Why Instagram Is Ruining the Reformer Pilates Industry

Written by Katrina Fox, Founder & CEO

Katrina Fox is a 28-year-old founder and owner of RFRM. Studios, the inclusive Reformer Pilates brand she launched in 2023. From her roots in the Midlands, she’s now expanded to Covent Garden, creating welcoming spaces where 'every' body belongs, challenging the exclusive vibe of Reformer and making it more welcoming than ever.

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Before anyone sharpens their pitchforks, let’s not be dramatic. Instagram is vital in this day and age. Social media has opened doors, built brands, filled classes, and created opportunities I’m genuinely grateful for, especially for me and my studios with RFRM.® It has allowed Pilates to reach audiences it never would have before, and that’s something worth celebrating.

However, now that the Reformer Pilates industry is wildly oversaturated, there are a few social-media-driven trends that really get on my wick, and, in my opinion, are actively damaging the industry we love.

Reformer challenges are officially out of control

Before this sounds like a fun police announcement, let me be clear - I’m all for having fun on social media. I make silly reels myself. We literally went viral messing around trying to do “reformer” on a Rock® suitcase.

The difference? We weren’t unsafe, and we weren’t claiming it was Reformer Pilates. It was clearly a joke, just having fun, being playful, and not blurring the lines of what the practice actually is.

Of course, the Pilates police still put their two pence in, but that’s the world we live in now.

Social media trends can be an incredible way to gain traction and capitalise on reach. When used well, they’re clever, creative, and genuinely inspiring.

But somewhere along the way, we’ve lost the plot. Balancing a reformer box on your head, holding 10kg dumbbells, attempting a Bulgarian split squat on top of a reformer with every spring-loaded on isn’t Pilates. It’s content creation disguised as chaos.

I’ve had clients send me reels of trending flows asking if we can try them in class, and honestly, I’ve been flabbergasted at some of the things people are attempting on reformer machines. These machines were designed for precision, control, and safety, not circus tricks for views.

Granted, Joseph Pilates created the practice a long time ago, and I love how much variety exists today. We’re fortunate to have modernised equipment, evolving education, and the freedom to explore and develop the practice. I don’t know everything about Pilates (and I’d be very concerned if anyone claimed they did), but there are principles and foundations that have existed since the beginning for a reason.

Innovation should expand on those foundations, not abandon them entirely for the sake of virality. Safety should never be sacrificed for views.

Studio reviews without understanding or accreditation

A lot of fitness influencers have started studio review series, and when they’re done well, they can be a brilliant way to introduce studios to new audiences. Exposure like that can genuinely change a small business overnight.

For transparency, I work with a PR team (Glazed PR) and actively invite influencers/brands into our studios, so this isn’t me being anti‑influencer. What I do have an issue with is how some of these reviews are being approached.

Here’s where it starts to get messy:

• Rating studios out of 10 numerical scores are incredibly reductive and can be genuinely damaging. Pilates studios aren’t hotels on TripAdvisor.

• Critiquing instructors’ flows, spring choices, or programming without any Pilates training or understanding of the method.

• Labelling a studio as “overpriced” without any understanding of the costs involved in running a reformer studio.

One example of content done right is Phoebe Parke @pheobeparkepilates. Phoebe set herself the challenge of trying every Pilates class in London and shares thoughtful, respectful, and honest reviews. What I love about her content is that she genuinely fell in love with the practice, built a career from it, and has now gone through training to become an instructor herself.

She doesn’t claim to be an expert. She doesn’t hand out arbitrary scores. She highlights the intention, effort, and individuality behind each studio, and that really matters.

Yes, if a studio is genuinely unsafe or poorly run, a constructive review is absolutely valid. But slamming a studio because it didn’t have Byredo hand lotion in the bathrooms? That feels like a step too far.

Reformer Pilates is a luxury, and it’s priced that way for a reason. Instructors have invested a small fortune into their training and continued education. Studio owners have invested an even bigger fortune into machines, space, rent, insurance, and creating an environment that feels considered, safe, and special.

