Choosing your Pilates Teacher - Part 2

A guide to Pilates Training and Qualifications for Teachers/Instructors Part2

Do you want to teach Pilates?  At the time of writing there are 55 companies offering Pilates qualifications. How do you choose between the myriad of different courses?  

Pilates can be taught purely as matwork using just a mat and other small equipment such as foam rollers, gym balls and bands.  There is also studio Pilates where you will be taught using big equipment such as a reformer, Cadillac, ladder barrel and Pilates chair (Wundachair).  In most cases someone wanting to train as a Pilates instructor will learn how to teach matwork first and then learn how to teach on the big equipment. 

Did you know that in the UK anyone could call himself or herself a Pilates instructor?  It is not a legally defined term but it is unlikely that anyone without any qualifications would be able to obtain insurance putting both the instructor and the client at risk should anything go wrong. 

Types of training course

There are (Fitness) Pilates Instructor training courses, often held over a weekend, so maybe 14 hours of lectures, sometimes followed by a short exam at a later date (or submission of a video of yourself teaching a class) and some coursework.  In most cases these courses are marketed at qualified gym and aerobics instructors working within the gym chains or independents who already have fitness qualifications who are interested in increasing their range of fitness skills.  These courses would not give the successful candidate a REPs qualification (see below). 

Then there are the ‘level 3 REPs’ courses.  Please see the separate article about REPs but, in a sentence, a national body has produced a definition of what a Pilates instructor at this level should know in terms of knowledge, skills and competence and someone holding a qualification at this level will have demonstrated their ability against this national standard. 

Within the range of level 3 courses there are shorter courses with pre-reading course notes, about 21 hours of lectures, followed by producing a video of themselves teaching and some coursework which usually take a couple of months to achieve.  Again, these are aimed at people who are already Fitness Professionals with a level 2 or level 3 qualifications such as aerobics instructors or personal trainers.  The organisations offering these courses are likely to offer a wide range of fitness qualifications but fewer courses specifically aimed at Pilates instructors and they are unlikely to teach the large equipment courses.

 There are also much longer level 3 courses with 100 plus hours of lectures, numerous written exams, 50 hours supervised teaching (working with qualified, experienced instructors) and teaching exams taking many months of work.  The companies offering these courses, by their very nature, tend to be larger with a wide support network of Pilates teacher trainers.  They also have further courses to broaden instructor’s knowledge once the initial qualification has been completed successfully and are often able to offer training in the large equipment along with support associations.

Following on from this are the long term intensive training courses, in the manner of an apprenticeship, often lasting 14 months to several years but whose course is not recognised by REPs. Within the Pilates community these courses are often well regarded, producing excellent instructors but they may not cover the entire curriculum as defined by REPs. This was the original way that Pilates teachers were trained and these training providers often also offer continuing education courses on the big studio equipment.

How do you choose from all those different courses?

It’s worthwhile taking a long-term view on your career as a Pilates teacher when you’re looking at training courses, rather than just picking the cheapest course or the course that your friends/colleagues have done.  For many people, their first matwork course is just a stepping stone into a broader world of Pilates training going through additional courses on small equipment, qualifications in working with clients with lower back pain, to large equipment and studio instructor qualifications.  In this case it would be wise to choose a training course which allows you to do this.

As with any subject, some ‘styles’ of teaching may suit you better than another ‘style’.  For example, Pilates Foundation teachers are renowned for their attention to detail and will often teach more slowly, whereas Stott classes can often be very intense and fast.  I would recommend attending classes from as many different training schools as possible prior to making a decision to work out for yourself which style is going to suit you the best.

If you are going to complete a supervised teaching period you would be well advised to check where the supervising teachers are based to ensure that you take travel time and availability (i.e. if you need to do your teaching practise at weekends but your local teachers only have time to supervise you during working hours) into account to check that this will actually be achievable for you.  However, trainees often find that they learn so much from this experience they end up doing more than the minimum required and travel longer distances to more experienced teachers.

Please read the separate article about REPs so you can decide whether you need to take a course which allows you to appear on the Register of Exercise Professionals.

In summary, there are many different training courses available out there and it is essential that you take into account your own requirements and to the level that you are likely to want to study as you may otherwise end up retraining with a different company.  Try many different teachers, with as many different styles as you can find to help you with your decision.

