in heat, it's worth checking with your doctor first or simply opting for non-heated instead.

Try it in Miami at: Babe Hot Pilates (@babehotpilates), BODY Hot Pilates, or Fuze House (@fuzehouse).

Wait, is "infrared" different from regular hot Pilates?

Good question, and yes, technically. Most studios that call themselves "hot Pilates" are actually using infrared heat, so in practice the two terms get used interchangeably. But here's the real distinction: regular convection heat just warms up the air in the room, the same way a space heater does. Infrared heat works differently, panels emit infrared light waves that warm your body and muscles directly, the same way sunlight warms your skin, rather than just heating the air around you.

In practice, that means infrared rooms can hit a similarly intense sweat without cranking the air temperature quite as high, and a lot of instructors say it penetrates deeper into the muscle for better flexibility and circulation. If a studio specifically markets itself as "infrared," that's the heating method they're using. If it just says "hot" or "heated," it's worth asking, since both types exist, but infrared has become the more common setup in newer studios.

Non-Heated Pilates

Standard room temperature, same core-focused, controlled movement, just without the heat element. You'll sweat less, but you'll likely find it easier to focus purely on form and alignment since your body isn't also working to regulate its temperature.

Good for: people who find heated rooms uncomfortable or overwhelming, anyone newer to Pilates who wants to focus on technique first, or those who prefer a calmer, more meditative pace to their workout.

Try it in Miami at: THE MOST (@themostmiami).

New in South Miami: a studio offering both

Bodytique Pilates (@bodytiquepilates) opens September 19, 2026 at 7400 SW 59th Pl, and it's built around exactly this choice, offering infrared heated mat Pilates alongside non-heated classes, plus two sculpt formats (Sculpt Strength and Sculpt Cardio). Founded by Miami native Stephanie Escalona, it's worth a follow if you're in South Miami and want both options under one roof.

So which one's actually right for you

Honestly, neither is objectively better, they're built for different moods and different goals. A lot of people rotate between both depending on the day, hot when they want to sweat it out, non-heated when they want to slow down and focus on form. The only real way to know which you prefer is to try both.

Either way, come with people

Heated or not, infrared or not, the thing that actually keeps you coming back to Pilates isn't the temperature of the room, it's who's in it with you. That's the whole idea behind Pilates & Lattes Club. 🤍

Come solo, we promise you'll leave with new ones. This is open to everyone. 🎀

Ready to find out which one you love? Check out our upcoming Miami events and come find your Pilates community.