Pilates Teacher Training is a Big Commitment

Are you ready to start Pilates teacher training? Part of being ready is understanding what’s truly involved so there are no surprises and you can prepare to balance your training with your regular life’s commitments. When I did my training, I had three children in elementary school, worked part time, and my husband travelled regularly for work. Life certainly was busy and there were times I was tired (three kids!), but I loved it. Here is what you can expect during your Pilates teacher training so you know what you are signing up for. 

Before You Start

Most Pilates teacher training programs require that you are a student at their studio prior to enrolling and you will likely have to complete a pre-enrollment assessment. Both are done to see what level you are at and if you’re ready to start learning to teach. It will also help you to be comfortable with the studio, the equipment, and your instructor(s). We want you to be successful in your program, so this time also allows us to give you recommendations on how to prepare and what to practice before the program even starts. 

The Time Commitment

If you plan on doing a full, comprehensive Pilates teacher training program that qualifies you to write the NCPT exam, you must complete a minimum of 450 hours of training. Some programs are up to 1000 hours! This includes hours of lectures, homework, observation, self-practice, and teaching practice. Some programs will teach everything in person, while others will be hybrid, and include online videos or virtual lectures. This means you will be in the studio a lot. 

Observation Hours

In addition to the in-studio lectures and teaching, you need to complete a certain number of observation hours for your training. This can include attending Pilates classes and paying attention to how the instructor teaches, cues, and corrects as you do your own practice (I still do this!). You can also do hours where you sit and watch the classes with full attention.

Self-Practice

Self-practice hours are not the same as attending Pilates class. Rather, you need to allocate time that you go into the studio by yourself and practice the exercises on your own. Consider this a study session. I recommend my trainees start doing this right away, practicing what is covered in the recent lectures. This way, you will start to remember the exercise names, apparatus set-up, and how to execute the movements. It may bring up questions for your instructor (good!) and it will help everything cement in your memory. Depending on the studio, you may be able to come in during off-hours, while clients are there, or you may have to rent studio time. 

Teaching Practice

The whole point of doing Pilates teacher training is so you can become a Pilates teacher! So of course, you need to practice teaching, too. I suggest my teacher trainees find a few people that they can teach as they go through the program, from introducing them to Pilates to getting them to some of the advanced exercises. Being a teacher means working with people of all fitness levels, but while learning, it’s good to have someone you’re confident can “grow with you” through the program. 

From your own Pilates practice, you will already know a lot about Pilates. But by learning to teach from the beginning with the foundations, then adding exercises as the program progresses, you will gain more as a teacher. We’re building your knowledge up so you can go back and break things down as needed when a piece is missing – either in your teaching or with your “client”’s progress. 

Graduation!

All in all, you will be living and breathing Pilates for close to a year as you go through your training. Then, once you graduate from a comprehensive program, you will receive a certificate of completion. Lots of studios will accept this as enough to start teaching for them. You will also have the choice to write the NCPT exam if you choose. 

This is an exam that certifies teachers from all types of comprehensive programs – clinical, classical, and contemporary. It ensures that you have a solid understanding of the ethics, safety, special populations, modifications, body mechanics, muscles, and even the history of Pilates – no matter who trained you. It tells your clients that you have completed at least 450 hours of training and will conduct a safe and effective class. There is also an exam for 100 hours of mat training which covers the full 37 mat exercises plus all the other information listed above. 

Completing a Pilates training program does take a lot of time and effort, but for the love of helping others and Pilates, it’s 100% worth it.