From resistance bands to squat-proof leggings: the pilates kit you need – and what you can do without

The Guardian

07-03-2025

Joseph Pilates had a saying: 'If your spine is inflexibly stiff at 30, you are old; if it is completely flexible at 60, you are young.' As someone who'd worked rehabilitating first world war soldiers, he knew his stuff. His eponymous exercise method is a global phenomenon. In 2024, it was the fitness subscription service ClassPass's most booked exercise for a second consecutive year.
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Classical pilates involves low-impact, controlled exercises that strengthen and balance the body, from the core outwards, and improve flexibility. It's done on a mat – often with small props – or on apparatus that adds resistance.
Machines include the cadillac, Wunda Chair and the reformer; with a bed-like frame and sliding 'carriage' with attached springs, reformers are used for fast-paced group classes to music. Teachers with a classical focus may sniff at these hybrid versions, stressing the increased risk of injury, but they're a good workout.
Whatever your pilates poison, comfortable clothing is essential. Our experts agree your usual gym gear will do – leggings, joggers, shorts, T-shirts or vests, and for women, a supportive sports bra. It's important to avoid anything too baggy that could get caught in any apparatus – or too tight for comfort. 'Make sure you can move easily and clothing is non-restrictive,' says Grace Lillywhite, who runs the Centred Mums studio in Hertfordshire. 'A good teacher should be able to read your body well even if you aren't in super-tight clothing.'
And while no equipment is absolutely necessary, a few small, inexpensive pieces can add variety to your home practice.
Karen Grinter, founder of Northants Pilates, says to look for leggings that are opaque enough to protect your modesty. To check, 'stand with your mirror behind you, legs wide apart, then bend over and look at your bum through your legs. If they're too thin, you'll see your knickers – and so will everyone else.' Along with several of our other experts, Grinter rates Sweaty Betty's Power range for comfort, durability and versatility.
Another favourite, at a slightly lower price, is the Northampton-based sportswear company TLC Sport: 'I have leggings from them that I've had for more than 10 years. They stay put and don't ride up,' says Grinter.
Sweaty Betty Power 7/8 gym leggings
£88 at Sweaty Betty£88 at M&S
Size range: UK 6-20You'll like these if: you like a supportive style, with loads of pattern options.
TLC Sport extra strong compression leggings
£50 at TLC Sport£50 at Decathlon
Size range: UK 6-24You'll like these if: you want to support a British-run, female-owned business.
Goodmove Go Move high-waisted 7/8 gym leggings
£27.50 at M&S£27.50 at The Sports Edit
Size range: UK 6-24You'll like these if: you're after inclusive sizes at high-street prices.
Some people find joggers more comfortable. 'As someone with a specialist interest in pelvic-floor health, I encourage people not to wear things too tight around the waist, says Lillywhite of Centred Mums. 'It can increase the pressure going into the pelvic floor.' Her go-tos are Scamp & Dude's versions, which stand out from the sea of neutral options for their jazzy patterns and fluorescent piping. These do tend to sell out, so stock up when you see them. For men's joggers, London-based pilates instructor Yusef Sonne likes Gymshark and Asics, which produce keenly priced pairs that last.
Scamp & Dude slouch joggers
£55 at Scamp & Dude
Size range: UK 6-22You'll like these if: you find leggings a little tight.
Gymshark sport joggers
£36 at Gymshark
Size range: XS-3XLYou'll like these if: you're not a shorts guy.
'Men's shorts need to be long enough to cover everything,' says Grinter. 'Lycra running shorts underneath are a good idea.' Sonne favours Asics' shorts: 'I wear the 7in version for pilates, as I find the 5in length a little short.' Given Asics is a running brand, these are a versatile investment if you also like to pound the pavements.
Asics Core 7in men's short
£22 at Asics£25.90 at Running Point
Size range: XS-2XLYou'll like these if: you're after a versatile pair of not-too-short shorts.
Under Armour men's Heatgear compression shorts
£25.99 at Sports Direct£32 at Under Armour
Size range: XS-4XLYou'll like these if: you don't want to accidentally flash your instructor.
