The number of reformers is the first quantity a studio owner is asked to decide and the one most often decided in the wrong order. Equipment is frequently chosen first, and the room is then expected to accommodate it. The correct sequence is the reverse: the room, the safety and circulation requirements and the licensing conditions determine how many stations the studio can hold, and that number determines capacity, revenue and the budget for equipment. This guide sets out the method.
Capacity is determined by the room, not by the budget
The maximum number of stations is the usable floor area divided by the area that each station requires, including the space needed to move around it. Each of these terms must be established from authoritative figures:
- Footprint of the equipment: the length and width published by the manufacturer for the specific model. Commercial reformers are generally long and narrow, and the dimensions differ between models and with the position of accessories such as the box or the tower.
- Clearance and circulation: the space the manufacturer recommends around each unit for safe use, together with the aisles required for clients to enter and leave the station and for the instructor to move through the class.
- Usable area: the floor area that remains after structural columns, doors, fire exits, storage, mirrors and any area that must be kept clear under the applicable safety requirements.
In Dubai, premises are subject to the health and safety requirements of Dubai Municipality and the standards of Dubai Civil Defence, as described in How to Open a Pilates Studio in Dubai. The layout should be confirmed against those requirements, and against the manufacturer’s published clearances, before the number of stations is fixed.
A method for calculating the number of stations
- Measure the usable area of the studio room, excluding fixed obstructions and areas that must remain clear.
- Obtain from the manufacturer the footprint and the recommended clearance for the chosen model.
- Calculate the area per station as the footprint plus the share of the circulation and clearance area that each station requires.
- Divide the usable area by the area per station and round down to a whole number of stations.
- Draw the layout to scale and check the aisles, exits, sight lines for the instructor and the space for any apparatus other than reformers.
- Confirm the result against the municipal and civil-defence requirements and the landlord’s conditions.
The arithmetic is straightforward, but it must be applied to the actual figures. A floor plan drawn to scale will often show that the theoretical number cannot be achieved, because a column, a door swing or an exit route removes the position of one or two stations.
From stations to revenue capacity
Once the number of stations is known, the capacity of the studio is defined by the following relationship:
| Quantity | Definition |
|---|---|
| Weekly capacity (visits) | Stations × classes per week |
| Expected visits per week | Weekly capacity × planned average occupancy |
| Expected weekly revenue | Expected visits per week × average revenue per visit |
| Instructor cost per class | Remuneration per class, divided by the number of clients attending |
Small differences in the number of stations have a direct effect on the ceiling for revenue, and on the fixed-cost share carried by each visit. The effect on break-even is examined in the feasibility study and the pricing implications in Pilates Studio Pricing and Membership Models.
Class size, instructor attention and format
A larger class does not necessarily produce more revenue. Class size should be consistent with the format and with the instructor’s ability to observe and correct each client. Group reformer classes, small-group equipment classes and private or semi-private sessions use the same room differently, and a studio may reserve some stations or time slots for formats with a higher price per visit. The planned occupancy should be tested against the expected demand in each time slot, since a class that is full at peak times may be half-empty at others.
Buying the equipment after the layout is fixed
When the layout has been confirmed, the equipment is specified. Specifications, warranty terms, availability of spare parts, delivery times and after-sales service should be compared across at least two suppliers, and the list should be brand-neutral until that comparison is complete. The wider list of equipment and priorities is covered in Pilates Studio Equipment List.
Common errors
- Ordering equipment before the layout has been drawn to scale.
- Using a general rule of thumb for the area per station instead of the manufacturer’s published figures.
- Counting positions that are removed by columns, doors or exit routes.
- Planning for occupancy at all hours of the day rather than the observed demand profile.
- Ignoring the municipal and civil-defence requirements until the fit-out has begun.
Professional support
Code Pilates Consultancy advises entrepreneurs, investors, gyms, clubs and hotels on studio planning, from the investment decision to the first 90 days. Sessions are led personally by Barış Özdemir, are held online or on site in Dubai, in Turkish or English, and are followed by a written action plan within 48 hours. The brand-neutral floor plan and equipment list, and the space, member profile and demand analysis for facilities, are part of the strategy session topics. The available topics are listed on the Pilates studio consultancy page.
This guide is general information and does not constitute legal, tax or financial advice. Licensing requirements are determined by the competent authorities and may change.
Frequently asked questions
The number depends on the usable area, the footprint and clearance published by the manufacturer for the chosen model, and the safety and circulation requirements. It should be calculated from a floor plan drawn to scale rather than from a rule of thumb.
No. The room, the licensing conditions and the safety requirements determine how many stations can be installed. The number of reformers follows from the room.
Not necessarily. Capacity is limited by the number of stations, and class size must remain consistent with the instructor’s ability to observe and correct each client. Revenue depends on occupancy and the average revenue per visit as well as on capacity.
Not until specifications, warranty terms, spare-parts availability and delivery times have been compared across at least two suppliers. Until then the list should be brand-neutral.
Yes. The strategy session for studio launch and set-up includes a brand-neutral floor plan and equipment list.
About Code Pilates Academy
Prepared by Code Pilates Academy, a private international Pilates teacher-training school and studio consultancy founded by Barış Özdemir, NCPT.
