A Pilates studio co-owned by a former MotoGP racer has found itself at the centre of a social media firestorm after he and his partner appeared to mock a male client mid-workout in leaked text messages.

'There's a guy in the other room he's struggling lol,' Club Reformat co-owner and trainer Pippa Warburton wrote in one of the texts. 

'His face is all scrunched up.'

Ms Warburton, who runs the studio with Arthur Sissis - a former Grand Prix motorcycle racer - and his sister Lia, has defended the business, claiming the leaked messages lacked 'context' in a statement shared on Sunday.

She said the messages were shared by a former employee at a Club Reformat studio in Virginia, 30km north of Adelaide.

'The screenshot of said conversation was sent privately and confidentially by Pippa (our studio owner) to our private trainer-only group chat with the intention of celebrating a client working hard in class - not to mock them - and to encourage and praise the trainer for running a challenging and engaging class,' the statement read.

'That context was removed when the screenshot was shared on social media and was never intended for public distribution.   

'In our world, a scrunched up face and a struggle is exactly what we're here for.

'That's where progress happens and for clarity, the image shared in the screenshot was of Pippa in her own studio. Not a client.'

The statement also sought to reassure members the studio's security system can only be accessed by studio owners for safety purposes. 

'Trainers have limited on-site access for safety and operational purposes only. That's how it's always been,' the statement read.

'We're sorry if the lack of context in these screenshots has made anyone feel uncomfortable. That's never what this space is about. 

'Club Reformat exists because we genuinely care about every single person's progress who walks through our doors and we always will.' 

However, the anonymous woman who leaked the messages said she felt compelled to warn other clients, claiming it was inappropriate for Mr Sissis to watch camera feeds from home.

She said a screenshot of the messages had been shared with her by mutual contacts in a statement on Facebook group Tea Time. 

'I first became aware that the Club Reformat studio cameras were being viewed remotely by people other than the owner after overhearing two instructors discussing the owner's partner watching the cameras from home during classes,' she wrote.

'There was no reason he should be casually watching the cameras. 

'Seeing this made me feel extremely uncomfortable... I feel genuinely shocked, upset, and disappointed.'

While some rushed to defend Ms Warburton and her studio, others branded the alleged conduct a disturbing breach of privacy. 

Another questioned the studio's response, saying, 'If the lack of context is the issue, why don't they just share the rest of the message?' 

A third fumed it was 'actually disgusting', as others warned the saga would only deepen fears about being judged while exercising. 

'Context or no context you can't gaslight me into thinking you were being supportive in those text messages… the lol, the hahaha, the laugh react to the message, that is not encouraging or praising that's mockery,' they said. 

'And this is why people like me, don't and won't ever feel comfortable in a gym. If it's not someone posting you using a rowing machine, it's being ridiculed by people who work there,' another said. 

The Daily Mail has contacted Ms Warburton for comment.