5 Things to Consider Before Becoming a Pilates Instructor

So you want to become a Pilates instructor? Congratulations! You’ve decided to take your love of the Pilates method to the next level. Perhaps you have a background in personal training, or as a teacher in dance, gymnastics, or coaching sports. Maybe you don’t have any experience in instructing, but love Pilates as a student enough to consider it as a career. Regardless of what has motivated you to take this step, you will surely find yourself asking questions about what it takes to actually become an instructor. I know I definitely did, which is why I want to share some of the things that crossed my mind (or caused me great anxiety, to be honest) before entering the certification process. My aim is to give you as much information as I can, but keep in mind that this is very much based on my personal experience as well. 

1.    How much Pilates experience do I need to have?

There really is no requisite amount of Pilates that you need to have prior to starting certification. With that being said, I believe that taking Pilates classes (or privates) provides you with a greater deal of preparation than reading books or studying material can do. If you are just about to embark on Pilates certification, knowing the exercises, the lingo, and the equipment (to some degree) will give you a huge leg up when you start cert classes. You are going to cert classes to learn all of this, and you will learn the exercises along with the order. Expect to have your technique tweaked, corrected, and constructively criticized based on the program you choose. I emphasize constructive, because criticisms will be used to make you a better instructor, NOT to break you down or be negative. *Don’t let that freak you out!* 

Personally, I did Pilates twice a week (for the most part) for about a year before deciding to start the certification process. I’ve known people and worked with great instructors that did less than that before beginning their journey. I like to say that Pilates practice is not imperative, but it is important. There is no amount of time in the studio necessary to jumpstart your certification, because a good program is going to train you in the proper method and have you log personal practice hours. 

Now, when it comes to your experience in Pilates, it is best to have practice in both Mat Pilates and Apparatus. That means reformer, tower or cadillac, chair, barrels, etc. Obviously, we all make use of what we have at our disposal, so if you are unable to frequent a studio with all the Pilates equipment, fret not! You will learn this in certification. However, if you are able to take instruction in a space that has at least a reformer, if not other apparatus classes, I highly recommend familiarizing yourself with them. It just prepares you that much more. 

2.    What if I have injuries or physical limitations?

I feel the pain, both physically and metaphorically, for those of you who have injuries and conditions. I, myself, have hip dysplasia in both hips, a torn labrum in my right hip, and a whole host of issues (both related to and not) from sports that cause me pain. A large population of Pilates teachers sought out Pilates and became instructors due to the physical ailments they have. Just research the Pilates elders (the people who practiced under Joseph Pilates and carried on his method), and you’ll find that they also discovered Contrology (what Joseph Pilates called his practice) following an injury. This is why it is commonly said that “Pilates is for every body”. It is not “everybody,” but “every” “body”. If you have a condition or injuries, you are not excluded from practicing Pilates OR teaching it. In fact, it can even make you a better and more empathetic instructor.

3.    How much anatomy and physiology should I know?

When I was considering becoming an instructor, a friend of mine knew a Pilates instructor that very graciously answered some questions I had. She suggested a couple books to get, so I could get acquainted with anatomy and physiology terms as they pertain to Pilates. These were, and continue to be great resources, but they were not necessary to enter a certification program. I am so thankful for the advice this instructor gave me and for the books that I have in my Pilates library. In hindsight, I know that it gave me more anxiety pre-cert than I needed to have. Before anyone calls me an “ingrate,” let me explain. The books were very (if not exclusively) based on anatomy and physiology, which led me to believe that I needed to know this information before ever starting my path towards instructing. I made flashcards and highlighted the books as I read them, but never fully understood how much was really enough to be prepared. 

Let me help you skip some steps. You will learn this in certification. Is it good to research the body’s joints and muscles as a Pilates instructor? Absolutely, why wouldn’t it? However, you do not need to know all of this (or really any of this) BEFORE you begin instructor training. Much like having Pilates experience, the more you know beforehand, the more prepared you’ll be. You may find understanding the material in class easier, and you could possibly earn some brownie points with the Master instructor for having this extra knowledge. 

Now, I’m sure instructors that are reading this are screaming at me a bit. I want to be clear that you should take your certification and inevitably your instructor status seriously. What I mean by that, is that continuing to educate yourself and enhance your knowledge of the human body is crucial to being the best teacher you can be. I’ve linked the books I mentioned below if you want to start your bank of resources. On the other hand, please keep in mind your scope of practice (another thing you’ll learn in cert), and realize that becoming a Pilates instructor does not, AT ALL, make you an expert on the human body in a medical sense or in any sense that requires a certification above a Pilates instructor. I personally take it as a sigh of relief to know my responsibility to my clients, and the boundaries of which I work with them in.

Book Links:

Pilates Anatomy by Rael Isacowitz & Karen Clippinger

The Anatomy Coloring Book by Wynn Kapit & Lawrence M. Elson

4.    What kind of certification program should I look at?

I’ll be totally forthright in saying I did this a stupid way AND a smart way. Let’s begin with how stupid I was. As a I said earlier, I had been doing Pilates twice a week for about a year before I decided to look into certification. I had a great instructor who took me from a total newbie in Pilates to being fairly advanced, and she was an absolute sweetheart to boot. So, one would think I asked her for advice on getting certified as an instructor, right? Nope. I let my insecurities beat out ALL common sense, and I went the harder route of trying to navigate all of it on my own. I’m rolling my eyes at myself so hard as I type this. I can’t stress this enough; if you have an instructor you like and respect, please ask them for their input on teacher training. My instructor that I was too embarrassed to talk to about my plans with (and let me get my “bullhorn” out for this) ENDED UP BEING THE ONE THAT HIRED ME in the midst of my certification. That should say it all. 

