Pilates Equipment: Will Tower and Chair be the Next Pilates Boom?
Sep 3
The Pilates industry has seen Reformer and Mat steadily grow throughout the most recent boom, which kicked off around 2019. Alongside that growth, we’ve seen other trends emerge such as, hot Pilates or hybrid concepts.
Reformer and Mat are still going strong, but the question now is: where is the Pilates industry headed next?
We looked at UK Pilates studio job listings posted between January 2024 and August 2026 to see what studios are actually asking for when they hire, and apparatus work, tower, chair, and the wider Comprehensive skillset, looks like the next big thing.
Reformer and Mat are still going strong, but the question now is: where is the Pilates industry headed next?
We looked at UK Pilates studio job listings posted between January 2024 and August 2026 to see what studios are actually asking for when they hire, and apparatus work, tower, chair, and the wider Comprehensive skillset, looks like the next big thing.
Here's what the data says:
In 2025 mentions for apparatus/equipment made up 8.6% of the sampled job listings. This year, in 2026, the number of mentions increased by 89.5%, featuring in almost a fifth of all job postings.
That’s almost double the amount of apparatus mentions across Pilates job postings.
How does this compare to Reformer growth?
Reformer is the obvious comparison point, because it's the last big boom we’ve seen in the industry. Reformer requirement actually saw a drop in mentions in the same time period, reducing from 80.2% to 76.7%.
Studios are paying more for it
Money tends to follow demand, and that seems to be the case here. UK listings that require tower or chair skills carry a mean hourly rate of £36.90, compared to £33.40 across the market as a whole.
Equipment isn’t Replacing Reformer
Out of the UK listings that require apparatus skills, 94.1% also specified also require reformer certification, and 70.6% require mat.
This indicates that studios aren't looking to swap one skill for another, they're looking for instructors who can have a broad scope of practice.
London-focused
This adoption in demand (as is often the case) is starting in London.
London accounts for 48% of all UK Pilates job listings, but a full 76.5% of listings requiring tower or chair skills. London studios are moving on apparatus well ahead of the rest of the country, the same way reformer and hot Pilates both started as London-first trends before spreading nationally.
The takeaway
Tower and Chair in the UK right now looks a bit like Reformer did a few years back: small, London-led, and already commanding a pay premium. It's not overtaking reformer or mat, but instead being requested as a key part of an instructor offering.
If this pattern sustains, apparatus skills are shaping up to be the next differentiator, not just a nice-to-have, and instructors who already hold Reformer and Mat certifications may want to get ahead of the curve.
Data based on 157 UK Pilates studio job listings submitted between January 2024 and August 2026. Percentages for 2024 and 2026 reflect partial-year data (2024 begins in late January; 2026 data runs through early August) and should be read as directional rather than final annual figures.
Data based on 157 UK Pilates studio job listings submitted between January 2024 and August 2026. Percentages for 2024 and 2026 reflect partial-year data (2024 begins in late January; 2026 data runs through early August) and should be read as directional rather than final annual figures.
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Released: 30/07/26