HOW PILATES TOOK OVER
An old concept has become the hottest trend in fitness, drawing in even budget clubs. But is Pilates becoming a saturated market?
BY JULIE KING
The Pilates boom isn’t just about Pilates anymore. The method that once was a specialty offering in the fitness industry has become a platform for a much broader range of workouts—and a much bigger opportunity for fitness operators.
Pilates participation among US fitness-facility members rose
million consumers currently participate in Pilates in the US
Those aged 18-24 have the highest participation rate of any age group at
However it’s defined, Pilates is a trend that’s showing no signs of slowing down. Pilates participation among US fitness-facility members rose 28.1% between 2021 and 2025, according to HFA’s 2026 US Health & Fitness Consumer Report. A new report from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) finds that 13.8 million consumers currently participate in Pilates in the US.
Traditional mat and reformer Pilates are still at the heart of the movement, but the landscape has rapidly evolved to include reformer-based strength training, athletic performance, interval workouts, and mobility programs.
“Coming out of the pandemic, we've seen demand accelerate, and it has continued to build,” says Jim Heidenreich, CEO of Merrithew. “This reflects a broader change in consumer behavior. Rather than one modality alone, many people want a balanced movement routine that includes Pilates, strength training, cardio, and recovery.
“Pilates has become an established part of the fitness industry, and it will continue to grow.”
Created More Than 100 Years Ago
How did we get here? You need to start more than a century ago.
Joseph Pilates, a German-born gymnast and self-defense trainer, devised the system in a British internment camp during World War I. Pilates called his system “Controlology” after studying the movement of cats. He employed common objects, such as bed springs, and focused on body movements connected to postural and core strength. He later devised the original reformer apparatus that evolved into the training system used today.
The early 2000s brought the first significant expansion of Pilates after a trademark lawsuit that effectively made “Pilates” a generic exercise term. Then, teacher-training programs became more formalized, and as more instructors entered the field, many opened their own studios.
Joy Puleo, MA, NCPT, director of education at Balanced Body, describes the recent explosion as the latest chapter in a longer evolution, still ongoing.
“It was an instructor-led studio micro-boom,” she says. “People like me who had found Pilates and were training in Pilates began opening studios. Driven by passion, these practices became businesses.”
The current boom has flipped that model. Increasingly, entrepreneurs and fitness operators see consumer demand and a potentially attractive business model, and then build the programming, equipment, and instructor pipeline to meet it.
Heidenreich
Puleo
Stallworthy
Smith
The Perfect Mix of Resistance and Movement
Several forces converged to propel Pilates into the mainstream, including the pandemic, which accelerated interest in health, longevity, and lower-impact exercise.
“People are increasingly interested in movement that doesn’t simply ask them to push harder or add more intensity,” Heidenreich points out. “Continuous, flowing movement patterns that create space in the body, help release tension, and promote a greater sense of ease can complement more structured fitness routines.”
Executives at Your Reformer, an Australia-based Pilates equipment and education provider, also noticed a shift around 2020.
“Pilates stopped being something operators fit into spare space and was becoming something they were designing clubs around,” says Ben Stallworthy, co-founder and managing director of Your Reformer.
At the same time, social media transformed Pilates' image, making it look “sexy and interesting,” Puleo says.
“It made some of those nerdy things about posture ... kind of hip,” she says.
The reformer itself also makes for highly visual social content. Once consumers became interested, the availability of group-based Pilates classes helped turn curiosity into participation.
Puleo credits Xponential’s Club Pilates with helping make the method “accessible, affordable, and available” to a much broader audience. With 1,500 locations worldwide, it’s the world’s largest Pilates brand by number of studios.
“That showed you could put 20 reformers into a room, make it look really cool and inviting, and keep filling that space all day,” Puleo notes. “Now a business model pops out in front of you.”
Pilates has traditionally attracted a predominantly female audience, and women still account for 70% of participants, according to SFIA. But its appeal is broadening across age and gender. Adults ages 18 to 24 now have the highest Pilates participation rate of any age group, at 7.9% across men and women.
Puleo sees that shift playing out in studios. While women ages 45 to 75 remain a core audience, studios are attracting more Millennial and Gen Z participants as well as significantly more men. At some studios, she says, the participation of men have grown from roughly 5% to 15%–25%.
“Pilates has moved beyond its traditional base,” Heidenreich says. “It always had a very loyal following, but today, we see much broader awareness of the reformer and the benefits of mindful movement among consumers of different ages, fitness levels, and training goals.”
That broader appeal also reflects the versatility of the modality.
“I don’t think the future of Pilates is simply about making it more intense,” Stallworthy says. “One of the biggest strengths of the reformer is that it can serve beginners, active agers, and high-performance athletes.”
For operators, however, serving such a wide range of participants requires more than simply adding reformers. They also need programming, technology, instructor support, and an operating model that can be delivered consistently at scale.
“Ultimately, the brands that win will be those that build something people can’t live without—not simply something they want to try.” • Anne Smith
Is There an Instructor Bottleneck?
