Pilates Apparatus is Not Dangerous – Poor Teaching Is
The Standard published this article in March 2025 stating Reformer Pilates classes can be dangerous.
Let’s be very clear from a Health & Safety perspective:
Pilates studio apparatus is inherently low risk compared to most gym equipment.
It has no moving belts (like treadmills), no powered resistance, no multi‑stack weight towers.
Springs provide progressive, supportive resistance, not uncontrolled heavy loads.
Compared to unsupervised gyms, where people jump on treadmills, move heavy free weights, or misuse resistance machines, Pilates equipment should be safer, not riskier.
So, why do some instructors exaggerate the risk and insist machines cannot ever be used unsupervised?
Frankly, that’s nonsense: Gyms run open-floor policies where users have access to far more dangerous equipment without staff watching their every move. If gyms can manage risk with sensible policies, signage, and progressive instruction, Pilates studios can too.
The apparatus itself is NOT the danger.
The real issue?
Instructors who don’t understand what not to teach, when to teach, or how to regress or progress safely.
Group classes where inappropriate exercises are thrown in for “excitement” or “adrenaline.”
Lack of spotting, balance aids, or options when a client is clearly outside their safe range.
No clear policy on which exercises belong only in one-to-one teaching versus larger groups.
Joseph Pilates never designed his equipment to be a thrill ride or a high-adrenaline workout.
The Pilates method was created to rehabilitate, strengthen, and perfect controlled movement, regressing exercises to build competence before re-layering complexity.
When taught this way, the risk of serious injury on a Reformer is extremely low.
Why Are We Seeing More Incidents Now?
The Standard article hints at the underlying problem: commercialisation over quality.
“Studios cram too many Reformers in a room to maximise ROI, with nightclub lighting and music better suited to HIIT. This undermines precision, control and concentration.” – Luke Meessmann
And Pamela Stathoulopoulou warns:
“There’s no gold star if you hurt yourself. Challenge should be appropriate. The ‘entertainment culture’ growing in the Reformer industry is misguided.”
Add to that:
Inadequate instructor training –: many are fitness Pilates trained and don’t really understand the Pilates ‘Method’ and then on top of inadequate initial training they complete minimal hours on apparatus.
No formal risk assessments for group sessions.
No Health & Safety policy portfolio (shockingly, many studios have never created or updated one).
Insurance data backs this up. Major insurers report that the claims they deal with aren’t due to the apparatus being dangerous but due to poor understanding and implementation of a basic health & safety culture by owners and instructors.
What Proper H&S Management Looks Like
To prevent this trend from spiralling further, studios need to adopt the same diligence as any other responsible fitness environment.
Risk Assessments: Specific for each class type, updated regularly.
Clear Policies: Who can attend which class, when spotting is mandatory, how incidents are reported.
Instructor Judgement: Knowing when to regress, when to stop an exercise, when a move belongs in one-to-one training only.
Environment Control: Appropriate lighting, safe spacing between Reformers, moderate sound levels for communication.
Equipment Logs: Maintenance checks and records for every machine.
Done properly, these steps reduce the risk to lower than most gym environments.
How We Fix This: Education & Policy
Every Pilates instructor and studio owner should be equipped with two essentials:
1️⃣ An up-to-date Health & Safety portfolio: policies, risk assessments, incident reporting templates, and equipment logs tailored to Pilates studios.
2️⃣ Training that covers when and how to safely progress or regress exercises, when spotting is required, and which movements should never be thrown into a group environment.
This is exactly why Mbodies Training Academy wrote its Studio Pilates Health & Safety CPD (£50) and insists that all instructors taking a Pilates apparatus course with the company must also complete this
It provides ready-to-use policy templates for your studio.
Guides you through risk assessments for common apparatus and exercises.
Clarifies when exercises are suitable for groups vs. one-to-one.
Helps you create a culture of competence before complexity.
Back to the Core Principle of Pilates
Pilates was never meant to injure. It was designed to heal, restore, and strengthen through control, precision, and concentration.
If we teach it properly: regressing before progressing, focusing on competence not entertainment; then the Reformer and other apparatus will remain what Joseph intended: tools for safer, smarter movement.
So instead of labelling Pilates machines “dangerous,” let’s:
Call out poor teaching practice.
Demand better H&S policies.
And raise the standard of instructor education.
Because when taught responsibly, Pilates should be among the safest and most effective movement practices available.
Are you a Pilates Instructor or Studio Owner?
When was the last time you reviewed your risk assessments?
Do you have a studio H&S policy portfolio in place?
Do your instructors know exactly when to regress or stop an exercise?
If you’re not 100% confident, take the Mbodies Studio Pilates Health & Safety CPD – just £50 for peace of mind, professional credibility, and safer classes for everyone. You owe it to your clients.
Author: Chris Onslow - Pilates Consultant
Chris Onslow, has run Pilates focussed businesses since 1998. He and his team specialise in supporting Pilates entrepreneurs and business owners. With a rich history of owning and running successful Pilates studios in the UK, and supporting others in Europe and the Middle East, Chris has broad expertise in maximising profitability and optimising operational efficiency. His agency provides top-tier advice on selecting new, pre-owned, and hireable Pilates equipment from renowned brands such as Align-Pilates, Balanced Body or Stott-Pilates/Merrithew. As the founder of Mbodies Training Academy, Chris continues to revolutionise Pilates education, offering premier online and hybrid CPD and qualification courses for Pilates apparatus instruction and special population CPD.