How Pilates Can Help Personal Trainers Expand Their Client Base

If you’re a personal trainer, then it goes without saying that one of your goals is to extend your service to a broader client base. The more clients you can attract, the more your business will likely grow and the higher the chances of making more profit.

Now, as a personal trainer, one of the best strategies to attract more clients and retain the ones you already have is incorporating Pilates into the range of fitness services you offer.

Pilates is a fitness trend drawing fanship from a wide range of individuals, making it a potent tool for attracting a broad category of people into your business. But then, just how will Pilates help you expand your client base?

That’s precisely what this blog post is all about. Herein, we examine what Pilates is, its origin, and how it can become a secret success weapon for you as a personal trainer, so keep reading to the end.

What Exactly Is Pilates?

Pilates is a low-impact exercise encompassing repeated controlled movements designed to enhance mobility, core strength, balance, posture, flexibility, and even mood. 

These exercises are usually performed on a mat or other readily available equipment, making them a favorite for fitness enthusiasts who want to improve their overall body health without the necessity to invest in expensive gym equipment.

Developed by Joseph Pilates,  this exercise approach was initially used by injured dancers to help in their recovery. 

However, due to its immense benefits, Pilates adoption extended beyond the dance community. Today, it’s one of the most popular fitness practices, loved by individuals from all walks of life.

The exercises usually follow a particular order, one right after the other, and come with monikers like “the Elephant,” “Criss-Cross,” and “The Swan,” among other exciting names.  The moves usually look simple, but they require a lot of control and precision to leverage their benefits.  

How Pilates Can Help Expand Your Client Base

Pilates is a powerful tool that you can use to gain a competitive edge over your competitors and expand your clientele.

Let’s look at some of the reasons that make it potent for this purpose:

1. Pilates Is Increasingly Becoming Popular

One of the reasons that, as a personal trainer, you need to incorporate Pilates into your service offerings is its increasing popularity. Pilates has been growing over the years, and the rate at which this is happening has increased in recent years.

In the United States alone, for instance, Pilates participants in 2023 were 11.86 million. That was a steep 15% increment from the 10.31 million recorded in 2022, signifying the increasing adoption of this fitness practice. 

This means for you to attract more clients, you have to offer what’s currently trending in the fitness industry. Otherwise, your potential future clients will seek the service from your competitors.

2. Pilates Suits All Demographic Cohorts

One advantage of the Pilates exercise program is that it is not meant for a specific group of people. It works for all; young and old, male and female, because the exercises are mild yet highly effective in promoting physical and mental health.

Let’s see how these exercises suit different categories of people:

Seniors & Rehab Clients: Pilates has low-intensity exercises, making it ideal for seniors and those facing issues like physical injuries.

Athletes: Pilates can help athletes achieve the flexibility and core strength they need to succeed in athletes. The exercises are also gentle and well-controlled, minimizing the chances of developing much-dreaded injuries. 

Pregnant Women and PostPartum Mums: Pilates focuses on a wide range of exercises that can deliver health benefits to pregnant women and new moms by helping them get the fitness they need.

General Fitness Enthusiasts: Pilates offers all-rounded bodily benefits, making it ideal for anyone seeking general body fitness. For beginners, you can make the exercises more lenient by adopting WallPilates, a version of Pilates that uses the wall for resistance. 

3. Incorporating Pilates Diversifies Your Service Offerings

While traditional training offers a variety of exercises, adding Pilates to your services can diversify your fitness packages even further. That can help draw more clients, considering that not every potential client is interested in the traditional one-on-one training sessions or group fitness classes.

Plus, due to the nature of the movements, Pilates can serve as complementary exercises for traditional training, ensuring that you use a more holistic approach to offering fitness services.

For instance, you can combine Pilates-based workouts with regular strength-building exercises and cardio. This combination forms a well-rounded fitness solution that best addresses the evolving needs of clients.

4. Adding Pilates Can Build Client Relationship

Another reason Pilates can help you expand your client base is its ability to strengthen your relationship with clients. Pilates exercises call for controlled, mindful movements requiring individualized attention and personalized workouts.

The more you get closer to your clients, the higher the level of trust between you, enhancing clients’ loyalty to you. When loyal, clients are unlikely to leave for a competitor, giving you ample opportunity to grow your client base.

Plus, loyal customers won’t just return; they’ll go further to become good brand ambassadors, creating more awareness for your services and recommending them to their close friends.

5. Pilates Can Give You Unique Selling Proposition

As much as Pilates is growing in popularity, not all personal trainers have incorporated it into their fitness packages. That means adopting it into your fitness programs can create a distinction between you and your competitors, making you an ideal target for clients who want uniqueness in fitness programs and those who value exercises that promote the body-mind connection.

Professional Development for Personal Trainers

Of course, you just don’t want to incorporate this new fitness program into your existing packages without deep knowledge of how these exercises work. Pilates needs precision, and it’s good to get formal training on the correct way to do these exercises before you begin to offer them to clients. 

So, as a trainer,  acquire the requisite certification. It will enhance your credibility and make it easier for your clients to trust you. Also, don’t stop at the personal trainer certification for Pilates. Stay connected to professional organizations and communities focused on Pilates to stay updated on industry trends and developments.

Marketing Strategies for Pilates Integration

Even with the knowledge of Pilates, you need to invest in creating awareness for your business. In the current world, social media serves as a powerful tool for reaching out to a wider audience. Use it to showcase your Pilates expertise by sharing videos of Pilates workouts, clients’ success stories, and testimonials. Doing this can increase visibility and enhance engagement. 

You can also consider collaborating with health practitioners such as physical therapists to cross-promote Pilates classes. Of course, hosting webinars, workshops, and other Pilates-based fitness challenges can be a great way to reach a more expansive audience and attract new clients.

Using referral programs can also motivate existing clients to bring in new people. You can consider offering free introductory sessions or discounts for referrals who sign up for classes, as this can motivate more people to try this practice.

Incorporating Pilates into your personal trainer’s services can significantly expand your client base. Due to the all-rounded nature of Pilates, these exercises attract a diverse range of clients, from those recovering from injuries to athletes seeking cross-training options. 

By diversifying services and building a unique brand identity around Pilates, you’ll get the distinction you need in the modern competitive market and foster long-term client relationships. With its increasing popularity and broad appeal, Pilates offers personal trainers a powerful tool to grow their business and meet the evolving needs of their clients