Why infrared
The Benefits of Our Infrared Heaters
Our infrared room is not a sauna and it is not a space heater turned up high. It is a different way of moving heat which is the reason the room feels warm without ever feeling stuffy.
What infrared heat actually is
"Infra" is Latin for "below". Infrared is the band of the electromagnetic spectrum that sits just below the colour red — invisible to us, but perfectly ordinary physics. Like visible light, it is a wavelength that carries energy from one place to another.
That energy does not need air to move through. It travels until something absorbs it. Sunlight on your face on a cold, clear morning is infrared doing exactly what our panels do: heating you directly, from a distance.
The human body radiates heat at roughly twelve microns, and indoor infrared panels emit in the seven-to-twelve micron range. That overlap is the whole trick — the wavelength is one your body readily absorbs, and it heats the water you are largely made of.
Short, mid and far
Not all infrared is the same
Infrared is grouped into short, medium and long wavelengths, and the wavelength tracks the temperature of the source. Shorter means hotter and brighter; longer means cooler and invisible.
Short wave
High temperatureThe hottest, brightest end of the band. Sits closest to visible red, which is why some heaters glow. Heat arrives almost instantly, but it is intense and directional.
Medium wave
Mid temperatureCooler surfaces with only a faint glow. Common in outdoor patio heaters where you want reach without the harsh brightness.
Long wave
Far infraredNo visible light at all, with much lower surface temperatures. This is what we use indoors — gentle, even, sun-like warmth across the whole room.
What you feel in class
Six reasons we heat the room this way
Warms you, not the air
Conventional heat blasts hot air at you and stratifies at the ceiling. Infrared travels as energy and is absorbed directly by your body, so the room stays breathable while you get genuinely warm.
A deeper, cleaner sweat
Because the wavelength is absorbed rather than blown around, the warmth reaches beneath the skin. You sweat sooner and more completely than in a comparably 'hot' room heated by air alone.
Faster recovery
Radiant warmth increases circulation, delivering oxygen to working muscle and helping clear the by-products of a hard session. Less next-day soreness, quicker turnaround between classes.
Looser joints and tissue
Connective tissue responds well to steady radiant heat. Ranges of motion open up early in class, which means better form on the reformer and fewer tight spots at the end.
Higher output, same effort
Your heart rate climbs in response to the heat, so a fifty-minute sculpt class asks more of your system than the same work would at room temperature.
Quiet and hypoallergenic
No fans, no ducts, nothing circulating dust around the studio. The panels are silent, maintenance-free and mounted overhead, so no usable floor space is lost.
Coming to your first infrared class
- Arrive hydrated, and bring more water than you think you need.
- Grip socks and a towel — you will sweat more than you expect.
- The room is warm but breathable. If you have run hot yoga before, this will feel lighter on the lungs and heavier on the sweat.
- If you are pregnant or managing a heat-sensitive condition, talk to us first.
First time
Your first class is a meet-cute.
A memorable first impression. This is a one-on-one 30 minute Pilates intro. Your instructor will guide you and help you feel comfortable on the Merrithew Pilates Reformer and in the space. Want to make it official? Make your Pilates love official and get this intro class for free with the purchase of a 10 pack or unlimited membership.