9 Affordable Pilates Equipment Ideas for Your Home Studio
Over the last couple years, people around the world have turned their homes into work spaces, schools, and gyms. With people working out at home more than ever, sales of exercise equipment skyrocketed, pushing the prices higher as a result. When creating a home gym or studio, the main considerations are budget and available space. Unfortunately, when it comes to Pilates equipment, both budget and space take a pretty significant hit. The lower-end reformers (as just one example) can still run hundreds if not thousands of dollars, and even the “space-saving” equipment that fold are reasonably bulky. I have a folding reformer/tower combo, and it manages to take up a significant area in the corner of my garage studio when put away (albeit nowhere near when it’s fully outstretched). Luckily, it is not necessary to have anything but your own body and a comfortable surface to work out on to get an authentic Pilates experience.
Mat work is considered the foundation to Pilates, so even if you are able to own an apparatus (Cadillac, Reformer, Chair, etc.) taking it to the mat will/should be a part of any Pilates practice. Therefore, I’ve compiled a list of affordable props and accessories that can level up any mat workout. To be considered affordable, the following items must be under $100, with most coming in under $50. I’ve arranged the pieces of equipment in order of most useful to least in my opinion, but certainly what is a priority to me might differ with you, so please take this sequence with a grain of salt.
1. Mat
We’ll begin with a pretty obvious one here. There’s not a whole lot to say about why a good mat is a necessary staple in any exercise setting. To put it bluntly, if you are going to be doing any movements on the floor, or really if you do anything off your feet, you’ll want a good mat.
To protect your spine and other bony landmarks on your body like your hips, scapulae, and sitz bones a mat should be at least 1 inch thickness. This mat from Retrospec is a full 1.5 inches and comes in a variety of gorgeous colors.
Click the image below to buy the Retrospec Solana Yoga Mat Amazon
2. Power Circle
Whether you love it or hate it, this is one piece of Pilates equipment you really shouldn’t pass on. Known by many names in the Pilates world – Power Circle, Magic Circle, Pilates Ring, Circle of Life, Ring of Fire, etc. – these have been used create muscular activation (sometimes frustratingly) in students for over a century. Joseph Pilates used the metal rings from beer barrels as the first iteration of the Power Circle. Today, they are made from materials like rubber or metal, but metal offers more resistance and durability. This Pilates Ring from ProBody Pilates prides itself on being “unbreakable,” so why not put it to the test?
Click the image below to buy the ProBody Pilates Ring Amazon
3. Pilates Ball
You may be wondering what size(s) and how many to purchase. Balls are so versatile in their uses, and I have several in various sizes that I keep in my studio. Admittedly, I’ve found some great ones at toy stores and pet stores! For the purpose of this blog, we’re going to focus on the Pilates mini ball. If you’re looking for a ball to place behind your back for some tactile feedback during Seated Roll Down, a Pilates mini ball is ideal. I also like to use it to maintain my heel-to-seat connection in Rolling Like a Ball, or as a pillow for side-lying exercises. The possibilities are endless, so let your imagination run wild! I personally have this one from ProBody Pilates at my home studio, and I love it. The color options aren’t bad either!
Click the image below to buy the ProBody Pilates Ball on Amazon
4. Hand Weights
Ok, let me be clear on this one - You don’t need heavy weights for Pilates (1-3 lbs, 5 lbs at the very most). Weights are used more for postural exercises rather than strength training for building large muscles. The challenge with lighter weights really comes from time under tension while maintaining good form and posture. That means slower, more controlled movements so the muscles are contracted for longer periods of time instead of fast reps. I like dumbbells that are hexagon shaped, so they don’t roll away (and they provide more stability if you want to do add some renegade rows to your Pilates routine). Portzon gives you the option to choose the color and weight of their dumbbells, because who doesn’t love options?
Click the link below to buy the hand weights on Amazon
5. Foam Roller
This one is simple, but also a multitasker. It can be used for self-myofascial release to prep muscles for class (see my blog on how to pregame before Pilates) or as a prop during exercises (example: Swan, Rollover, Bridges) to add a little help or to create a challenge with balance. I recommend getting a smooth, high density roller that’s on the longer side like 36 inches – that way you can lay lengthwise on it (trust me, it feels spectacular). Amazon Basics has a perfect option, and they do offer different sizes if you want something on the smaller size.