At least, my mistake can possibly help anyone who has to do their own research, because they don’t have a teacher they can rely on. This is where I can redeem myself, though I do still recommend looking into your options to do your due diligence. Rather than going for the cheapest and fastest way to get certified, I researched the crap out of the different programs available. There are different schools/styles of Pilates as well as differences in how comprehensive the programs are. Nowadays, it seems like every studio or franchise is offering their own brand of certification as well (an issue I didn’t have to deal with as much when I was looking). This is not to say those programs aren’t credible, I just mean that there’s more to sift through. Moreover, the larger certification groups will more than likely have master instructors that hold the programs out of their studios (so don’t necessarily poo-poo a studio that offers certification classes). I got certified through Peak Pilates, because it was a more classical, well-known training program that I felt could take me pretty much anywhere and get a job. You want to walk into prospective employers and have them know who you were certified under (or at least be able to easily Google it) – don’t spend money and time on a boutique certification that only allows you to work within their network. Therefore, when you are looking at which program to join, I would recommend considering those same factors: are they reputable, and are they classical or contemporary. I’m not here to beat the drum of classical Pilates versus contemporary, but in my opinion, having a classical background can take you more places. For instance, I can work at a classical studio OR a more contemporary one (if I just adjust and bridge to their style). Lastly, I would check to see if you can attend certification classes in your area, or if you’ll have to travel. For some, travel isn’t a bother and they have the resources to do so, but for others it can create a serious roadblock. 

To help you, here is a list of some of the top certification programs:

·      Peak Pilates (Classical)

·      Romana’s Pilates (Classical)

·      Basi Pilates (Classical)

·      Polestar Pilates (Classical)

·      STOTT (Contemporary)

·      Balanced Body (Contemporary)

5.    Is teaching Pilates a good job (and will it pay the bills)?

Pilates is a great career with a plethora of benefits that are attractive as both a full time job or part time option. You get to meet a lot of wonderful people in the form of clients as well as colleagues. Both introverts and extroverts can get along well as a Pilates instructor, because even though it is a very client-facing job, your teaching (and their exercising) makes conversing throughout the full hour pretty difficult. I won’t lie to you though, communication skills are of upmost importance for teachers in any setting, the Pilates studio included. 

One of the things about being a Pilates instructor I love most is the creativity involved in the job. That means being able to think on your feet, for sure, but I promise that gets easier with experience. If you plan to own your own business, or you work at a studio that gives you freedom to create your own programs for your clients, you’ll be able to really let the creativity flow. However, even if you work somewhere that is more structured, you’ll find that your clients will inspire you to think outside the box a little. For example, you may have planned a session for a client that comes in and tells you they hurt their back gardening over the weekend. Well, you’ll certainly be tweaking, omitting, or adding some things based on this information, so your client stays safe and feels better than when they walked in. Therefore, you can rest assured, this job is not boring or stale!

Now onto the money talk. Of course, your personal budget is just that, PERSONAL! I can’t tell you if teaching Pilates will be enough for you or not, but I can say there are different teaching options available that can fit your schedule and earn you a nice little chunk o’ change to put in your pocket. First, you can consider starting your own business, which will require some money upfront to get started (especially if you’re buying equipment like a reformer, etc.), but you set your own prices and keep the profit. This route can also be a little more work at the beginning, because you’ll have to find your own clients to build your business up, so you should definitely consider if sales and marketing fits your personality (it’s not for everyone!). Another option is to work at an existing studio. The benefits are that they’re taking care of all the overhead costs, so all you have to worry about is teaching! Of course, there is always another side. A studio will take a small percentage of your earnings to help cover studio costs, and it is more likely you’ll be expected to teach within the guidelines of the owner. Understandable, of course, but it may not be for you so think about that. Whether you teach at an established business or start your own, you’ll find that being a Pilates instructor allows for a flexible schedule. You can teach full-time (sometimes that may require you to work at different studios to get full-time hours), part-time, or as a side hustle to supplement an existing job. A side-effect of the pandemic is that more people are taking online classes (and more people are offering online instruction) – even more flexibility! Overall, the average rate for Pilates classes in 2022 is $30-50 per person and for private instruction it is $60-over $100. That means for an hour of your time, you can earn say $80 for a private session or $105 for a class of 3 (at $35/person). Again, remember that a percentage will be taken from that if you work at a studio. Not bad at all though! 

The world needs more Pilates instructors

The Pilates industry is growing exponentially every year, with studios popping up like wildflowers (or weeds if you’re not happy about it) in bigger cities. That means there is more need for instructors! Instructors come in all shapes and sizes with different backgrounds, and good certification programs will give you all the tools you need to learn and grow as a teacher. Once you’re certified, the possibilities of turning that knowledge into more experience and dollars are many. Just ask any instructor! Seriously, ask current instructors for advice (even if you don’t go to their studio). Most are more than happy to help, because they’ve been where you are and had the same questions.