It’s the Hottest Workout of the Year – but Is Pilates Becoming Elitist? We Asked 5 Top Instructors for Their Take

I'm in my Pilates era, you could say. In other words, I’ve tried it all: mat Pilates, Reformer sessions, London's cult classes and endless online flows. So when my local studio offered free Tower Pilates classes during its opening week, I was hooked. I thought, finally, a Pilates class I can really commit to. But when the booking system went live, reality hit. Each class was £35. My intention of going three times a week suddenly added up to more than £400 a month - hardly sustainable, particularly given that at least half my monthly salary goes on renting in London.

Pilates once began as a rehabilitative, strength-building method meant for all bodies. Now, however, its glossy reinvention - with Reformer beds, pastel studios, and “Pilates Princess” ideals - raises difficult questions: is Pilates still for everyone? Or has it quietly become a flash, exclusive trend?

“It’s becoming slightly toxic and highly exclusive,” says Sabrina Kelly, Pilates Instructor at MoreYoga. “The look being pushed on social media is slim, young, wealthy and privileged - and it excludes a huge group of people.”

At the same time, instructors point out that prices aren’t inflated for no reason. “My Reformer training cost £1,700, and comprehensive classical training was £4,700,” explains Claire Pestaille, Reformer Manager at HOME Wellness. “Teaching group classes pays £30 to £50. Rising studio rent and training costs inevitably push up prices for students.”

Despite that transformative first week trialling tower Pilates, I’m not alone in facing the financial friction of the practice. In December 2022, a YouGov poll found 10% of adults in the UK had either cancelled or were considering cancelling a gym or other sports or exercise membership due to the rising cost of living. Cost is a real barrier to participation. A HFA study found that a modest 10% cut in exercise costs could prompt around 14% of non-members to begin structured fitness.

The question looms: is Pilates inspiring women to participate, or quietly putting them off? To explore this, I spoke to five leading Pilates instructors and studio founders. The differences in their views were telling - and compelling.

While you're here, do check out our guide to the best Pilates exercises for beginners, best Pilates core moves, best core sculpting Pilates moves, and the best "Lazy Girl" Pilates flows, all of which can be done from home.

Is Pilates becoming too exclusive? We asked 5 top trainers and studio founders for their honest opinion

Is Pilates an accessible form of exercise?

Walk into certain London studios and it’s easy to see why the word “elitist” has become attached to Pilates. At sky-high studio Pilates in the Clouds, one-on-one walk-in sessions begin at £110 per person, while a single group Reformer class in the capital can average between £30 and £45. For many, that’s the same as a week’s groceries.

“I don’t think it’s accurate to brand the practice as a whole elitist,” says Luke Meessmann, founder of Absolute Studios. “Yes, there are some studios that are priced at a premium; however, there are many that are not. With apps like ClassPass and the uptake by big gym chains, there is a huge amount of choice at different price points.”

Others, though, believe the label does fit. “London thrives on shiny objects,” says Kelly. “The Pilates boom was celebrity-driven, and the apparatus is expensive - so it naturally attracts a wealthy audience.”

For Pestaille, the issue is systemic: “The cost of training to become a teacher is high, and this isn’t always reflected in teacher pay. Add in studio rents and overheads, and class prices inevitably rise.”

Not everyone sees exclusivity as a negative, however. Claire Mills, founder of Core LDN, points out that specialist knowledge - such as classes taught by physiotherapists or pelvic health experts - can warrant a higher price point: “Our prices are reflected in the quality of our classes and instructors. The studios charging the most may not necessarily correlate with the best classes or experience.”

So is Pilates truly elitist, or does it just appear that way? The answer depends on who you ask. What’s clear is that the cost barrier, whether rooted in business realities or branding choices, risks sending the message that Pilates is not “for everyone.” And that perception matters, particularly in an industry already battling narrow ideals of who belongs on the mat.

The rise of the ‘Pilates body’

Beyond price tags, there’s another barrier women are bumping up against: the image of the “ideal” Pilates body. On TikTok, the hashtag #PilatesBody has more than 38 million views, often showcasing ballerina-type bodies in pristine coordinating activewear.