Labelling something as overpriced without understanding what it actually costs to deliver that one 50‑minute session you attended isn’t just naïve, it can be hurtful to the very people guiding you through your class.

PS, they probably did have Byredo at the start. It was probably stolen.

The unrealistic pressure on instructors

If you’re not a fitness instructor, let me say this on behalf of all of us: it’s bloody hard work.

Showing up to teach when you’ve had a terrible day, are dealing with personal stress, or simply aren’t feeling 100% is tough. And yes, you might think, “But it’s your job.” True, but no one is publicly reviewing your performance in the office on a random Thursday after you had a dreadful argument with your partner or too many spicy margs on a random Wednesday evening, now are they?

Instructors spend hours building thoughtful flows, ensuring progressions and regressions for every exercise, injury, and pregnancy modifications, balanced muscle targeting, seamless spring changes, effective stretching, and adherence to Pilates principles.

All while:

• Commanding a room

• Making sure everyone is listening

• Keeping clients safe

• And ensuring no one falls off a moving machine

Sounds easy, right?

My point is simple: be kind. Instructors are doing their best. We are humans too.

You never know how much impact your words are going to have. You could have just taken that instructor's very first public reformer class, left a terrible review, and meant that they gave up on teaching, a fun fact that’s actually happened before.

If you’re not sweating, you didn’t work hard enough? Wrong

Possibly my biggest social-media-related bugbear is the idea that if you’re not dripping in sweat, the workout “doesn’t count.”

Let’s clear something up: Reformer Pilates is not cardio.

Yes, some studios run HIIT-based reformer classes, and Lagree is a different method entirely, faster-paced, higher intensity, and designed with a different goal in mind.

But traditional Reformer Pilates was created to be low-impact on joints with high results. It’s about controlled strength, stability, mobility, and building resilience, especially around injuries. It targets smaller stabilising muscles, improves posture, and enhances movement quality. Longevity of our training, our fitness, and our body is surely the ultimate goal, right?

Sweat is not the benchmark of effectiveness. Control is.

Final thoughts

Instagram isn’t the villain, misuse is. Social media has done incredible things for the Pilates industry, but as studio owners, instructors, influencers, and clients, we all share a responsibility to protect the integrity of the practice.

It’s also worth remembering the human side of all of this. Running a Pilates studio in an oversaturated market comes with immense pressure: financial, emotional, and physical. Behind every class timetable, every reel, every carefully curated space is someone doing their absolute best to deliver quality, consistency, and care.

Instructors are showing up day after day. Owners are juggling rising costs, competition, staff wellbeing, and client expectations. No one is getting it perfect, and that’s absolutely okay.

So, as clients, viewers, and commenters, a little kindness goes a long way. Thoughtful feedback is valuable. Respect is essential. Not every experience needs to be dissected, rated, or torn apart online.

Pilates doesn’t need to be extreme to be effective. Studios don’t need to be flawless to be worthy. Instructors don’t need to be perfect to be respected.

We’re all just trying to do our best in an incredibly crowded industry, and honestly, it’s really not that deep. At RFRM.®, I’ve built communities around Reformer where clients feel supported, included, and part of a family, without judgement or pressure. I never imagined I’d have to fight for our staff and studios to be met with the same respect we work so hard to give.

Let’s prioritise education over ego, safety over virality, and kindness over clicks. Because Pilates deserves better than being reduced to a trend.

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Read more from Katrina Fox

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Katrina Fox, Founder & CEO

Katrina Fox has transformed RFRM. Studios into more than just a Pilates brand, she's built a vibrant community where movement meets mental well-being. By dismantling the cliquey barriers often associated with Reformer Pilates, Katrina has created a space where everyone feels welcome and supported. Her studios aren't just places to take a class. They are sanctuaries for building confidence, fostering connections, and embracing personal growth. Through her unwavering commitment, Katrina has cultivated a culture of inclusivity and empowerment, proving that when we support each other, the sky's the limit.