Lululemon Align women's shorts
From £24 at Lululemon£48 at Net-a-Porter
India Hewitt, studio manager at Reset pilates, yoga and barre studio in Manchester, is a big fan of Lululemon's Align shorts. 'They're super-soft and don't slip down, but aren't tight and restricting. I can keep them on for the rest of my day.'
Size range: UK 4–24
You'll like these if: you want all-day comfort.
Our experts recommend looking for tops that won't ride up and to consider layers if you practise in a chillier venue. However, it comes down to personal preference; Esther Fox, who teaches clinical pilates online, prefers a vest, opting for longer styles 'so if you bend forward, your tummy stays covered up'.
On the other hand, Emmeline Kemp, from Green Room Health in Essex, opts for a tee: 'T-shirt styles are the ones for me, as I prefer coverage across the front of the shoulder.' Meanwhile, Zlata Rodionova, who has been doing group reformer classes for two years, has fallen for a tank top from Manchester-based activewear brand Adanola. 'I'm a D-cup and I was worried it wouldn't be supportive enough. However, it holds everything in place. I've worn it for Hiit classes too.'
Goodmove racer back fitted vest top
£17.50 at M&S
Size range: UK 6-24You'll like this if: you prefer close-fitting vest tops.
Sweaty Betty Breathe Easy long-sleeve top
£65 at Sweaty Betty£65 at John Lewis
Size range: UK 6-20
You'll like it if: you want a lightweight long-sleeve top.
New Balance Sport Essentials Heathertech T-shirt
£35 at New Balance£32 at Asos
Size range: UK 4-28You will like this if: you like to be more covered up.
Adanola ultimate tank bra
£29.99 at Adanola£29 at End
Size range: 28AA-44DDYou'll like this if: you prefer bra-style tops.
Socks are usually optional for mat classes, but some, including Hewitt, prefer to wear them. 'I find feet are always the first thing to get chilly,' she says.
Other classes may insist on grippy socks, however, particularly reformer and other apparatus classes. These are those socks with little rubber bits on the soles, which help you stay in place. Stacy Weeks from The Cornwall Pilates Studio says that clients bring clean grippy socks to change into for class. 'Instructors might love correcting your feet, but we don't like touching sweaty, damp or dirty socks to do it.'
Tavi Noir Kai Grip socks
£14.99 a pair at Sock Shop£21.80 a pair at Decathlon
Size range: UK 3.5–8.5You'll like these if: you prefer a crew-style sock.
Sweaty Betty Reformer ankle gripper sock
£25 for 2 pairs at Sweaty Betty£25 for 2 pairs at Next
Size range: UK 2–8You'll like these if: you're in the ankle sock camp.
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A bra worn for pilates should be as unfussy as possible. 'Ideally, they'll need no fastening or be front-fastening, to avoid compression on the spine from the clasps,' says Weeks. 'This can be uncomfortable for any inversions or rolling exercises.' That said, the most important thing is that you feel supported and comfortable. Lillywhite wears British brand No Bounce Sport's bras for her sessions. 'The way they fit allows your ribcage to move better, which means your breathing isn't restricted and it's more beneficial for your pelvic floor.'
Sweaty Betty Spirit Restored yoga bra
£35 at Sweaty Betty£35 at M&S
Size range: 30A-36FYou'll like this if: you want a comfy bra top that's fuss-free.
Lululemon Like A Cloud longline bra D/DD cup
£58 at Lululemon
Size range: 6-18D/DDYou'll like this if: you have a bigger bust and want a soft bra.
No Bounce sports bra
£60 at No Bounce Sport
Size range: 28-42A-GGYou'll like this if: you need more support.
Pilates' low-impact exercises can be easily adapted for pregnancy and there are lots of specialist perinatal classes around. For specific pregnancy and postnatal leggings, Lillywhite says her clients have recommended Natal Active's range. They can be worn over- or under-bump in pregnancy and high-waisted postpartum, with seams that are positioned to not irritate C-section scars.
