What You Need for Your Pilates Class

What You Need for Your Pilates Class

The good news is that you need very little equipment for your class. On this page you will find guidance on what you need and what to look out for.

All you need to get started are just a simple mat and a towel, so you can roll them up and take them with you – anywhere!

The Mat

Sometimes called a yoga mat, it needs to be between 140 and 180 cm long and between 50 and 70 cm wide – the taller you are, the bigger mat you will need. The thickness should be at least 6 mm, but you may find that 10 mm makes mat work more comfortable on the bony parts of the body. Avoid mats that are more than 10 mm thick – they quickly become difficult to transport and tend to strain the wrists in all-fours (4-point) positions.

Available from £5 to £50 (and beyond) from our friends at Amazon, our top choices are shown below. Generally avoid the cheapest versions, but there are many good choices from £10. Choose a colour, thickness and style to suit your budget and personality.

Head Cushion or Towel

For most of the exercises that involve laying on your back, you will need a support for your head. A small bath towel is great. You will be using it folded up to a thickness of 7.5 cm (3 inches).

We highly recommend a purpose-made Pilates Head Cushion. It’s more convenient than a towel and gives just the right amount of support to the head and takes the strain off the neck. Buy it from us and we’ll deliver it to your mat at your next class.

Not to be confused with the more solid Yoga block which is too hard for our purposes.

Clothing

One day, Pilates4Life will have its own range of Pilates-wear (and Pilates will be compulsory on the school curriculum) but in the meantime any stretchy clothing that allows you to move freely will be fine.

Footwear

No need for shoes or trainers – let your feet feel the floor. Socks are optional to keep your feet warm and dry.