Click the image below to buy the Amazon Basics Foam Roller on Amazon
6. Booty Bands
When it comes to lighting a fire under you’re a**, booty bands are the go-to prop. I prefer to use the woven bands rather than the rubber ones, because they don’t ride up on your thighs & won’t snap. I bought a pack of highly rated bands on Amazon and one of them snapped on the first use. What a disappointment! That’s when a colleague of mine (a personal trainer) showed me what he used with his clients. The Sling Shot (Mark Bell) Hip Circle was a game changer, and I immediately bought three more to use with my own Pilates clients. There’s no weird sticky feeling you get from the rubber or latex bands, they stay put comfortably, and they’re easy to clean with water and mild soap. I honestly cannot think of a downside to adding one (or more) of these to your studio’s collection.
Click the image below to buy the Sling Shot Hip Circle on Amazon
7. Yoga Block
This is another basic but undeniably useful prop in any home gym or studio setting. If sitting on the mat with your legs out in front is painful, propping yourself up on a yoga block to give your hips some space can feel like a godsend. You can also use one of these to help achieve and maintain proper alignment throughout your movements. Gaiam’s yoga blocks are not only highly rated, but come in beautiful colors (bonus: some colors come in a 2 pack).
Click the image below to buy the Gaiam Yoga Block on Amazon
8. TheraBand/Resistance Bands
TheraBand is really a brand name of resistance bands, but it’s what I tend to call any resistance bands that are open ended (not circular). They come in precut lengths or you can buy yards of the material that can be cut as long or short as you desire. It is important to note that the precut bands tend to be more budget friendly. This set from TheraBand includes three strengths of resistance, and they are non-latex, so anyone with latex allergies need not worry.
Click the image below to buy the TheraBand/Resistance Bands on Amazon
9. Stability Ball
Also known as a Swiss Ball, I really love using one of these for muscle activation exercises like Dead-bug and the Glute Medius Wall Slide. The main drawback to including one of these in your exercise equipment collection is the amount of space needed for storage. It’s not like anyone is deflating and re-inflating one of these each use, so it will require some dedicated real estate in your home gym or studio. To be sure to get a size that fits you, consult a chart that suggests which size correlates best with your height. URBNFit’s Exercise Ball comes in five sizes, so you’re sure to find the one that just right, Goldilocks.
Click the image below to purchase the URBNFit Exercise Ball on Amazon
Honorable Mentions: Gondola Pole and/or Ballet Barre
These are a little different than the previous items on the list, because rather than purchasing these outright, I actually suggest to make these! All it takes is a quick trip to the hardware store to get a few items. Both of these honorable mentions involve a basic object: a wooden dowel. It is so affordable to achieve either one, so if you’re struggling to choose between the two, why not go with both?
The Gondola Pole is so simple and easy to make, I almost don’t understand why you wouldn’t just DIY this. It seems like the going rate to buy one of these is $65. Now, I’m not about to debate if that’s a good or fair price, but I am here to tell you I made mine for less than $10. It also takes practically zero assembly, since it just involves sticking rubber stoppers on each end of the dowel. You can add clear coat to the wood if you want a sleek look and feel, but that’s just personal preference. Once you’ve got your gondola pole ready, use it for help with balance exercises like Standing Footwork, Standing Sidekick Series, and Standing Power Circle Legs – you even pretend you’ve been transported to the canals of Venice while you’re at it! Here are the materials to make your own: wooden dowel + rubber tips.
The Ballet Barre isn’t just good for offering support for balance, you can also perform ballet stretches, which gives the barre a leg up (no pun intended) on the gondola pole. Ballet barres can be mounted on the wall – the space saving option – or free standing if you want to avoid any installation headaches (renter friendly!). I mounted mine on the wall with just a dowel and some closet rod brackets. For the less handy among us, you can buy ballet barres for about $100. Of course, the prices go way up from there if you really want to splurge, but since we’re keeping things affordable in this post I stuck with a $100 limit. This PreGymnastic barre has tons of great reviews, and is even adjustable.
Click the image below to buy the PreGymanstic Freestanding Ballet Barre on Amazon
Regardless of how much area or money you have to devote to your home gym/studio, if you are looking to add a certain je ne saia quoi to your workout space, these props will do the trick. Moreover, there is absolutely no reason to break the bank. You can keep that cash for a rainy day – or a sunny day for drinks on a patio. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m suddenly feeling inspired to refresh and upgrade some of the props in my own home studio!