Lydia Willgress-Dunn did pilates throughout her pregnancy last year, and she rates Lululemon's high-waisted Align range (which she also wore before becoming pregnant): 'The leggings are really comfortable and stretch well over a bump.'
Natal Active Luxe maternity and postnatal leggings
£49.50 at Bravissimo£55 at Natal Active
Size range: UK 6-20You'll like these if: your usual leggings aren't working in pregnancy.
Lululemon Align leggings
From £69 at Lululemon£88 at Selfridges
Size range: UK 4-24You'll like these if: you don't want to fork out for maternity leggings.
Most studios will provide you with a mat, but if you're doing regular online classes or want to do more home practice, it could be worth investing. Pilates mats are thicker than yoga ones, to give more support for joints and the spine. Weeks advises looking for mats that are 10-15mm thick and rates Align-Pilates's iteration: 'I have the same ones I bought in 2018 and they still look like new.'
Align-Pilates studio mat
£62.99 at Best Gym Equipment£62.99 at The Mad Group
You'll like this if: you're doing a lot of pilates from home and are in it for the long haul.
'Spiky balls are a great way to release muscle tension before working on strength,' says Lillywhite. Use body weight to roll them under the arches of the feet, calves, quads and glutes – anywhere you feel tightness really. The pain is worth the gain.
Physique spiky massage ball
From £3.24 at Physique
You'll like this if: you're always complaining about your quads feeling tight.
For their versatility and easy storage, resistance bands are hard to beat, says Kemp of Green Room Health, who incorporates them into sessions for exercises that help strengthen and mobilise legs and hips. 'Go for a medium resistance band as it's a great all-rounder. Add a strong band if you want variety,' she says.
Bands can intensify movements, adding tension much like the pulleys and springs on a reformer, so muscles have to work harder. They can also be used to support and help with alignment, which is particularly useful for beginners or someone recovering from injury – for example, if knees fall inward during a pelvic tilt, you can help your form by tying a band just above the knees and keeping it taut.
Align-Pilates resistance band
£9.49 at Align-Pilates£9.49 at The Mad Group
You'll like this if: you want a longer do-it-all band that will work for the widest variety of moves, including standing exercises (if you're tall, you might struggle with a shorter band).
Theraband resistance bands set
£10.52 at Amazon£11.95 at eBay
You'll like this if: you plan to mix up your routine with different strength bands.
Kemp also recommends having a soft pilates ball, which can be used to make exercises more challenging, to help with alignment, muscle activation and stability. For example, she says one can 'aid abdominal connection when you pop it behind your shoulders for ab curls or improve your inside thigh and pelvic floor connection when placed between the knees.'
Yoga Studio exercise soft ball
From £11.80 at DecathlonFrom £8.49 at Amazon
You'll like this if: you want to challenge yourself and improve alignment.
Weights are a great way to incorporate more strength training into your exercises – just strap them to ankles or wrists to add resistance to movements. Pilates teacher Esther Fox's pair of choice is Bala's aesthetically pleasing 0.45kg weights, which make a good starting point. There are plenty of cheaper versions in the same style. Go up to 1kg if you want to add intensity.
Bala Bangles 0.45kg
£49.95 at Beauty Bay£49.95 at John Lewis
You'll like these if: you're starting out with weights and are a sucker for pretty colours.
Decathlon 1kg adjustable wrist and ankle weights
£19.99 at Decathlon
You'll like these if: you want a no-nonsense 1kg pair.
An at-home reformer'Buying a £2k reformer when you've never done as much as a roll down or an ab curl at home is not going to turn you into a pilates god or goddess,' says Grinter. 'Get the habit first, then spend money – otherwise it's just somewhere to keep the ironing.'
Asymmetric activewear'One-shoulder bra tops look great, but can be impractical,' says Hewitt. 'There's nothing worse than your activewear getting on your nerves once you've made all the effort to get yourself into a class.'
Socks with strapsWhile those little low socks with a cross-foot strap might look professional, most pilates-goers we spoke to found they tend to work their way off during practice. They also won't work as an emergency ankle sock when everything else is in the wash. Steer clear.