Pilates has reached first place in AUSactive’s Australian fitness-trends survey for 2027, ahead of wearable technology and wellbeing exercise. The result offers studios greater visibility, but it reflects professional opinion rather than measured participation.
Pilates has been named Australia’s leading fitness trend for 2027, according to the latest national survey from AUSactive, the country’s peak body for the exercise and active-health sector. It is the first time Pilates has topped the annual ranking, moving up from third place in 2025 and second in 2026.
The survey gathered 528 responses from Australian fitness professionals, operators and educators between April and June 2026. Wearable technology ranked second, followed by exercise for mental health and wellbeing, programmes for older adults and competitive fitness events. Data-driven training technology placed ninth, while mobile exercise apps ranked 12th.
For Pilates instructors and studio owners, the result is a useful signal about how the wider exercise sector views the method. The ranking places Pilates alongside major consumer priorities including healthy ageing, wellbeing, personalisation and technology. That could create opportunities for studios to develop clearer services for different age groups and movement goals, while maintaining appropriate instructor education and professional standards.
The findings should not be read as proof that Pilates is Australia’s most popular form of exercise or that it produces better outcomes than other methods. AUSactive’s ranking measures the views of industry respondents about trends shaping the year ahead; it does not directly measure participation, bookings or health outcomes. The organisation also presents benefits such as strength, mobility, balance and body awareness as part of its sector commentary, not as findings from a new clinical trial.
The Australian result nevertheless matters beyond the country’s borders. It shows how Pilates is increasingly being considered within mainstream discussions about exercise, ageing, technology and wellbeing rather than as a specialist boutique offering alone. International businesses may find the ranking relevant when assessing demand, positioning services and deciding how to balance digital tools with the personal attention central to Pilates teaching.
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Pilates Tops Australia’s Fitness Trends for 2027
Image: AI-generated illustration.