What is the Pilates Instructor training like?

Pilates Instructor Training

There are so many different styles of Pilates. What is required for Pilates instructor training to become certified varies slightly from style to style. Regardless of the style of Pilates that is being taught you want someone who has experience and not just teaching Pilates, executing Pilates exercises, but experience working with people, addressing and being sensitive to the problems, concerns, questions and goals people may have and of course, finding a good fit in terms or personality and environment. This will be a place that you come to at least once a week and an activity you want to incorporate into your lifestyle, not a one time or seasonal activity. 

We’ll have a look at qualifications. A general overview on what is involved in becoming certified: There are two main components to Pilates – matwork and equipment work. Within each component there is great depth. Many certificating institutions will divide the programs up into a matwork component and an equipment component. Depending on what the focus is of the Pilates class you‟re participating in it may not be necessary to be instructed by someone who is certified in everything. i.e. a mat class instructor doesn‟t necessarily have to be certified to instruct on equipment to be competent at instructing matwork. 

In many cases however, instructors that are certified to teach on equipment will also have certification to teach matwork. This doesn’t mean matwork is of “lesser” quality than work on equipment. Many small independent studios will create their own certification. These are too numerous to mention. Some of the better known styles of Pilates offered can be found below: 

The exercises and techniques in Pilates are basically the same, with slight and minor modifications from one style to the other, usually in name, approach and teaching methodology. 

Most certifications will have an anatomy component. 

The more common certifications will have a continuing education credit, (CEC) component requiring certified instructors to take a few courses each year to maintain their credentials as a certified instructor. Some instructors will go on to be what are usually termed “instructor trainers”, instructors that can train people to become Pilates instructors and certify them as Pilates instructors. 

Many certifications require some practical teaching experience in the form of an apprenticeship. This is a great way for soon to be certified instructors to get some experience, however, learning to teach new people and bodies walking in the door are also a valuable skill to learn early on. 

Some questions to ask when you’re shopping around for a Pilates instructor (This list is nowhere near exhaustive and any other questions that are of importance to you and your goals are more than relevant.): 

• Where were you certified? 
• What style of Pilates were you certified in? 
• How long was your course? 
• Are there CEC‟s required annually to maintain the certification? 
• Was there a practical teaching component to the certification? 
• Was there an anatomy component to your certification? 
• How long have you been teaching? 

This latter question can be viewed in many ways. An instructor who has been teaching 2-3 hours a over a number of years, say 5 or 6, isn’t the same as an instructor who has been teaching 30-40 hours a week for 2 or 3 years. The experience comes from a variety of components…number hours teaching, regular teaching, types of people teaching, those already attuned to their bodies vs. those that are not as well tuned into their bodies i.e. people who have been sedentary; teaching complete novices at Pilates vs teaching veteran Pilates clients. 

In the end when teaching or instructing, practical experience working with a variety of personalities, bodies, goals etc. is of great value. Just as with any other profession, having a lot of theoretical knowledge is great, but it doesn’t compare to practical, hands-on experience. 

“Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune.” – Jim Rohn