Can I claim on my private health? Which classes are right for me? What is Pilates? Why do I need an initial? Etc.
Our FAQ page might have the answer you are looking for.
If not, please, contact our friendly admin team on 07 3358 3915 or info@thebodyrefinery.com.au
Reformer Classes: For our Reformer classes an initial consultation is not required. You’re able to join a class once you sign our waiver declaring that you are safe to exercise. Our classes have a maximum of 9 clients, which allows the instructor to oversee the exercises and help you get the most out of your classes by correcting and modifying techniques. Certain Reformer classes are fast-paced and are not suitable for clients who require exercises to be modified due to injuries or after 12 weeks of pregnancy. Undertaking certain exercises while pregnant or injured can have negative consequences, so please discuss any such matters when booking your class and with your instructor. If you are unsure as to whether a certain class is right for you, please talk to our friendly admin team, as different skill levels may be required for different types of classes.
Studio Pilates Classes: Studio Pilates classes utilise all our Pilates equipment, and require an initial consultation (movement assessment) to be undertaken before commencing. We use the movement assessment to: assess your body and determine the best possible program to suit your needs; identify any postural, alignment or pain concerns; and provide an introduction to Pilates and the equipment that you will be using. While you can start Studio Pilates classes once you have completed your movement assessment appointment, if you are new to Pilates, it can be highly beneficial to have a few private (1-on-1) lessons prior to joining a Studio Pilates class. Studio Pilates classes have a maximum of 4 people in each class, and are taught by a trained Pilates instructor.
Pilates-Based Rehab Classes: These sessions are for clients looking to manage chronic conditions or wanting treatment for specific pathologies from injury or other conditions. They are small group physiotherapy-based exercise classes that incorporate a range of exercises, including Pilates-informed exercises. Prior to attending these classes, an initial assessment with a physiotherapist is required in order to assess your condition, develop a program, and assess the suitability of different classes for your requirements or condition. It may be appropriate for you to have some 1-on-1 private sessions prior to progressing to classes. These classes have a maximum of 4 people in each class, and are taken by a physiotherapist.
Practitioner Appointments: These sessions (Physiotherapy, Exercise Physiology, Myotherapy) require the completion of an initial consultation form, and a 45-minute initial consultation, in order to provide the practitioner with important background information related to your health and any concerns you have (e.g. prior surgery, lower back pain, movement problems). If follow-up appointments are required, they are usually shorter, depending on the area of injury or concern and the number of areas that require treatment.
We do not offer permanent bookings. Clients may only book the number of classes they have prepaid for (e.g. through the purchase of a class pack).
Clients may book classes beyond their prepaid balance if they have:
Pilates is a physical fitness regime devised by Joseph Pilates in the first half of the 20th century. Joseph Pilates was born in 1883 in Germany. He was frail and sick as a child – suffering from asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever. Despite these illnesses, he mastered many sports including bodybuilding, gymnastics, skiing, diving and was an anatomy model at the age of 14.
He travelled to England in 1912 and worked as a self-defence instructor for Scotland Yard, but at the onset of World War 1, Joseph was interred, along with other German nationals, in a concentration camp. While interred, he trained other inmates in a system of exercises he had been developing. He rigged springs to hospital beds to enable bedridden patients to exercise against the spring’s resistance. Such ideas later led to the development of the Trapeze Table and his other studio equipment. In 1918, an influenza epidemic struck England, killing thousands of people, though not one of Joseph’s trainees died.
He claimed this affirmed the effectiveness of his exercise system. After his release from the concentration camp, Joe returned to Germany, where his exercise method became popular throughout the dance community. In 1923, Joe immigrated to the United States, meeting his future wife, Clara, on the voyage there. Together they opened a fitness studio in New York, sharing an address with the New York City Ballet, and working primarily with ballet dancers.
He named his exercise regime, ‘Contrology’. In 1967 he passed away, leaving a legacy of better health and wellness, that many consider being fifty years ahead of its time. His method later became more widely known in association with his surname and is now known as Pilates.
As frequently as possible (within reason). If Pilates is your main form of exercise, you will gain the greatest benefit from attending multiple times a week. If you already have a busy exercise schedule, try attending at least two to three times a week, especially when you are just starting out.
As a general rule, any Pilates is better than none; practicing twice a week will help you progress, and 3+ times a week is when clients tend to gain real momentum and start to get the greatest benefits out of their sessions.
When you start Pilates you start to learn how to move in an efficient way, and it can take time to get the hang of it and build your endurance. Attending infrequently will keep you as a perpetual newbie – the more often you come, the sooner you become more confident, strong and adventurous!
Pilates can be quite hard to get the hang of when you are new to it. Sometimes people report it feeling like they are learning a foreign language when they start Pilates. Don’t be afraid to ask questions; give it 5-6 sessions and the exercise names will become familiar; the movements will become more achievable (but there’s always another variation to challenge you when you are ready for it). Attending a Pilates session more frequently, especially initially, will definitely help you to get the hang of it faster.
You may want to mix it up to your Pilates by attending our Studio Pilates as well as our Reformer Pilates classes, or by trying classes taught by different instructors – they all have a high level of training and passion for the Pilates method, but each instructor has their own style of teaching and a favourite exercise that they love helping their clients to master.
As Joseph Pilates said, “in 10 sessions you’ll feel the difference, in 20 sessions you’ll see the difference, and in 30 sessions you’ll have a whole new body”.
