Sweat Circuit owner Liz Merrill is on her own unique path. Having competed in traditional sports like cycling, swimming and racing, the athlete was looking for a different style of fitness. “I’ve always had a healthy respect for workouts like yoga and Pilates, but I just never had the time or desire to try them,” she says.
That all changed in early 2024, when Liz’s best friend convinced her to join her at her home’s Pilates studio in Del Mar. Liz explains, “I cared so much about her that I finally said, ‘OK, OK, I’ll come to you.’ As I was driving there I was thinking, ‘Why did I agree to this?’ I walked into the studio with kind of a bad attitude, but I left like a changed person. This was something my body had probably been begging me to do for years. I was hooked!”
Bringing Pilates to Coronado
Liz quickly realized the drive to Del Mar was not sustainable. When she began looking for a Pilates studio in Coronado, she was shocked to find that none existed. Coronado has a few supplemental Pilates options, but no dedicated Pilates studios. “Every time I cross the bridge, I see people from Coronado in other studios. I know it’s weird, but we have to do this. We have to bring this to Coronado. It’s so needed,” Liz says. Anyone is welcome to attend, but Liz emphasizes that this is for Coronado, by Coronado, eliminating the drive locals currently face to get to off-island studios.
A modern take on Pilates
Liz is a proponent of group classes and laughs as she recounts the story of Sweat Circuit and her husband, Sweat Circuit co-founder Nick Merrill: “My roots are in group fitness. Nick was my one-on-one trainer, but I was like, ‘This is too boring. I need some buddies around me!'”
While acknowledging the need for one-on-one training, B•long also places emphasis on group fitness and the camaraderie that comes from people doing fitness together. After trying out different Pilates studios around the country, Liz was able to nail down what B•long Pilates looked and felt like. “I fell in love with this modern version of Pilates. It’s fast-paced and strength-focused. It’s challenging in the moment, but low-impact. There’s a lot of stretching and balance. It’s a workout you can do for the rest of your life.”
She continues, “I want to create an experience, not just a workout. I had a lot of ideas and spent a lot of time going to different studios and getting different opinions. I have an amazing team of really experienced trainers who buy into my vision of a modern take on Pilates. B•long also includes five minutes of stretching at the end.”
Sweat Circuit x B•Long Pilates
The Sweat Circuit franchise will expand to five locations, with Liz explaining that there will be a partnership between the two businesses. B•long will follow Sweat Circuit’s highly successful four-week program model to keep things fresh, and there will also be a dual membership option.
Grand opening with founding members
B•long is scheduled to open after Labor Day 2024. As of the publication of this article, 15 of the 50 founding members remain. Founding members cost $239 per month, while standard membership costs $269 per month. Founding members receive a $30 monthly discount, plus priority reservations and a 10% discount on merchandise.
Members who join before the studio opens to the public will be invited to an opening VIP party, meet the team and receive one-on-one training on the equipment and Pilates terminology.
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