The Sol Room
The Telomere team visits The Sol Room in Chicago, IL
At A Glance
Vibe: Minimalist, calm, understated
Standout Feature: Chicago's first group Cadillac Pilates studio.
About The Sol Room
The Sol Room is the project of founder and lead instructor Jia Li, who built it from a private training practice into a full studio concept rooted in classical Pilates methodology. Jia's reputation preceded the space: clients followed her through physical therapy recovery, pregnancy, postpartum rehab, and chronic pain management long before there was a studio to call home. The Sol Room is what happens when a methodically trained instructor has enough conviction in her work to build infrastructure around it.
The studio sits on Randolph Street in Chicago's West Loop, a neighborhood that has become the city's most competitive zone for boutique fitness. The space is bright, deliberately designed, and organized across distinct rooms: a group Cadillac room, a mat studio, and a private training suite.
What They Do Best
The Sol Room's programming is built around reformer work, Cadillac, mat, and GYROTONIC®/GYROKINESIS® methods as well. Group Cadillac classes are the clearest differentiator: the Cadillac (also called the trapeze table) allows for spring-loaded, suspended, and hanging work that targets stabilizers and spinal articulation in ways a reformer can't replicate. It requires more proprioceptive awareness and rewards precision. For clients coming from a standard reformer-only background, it's a noticeably different demand on the body.
The mat offerings include Mat Sculpt, which layers classical Pilates movements with bodyweight sculpting patterns, and the schedule rounds out with restorative yoga and kettlebell-integrated formats. The logic here is a full-week movement practice under one roof: intensity where appropriate, recovery where needed.
The Experience
The studio has a defined aesthetic of natural light, clean equipment, and cohesive brand design. The space is easy to be in, and the temperature and lighting during the 50-minute class stay comfortable throughout. If you're someone who likes to arrive, set up, and move without a lot of orchestration, the environment accommodates that.
New visitors will need to self-navigate their first time in the studio to find props, lockers, restroom, but they’re not hard to find. The Mat Sculpt class was accessible and steady, appropriate for someone easing into a consistent movement practice, though lighter on load than the class name might suggest. Instruction was competent and calm with music that never interfered with the flow of class, but could have been turned up just to drive some meaningful energy through the session. The physical foundation here is strong, and it’s clear that Cadillac Pilates aficionados would enjoy this dedicated space.
What Makes Them Special
Group Cadillac format: Chicago's first group Cadillac studio.
GYROTONIC® under one roof: Rare for a Pilates-primary studio; adds rotational, spiral-based movement that complements classical Pilates work.
Multi-room, purpose-built layout. Separate rooms for Cadillac, mat, and private training means sessions aren't competing for space or equipment.
On-demand library: Reformer labs, mat flows, and mobility resets available for streaming and built for members who travel or want volume beyond their in-studio schedule.
Why We Love It
Jia Li built The Sol Room around a vision of helping people move functionally and with precision. The Cadillac-forward programming, the GYROTONIC® integration, the multi-room infrastructure is designed to meet guests where they are in their practice, with intentional progression built into the membership. This is a studio with a clear point of view on movement, and the equipment and space to back it up. The front-of-house experience could use a bit more warmth, but the classes here are strong.
VisitThe Sol Room: 647 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL • www.thesolroom.com/ • @the.sol.room
About Telomere Consulting
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