Before opening Pike Pilates, Ava Sasser knew what it meant to need a break from the desk. Working in cybersecurity in Tampa, she discovered Pilates after graduating from Florida Southern College in Lakeland. Movement had always been part of her life, from gymnastics and horseback riding to soccer and track, but this offered something different.
“Pilates became a routine I looked forward to and an outlet after long, stressful days in the office”, she recalls. Exploring Tampa’s studios, she began imagining how to create that feeling for others. When it came to choosing a location, she returned to the city where she had studied. “Having gone to college here, I knew how special its close-knit community was”.
Warmth, with a little edge
At Pike, classical Pilates principles meet a modern approach, upbeat music and infrared heat. The mat classes are challenging, but Ava wants the atmosphere to make movement feel approachable rather than intimidating.
The space is warm and welcoming, anchored by a mountain mural that has become a recognizable feature. “My hope is that when someone walks through the door, they feel like they can set down the weight of their day and take an hour for themselves”, she explains.
In the classes she teaches, breathwork opens and closes the session, giving clients time to settle in and reconnect. Between those moments, the work is demanding. “Our classes are challenging, and the infrared heat is a distinctive part of the experience, but I want people to leave feeling both accomplished and refreshed”.
Her priorities extend beyond the workout itself. Overall wellness and longevity inform an approach that welcomes different ages, backgrounds and experience levels. Progress matters, but so do confidence and the friendships forming around the mats.
Belonging before opening day
Pike’s community began taking shape before the studio opened. Ava reached out to local small businesses to organize events that would bring people together while supporting one another. Many early attendees are now members.
The grand opening captured that spirit: a sunset market by the lake, with local vendors and Pilates classes. “Those experiences showed me that Pike could become a place where people build relationships as well as strength”, she reflects.
Inside the studio, themed classes, contests and events keep that exchange going. Clients can request songs, while Pilates Bingo encourages them to explore different classes and instructors. Ava is also planning a member Christmas party involving other small businesses.
Still, belonging begins with the welcome. Ava and her instructors greet guests, demonstrate movements and offer modifications or additional challenges. “The classes are challenging, but you don’t need experience to walk through our doors”, she emphasizes.
Learning to trust the vision
Ava started Pike on her own at 24. Choosing a space, understanding a lease, managing renovations, buying equipment and navigating insurance meant learning while making decisions that all felt consequential.
“It’s easy to get stuck trying to make every detail perfect”, she acknowledges. The process taught her to research carefully, decide with the information available and keep moving.
Building a dependable team proved just as important. Pike opened on June 1, 2026; Ava married on June 28, with a honeymoon shortly afterward. “I truly feel God blessed me with an incredible group of instructors”, she shares. Their support reinforced a business lesson: sustainability depends on people who share the vision and care about clients.
The mountain mural became a smaller, more playful test of that same confidence. Ava decided to paint it herself despite not considering herself particularly artistic. Family and friends were skeptical, but today the wall appears in almost every photo posted at Pike.
For her, it captures the balance studio ownership requires: “Listen to advice, prepare thoughtfully and have the confidence to follow through on your vision”.
Make room for movement: Pike Pilates | @pikepilateslkld
