Is the Pilates Industry Saturated — or Is It Actually Booming? A Realistic Look for Pilates Teachers
If you’re a Pilates teacher, you’ve probably felt it: suddenly there are studios everywhere, reformer classes selling out, waiting lists popping up — and in other pockets of the industry, some classical and mat teachers are worried what the future looks like.
It’s easy to look around and think:
“Is the Pilates industry saturated?”
But what if:
👉 Pilates feels crowded because of rapid growth in certain areas — not because demand is disappearing.
👉 The industry is actually booming, especially in the UK.
👉 Teachers who position themselves clearly and show up where students are searching are thriving.
Let’s look at what’s really happening — with real industry stats — and what this means for you as a Pilates teacher.
The Bigger Picture: Pilates Is Growing, Not Shrinking
The UK “Pilates & Yoga Studios” industry was valued at just under £1 billion recently and continues to grow. (IBIS)
Worldwide, the Pilates market is expanding too:
The global Pilates industry generated €47.8 million in revenue in 2023, and Pilates-related searches are rising fast worldwide.
In short: this is a growing market.
Students aren’t disappearing.
Studios aren’t shutting down.
Interest isn’t dying off.
The challenge most teachers have isn’t saturation — it’s visibility and differentiation.
The Reformer Boom — and the Tension It’s Creating
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room.
The rise of reformer Pilates has been explosive, especially in the UK:
Peak Pilates reported record reformer sales, with demand for reformer training hitting new highs.
“Reformer Pilates” became one of the top-searched fitness trends in the UK.
Searches for “reformer Pilates near me” have surged dramatically over the past few years.
This rapid growth has created:
✔ more studios
✔ more job opportunities
✔ more student awareness
But also:
✔ tension between classical teachers and fitness-style reformer classes
✔ confusion among students about what “real” Pilates is
✔ a sense of being overshadowed for those not teaching reformer
Here’s the key:
Reformer Pilates is growing because public demand is growing.
And that demand often leads people to discover all types of Pilates, not just one.
There is room for everyone, but not if everyone looks and sounds the same.
So Why Does It Feel Saturated?
Three reasons — none of which are actually about lack of demand.
1. You’re seeing all the teachers at once
Pilates teachers naturally cluster online:
Facebook groups
Instagram
Local community groups
This makes the industry look more crowded than it is locally.
2. Reformer studios are exploding
It’s not that Pilates is saturated — it's that one segment is exploding, which distorts the whole picture.
3. Classical and mat Pilates is under-marketed
Many classically trained teachers rely on:
word of mouth
last-minute social posts
not enough SEO
unclear messaging
websites that don’t actually “sell” the teaching approach
This makes it feel like students are choosing reformer over classical…when really, they’re just choosing whoever is easiest to find.
The Pilates Teacher Benchmark shows a marketing gap
From our own Benchmark data:
Many teachers struggle with visibility
Tech and marketing feel overwhelming
Teachers feel underprepared after training
Income varies hugely depending on business structure
Classical teachers report difficulty standing out
👉 This is not a saturation issue.
👉 This is a positioning and visibility issue.
Where the Real Opportunity Is (That Most Teachers Miss)
1. Being discoverable where students are searching
When someone Googles:
“reformer Pilates near me”
“classical Pilates [town]”
“Pilates for back pain [town]”
“Pilates beginners course”
They’re ready to book.
This is where classical teachers, small studios and independent instructors can absolutely shine — but only if your website and Google Business Profile are optimised.
I have a mini course that explains exactly how SEO works for Pilates Teachers - It’s not as tricky as you think!
2. Clearer differentiation (your method matters!)
If your website says:
“I teach Pilates for everyone.”
…it’s the fastest path to blending in.
But if it says:
“Classical Pilates for people who want a structured, progressive practice”
“Low-impact Pilates for people with back pain and stiffness”
“Strength-focused Pilates for women 40+ who have never felt strong”
“Reformer Pilates for beginners who want confidence and clarity”
Suddenly you’re no longer competing with 200 local teachers.
You’re the one who teaches this specific type of student.
But remember too, just stating your qualifications won’t mean much to a student. They don’t know if 500 hours is a lot, is 1000 a lot? Who that famous teacher you trained with is?
This is exactly what I teach in my Building Your Brand mini course — and Pilates teachers need this desperately.
3. Community-led Pilates will always win
People don’t stay because of the apparatus.
They stay because of:
trust
atmosphere
your teaching style
your care and attention
feeling seen
Reformer studios are booming because they create “energy,” not because of the machine itself.
Classical and mat teachers can do this beautifully — sometimes even more so.
A Simple Plan to Stand Out (Pilates-Specific)
Here are the steps that help Pilates teachers fill classes consistently:
1. Own your local searches
Create pages like:
classical-pilates-in-[town]
reformer-pilates-in-[town]
pilates-for-back-pain-[town]
Include:
who it’s for
what to expect
your approach/method
FAQs
class times
a “Book Now” button
My SEO Mini Course can guide you through this.
2. Optimise your Google Business Profile
Use categories like:
Pilates Studio
Pilates Instructor
Add:
photos
your timetable
regular posts
clear service descriptions
Many Pilates teachers don’t realise GBP is more important than Instagram.
My GBP eBook could help you here, it’s a Guide to Google Business for Pilates Teachers
3. Make your home page unmistakably YOU
One sentence:
Pilates for [who] → with [your method/approach] → for [result]
Add:
local references
real photos
student testimonials
4. Email marketing over algorithms
Pilates students value:
trust
consistency
education
personal communication
Email > Instagram every time.
If you’re looking for support with this, I have a membership group called The Orchard which has tons of bite size videos plus free access to ask me marketing questions, a great marketing resource for Pilates Teachers.
5. Run one focused offer per quarter
Such as:
6-week beginners reformer programme
Classical Pilates foundations
Pilates for back care
Strength and stability for runners
Pilates for peri/menopause
Match each with a simple landing page.
The Takeaway for Pilates Teachers/Pilates Studios
Is the Pilates industry saturated?
It feels busy — yes.
But it is absolutely not saturated.
What’s happening is this:
✔ The industry is booming, especially in the UK
✔ Reformer Pilates is growing rapidly and lifting awareness of the whole field
✔ Classical and mat teachers are struggling mainly because of visibility, not lack of demand
✔ Students are actively searching — and want clarity, trust and expertise
There is space for you.
Your method matters.
Your teaching is needed.
And your people are already out there looking.
You just need to help them find you.
Want help with navigating marketing in the Pilates Industry?
If you’re a Pilates teacher wanting more clarity, visibility and confidence with marketing:
Build Your Business course for all the basics and foundations you should have
Mini SEO Course for visibility
Branding Mini Course for clarity and niche
The Orchard Membership for ongoing support and questions
Soft, grounded, and created for real teachers building real businesses.
