How to Become A Pilates Teacher
Are you considering becoming a Pilates teacher?
Pilates has been around since the first quarter of the 20th century, and now, one hundred years after Joseph Pilates opened his studio in New York City, Pilates has a global audience, reach and popularity. This means that a lot of people are considering becoming a Pilates teacher.
This is a quick guide to the questions the Pilates Teacher Association answers most often when people are looking into teaching Pilates.
If you want to have a career as a Pilates teacher, you should know that Pilates is: .
The very best teachers understand the full method, that understanding allows Pilates teachers to give the client a clear connection with their bodies, thus achieving the results they came to you for. As a teacher, Pilates could literally be your happy place. Let’s think more about the role of a Pilates teacher.
Pilates is:
An interconnected system of about 500 exercises, these exercises are carried out across a set of specifically designed apparatus
This method of exercise, done correctly, can deliver transformations for your clients and one of the benefits of a career as a Pilates teacher is that helping clients to experience these transformations can give you immense job satisfaction.
The very best Pilates teachers understand the entire system
to maintain and promote standards in Pilates education and practice that will help consumers and Pilates teachers alike.” The very best Pilates teachers understand the full Pilates method, that understanding allows teachers to give clients a cleat connection with their bodies, to achieve the results clients want from their Pilates practice.
As a teacher, Pilates could literally be your happy place.
Let’s think more about the role of a Pilates teacher.
What does a Pilates teacher do?
The simple version is that Pilates teachers guide their clients through a programme of exercises that help build fitness and wellness.
A basic job description for a Pilates teacher would include responsibilities such as:
- Creating class plans.
- Teaching Pilates classes that might be group or 121 sessions,
- Ensuring proper technique, in order to avoid injury and ensure that the client experiences the true benefits of their workout.
The most expert Pilates teachers use their knowledge of the entire Pilates system to perhaps improve a client’s posture or maybe their breathing, or their movement of help them to regain mobility, to recover from injury or to build confidence and fitness.
As a Pilates teacher you can do this from understanding your client’s needs (even if they don’t know it themselves).
Pilates teachers who know, understand and use the entire Pilates method are known as Comprehensively Trained Pilates Teachers.
“I’m helping people to feel better. To move. Movement is health”
Cara Hazelton
Cara Hazelton has been teaching Pilates for nearly 20 years and has been a teacher trainer since 2014. A 3rd generation teacher rom Joseph Plates, she has more than 20,000 hours of hands-on teaching experience to guide you to become the best Pilates teacher or practitioner you can be. Cara’s Pilates expertise is met equally by her education in the field of human movement. A Master of Science in Kinesiology (MScKin) graduate you can trust that she teaches with the most recent science at her fingertips. Cara owns two fully equipped Classical Pilates studios and a large Classical Pilates teacher training organisation in Canada.
What is your current favourite Pilates exercise and why?
I don’t really have a favourite as the method works with my body to address its needs on a given day. That said, I always enjoy Open Leg Rocker on the Mat because it feels fantastic on the spine and is always so playful to execute.
Gayle Hogarth
Pilates has had a profound effect on my life and has improved my mobility and quality of life. I aspire to go beyond my own lessons and teach others in the future. I am keen to share my skills and knowledge with the board and wider community to continue to improve the education of the Pilates method.
What is your current favourite Pilates exercise and why?
Ballet stretches on the Cadillac.
Roberta Trzebinski
Interested in movement and yoga since her teens, Roberta opened her own Pilates and functional movement studio in Bahrain in 2009. She joined the Pilates Teachers Association in 2016 and with specialisms in Insurance, Roberta joined the board at the beginning of 2019. As well as being a teacher trainer in Pilates, yoga, BOSU, BODYFLYING, freeFORM , BARRE she holds certifications in kinesiology, aromatherapy, reflexology, matrix rhythm therapy, barefoot science, pain management to name a few.
Apart from training in her studio on a daily basis, she is a keen golfer, runner and dance. Roberta is committed to working for all in the Pilates Community and developing professional standards of practice.
Steven Devine
Steven Devine is a student of the Pilates system and a beneficiary of its life changing impact.
After receiving his PhD in Particle Physics in 2001, he worked with spin-out technology institutes both in Scotland and with CERN, Geneva.
He has over 25 years experience in Education in the Tertiary sector as well as in schools, where he devised the standards for the courses, developed and delivered resources, and written and implemented assessment standards including quality assurance processes. He has a wide range of experience in consulting have supported companies in their development and growth by raising capital and business development.
Having spent a life time in suits, he may now be spotted in sportswear with his navel to spine – all the time! (well, almost!)
What is your current favourite Pilates exercise and why?
Boomerang! I’ve got to work hard to control the different elements-enjoying the challenge.
Catherine Bhopal
Catherine is currently studying to become a Comprehensive Pilates teacher through Classical Pilates UK.
Catherine has been a Biology for the past 20 years. She has delivered and collaborated in the development of a range of courses from primary transitions to senior level courses at certificate level and marks for the Scottish Qualifications Authority.
Catherine is highly engaged with education policy and developments within the education sector and frequently attends webinars and reads journals on the changes taking place. She is keen to share her skills and knowledge with the board and wider community to continue to improve the education of the Pilates method.
What is your current favourite Pilates exercise and why?
Rowing Series on Reformer. I’m enjoying how it’s developing my upper body strength and connection to the powerhouse.
Lesley McPherson
Director (non-voting) and Founder
Lesley has taken a particular interest in the development of standards in the fitness industry – specifically Pilates in the UK and Europe for many years. Her first fitness qualification was group exercise to music in 1989 and was introduced to Pilates based Matwork in the late 1990s. She subsequently retrained with a comprehensive school – Peak Pilates and completed the master’s programme for Comprehensive Pilates Teachers with The Pilates Center of Boulder in 2013. Workshops and continuing education include first Generation Teachers such as Mary Bowen, Lolita San Miguel and Jay Grimes and 2nd generation Teachers including, Blossom Leilani Crawford, Lori Coleman-Brown and Junghee Won. Non -Pilates education includes workshops in golf, running and back pain and UK fitness industry courses in Medical referral, L4 back pain, Assessor and Internal Verifier.
Lesley is the PTA representative at the CIMSPA Professional Standards Development group for Pilates based mat exercise and is currently a 2nd year Undergraduate at University of Strathclyde studying Psychology and Sport. She continues to teach Pilates based mat group exercise and 1-1 Comprehensive Pilates.
Lesley’s ultimate goal is to lead our body of members in gaining a formal professional recognition for the Comprehensive Pilates Teacher.