- Fera Smith
- Aug 6
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 8
Yes, you can work and train as a Pilates Instructor
(That’s the short answer, go train to be a Pilates Teacher!) A good comprehensive Pilates teacher training program is very rigorous but has always been structured around the already busy lives of apprentices.
Where do I fit in Teacher Training?
If you are asking this question, then you already have a passion for Pilates. You most likely train a few times a week and have invested in understanding Pilates. You have already made time in your life for Pilates.
What exactly am I adding to my current busy life?
A comprehensive Pilates teacher training program entails:
✨ Seminars: How to teach exercises, including modifications, anatomy, safety. These usually take place over 3 weekends spread out between 3-9 months. Think 3 short mini breaks. But with Pilates friends and master teachers.
✨ Observation: Watching sessions, understanding how a studio is run, gaining discipline to stand and teach for 7 hours a day. On the job learning, the best reality show!
✨ Self Practice: Learning the method in one’s own body, including regular sessions with an experienced teacher. If you are looking at teacher training, you already do self-practice!
✨ Teaching Practice: Learning how to cue verbally and manually, to develop one’s eye to see a body, and to structure a session. This is the transition into your new career with the support of your teacher trainer. Job training!
✨ Testing: Demonstrating all the effort above has resulted in knowledge of the system of Pilates and applying that knowledge to clients.
How do I add all that in?
The reality is an average of 15 hours a week is ideal for a comprehensive program. Broken down into pieces it’s manageable around daily life.
For example:
🌟 Personal practice: 5 hours a week. (You already do that!)
🌟 Two evenings a week in the studio, 6 hours.
🌟 One weekend or half day in the studio, 4 hours.
These hours can be fitted around life commitments, are less than most formal continuing education degree courses, and usually completed in less time - 18 months - rather than several years
Why take so much time for a training program?
💫 It takes time for our minds to absorb new material and many iterations in order to retain information, especially if retaining that information physically such as with Pilates.
⛔ A program that is full-time and condensed will ultimately be less effective than a long term program.
⛔ And a weekend Pilates Instructor program will involve almost no retention of information, self-development, or support to teach, resulting in years of searching for more knowledge rather than years gaining experience teaching,
So… Pilates Teacher training means you have to master the exercises, learn to analyse bodies and how to teach the exercises so people can understand and learn. Anytime we take on the challenge of learning something new it will take time and effort. Not doing so will result in anxiety and frustration when trying to teach after limited understanding of material. Expect to do the work, consistently, as it is well worth the investment of time in yourself and the skills to be a knowledgeable teacher.
One Last Part- Professional Continuing Education
The most important component of teacher training: professional continuing education (CPE) and a teacher support network. Any program that invests in you will continue to be invested in your growth as a teacher. Having support once you are a teacher is invaluable!
Comments