Pilates is beneficial to everyone! However, human movement research over the years has found that different people benefit more from some exercises than others. Plus, every body is different, and everyone has their own health and fitness goals. The Body Refinery’s dedicated instructors and practitioners want you to get the most out of every visit, and an initial consultation is an essential starting point to allow a safe and effective program to be tailored in order to achieve your goals.
No. You do not need a referral to see one of our physiotherapists or to claim for private health insurance. However, if you have consulted your GP regarding your condition and you have a referral, please remember to bring it with you, to enable us to keep your doctor updated regarding your treatment and ongoing care.
For WorkCover, third party insurance, Medicare, EPC or Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) claims a doctor’s referral is required.
Our Cancellation Policy is in place to ensure our business remains viable and able to continue employing an amazing team that delivers the best service and outcomes for our clients.
A Late Cancellation means any cancellation that occurs after the notification limit for a booking; please refer to the Notice Required column in the table below. Late Cancellations also include no-shows (failing to arrive for a booking without providing notice).
If a Client needs to cancel a booked appointment or class, they must provide the required amount of notice to avoid being charged a Late Cancellation Fee, as outlined in the following tables.
Standard types of bookings:
| Type | Notice Required | Late Cancellation Fee |
| Appointment / Private / Duet | At least 24 hours | 50% of price |
| Class | At least 12 hours^^ | 100% of price |
Other appointment and class types:
| Type | Notice Required | Late Cancellation Fee |
| Appointment (DVA Client) | At least 24 hours | $25 fee |
| Appointment or Class (NDIS Client) | 2 clear business days | 100% of the relevant NDIS Price |
| Class^ | At least 12 hours^^ | 100% price |
| Infrared Sauna | At least 12 hours^^ | 50% of price |
^Unlimited Pricing options, such as Challenges and Offers that include access to classes for a defined period of time for a fixed price.
^^For cancellations via email or phone, this refers to 12 business hours’ notice based on the opening hours listed on the Contact page of our website. However, cancellations made via our app are processed instantly, so the standard 12-hour notice period applies.
We understand that sometimes late cancellations may be beyond your control, in which case you can discuss the matter with our friendly admin team, who will take your circumstances into consideration.
See our full cancelation policy: here
If you have Extras Cover, any physiotherapy treatment that addresses a problem and records ongoing progress is claimable on private health. The amount covered will depend on your health fund and the level of cover.
Exercise Physiology, Myotherapy and Remedial Massage are covered by some health funds and may depend on the level of your cover. You will need to check this with your individual health fund.
The Department of Health has conducted a review of natural therapies in its campaign to help contain premium increases for private health insurance. As a result of these reforms, from 1 April 2019, all Pilates classes are no longer eligible for rebates (including Pilates under physiotherapy extras cover with your private health insurer).
For clients looking to manage chronic conditions or wanting treatment for specific pathologies from injury or other conditions, we offer small group physiotherapy classes called Clinical Rehab. These individualised classes incorporate a range of exercises, including Pilates-informed exercises, and are delivered by our physiotherapists, with a maximum of 4 clients per practitioner. These classes can be claimed with your private health fund under your physiotherapy extras cover.
Remedial massage is the systematic assessment and treatment of the muscles, tendons, ligaments and connective tissues of the body to assist in rehabilitation, pain and injury management.
Myotherapy is the evidence-based assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal pain and associated conditions.
Simply put, a remedial massage therapist will generally treat the symptoms of musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction, while a myotherapist will treat both the immediate symptoms and the underlying cause, be it behavioural, postural, muscular imbalance, or structural.
The Body Refinery’s Pregnancy Massages are remedial massages that use our wonderful Belly Bag or Pregnancy Pillow. This allows you to lie in a prone position (on your tummy), so that you can experience maximum relaxation and release.
For any exercise classes, you should wear/bring:
For appointments (physiotherapy, osteotherapy, myotherapy, and remedial massage) you should consider wearing clothes that are suitable for the treatment you are having, bearing in mind that oils or creams may be used on your skin during the course of the treatment.
Other considerations:
Please ensure your clothes are free of zippers, as they can tear the equipment and treatment beds.
If you have long hair, please bring a hair tie so that your instructor or practitioner can assess your form with ease.
We ask that all clients respect others using the shared spaces within the studio by refraining from the use of offensive language, not chewing gum, wearing appropriate attire (including socks), using towels, cleaning equipment using the provided spray bottles and paper towels, and minimising body odour by wearing antiperspirants/deodorants or using the showers provided.
Pregnancy is an exciting time, and it’s important to ensure you are doing the right things to look after your health and the health of your baby.
Provided you are not a high-risk pregnancy, you can attend any of our classes, including our Reformer classes, up to 12 weeks of your pregnancy. After 12 weeks, Reformer classes are no longer appropriate, as it is generally not possible for the exercises in these classes to be modified and tailored to the required level in a group environment.
From the 12th week of pregnancy, we recommend attending our Pilates-Based Rehab, Studio Pilates and Pregnancy-specific classes. Please note that if you are new to the studio or you have not previously attended these types of classes at The Body Refinery, you will be required to attend an Initial Assessment, as the programs in these classes are individualised, and an Initial Assessment is essential if you would like to claim these classes on private health.
Another alternative may be to have private (1-on-1) sessions, which will allow you to have your practitioner’s/instructor’s full attention.
When items are left at the studio, where possible we’ll try to identify the owner and alert them. If you think you’ve left something at our studio, please contact us via phone or email as soon as possible, providing your contact details, a description of the item, and when you think you left it there. Unfortunately, we’re unable to hold items indefinitely. Items that are unclaimed after 4 weeks will be donated to charity or disposed of.
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