For all the investment in equipment and programming, instructors may be the industry's most consequential constraint.
“Instructor availability is one of the most common challenges, particularly as reformer Pilates expands into more markets and more facilities,” Heidenreich says. “Well-trained instructors help build member confidence, improve retention, and create the consistency needed to scale a successful program and support sustainable growth.”
Puleo stops short of saying the industry has a Pilates instructor shortage. “I think the Pilates opportunity is running out ahead of the number of instructors available," she says. "The quality of instruction has always been a secret sauce behind the success of Pilates.”
Traditional Pilates education can be a lengthy process, in an industry where other modalities often require shorter certification pathways. The challenge is making the profession more accessible to new instructors without sacrificing the quality and rigor of their education.
Suppliers are offering resources to help fill the instructor pool. Merrithew's STOTT PILATES Academy has trained more than 100,000 instructors through a global network of more than 300 partners. Your Reformer offers Pilates instructor education and InstructorPro, a class-planning and programming platform to help operators support instructors beyond certification.
However, with more budget facilities adding Pilates—such as Crunch, Amped, EōS Fitness, Snap Fitness, and more (see “The HVLP Pilates Surge”)—suppliers also are developing ways to make the programming more scalable through digital resources:
• Merrithew Connect offers guided Pilates and fitness workouts, curated programs, and masterclasses.
• Your Reformer’s KioskPro offers on-demand digital workouts beyond scheduled classes.
• The new Les Mills Reformer turnkey system provides pre-choreographed, music-driven classes and continual new releases to make it easier for gyms to deliver a consistent experience.
• Balanced Body has created specific education modules and video courses to teach the basics and meet the demand.
It’s essential to find a solution, according to Stallworthy: “We’ve heard from operators for years that demand is there, but they need more instructors, better support for new instructors, and greater consistency in programming. That’s only become more important as Pilates has scaled.”
The Worry About a Saturated Market
For those worried about market saturation, Stallworthy sees the influx of competitors differently.
“HVLP entry is evidence of the runway, not a sign that the category has peaked,” he says. “Large clubs can introduce Pilates to people who may never have walked into a boutique studio, while specialist studios will win on instruction, community, and experience.”
Though greater accessibility can expand the overall market, Anne Smith, chief commercial officer of [solidcore], says that growth makes differentiation more important.
“As more options become available, consumers will increasingly understand that there are different methodologies, intensities, and outcomes,” Smith says. “They will look beyond the equipment itself and pay attention to the quality of the workout, the coaching, the community, and the overall experience.”
Consensus is that Pilates won’t fade away as other fitness industry trends have.
“We’ll continue to see dedicated Pilates studios grow, but we’ll also see Pilates become more established within fitness clubs, hospitality settings, rehabilitation and athletic performance facilities, and active aging environments,” Heidenreich says. “Those that succeed will help members understand how Pilates fits into a balanced, sustainable movement practice.”
Executing well is critical, Smith agrees. “Ultimately, the brands that win will be those that build something people can’t live without—not simply something they want to try.”
According to Puleo, “Pilates at an elevated level is here to stay. Industry-wide, we have to do a really good job of learning to talk about what Pilates is; be inclusive of all the smart, creative ways it can evolve; and support people in building out their opportunities in ways that keep it sticky.”
WHY HVLP BRANDS ARE BETTING BIG ON REFORMER PILATES
As Pilates moves beyond boutique studios, global HVLP brands are betting that the format can become a powerful retention and differentiation tool for the budget category. Continue reading...
Are Pilates Variations Still Pilates?
As operators put their own spin on Joseph Pilates’ traditional reformer and instructional methods, purists are asking if the term has lost its meaning. The modification of reformers and integration of new movement modalities are only part of the changes from the core Pilates program.
While opinions vary about what should properly be classified as “Pilates,” many industry experts see advantages in the greater variety.
“Joseph Pilates had an original method with very specific, skill-based exercises,” says Joy Puleo, MA, NCPT, director of education at Balanced Body. “Now, we are trying to pull that method through other workout variations, and I’m excited by that.”
Among the variations:
STRONG Pilates, a global franchise in 16 countries, combines Pilates, cardio, and strength training on its custom-designed Rowformer and Bikeformer machines.
Pilates Addiction, part of Sequel Brands, runs high-intensity strength, cardio, and core workouts on its patented Aurum Reformer. It’s expected to reach 125 locations in 2026.
Your Reformer has launched a Sports Performance HYROX Series for athletes across different sports.
[solidcore], which is targeting 200 locations in the US by the end of this year, offers high-intensity, low-impact strength training using a custom-built reformer, including Run Stronger, which benefits runners.
Over the past few years, [solidcore] has intentionally moved away from using the term “Pilates” to more accurately reflect its offering, says Anne Smith, the company’s chief commercial officer.
“We create a very specific strength-training experience through slow, controlled movements, time under tension, and working muscles to second-stage failure,” she explains. “Strength training is our methodology, and this gives clients the intensity they want while remaining low-impact.”
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