The Journey to Become a Pilates Teacher

There is no right or wrong way to become a Pilates teacher; as in life, we all have our own journeys. Some, like me, already taught fitness and added Pilates to what they already knew. I know others who decided to become a Pilates teacher after practicing it devoutly for years. Others still work in health and wellness and wanted to add Pilates to the therapies they offer. Whatever your journey to becoming a Pilates teacher will look like, I can promise that you will learn a lot about both the method and yourself. Here is what my path to Pilates looked like. 

A Fifteen-Year Learning Experience

My first exposure to Pilates was many years ago from a DVD I got with a can of baby formula. It wasn’t until my daughters were toddlers that I took my first mat class at the gym. It was pretty popular in gyms at the time, and I liked how it made me feel. Since I already taught fitness and took Pilates, the gym I worked at asked if I could teach a class there. I found a short, 40-hour mat module that covered thirteen mat exercises and that was the start of my Pilates career! (Note: there were prerequisites to the course that I already had.)

The training took place in a Pilates studio, which I’d never been to before. The space was filled with equipment made of metal, wood, springs, and upholstered beds. I’d never seen anything like it! I was eager to explore and was thrilled to be invited to be a student to other teachers in training. The more I went to the studio, the more I knew that I had to (eventually) learn everything about it. 

Starting Pilates Training

Once my girls were in school and didn’t need me 24/7, I made the decision to do the full Pilates comprehensive training. It was a big commitment, with four hundred to five hundred (or more!) hours of training. It included lectures, observation, self-practice, teaching, and testing. 

I’m grateful that I was able to practice teaching mat Pilates for a few years before beginning the training. It allowed me to become familiar with the method. There is “controversy” out there about if someone that only has mat or apparatus training should be able to call themselves a Pilates teacher, but to me, it doesn’t matter. (Do NOT get me started on labels!)

I believed that I was a Pilates teacher when I was only teaching mat classes. Did I have the depth of knowledge that I gained with the hundreds of hours of training later on? Of course not. But I was still introducing people to Pilates, helping them move safely, and I know I’d have been hurt if someone discredited the hard work and training that I’d put in so far. And as with anything, you only know what you know… Until you know more. 

Keep Learning

As I continued my journey to become a Pilates teacher, I kept wanting to learn more. Each discovery about the method was exciting, as was the feeling of accomplishment each time I progressed in my own practice. It’s still like that! My Pilates journey is one of constant learning and I still get “aha!” moments through teaching and practicing. 

What Will Your Journey Look Like? 

While I took a few years to begin my full Pilates training, your journey may be different. I’m in awe of those who dive straight into it, as it’s a big commitment and investment to make. If you’ve been thinking of teaching Pilates, let’s chat. There are so many people who can benefit from Pilates, and we need more teachers in the world. We need teachers who teach part-time, full-time, mat-only, reformer-only, and however it feels good to you. 
If the idea of helping others experience the magic of Pilates, send me an email and let’s get the conversation started.