As fitness competitions like Hyrox take off worldwide, Studio Pilates International is introducing a new competitive format designed to quantify performance in reformer-based workouts.
The Pilates Games, launching across the brand’s 130-plus studios worldwide, is centered on a 100-minute reformer workout that prioritizes endurance, control and precision over traditional markers like speed or output.
The concept marks a departure from the brand’s standard 40-minute classes, extending both duration and intensity while layering in a structured scoring system.
Participants move through a sequence of exercises and are evaluated on execution, with points awarded on a six-point scale based on technique, range of motion and control under fatigue. Higher spring resistance can yield more points, reinforcing a focus on quality of movement rather than pace.
For CEO and co-founder Jade Winter, the idea was rooted in a gap he observed within Pilates: that the discipline has historically lacked a standardized framework for benchmarking.
“The inspiration came from recognizing that Pilates has always required a high level of athleticism, strength, endurance, control and focus, but there’s never been a formal way to measure or showcase that,” Winter told Athletech News. “In most sports, there’s a clear structure for competition and progression, and we saw an opportunity to bring that same framework into Pilates.”
Winter’s own background as an Olympic swimmer informed the structure, particularly the emphasis on consistency over time. Rather than rewarding output alone, the scoring system is designed to reflect how well participants maintain form across the full session.
“Unlike many fitness competitions that reward speed or output, Pilates is about how well you move, not how fast,” he said. “We developed a six-point scale for each exercise, with clear criteria around form, range of motion and control under fatigue. It’s simple on the surface, but quite rigorous in practice, and that’s intentional.”
The Pilates Games also connects directly to the company’s existing programming, particularly its Amplify 6 Week Challenge, which acts as a training pathway leading into the event. Participants can use the challenge to build strength and track progress before applying those gains in the competitive setting.
“Our hope is that The Pilates Games creates a new benchmark for the industry,” Winter said. “Pilates has traditionally been seen as a personal or studio-based practice, but there hasn’t been a structured way to measure progress at a higher level or engage with it competitively. This gives people a clear, repeatable way to test themselves, whether they’re competitive or simply want to track improvement over time.”
Founded in 2002 by Jade and Tanya Winter, Studio Pilates International has scaled into a global franchise network spanning more than 130 locations, including many in the U.S.
The inaugural Pilates Games will roll out across the brand’s studios following the upcoming six-week challenge, with the first iteration expected to conclude in late June.
The push toward competition comes as structured, event-driven fitness continues to gain traction across the industry. Formats like Hyrox and ATHX Games have scaled globally, while operators including F45 Training and CR Fitness Holdings have introduced their own competition-style programming to drive engagement and retention.
