Bridge to Fitness in Santa Barbara’s Loreto Plaza

Core Sport appeared on my fitness radar when Cat Myklebust, an instructor I knew from her stint at a different gym, instant-messaged me with an invitation to a pop-up hip-hop class at the studio in Loreto Plaza. I had other plans that evening, but decided I needed to check out Core Sport.

Walking in and seeing the 11 Reformer machines, you might assume the former Glenda’s Party Cove space has simply been transformed into a Pilates studio. But in the second studio, tucked behind the large Pilates space, Core Sport also offers a variety of other classes, including spin, barre, and circuit training.

My first foray into Pilates, years ago, had left me underwhelmed. Sure, the stretching was nice, but it didn’t seem worth the premium price. I decided to wipe the slate clean and tried the (free) introductory Reformer class Core Sport offers every Tuesday. 

Instructor Jen Malkin outfitted us with grip socks and showed us the different parts of the Reformer — carriage, platform, foot bar, and the different-colored springs that provide the resistance. We started on our backs on the carriage, working the large muscle groups first by doing leg presses with our feet wide on the foot bar, before moving on to hip bridges. We knelt on the carriage for lat presses, then sat on the carriage with legs extended through the shoulder rests for upper-body work, as Jen demonstrated how to vary the resistance by gripping the ropes by the clips or the short or long handles, and also by crossing the ropes.

“Pilates is 99.99 percent abs,” Jen told us, reminding us to keep our abs zipped up. It was my glutes that were sore the next day, though — and the day after taking the Classic Reformer class with studio owner Chanda Fetter. It was definitely a more challenging workout than the Pilates I tried years ago.

I also checked out TRX, a suspension training system I’d never tried before. Entering Core Sport’s second studio, I eyed with some apprehension the black and yellow TRX straps hanging from a beam, concerned I may have inadvertently signed up for some sort of aerial class. I needn’t have worried. Although TRX was designed by a former Navy SEAL, Fetter offers it because it replicates the moves of Pilates, with the user upright instead of prone or supine, and using a strap instead of a spring. 

As we held onto the TRX straps and leaned into a plank position, with instructor Courtney Nigro leading us through rounds of squats, bicep curls, low rows, and the especially devilish X flies, we stayed firmly on the ground, with some optional jumps. The closest I got to airborne in a TRX class was the time we hooked our ankles in the straps to do planks. Which is not to say the class was easy; each time I took it, I worked up a sweat, and later had sore abs, pecs, or glutes, depending on the focus of the class.

What I enjoyed about TRX was that having the support for my balance really let me focus on engaging my core. The class was also fun. The music ranged from the Phil Collins cover of “You Can’t Hurry Love” to Taylor Swift’s “… Ready for It?” to a medley of late–Cold War classics like “99 Red Balloons” and “Take On Me.” Marie, Patty, and other regulars welcomed me and offered helpful corrections when I made rookie mistakes like grabbing the wrong strap.

I thought for sure I had made a mistake when I signed up for Fess Del Campo’s circuit class on a Friday afternoon. It had been a long week, the day had started early, and all I wanted to do was go home and lie on the sofa. But Del Campo paired us off, and I was pleased when I realized my workout partner was a former colleague. Elizabeth and I reconnected as we did Russian twists and side flies. I appreciated Del Campo’s coaching, which helped me get more out of even common exercises like mountain climbers. By the time class ended, I felt energized and glad I’d come.

Studio owner Fetter, a Sacramento native who moved here to attend UCSB, was exposed to Pilates as a ballerina recovering from injuries. In her role as a group fitness director, she brought both mat and Reformer Pilates to the local Gold’s Gyms before opening her own studio. She moved Core Sport to its current location in 2020, then promptly had to pivot to offering private training for almost a year and a half, due to the pandemic.

Fetter, who once aspired to be a physical therapist, said her vision “was always to provide a bridge between the medical model and fitness,” a sort of one-stop shop for physical therapy, personal training, and general fitness classes. That vision has now become reality with the opening of the Wellness Center, an annex that’s a short stroll down the sidewalk from the Core Sport studio (but does require you to walk past the tempting sight of Renaud’s pastries). The Wellness Center offers ample space and equipment for private training sessions, which continue to be popular even now that classes have become available again, and also serves as a site for talks on topics like weight loss and metabolism by practitioners carefully curated by Fetter. 

On the morning I dropped into the Wellness Center, I was greeted by Deebo, the large but friendly dog belonging to Dr. Charlie Gilligan, the resident physical therapist, who specializes in joint replacement rehabilitation and sports rehab.

Fetter may be achieving her business goals, but Core Sport is also something of a passion project for her. When she opened the current space in 2020, she decided to offer childcare not because it’s a moneymaker (it’s not), but because she “knew parents needed it in order to make fitness a righteous priority.” Fetter stays connected to ballet by serving on the board of State Street Ballet and hiring many of their dancers as a way “to provide support to dancers when they’re out of season or injured.” 

Although it’s been suggested to her that she should franchise her business, Fetter doesn’t believe there’s a formula for replicating the environment of her studio and wellness center. “As a small business owner,” she said, “I want to show that I’m connected to the community.”

I still want to take that pop-up hip-hop class with Cat whenever she ends up teaching it at the Friday Fun class that Core Sport offers on the first Friday of each month. But in the meantime, I’m looking forward to the next Friday Fun offering: an adult ballet class taught by a State Street Ballet artist.

Located at 3319 State Street (Loreto Plaza), Santa Barbara; the studio offers multiple classes per day, starting as early as 6 a.m. on weekdays. Childcare (Kid’s Clubhouse) is available during some classes. Register for classes using a mobile app. Towels and grip socks for Pilates available if you forget to bring your own; cubbies for storing personal items. Two showers available. Plenty of free parking. Physical therapy available on-site (not included in membership). See coresportsb.com.