November 6, 2026 - Trends

Men Join the Pilates Boom

Other half.
Man on pilates reformer machine
STRONG Pilates

No longer outliers, men now make up a third of Pilates participants.

Packed. Per SFIA, ~4.5M American men are now Pilates guys. With the 25–34 demographic surging, ClassPass reports guys have 3x’d drop-ins since ’23, while Equinox’s classes have become a 50-50 gender split.

Stacked. Supporting performance and longevity, men categorize Pilates—especially athletic reformer varieties—as functional strength. Complementary, WHOOP reports they’re adding it to existing regimens — including same-day sessions.

Men Are Stacking Pilates

Hacked. Developed for wounded male soldiers but marketed to women post WWII, men are breaking its feminine association, and loving the vibe — uplifted by its tight-knit community while humbled by its understated intensity.

Looking ahead: Accounting for up to 75% of all studio openings, brands like Club Pilates, STRONG Pilates, and [solidcore] are reaping the benefits of co-ed classes — winning both sexes with the same messaging.

Ryan Deer
Ryan Deer
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