I have been a pilates instructor and teacher trainer since 2008 and each year I help students who enter a teacher training that is either the one I teach for or another navigate their first year as a student and help them get off the ground running as a teacher. I was personally certified back in 2003 in New York City with probably one of the most exclusive teacher training programs you could find. There was an audition of you performing pilates in the most exact way to even have a chance at being accepted. At the time they only accepted 10 students per year and students came from all over the world to try to get in. Luckily I looked enough of the part as a young white thin woman and performed well enough so I was able to apply to get in. The studio while being famous in the industry was grossly mismanaged and not well kept but it was NYC and the place to be. Looking back I am grateful for my first teacher as well as some of the senior-level teachers but I would not say that it was an open and inclusive place for learning and growing. We were required to perform a certain way to be a teacher and many student teachers like myself were injured along the process. This went well beyond having the practice of Pilates in your body, students were not given autonomy and many of the teacher trainers were ill-equipped in actual movement science or injuries and harmed students. There were lots of tears from public shaming, physical injuries, and discriminatory practices. I walked away with an SI joint injury and bursitis in my shoulder along with an understanding to never question a classical teacher with their methods. Over time and through some digging, more education outside of Pilates, and hard work I was able over the years to navigate the Pilates world and what to do differently. I strived to create new safe spaces and a different world with my students who were learning to teach. I fought to create a different experience for them to learn the classical system without injury physically, mentally, or emotionally. The program I teach is still rigorous, classical through and through but layered with what we know with modern science and appropriate teaching methods. There are still many hours of self-guided practice but many more hours now face-to-face with faculty. The classical Pilates method can be truly transformative and the education system while remaining classical does not need to keep the negative dogmatic practices of the past.
For many years I touted my lineage in regards to who taught me and how I am a second generation teacher but I no longer see that as valid. I am so incredibly grateful for those who taught me and happy to share their credit for how they helped shape me as a teacher. I pass on that knowledge to my students but do not use lineage as a marketing term as it has been used as a divisive way of discrediting amazing teachers in the industry. The generation term is one that was used to show how many generations you are away from Joseph Pilates. While there are some great 2nd generation teachers, many I would not want my students to go to because of their limits in truly understanding the Pilates system as they have only studied under one person or they have very limited exercise science knowledge. I am also incredibly proud that I can provide a safe space for learning to teach pilates to anyone who truly has a desire to learn. There is no requirement for me to have a specific body type, ability, skin color, religion, or background of movement or skill. You will learn and continue to learn for the rest of your life as a teacher if you are a good one. I will teach you to teach anyone in front of you whether it is in a group or a private session and how to teach on not just one type of apparatus. For after all it is about teaching the human being in front of you. The goal is to help be a guide for that person to discover their strengths, and challenge themselves within the Pilates system. The Pilates exercise method is exactly that, it is a system. All of the exercises are beautifully connected and intertwined and all of the apparatus like the reformer, Cadillac, wunda chair, high chair, spine corrector, barrels pedipole and so much more all facilitate different connections in the body.
Within this safe learning space, students can learn to work with one another and learn to use the method of pilates also constructively and positively with their clients. As each student grows in their practice and their teaching so will their students and the ripple effect of Pilates being taught in a safe, inclusive, and positive way will grow to hopefully impact the lives of many individuals that will come into our studios and spaces.
When you are looking at a Pilates certification, know that the workshops that you attend are only a small portion of the bigger picture. The values of the organization matter and the content of the material being presented is important. Look at programs that are not just offering teaching a “choreography” but a better and more in-depth look at the exercises and the system of pilates and how it works with different people who might walk through the door of a studio or wellness facility. Many programs offer training on clients with injuries as a “continuing ed” or follow-up after certification but I will tell you as a teacher and previous studio owner myself. Clients with “conditions”, “pathologies” or “ailments” come into your private sessions and classes in droves and you must know what to do when they come in to take a class to keep them safe but also to help them progress safely and effectively. In
Understanding basic anatomy and proper body mechanics is an absolute necessity when teaching movement. This not only helps your level of understanding of teaching “exercise” but also what is expected of you as a movement professional. Knowing that the people you teach are all going to come in different shapes, sizes, and abilities is also an important thing to learn because you can’t teach the same exercise to each person the same. The function of the work stays the same but certain clients’ proportions and abilities or connections will be different and you will need to be able to think critically to help your client achieve success.
Pilates history and Pilates industry knowledge are also a very important part of this learning process. Knowing that this exercise method was started by a man named Joseph Pilates and he developed all kinds of patents for his exercise machines we refer to as apparatus is important. Knowing that he wrote a book of his Pilates Mat exercises and was very specific on how he wanted the system to be approached. His book, “Return to Life” is required reading in our program and we will unpack much of this when we meet together in your lessons. Shockingly even though there was a bronze bust of Joseph Pilates in the certifying studio I was trained in and it was supposed to be the best in the world and the authority on teaching teachers, it wasn’t until years later that I discovered many old photos of Joe, missing exercises from the system and the very book that Joseph Pilates himself wrote. We will also cover Pilates industry info and ethics as this is something that you will need to know to help you navigate if you want to make this a career.
This year in the Pilates training course in Stockholm, I have added a Pilates business basics and marketing workshop because I noticed that many teachers wanted to take control of filling up their classes for more revenue and higher earnings. Many of the students from the past 3 years are all actively teaching in studios/gyms/wellness centers, running their own businesses, or even opening up their studios.
Continued Education requirements are a big question to ask, as a teacher trainer who used to work for a classical teacher training organization that required yearly CECs but barely offered what students needed but gladly accepted the money so students remained “certified” it was alarming how disappointing this experience was for graduates. At Rebel Pilates Collective, we allow and encourage our students to retake (audit) any module anywhere in the world at any of our training locations with any of our faculty for free as much as they want. Our curriculum at its core stays the same however we are constantly growing and evolving and overlaying what we know is correct in current movement science and education practices to our program. Our grads and students love to audit and come back often for community and to freshen up on their skill sets and continue learning. We offer it for free for life because we value it so much! We truly want the best for our students.
Hours, hours, hours! Your program should not just be a once-and-done weekend or weeks, it should have practice hours, practice teaching hours, observation, and continued learning. As you teach more people, more questions and things will arise. You need those hours to help develop your skill set as a teacher so you can be profitable and understand the method. That being said, you will be practicing quite a bit in your modules and should feel confident to teach a full class and session after your first weekend or week. The confidence comes from understanding the method, repetition, and peer-to-peer feedback. You will grow alongside your fellow cohort group and be each other’s first practice clients. All are welcome and encouraged to apply! Pilates is truly for everyone!
Lastly, always take the time to meet with your teacher trainer if you are interested in doing a program because it is a big investment in time, energy, and money. Ask detailed questions about some of the above things I mentioned and be sure to get answers. I hope to see you out there on your pilates journey soon!