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In 2025, the Pilates market presents a pattern of "led by first-tier cities and exploded in sinking markets". The consumption of Pilates courses in third- and fourth-tier cities and county-level regions increased by 320% year-on-year, becoming the core driving force for market growth. It is expected that the scale of the sinking market will exceed 50 billion yuan in 2026, accounting for 45% of the national market.
The explosion of the sinking market stems from the dual driving forces of "demand upgrading and supply adaptation": first, "improved consumption awareness". Short video platforms have become the main channel for awareness popularization. The playback volume of the Douyin topic "County Pilates" exceeds 5 billion times. Users in third- and fourth-tier cities initially come into contact with "home Pilates" short videos and then generate offline experience needs; at the same time, the demand for "posture management" among young women in counties has shifted from "weight loss" to "elegant shaping". The "low-intensity + line beauty" characteristics of Pilates accurately match the demand. Data from a county studio shows that women aged 25-35 account for 82% of customers; second, "supply-side optimization". Aiming at the consumption capacity of the sinking market, brands have launched an "affordable course system", with the price per class reduced from 300-500 yuan in first-tier cities to 80-150 yuan. At the same time, it has launched preferential packages such as "199 yuan weekly card" and "999 yuan monthly card" to lower the entry threshold; some chain brands have launched a "community store" model, located in county commercial complexes or residential concentration areas, with an area controlled at 100-150 square meters to reduce rent costs; third, "localized operation". Combined with county consumption habits, offline activities such as "parent-child Pilates entering the community" and "Pilates aesthetics lectures" are carried out, and cross-industry cooperation is carried out with local beauty salons and gyms. A county store achieved profitability in the first month of opening through cross-industry lead generation.
The market characteristics show the characteristics of "miniaturization and communityization". County Pilates studios are mainly small and medium-sized with an area of 100-200 square meters. Customer repurchase relies on "acquaintance social recommendation", and the recommendation conversion rate reaches 60%. At present, leading chain brands have begun to lay out the sinking market. A brand plans to add 1,000 stores in county-level areas in 2026, and the sinking market will become the "new growth engine" of the Pilates industry.