Pilates at Home vs the Studio: Can You Really Get the Same Results?
Updated: Sep 14
Maybe it's the cost, maybe it was the commute, maybe your schedule changed and 6 p.m. reformer class just stopped being realistic. Whatever the reason, you're probably here because you're thinking of dropping your studio membership; contemplating doing Pilates home workouts instead, and wondering.... can you really get the same results doing Pilates at home?
We're here with an answer! The short answer is yes, but the question you're asking is really a few questions within a question:
Will mat Pilates level up to the reformer classes you've been taking?
Will you be as consistent as you were when there's not an instructor expecting you to show up or a threat of a late cancel fee?
Will you even know what you're supposed to be doing?
Today we'll answer the first and last questions. The second question is a personal question so... we'll leave that to you. Read on to learn what makes an at home Pilates practice work and be just as effective.
Does Where You Practice Really Matter?
Less than you might think. What actually decides your results is whether you keep showing up, and whether the work gets harder as you get stronger. Both of those are things you can build into a practice at home.
If you've been taking reformer classes, going home to a mat can feel like a step down but it isn't. A 2010 study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that 12 weeks of mat Pilates, with no reformer and no equipment at all, significantly improved abdominal endurance, hamstring flexibility, and upper body muscular endurance (Kloubec, 2010). Those are the same results most people are chasing in a group class.
So does the reformer give you anything the mat doesn’t? When researchers have compared the two head to head, the equipment has made little difference and only among athletes. In a 2020 trial, researchers compared groups doing mat and reformer workouts, both the mat group and the reformer group experienced improvement and similar results (Bastik & Cicioglu, 2020). A 2025 trial ran a similar experiment with amateur soccer players and found the reformer group ahead on a few explosive and agility tests, and level with the mat group on sprint speed, flexibility and balance (Yılmaz et al., 2025). That edge showed up in athletes already training six days a week, and only on explosive power. If that is not what you came to Pilates for, a mat workout is likely going to do the job. We explore this more in another blog post: Which is Harder Mat or Reformer Pilates.
Interested in Leveling Up Your Pilates Workout? Get Our Free Form Guide
What the Studio Actually Gives You (And What It Doesn't)
Studios offer three things that are genuinely harder to replicate at home: hands-on corrections, real time instructor guidance and social accountability. A skilled instructor watching your form can catch compensatory patterns you'd have to work harder to notice on your own (we explore this topic more in our Proper Pilates Form at Home article) and showing up to a class you've booked (and paid for) is a powerful motivator.
But here's what the studio doesn't guarantee: progressive programming. Many group classes cycle through similar movement sequences regardless of where individual students are in their practice. If you've been attending the same class for a year, you may be noticing a plateau. It's not a critique on the classes themselves, they can provide a great workout, but it's a limitation of the group class format. You would need to start working with a private instructor individually to get truly progressive and adaptive workouts over time - which we love and encourage if you can afford it because it can be really transformative, but recognize it is not financially accessible for everyone.
What Makes a Pilates at Home Practice Work
The people who thrive with home Pilates tend to share a few traits. They have some baseline movement literacy, they follow structured programming rather than random YouTube videos, and they show up on a regular schedule even when nobody's watching. This might sound intimidating, but before you walk away saying 'that's not me', hear us out....
If none of those read typical you, the Prompt Pilates app takes care of all of that for you. We've got the baseline in movement literacy and break it down for you with relatable, easy-to-follow cues. Our workouts are based on a personalized intake, and build progressively over time as you practice so that you're not getting advanced exercises before you're ready. And we will remind you to show up and while we won't charge you for not showing up (we see you late cancel fee), we're here to be your accountability buddy in whatever way you need.
The Bottom Line
Here's our verdict: asking about if you'll get the same results from a studio vs. home Pilates practice is the wrong question. What matters is whether your practice is consistent, progressive, and designed for your body. You can absolutely get those things at home, you just need the right support network and program to make that happen and we aim to provide that for you!
If you're looking for a smarter way to practice at home, join our waitlist so you can launch a successful home practice when the Prompt Pilates app launches.
References
Bastik, C., & Cicioglu, H. I. (2020). Comparison of the effect of the mat and reformer pilates exercises on the waist-hips ratio and body compositions of the middle-aged sedentary women. Progress in Nutrition, 22(Supplement 1), 50-57. https://doi.org/10.23751/pn.v22i1-S.9784
Kloubec, J. A. (2010). Pilates for improvement of muscle endurance, flexibility, balance, and posture. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(3), 661-667. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181c277a6
Yılmaz, O., Kaplan, T., & Batalik, L. (2025). Randomised controlled study on the effects of pilates exercises in soccer: Comparing mat and reformer methods on physical and technical performance. PLoS One, 20(5), e0324129. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0324129
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