Equipment guides
How to choose a Pilates chair
The short answer
Choose a Pilates chair on three things: split or solid pedal, handles or no handles, and spring attachment options. Split pedals allow unilateral work, handles make the apparatus accessible to beginners, and multiple spring positions widen the resistance range.
Split pedal is the first decision
A split pedal has two halves that move independently, which allows genuine unilateral loading. That is the main tool for identifying and correcting side-to-side asymmetry, and it is close to essential in clinical or studio use.
A solid pedal is simpler, slightly cheaper and perfectly adequate for a home user without a specific asymmetry concern.
Handles change who can use it
A classical Wunda chair has nothing to hold, which makes it one of the most demanding pieces of apparatus in the repertoire. Adding handles gives a support point that makes standing work accessible to beginners and clinical clients.
The cost is footprint and price — a handled chair is taller, wider and typically 30–50% more expensive.
- Split pedal for unilateral work and asymmetry correction
- Handles if beginners or clinical clients will use it
- Multiple spring attachment heights for a wider resistance range
- Stable base — the chair must not shift during standing work
- Padded pedal and seat for comfort in pressing work
Spring positions matter as much as spring count
On most chairs, springs attach at several heights, and position changes both resistance and the assistance curve through the pedal travel. A chair with four attachment heights and two springs offers more usable settings than one with four springs and a single position.
This is why chair settings are recorded as spring plus position rather than spring alone.
Space and value
A chair is about 2 ft square with roughly 5 ft × 5 ft of working area. That makes it the highest-value apparatus per square foot after the reformer, and the obvious second purchase for most people.
For very small rooms where a reformer will not fit, a chair plus a mat covers more of the repertoire than most people expect.
Frequently asked questions
- What should I look for in a Pilates chair?
- Split versus solid pedal, whether it has handles, and how many spring attachment heights it offers. Those three determine what the chair can do and who can use it.
- Is a split pedal worth the extra cost?
- For studio, clinical or asymmetry work, yes — it is the only way to load each side independently. For general home use a solid pedal is fine.
- How much space does a Pilates chair need?
- The chair is about 2 ft square, but allow roughly 5 ft × 5 ft of working area for standing work around it.
- Is a chair a good first purchase?
- Usually second, after a reformer. But in a room too small for a reformer, a chair plus a mat is a genuinely capable setup.