What equipment do you need for a home Pilates practice?

What are your favourite props or pieces of light equipment to use for your home Pilates practice?

Maybe you’re new to a home practice and you don’t know what props you might need.

If you’re doing online classes with us, we try to keep our classes as accessible as possible, and you really just need a comfy mat of some sort and a Zoom connection.

That said, we do find that there are some simple props you can have on hand to make your Pilates experience better for your body. They can be as simple as a hand towel or two, a throw pillow, or a folded bath towel or blanket. We're happy to use whatever you have in your home already!

But if you want to make some purchases for home equipment to enhance your practice, here are some of our top suggestions:

1. A sturdy bolster

2. A foam roller (dense foam and long enough to lay on)

3. A really nice, thick mat

4. A long stretchy band

5. A Pilates magic circle

6. Light hand weights (1-3 lbs)

Other things like different sized balls, looped bands, sliders, silicone toe correctors, chip foam blocks, tennis balls, cork yoga blocks, or yoga straps can be nice additions too if you have the room or budget for them.

Lots of these items can be picked up at your local Walmart or Winners, ordered on Amazon, or purchased at a fitness supply store. We can also recommend online Pilates equipment retailers for you to order more high-end or specialized equipment from, such as Merrithew, Balanced Body, Gratz, Franklin Method, and others. If you have questions or if you're looking for honest and unpretentious recommendations, we're here for you!

If you would like to see some of our recommended props on Amazon, here's a handy wish list for you to look at!

We also get asked all the time about where we got our mats at our studio from... They're made by Merrithew and they're designed for studio use so they're not made to easily roll up and store away, but they are definitely super comfy, wide, and supportive. If you're thinking of adding one to your home gym, you can check it out on Merrithew's website. They also have other "express mats" that are comfortable and supportive, but easier to roll up and store away, and you may like those!

Another thing we get a lot of questions about is our yoga bolsters. Our favourite bolsters are the restorative bolsters made by Halfmoon, and they also make high-quality straps, yoga blocks, and chip foam blocks.

Are you thinking of adding a piece or two of more classical Pilates apparatus to your home, but maybe you’re not sure what to pick? Have you been wondering how to clean your equipment or what products to use? Stay tuned for our suggestions in upcoming posts!