Today we’d like to introduce you to Shannon Barbaro.
Hi Shannon, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started Pilates Lab out of both experience and frustration.
Pilates today is having a moment — but in many places, a hundred-year-old system is being reduced to fast-paced reformer workouts in overcrowded rooms. That isn’t Pilates. The method was designed to be intentional, individualized, and taught either privately or in very small groups, using the entire system to build strength, resilience, and longevity.
Pilates Lab exists to bring Pilates back to that standard — and then evolve it.
My background spans classical Pilates, biomechanics, and evidence-based movement, but it was my own body that ultimately forced me to rethink everything I thought I knew. Like many women, I moved from pregnancy in my late 30s straight into early perimenopause. The workouts that once “worked” — constant stimulation, medium-intensity classes, always doing more — left me inflamed, stuck, and disconnected from my body.
So I went back to the drawing board.
Pilates Lab was born from asking a better question: What does the body actually need now? The answer isn’t just Pilates. It isn’t just strength training. And it certainly isn’t high-intensity movement layered on chronic stress. It’s intelligent strength, bone-density support, nervous system regulation, and recovery — intentionally integrated, not added on as an afterthought.
That philosophy became the Pilates LAB Method® and what I call the regenerative era of Pilates — where movement is designed to support the whole system, especially for midlife bodies. Our clients aren’t looking for another class factory. They’re looking for precision, education, and results that carry into every area of life.
Pilates Lab is built for people who want more than a workout. It’s for those who want to understand their bodies, move with intention, and invest in a method that supports strength, health, and longevity — now and long-term.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t been a smooth road — mainly because Pilates Lab was never designed to be a volume-driven studio.
One of the biggest challenges has been opening during a time when Pilates became trendy and increasingly commoditized. As investor-backed studios scaled quickly, the method itself was often simplified into fast-paced, one-size-fits-all classes. Educating people on why we teach intentionally — with precision, recovery, and nervous system regulation built in — took time in a market conditioned to equate intensity with results.
Another challenge was being early. This approach integrates strength, biomechanics, and science-backed recovery as a single system. When you’re ahead of the curve, you spend time helping people understand what they’re actually experiencing.
But that challenge became the advantage. As clients began feeling better — not just more tired — the value of an intentional, evidence-based approach became clear. That’s what allowed Pilates Lab to grow as an authority rather than a trend.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Pilates Lab ?
What I’m most proud of is our Midlife Optimization Reset, because it represents the future of how movement, recovery, and longevity should work together.
Each session is designed as a full-system reset. Clients move through customized Pilates using the entire apparatus system, layer in Power Plate work to support balance, bone density, and muscle mass, and then complete the experience with a session in our TheraLight 360 Plus medical-grade photobiomodulation bed. We are the only location between Los Angeles and San Francisco offering this technology, which is used by professional athletes and was originally developed through U.S. aerospace research.
What makes this experience unique is how movement, recovery, and nervous system regulation are fully integrated. We pair the light therapy with a science-backed NuCalm neuroacoustic meditation so the same frequencies supporting the body also support the brain. The result is a true full-body reset — helping reduce inflammation and pain, support cellular energy and mitochondrial function, and allow the nervous system to downshift in a world that rarely slows down.
At its core, this reflects how I define biohacking: anything that improves a living organism’s quality of life. Pilates itself was the original form of biohacking — designed to keep the spine flexible, the body resilient, and people aging well. When we layer that timeless system with modern, science-backed recovery tools, we create a next-level approach to longevity, pain relief, and sustainable strength.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
What I love most about Ventura is the sense of community. It’s a place built on relationships and word of mouth, where people genuinely care about quality of life and supporting local businesses. That trust means a lot to me, especially as someone who works so closely with people’s bodies and health.
What’s been more challenging is that Ventura can feel a bit behind when it comes to innovation. I spent years in San Francisco, surrounded by cutting-edge ideas, technology, and constant intellectual stimulation. Coming back to a smaller beach town took some adjustment.
But that contrast is exactly why I built Pilates Lab here. I wanted to bring something to Ventura that you’d typically only find in a larger metropolitan city — thoughtful, science-backed movement and recovery offered with integrity. People shouldn’t have to drive to Los Angeles or wait for a trip to New York or San Francisco to access truly high-level wellness.
What I appreciate most now is that Pilates Lab has grown through word of mouth — through real results and real relationships. That combination of elevated offerings and grounded community is what makes Ventura special, and it’s something I’m proud to contribute to.
Pricing:
- THE PRIVATE LAB RESET: single session Pilates private + Theralight/NuCalm + PowerPlate: $175
- 10 Small-Group Reformer Classes: $385
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pilateslabventura.com
- Instagram: pilateslabventura
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-barbaro-9838a32?trk=public_post_follow-view-profile
- Other: Substack: Vitality Vault Lifestyle
