I Can’t Afford My Pilates Membership Anymore—Here’s How I’m Working Out at Home Instead

In addition to all of the typical yoga mat benefits (supportive cushion to soften the impact from working out on the floor and a grippy material to help keep you in place), this foldable yoga mat from Stakt provides even more support throughout your workout, allowing you to easily customize your experience, whether you’re in a plank or need more cushion under your knees or wrists.

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If you want to level up your at home Pilates routine, add in a set of light weights to make it more challenging. This set from Target comes with three, five, and eight pound weights, so you can use the heavier weights for glute workouts and the lighter weights for your arms. You can also start light and work your way up as you get stronger.

Take your at-home workout to the next level by incorporating these one-pound wrist weights from Bala. They’re comfortable to wear and easy to take on and off when changing moves. You don’t have to worry about holding weights and can wear them on your wrists for arm workouts or ankles for your lower body. They act as a built-in extra push you’ll actually look forward to using.

3 colors available

This 10-pound weighted exercise ring is high quality, easy to hold, and has a balanced weight that’ll aid you in moves like crunches, chest presses, or core workouts. Using this weighted ring during your mat Pilates session will increase your balance and endurance.

As you build your flexibility, holding certain stretches or moves can be trickier at first. One of the best ways to aid your body during those moves is to bring the floor to you with supportive yoga blocks.

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You can get a similar effect of a reformer by using a foam roller under your feet when doing a mat Pilates move on your back or hands. When using the foam roller, it requires you to focus on balance, mimicking the movement of a reformer. This option from Lululemon comes with two rollers: one that is meant to massage your arms and legs, and another that is meant to release tension from your back.

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Placing sliders under your feet while in plank moves mimics the experience of a reformer and levels up your core exercises. Bala’s sliding discs are made from a dense, supportive foam, so you’re also still totally supported while using them.

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Resistance bands are a simple way to add a challenge to Pilates moves like leg lifts or raises. These resistance bands from Amazon are durable, won’t slide up or down, and come with three different difficulty levels.

If you’re used to a reformer and are intimidated by the prospect of going without one, this Pilates ab board is basically the closest you can get to that experience at home. It’s compact and allows you to do traditional Pilates moves like lunges, planks, and arm extensions. You can read our Wellness Editor’s review of it here. 

2 colors available

If you haven’t caught on by now, there are a ton of ways to get a reformer-like experience with at-home equipment. If nothing’s spoken to you yet, this Pilates bar is designed to help you recreate reformer moves wherever you are. While holding the bar above your chest, you place your feet in the stirrups at the end of the two resistance bands to guide your body through different movements.

I like placing a yoga towel on my mat when I’m anticipating an extra-sweaty workout session. This yoga towel grips to your mat, is extra absorbent, and gives you a non-slip surface to work out on so you always stay in place. This set also comes with a hand towel if you need to do a quick wipe down between moves and an empty spray bottle you can fill with water to spritz your towel if you need more traction.

5 colors available

Grip socks are required when using a Pilates reformer, but I like to still wear mine when I’m doing any workout on a yoga mat. They keep me in place so I’m not worried about slipping or losing my footing mid-stretch. As a bonus, Move Active’s grip socks are moisture-wicking (shoutout to my fellow sweaty girls!) and come in a bunch of on-trend styles, which is always a win in my book.