Warm, inviting and with an atmosphere that encourages ‘everybody’s right to feel good’ — whatever that looks like for you — Melbourne’s Good Times Pilates has created a modern fitness space, their way. It’s chilled-out and conscious, with a community that is grounded in finding embodied joy and movement.
After being ‘dragged’ along to a pilates class by some friends several years ago, Cat Webb would unknowingly find her passion. “I was really, I hate the word addicted, I was really inspired to keep going,” she says of finding a love for pilates. “I had finally found a workout that was interesting, that was fun, that kept me coming back because every class was different.”
Before the idea for Good Times Evan began to bubble, Cat’s focus was on this newfound way to move her body, something she says had a positive impact on other aspects of her life.
"I had a real kind of life transformation, my outlook on life changed. I was sleeping better, definitely in a better mental head space, enjoying moving my body and feeling really strong and empowered. I'd never felt that before. That was a massive lightbulb moment for me."
After studying and eventually teaching, Cat decided to start working on what is now the Good Times Pilates business. Rooted in “wanting somewhere that made people feel good”, Cat had her ‘aha’ moment when she saw a gap in the market for a studio that supported people at all points of their fitness journey, that was also married with a beautiful interior and intentional space.
It’s clear when looking at the Fitzroy and Northcote studios that Cat (and her husband) have built themselves, that everything has been methodically mapped out with intention. “I was very particular,” she explains, which is clear when looking to the spaces, and something that was over a year in the making. Before bringing it to life, Cat says that she knew everything in her mind, from what “the pot plants were going to be” right down to the “signature scent.”
Each studio is warm and engaging, with a mid-century inspired feel that is an effortless blend of bold and playful. But, as Cat explains, while both studios are very much connected, they have different elements to make them their own. “It’s same, same but different. Which was important to me because every space needs to have its own vibe.”
It’s in the minor details that Cat’s vision really shines. With custom lighting made locally in Brunswick, the lights shoot up to the ceiling, which as any Pilates regular will know, means you’re not staring directly into it when facing upwards. “We have people who are light sensitive, we have neurodivergent clients who give us feedback on the sound, and we collaborate with people to make the space as inclusive as we can.”
With a booming list of clients, and a constant schedule of classes to choose from, its unsurprising that the past two years have been some of toughest for the Good Times team, especially considering the business’ location in Melbourne (one of the hardest hit areas worldwide of COVID-19 lockdowns).
But, Cat’s business savvy mind was quick to adapt, launching live classes that began the basis for the studios now ever-growing library of on-demand virtual Pilates classes. Community members can now move with the Good Times team wherever and whenever they like, opening up the business to a whole new set of fitness enthusiasts.
“I did learn a lot about myself,” Cat reflects. “I think I already knew that I work well under pressure, and in stressful times. That worked to my advantage.”
It wasn’t a haphazard response either, with Cat sticking to an ethos she’s long lived by — “If everyone else is doing it, we’re going to try and do it a little bit differently.” The Good Times Pilates way.
Now, beyond just the studios, the Good Times Pilates method to fitness is available to all, with a wide range of classes fit for all kinds of movement. And if you’ve ever been scared to try it, just know that the team are not there to direct or criticise, but rather be the “faciliators of movement.”
“We give our community members the tools to choose their own adventure,” says Cat. “We give options, lots of ideas, lots of encouragement and it’s more of a collaborative experience.”
Ultimately, explains Cat, it’s about people leaving “feeling better than they came, with a feeling of autonomy.”
