The Home Studio Dilemma: How At-Home Pilates Setups Are Undermining the Industry – and Misleading Clients

The Pilates industry is facing a quiet crisis – one that’s unfolding not in studios, but in living rooms, garages, spare bedrooms, and Instagram stories.

Across cities and suburbs alike, an increasing number of Pilates sessions are being offered in private homes by individuals who may be well-intentioned, but often lack proper space, equipment, safety measures, or – in many cases – professional certification. And while this trend may seem harmless or even “convenient” on the surface, it’s having a profound impact on the integrity of the profession, the safety of clients, and the future of legitimate, licensed studios.

This isn’t a conversation about gatekeeping. It’s about standards, ethics, and the sustainability of a profession that is being diluted by shortcuts and sidesteps.

The Rise of Home Studios – And Why It’s a Problem

The pandemic accelerated the shift toward home-based work – and in many ways, it opened up opportunities for instructors and clients to stay connected when studios were closed. But as the world returned to normal, many of those pop-up setups didn’t fade out. Instead, they became permanent.

Today, we’re seeing more and more so-called “home studios” offering services that look like professional Pilates sessions – often with minimal regulation, questionable qualifications, and improvised setups that fall far short of professional standards.

And while some may argue that this increases access or makes Pilates more affordable, what it’s really doing is undermining the professionalism of the industry, putting clients at risk, and confusing the public about what Pilates actually is.

The Hidden Risks for Clients

For the average person looking to “try Pilates,” a home-based class might seem like a fun and casual way to move – but here’s what they’re not being told:

• No formal oversight: Many home setups are run without insurance, legal business registration, or adherence to safety codes. If something goes wrong, there is no protection for the client.
• Improvised equipment setups: Reformers crammed into small spaces, uneven flooring, lack of emergency exits, poor ventilation – these are not minor concerns. They’re hazards.
• Instructor qualifications may be lacking: Not all home instructors are certified. And even among those who are, teaching from home with no peer review or accountability leads to complacency and poor standards.
• No quality control: There’s no manager, no educator, no mentorship, and no structure for professional development. What starts as casual instruction can become careless very quickly.
• Inconsistent experiences: Clients end up bouncing between vastly different interpretations of Pilates, never receiving a clear understanding of the method or a path for progression.

When clients don’t know the difference between a certified instructor working in a licensed studio and someone casually offering “Pilates” from home, the entire industry loses credibility.

The Impact on the Profession

Every time a client chooses a home-based class over a legitimate studio, it chips away at the stability of the professional market. Here’s how:

• Licensed studios struggle to compete with unregulated home setups offering sessions at half the price, no VAT, no business expenses, and no quality benchmarks.
• Newly certified instructors – who invested in proper education and mentorship – often find themselves undercut by untrained individuals offering similar-looking services with no overhead.
• Clients begin to associate Pilates with casual, social, or “trendy” exercise, rather than the disciplined, system-based method it truly is.
• Studios cut corners trying to compete with the lower rates of home setups, often increasing class sizes, hiring less experienced staff, or offering diluted programming.

It creates a race to the bottom – not just financially, but professionally. And in that race, the client ultimately loses.

What Clients Should Know (But Aren’t Being Told)

Clients deserve to understand what they’re walking into. Choosing a Pilates class isn’t like choosing a smoothie or a spin playlist. You are placing your body – your spine, your joints, your postural health – in someone else’s hands.

Before you book a class, ask yourself:

• Is the instructor certified and insured?
• Is the space designed and equipped for movement? (Not just rearranged furniture.)
• Are there safety measures in place? (First aid kits, secure equipment, ventilation, spacing.)
• Will I receive individualized attention and correction?
• Does the experience reflect the true essence of Pilates – or is it just exercise with springs?

Pilates is not just about moving. It’s about learning to move well – with intention, precision, and control. That requires more than a mat and a playlist. It requires structure, training, and the right environment.

Home Isn’t the Problem – It’s the Lack of Standards

To be clear, the issue isn’t about where Pilates is practiced – it’s about how it’s practiced.

There are excellent instructors who occasionally teach private sessions in homes or run hybrid programs with care and integrity. The difference is: they bring their professionalism with them. They’re certified. They’re insured. They assess the space. They know the method. They take responsibility.

The real problem is with those who skip all of that and present themselves as equals in a field they haven’t truly entered.

What the Industry Needs to Do

It’s time to have this conversation openly – not to shame, but to educate.

• Studios and schools must raise awareness among clients and potential instructors about what proper training looks like.
• Associations and certifying bodies should advocate more strongly for standards and professional boundaries.
• Instructors need to understand that being qualified is more than having a certificate – it’s about how and where you choose to teach.
• Clients deserve transparency about who is teaching them and what they’re really paying for.

Pilates is a professional discipline. If we don’t protect it, we lose it – slowly, subtly, and then all at once.

Choosing Intentionally: What Clients Can Do

You don’t need to be an expert to make a wise choice. Look for signs of professionalism:

• Studio certifications and instructor bios displayed clearly
• Structured programming, not just random exercises
• A clean, equipped, and safe space
• Teachers who observe and correct with purpose
• A sense of progression and method – not just movement

It’s your body. Your time. Your investment. Make it count.

Final Thoughts

Pilates is not a trend, a social class, or a home hobby. It’s a professional method that deserves to be taught – and learned – with intention, skill, and respect.

As clients, let’s choose more wisely. As instructors, let’s teach more responsibly. As an industry, let’s protect what makes Pilates more than just another workout: its depth, its structure, and its purpose.

Because once that gets lost in someone’s living room, we’re no longer building a profession – we’re just playing pretend.