Key takeaways
Private sessions and duets are the premium layer of your Pilates studio: more attention for members, more revenue per hour for you. Schedule them in quieter slots, protect your peak group classes, and tie one-on-one lessons to goals rather than single appointments. Sell them as the next step for members who already love your studio, and back them with a package model and a clear cancellation rule.
Your group classes are full and the waitlist keeps growing – and yet some members clearly want more: more attention, more correction, a session built around their back, their pregnancy or their marathon goal. That is where private sessions and duets come in. They are not a side project but a premium offer that raises revenue per hour and ties members more closely to your studio. In this guide you will learn how to set up one-on-one and duet sessions, price them, fit them into your schedule and sell them to the right members.
What are private sessions and duets?
A private session is a one-on-one lesson: one instructor, one client, usually 50 to 60 minutes on the Reformer or other apparatus. A duet (also called semi-private) shares one instructor between two people. For members it feels like tailor-made training; for you it sits between a group class and individual coaching.
The difference to a group class is not only the size. In a private session the member sets the topic: recovery after an injury, preparing for birth, a wish for more precise technique. That is what makes it valuable – and keeps it from being seen as an expensive group class without the group.
Why a premium offer is worth it for your studio
More revenue per instructor hour
Your time and your team's time are limited. A Reformer group class is capped by the number of machines; a private session usually brings in more per hour because the price sits well above the group rate. A US industry guide from bsport cites $90 to $150 for a one-on-one session and $50 to $100 per person for a duet – American figures that only work as a rough direction. Your own prices should reflect your region, your instructors and your costs.
Stronger loyalty through relationship
Members who have a personal instructor cancel less often, because more than a class spot is at stake – a relationship is. You will find the same lever in a different form in our guide to customer retention at your Pilates studio: loyalty comes from closeness, not from discounts.
An answer to special needs
Not everyone fits into a 12-person Reformer class. People with pre-existing conditions, back pain or specific goals often need more individual guidance. Private sessions catch this group instead of losing it to the physio practice or another studio.
The timetable: where private sessions belong
The most important rule: private sessions must not push out your peak classes. Early evenings and Saturday mornings belong to your group classes. Place private lessons where machines and instructors would otherwise sit idle – weekday mornings and early afternoons.
Reserve machines instead of blocking spots
If you also want to offer private lessons at busy times, reserve one or two Reformers in a side room or corner rather than shrinking a whole class. For how to steer overall capacity, read our guide to filling every class at your Pilates studio.
Fixed slots for regulars
Someone who comes every week or every other week at the same time ties themselves to your studio and makes your planning easier. So offer a fixed weekly slot as the default, not only one-off bookings. “Tuesday, 10:30, with Lisa” quickly becomes part of someone's routine.
Pricing: single sessions, duets and packages
Pricing is delicate because private sessions affect your whole offer. A clear trio helps: single session, duet per person and package. For packages (say five or ten sessions), bsport reports a discount of about 10 to 15 percent per session as common – a US benchmark; decide based on your own calculation. For more on pricing group offers, see our comparison of memberships, class packs and flat rates at Pilates studios.
Tie price to qualification and experience
An instructor with extra training in rehab or prenatal Pilates can charge more than a newer team member. Tiered pricing – standard and specialist – makes quality visible and gives you room when you raise prices later.
The entry point: an intro session
Many members hesitate at the price of a first one-on-one. A discounted intro session lowers the barrier: the instructor learns goals and limitations, the client feels the value. Then comes the package recommendation – not with pressure, but with a concrete plan for the next six to eight weeks.
How to sell private sessions to the right members
The biggest mistake is promoting private sessions to everyone. They are an offer for people with a reason. Approach these groups specifically:
Members with a concrete goal
Someone returning after parental leave, a new Reformer fan who wants to refine technique, a runner with hip problems: all of them benefit from two to four private lessons as a kick-start before returning to group classes. That strengthens the group instead of weakening it.
Friends and couples as a duet
A duet is ideal for friends, sisters or couples. They share the price, train together and, at best, bring a new person into the studio. A duet doubles as an entry point to referral marketing.
Loyal members as a thank-you
Reward regulars with a private-session credit, for example after their 50th class. With a digital stamp card in the wallet your members see their progress on their phone – and the prize “a duet session” becomes tangible without you managing paper cards.
Rules that make day-to-day easier
Private sessions stand or fall with reliability. A missed appointment costs instructor time you cannot get back. Set a clear cancellation rule – many studios use a 24-hour window – and communicate it before booking, not in the middle of a dispute. A system that enforces cancellation windows automatically spares you awkward conversations.
Document goals and progress
A short note per session – what was done, what the goal is next time – feels premium and makes the coaching traceable. Clients see their investment paying off, and substitute instructors can pick up seamlessly.
Common mistakes with private sessions
First: offering private lessons as gap-fillers with no profile of their own. Second: pricing too low out of fear of rejection, which devalues your instructors. Third: no link to your group offer, so private clients never find the community. Fourth: unclear cancellation rules. And fifth: selling private sessions by chance instead of actively asking members whether they have a goal where more guidance would help.
Conclusion: premium from the heart of your studio
Private sessions and duets work best when they grow out of your studio – from members who know your instructors and want more. Start small: one or two fixed time windows, one package price, one cancellation rule and an intro session. Then watch which members say yes and how loyalty and revenue develop.
Want to show rewards like a duet session digitally in your members' wallets? Book your free Gainback demo now.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a private session and a duet?
In a private session one person trains alone with an instructor, usually for 50 to 60 minutes. In a duet (also called semi-private) two people share one instructor. A duet costs less per person and suits friends or couples.
How much do private sessions at a Pilates studio cost?
It depends on region, qualification and your costs. A US industry guide from bsport cites $90 to $150 for a one-on-one and $50 to $100 per person for a duet; treat that as a rough orientation only and calculate prices from your own numbers.
Will private sessions crowd out my group classes?
Not if you place them in quieter slots such as weekday mornings and reserve only individual machines at busy times. Private sessions can even strengthen group classes, because members return to them with more confidence after a start phase.
How do I sell private sessions without being pushy?
Approach members who have a concrete goal or occasion, such as returning after parental leave or refining technique. Offer a discounted intro session and then make a concrete suggestion for the next few weeks.
Do I need a cancellation policy for private sessions?
Yes. A missed one-on-one costs instructor time you cannot recover. Many studios use a 24-hour window. Communicate it clearly before booking and enforce it automatically where possible.
