Revolutionizing Wellness: How LSD°R Is Redefining Fitness In Toronto

Toronto’s fitness scene is about to get a serious upgrade with the launch of LSD°R (Low, Slow, Deep Re°form) in King West this February. This innovative studio is shaking up the wellness world by blending low-impact, high-intensity Pilates with guided breathwork, offering a next-level experience that strengthens both body and mind.

Behind the vision are wellness experts Tessa Bernier and Jacqueline DiRenzo, who bring over 20 years of experience in movement and mindfulness. With their custom-built Re°former—designed to accommodate all body types—and an immersive studio atmosphere, LSD°R is poised to transform how Torontonians move, breathe, and connect.

We caught up with Tessa and Jacqueline to dive into their inspiration, the future of boutique fitness, and how LSD°R is bringing a fresh take on mindful movement to the city. —Noa Nichol

Pilates has been around for decades, but it’s having a major moment on social media. What do you think is driving this resurgence, especially among women?

On Social, Pilates is finally being recognized for the powerful, transformative movement practice it is, and people are eager to embrace it. Coupled with a full paradigm shift to healthier movement practices, women have gravitated towards pilates, but don’t be fooled – men have too! At LSD°R, we’ve modernized the Re°former experience by introducing bespoke elements of sight, sound, and scent to boutique fitness—something the industry has never seen before. With the addition of breathwork at the beginning and end of every session, our guests experience a true shift in both their physical and mental state, leaving them feeling better than when they arrived. 

It’s worth noting that when we started developing LSD°R Studios for the Toronto market in 2023, cities like New York and Los Angeles already had over 100 modern Pilates studios, while Toronto only had three. In many ways, Toronto is simply catching up to global trends, and social media is playing a big role in that.

LSD°R offers a fresh take on Pilates with a unique combination of low-impact movement and guided breathwork. How does this approach set you apart from traditional Pilates studios?  

We’re a modern Pilates studio, and all our sessions offer breathwork and Pilates our custom re°formers.  These workouts are challenging, to say the least.  After years in boutique fitness, and trainings in yoga, Pilates and breathwork, we are thrilled to integrate movement and breathwork like never seen before.  While breathwork and breathwork integration with movement aren’t new, we are the first to pioneer our outro breathwork blocks that bookend our challenging movement sessions.  Aptly called Re°form Up and Re°form Down, these dedicated breath blocks offer the nervous system the opportunity to acclimate and up-regulate to movement at the beginning of a session and down-regulate at the end of every session. Not to mention the added health benefits reaped from consciously breathing!

There’s a growing demand for women-centred fitness spaces. Why do you think this shift is happening, and how does LSD°R create an environment that supports and empowers women? 

While LSD°R is not exclusive to women, our brand adjectives: Considered, Vibrant, Collaborative and Simple had our female demographic in mind.  Everything from our aesthetic to our core values is welcoming to all.

Social media platforms like TikTok have played a huge role in making Pilates more accessible and desirable. How have you seen these viral trends influence the way people approach fitness? 

Social influenced movement is definitely at the forefront of trend culture.  The low-impact and result-oriented nature of Pilates is definitely a reason for it to get the attention that it’s generating. People are tired of sacrificing their bodies for health results and Pilates and breathwork offer all the benefits without the wear and tear over time.  We really believe social media is just catching on to how powerful these two practices can be.

Your custom-built Re°former is designed for all body types. Can you tell us about the thought process behind its design and how it enhances the Pilates experience?  

Our Re°former offers our Guides the opportunity to vigorously challenge our guests and yet offers the ability to modify when a guest wants to scale back or amplify further if they want an increased challenge.  The Re°former is designed to deliver a full body challenge every single time, regardless of our guests’ experience level.

LSD°R blends mindfulness and movement—why was it important for you to incorporate breathwork into the workout, and what benefits does it offer? 

Breathwork can shift a person’s state in as little as one breath.  For even a couple of minutes, breathing intentionally or consciously has lasting benefits that include mental clarity, nervous system regulation, anxiety reduction, body awareness, mind-body connection, improved sleep, and so much more.  Breathwork doesn’t have to be complicated either, a simple, what we like to call “minimum effective dose” can allow a guest to drop in and feel present and well.

How do you see the future of boutique fitness evolving, and where does Pilates fit into the larger wellness conversation? 

Boutique fitness is becoming very curated and experience-focused. Guests are searching for a life well lived and want that in their wellness and fitness offerings. Longevity and augmentation come to mind when we think about Pilates and breathwork and why they are so relevant in the larger wellness conversation.  Longevity because Pilates is a challenging movement that will generate muscle and joint strength without over-taxing the body over time.  Also, improving the body’s ability to breathe and breathe well is a lifelong gift to yourself.  Augmentation is important because Pilates can legitimately improve any other form of movement a guest does, whether that’s everyday movements or helping professional athletes improve performance.  Augmenting the ability to breathe well also improves performance in any other physical endeavour or mental challenge.

You both have extensive experience in wellness, from founding studios to leading retreats. How did your journey lead to creating LSD°R, and what has been the biggest learning curve along the way? 

LSD°R is the culmination of all our experience as well as the offering we wanted to bring to the world based on all that experience.  We are so excited for our guests to experience the balance between our challenging Pilates movement and the re-regulating benefits of the breathwork. It’s literally the perfect combination.

What advice do you have for someone who is completely new to Pilates but is interested in giving it a try? 

Take the leap!  The Re°fomer might seem intimidating to any guest who might be new to Pilates, but it’s actually super intuitive and easy for beginners to get the hang of in their very first visit.  We promise LSD°R is designed to welcome anyone, so come for a session, you’ll be hooked!

With LSD°R now open in King West, what can visitors expect from the studio experience, and do you have any exciting plans for the launch?  

We’re excited to announce that our doors are officially open in King West, where you’ll be immersed in a studio space designed with a moody ambiance and thoughtful layout. Our creation of this space was driven by three core elements: Sight, Sound, and Scent. Being in a space that makes you feel good is so important! Our launch will include many collaborations and exciting giveaways in the upcoming months, so keep your eyes peeled! Plus, for a limited time, we’re offering exclusive founder memberships, so make sure to scoop them up before they’re good! This is just the start for LSD°R in Toronto—take a deep breath, there’s so much more to come!