How to Build an At-Home Pilates Studio
Pilates is one of the most popular forms of exercise in the world today. Millions of people are discovering its benefits and want to join Pilates classes but due to recent COVID lockdowns, many Pilates studios have closed down.
This presents a great opportunity for you to start an at-home Pilates studio and that will save you time and money while allowing you to grow your business as fast as possible.
Starting your own at-home Pilates studio is not an easy task. You need to take care of a lot of things, like floor planning, getting equipment, getting the word out, and other stuff you might need.
In order to make it easier for you, we've put together all the information you need in one place - from how much money you'll be spending on various things, to tips on where to find suppliers and everything else related to building an at-home Pilates studio.
Advantages of Building an At-Home Pilates Studio
Here are some of the things you'll be saving if you start an at-home Pilates studio:
No additional rent, lease, or deposits
Operating the Pilates studio out of your home not only saves you money on additional rent, lease, or deposits that you'd have to pay for a commercial property, you'll also be able to avoid paying additional taxes on your income from starting an at-home Pilates studio.
Don't need staff
Unlike a normal Pilates studio, you will not need to hire staff to manage the studio or worry about security. Starting an at-home Pilates studio also means that you won't have to pay for additional utilities like electricity and water.
Maximizing time availability to see clients between other commitments
Being able to start an at-home Pilates studio gives you the freedom and flexibility of seeing clients whenever you want, even during off-hours and out of your standard business hours.
You can also expand into other related areas like dealing with fitness equipment or selling Pilates workout apps and DVDs that will help you generate more income from the same time invested in building an at-home Pilates studio.
Multi-tasking with domestic work and family matters between clients
You can also maximize your time by getting more things done around the house or taking care of kids between clients. An at-home Pilates studio gives you the flexibility to work on your own schedule.
No fixed space requirement
You get the ability to convert your home office, den, bedroom, and garage into a Pilates studio.
This means that you can make more money without having an additional room or space in the house for clients to use as a Pilates studio. You can even convert unused rooms of your home like an attic, basement, laundry room, storage area, or garage.
You can also use your at-home Pilates studio as a small, private gym for yourself and your family where you can work out at low prices.
How to Build an At-Home Pilates Studio
Budgeting the Money
The amount of money that you'll be spending in building an at-home Pilates studio mainly depends on two factors, which are the size of the Pilates studio and your home. The bigger your home, the more space you can convert into a Pilates studio.
Also, for additional equipment like mirrors or storage racks, you'll need to add to the cost depending on how much space you have.
Make sure to create a proper budget plan to avoid overspending. Make it according to your needs and requirements.
Floor Area and Size
Finding a dedicated space to store all of your equipment is the first stage in establishing your Pilates studio. Some of the Pilates equipment is large so you need proper floor planning before buying anything.
The ideal size of your Pilates studio is around 50-70 square meters.
Doing a floor plan first will help you know where everything needs to go by marking the size of different equipment like ball chairs, reformers, benches, machines, mats, foam rollers, etc.
Buying Essential Pilates Equipment
Once you have a budget, you can start buying essential Pilates equipment. Here are some of the most important pieces of equipment that you'll need:
Reformer: Those looking to build an at-home Pilates studio should invest in a reformer as it's one of the most common items used by those who practice Pilates. It is designed to change resistance and weight into a form of controlled movement which targets all parts of the body through sequencing.
The ideal type would be to go for a foldable Pilates reformer that can be folded and stacked up when not in use.
Shop best foldable Pilates reformer here
Alternatively, you can get a Pilates reformer with vertical storage that is designed for home use and do not take up too much space.
Shop best Pilates reformer with vertical storage here
Ball Chair: The ball chair is one part of Pilates equipment that you can use at home without any additional cost for space or money. It's simply a large inflated ball with handles on top of it so clients can sit, roll, and stretch.
The ball chair can be simply placed at any corner of your home or office where it's being used.
Yoga Mat: A Pilates yoga mat is a good addition to any Pilates studio and they're absolutely essential for clients who love practicing at home. They can be used alone or in association with other equipment like reformers and more.
Ladder Barrels: Ladder barrels, also called step boxes, are essential Pilates equipment to be used by anyone practicing at home.
They can be placed in different parts of your house or office and you can use them for a variety of exercises like the T-Recovery Exercise, Calf Stretch Exercise, Psoas Release Exercise, and many others.
Pilates Chair: A Pilates chair is a great piece of equipment to use at home especially if you don't have a reformer or any other Pilates machine. It's portable and can be folded for easy storage when not in use.
It also helps increase the intensity of your workout by adding resistance while you're exercising.
Marketing Your At-Home Pilates Studio
Once you have all your Pilates equipment in place, the next step is to market it. This part of building an at-home Pilates studio is vital as you'll be able to attract clients and get paid for teaching them.
There are many ways to do so but here are some important ones:
- Start a Facebook and Instagram account for your at-home Pilates studio
- Create a Facebook Page or utilize your existing business page to attract more clients
- Use some free services like Canva that can help you design great social media posts
- Ask your friends and family to help you market your at-home Pilates studio
- Go out there and meet new people through networking events and other business opportunities
- Offer free trials to get more clients in the early days of your at-home Pilates studio
5 Tips for Building a Successful At-Home Pilates Studio
Building an at-home Pilates studio may sound easy and straightforward but it's not without its challenges. Here are some important things to remember when building a successful at-home Pilates studio:
Keep your neighbors happy
Parking restrictions, the times of your classes, and the increase in students that will use your home and area should all be considered beforehand. Noise levels during barre class are also essential to consider and it's important your neighbors are fine with them as well.
Consider the impact on children
It's not easy to be a parent but it becomes even more difficult when you're running your own small business at home.
Some things that are important to consider are the noise levels of barre class, lack of privacy for children or teenagers who share rooms with their parents, and more. It's up to you whether you'll allow children to join your classes but make sure you consider these things beforehand.
Pets at the studio
If you're an animal lover and consider your pet family, it's important to consider the impact of your at-home Pilates studio on them. It's important to notify your clients about pets at the studio because some clients may be allergic to them or simply not okay with it.
Separate entrances/exits
This one goes without saying, but if you have two Pilates studios separated by a wall, ensure clients are entering and exiting through different doors. This way your clients can enter the studio around the time they're supposed to take classes and no one will be there before that.
Personal time vs work time
Building a successful Pilates studio from home comes with its cons and pros. Some of them include less personal time vs more work time, constant clutter in the house, no escaping during class times, and so on.
It's important to acknowledge these challenges before starting so you can be ready for them when they come your way.