“Even as an educator who’s been in the industry for over a decade, I don’t fit the stereotype. And if I feel excluded, what message does that send to women just starting out?” says Kelly.

All of the experts agreed that the portrayal is problematic. “In my opinion, a Pilates body is simply a body,” says Pestaille. “It’s not about how that body looks, but how it moves and feels from the inside.”

Pilates instructor Sadie Straw echoes this: “The real Pilates body is simply one that feels balanced and resilient.”

Even those keen to reclaim the phrase stress that it should empower, not intimidate. “To me, a ‘Pilates body’ is not a glossy outfit or selfie,” says Mills. “It’s a body that feels strong, helps maintain posture and flexibility, and makes you feel positive about yourself.”

Yet the problem isn’t just abstract. Studies show that fitness imagery disproportionately excludes larger bodies, older women and women of colour. A 2025 report found that 37% of young people felt social media decreased self-esteem and made them “too self-conscious” to try new forms of exercise. When a practice like Pilates becomes entwined with a narrow aesthetic ideal, it risks alienating exactly the groups it could benefit most.

Is lack of representation a problem in Pilates?

So who is missing from the mat? For Kelly, the answer is obvious: “Different bodies, ages and races are rarely advertised in marketing. Pilates is for everyone, yet the image being sold is young, thin, white and affluent.”

The lack of representation is paired with financial barriers. “Pilates, especially reformer, should be more accessible and affordable for people on lower incomes,” says Pestaille. She suggests council-run gyms invest in Reformer equipment, and schools introduce Pilates for posture and stress management.

Straw believes the key is more affordable mat classes: “Once people feel the benefits - better posture, reduced pain, improved strength - they’ll understand Pilates is for everyone.”

Kelly has taken matters into her own hands, leaving luxury studios to create an inclusive approach at MoreYoga. “I wanted a space where everyone could experience Pilates,” she says. “I run a teacher training programme that’s affordable and diverse, so the next generation of instructors looks different to the stereotype.”

This community-minded vision harks back to Joseph Pilates himself, who taught not only dancers and athletes, but also office workers, parents and the elderly. As Kelly points out: “This wasn’t Joseph’s mission - Pilates was invented to heal people’s bodies, minds and spirits.”

Is there a risk to how Pilates is portrayed on social media?

No discussion of modern Pilates is complete without social media - both the driver of its boom, and the source of its image problem.

Some see it as corrosive. “Yes, what we’re seeing now is a far cry from what Joseph Pilates would have wanted,” says Kelly.

Straw agrees: “The glossy, body-focused version online misses the point. At its best, Pilates is about longevity and healing, not just aesthetics.”

Others take a more balanced view. “Social media potentially skews people’s perception of true Pilates,” says Mills, “but Pilates is still transformative when taught with the right foundations.”

And then there are those who embrace it. “Let’s face it,” says Meessmann, “if you want to attract the attention of the younger generation, you’ve got to be flashy. If flashy content gets young people into a class that helps them move and balance their bodies, why not? There are far worse things social media could be pushing.”

This split reveals a generational tension in Pilates: should the industry protect its legacy, or lean into the aesthetic-driven marketing that’s made it more visible than ever?

How can we make Pilates more accessible?

What’s clear from talking to these experts is that Pilates is at a crossroads. On one side, its glossy makeover risks making it feel like a luxury only for a certain slice of society. On the other hand, its surge in popularity is a chance to make it truly inclusive.

“The future I’d like to see is Pilates in schools, retirement homes, and community centres,” says Pestaille. Straw adds: “More affordable, varied mat classes would break barriers.” And for Kelly, seeing diversity in instructors is key: “When people see teachers who look like them, it changes everything.”

The message keeps coming back to the same thing: Pilates isn’t about looks, it’s about feeling good. As Mills puts it: “It’s a practice that can transform body and mind - if we move away from the filters and back to the foundations.”

For everyday women juggling work, family, and bills, that’s the version of Pilates that’s really worth investing in.

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