(c) Julia Crossman 2013  http://www%2Cpilateswithjulia.com/

Choosing your Pilates Teacher

A guide to Pilates Teachers/Instructors and Qualifications for clients Part 1

Do you want to do Pilates?  Have you seen numerous people in your local area advertising their services?  How do you choose between them?  In this article I’m going to look at qualifications.  This is only one aspect of your choice, but it’s a good place to start.

Pilates can be taught purely as matwork using just a mat and other small equipment such as foam rollers, gym balls and bands.  There is also studio Pilates where you will be taught using big equipment such as a reformer, Cadillac, ladder barrel and Pilates chair.  In most cases someone wanting to train as a Pilates instructor will learn how to teach matwork first and then learn how to teach on the big equipment.  In this article I will just be covering matwork training.

Did you know that in the UK anyone could call himself or herself a Pilates instructor?  It is not a legally defined term so, as a worst case scenario, someone could go to classes to learn the exercises and then set up their own classes.  It is unlikely that the classes would be very safe and the ‘instructor’ would almost certainly not be insured if they should injure a client. 

There are short Pilates Instructor training courses, often held over a weekend, so maybe 14 hours of lectures, sometimes followed by a short exam at a later date (or submission of a video of themselves teaching a class) and some coursework.  These courses often attract previously qualified gym and aerobics instructors working within the gym chains or independents who already have fitness qualifications, including anatomy knowledge who are interested in increasing their range of fitness skills.

Then there are the ‘level 3 REPs’ course qualified instructors.  Please see the separate article about REPs but, in a sentence, a national body has produced a definition of what a Pilates instructor at this level should know in terms of knowledge, skills and competence and someone holding a qualification at this level will have demonstrated their ability against this national standard.  REPs level 3 can be achieved from courses with about 21 hours of lectures, followed by producing a video of themselves teaching, taking maybe a couple of months to achieve, although there are also much longer courses with 100 plus hours of lectures, numerous written exams, 50 hours supervised teaching (working with qualified, experienced instructors) and teaching exams taking many months of work.

Following on from this are the instructors who have completed and passed an intensive training course, often lasting 14 months to several years but whose course is not recognised by REPs.  Within the Pilates community these courses are often well regarded, producing excellent instructors but they may not have covered the entire curriculum as defined by REPs (for example, there may not be any teaching of nutrition).  This was the original way that Pilates teachers were trained, i.e. as an apprentice.

I have also noticed that there seems to be an increasing trend for ‘trained with’ instructors.  This seems to be those instructors who have perhaps qualified with a short course and who have then attended a course from a more highly regarded training company.  It can be misleading for clients as it may be that the instructor hasn’t actually achieved the standard required by the training company so if, as a client, you see this, you should make sure that you ask your prospective instructor who they actually qualified with.

As you can imagine, the graduates from each of these types of courses will provide very different qualities of teaching and you would consequently expect to pay considerably more for a certified teacher from one of the extended courses.  You should also look into class sizes.  Many teachers pride themselves on their small class sizes (12 or fewer participants) where they can spend time with each individual ensuring that the client is doing each exercise correctly, whereas many community and gym classes don’t restrict numbers and you may find yourself not being corrected.  Again, you would expect to pay considerably more for being in a small class.

If you have no illnesses/injuries/medical conditions and are used to exercise then choose any instructor.  If you are seeing a practitioner (chiropractor, physiotherapist, osteopath) or have been recommended to do Pilates by your GP or consultant or you have other medical issues (osteoporosis, stenosis, Spondylolisthesis etc etc etc) you would be better advised to choose an instructor who has been certified by one of the more intensive training courses, running small classes.

(c) Julia Crossman 2013 

Julia Crossman is a certified Body Control Pilates Instructor with a level 4 in low back pain, teaching small group classes and one-to-ones in Stevenage, Hertfordshire.  She is qualified to teach on Reformer, Cadillac and Pilates Chair  www.pilateswithjulia.com/http://www%2Cpilateswithjulia.com/

Barreconcept Workouts

PILATES FOR RUNNERS

Great article for all those runners out there

How Pilates for Runners Works

by Ed Grabianowski

For decades, runners have trained by running. The logic seems pretty clear -- the more you do something, the better you get at it. But it takes more than just strong legs and lungs to get the most out of a good run. Having a strong core -- back, chest and abdominal muscles -- is vital for breathing, flexibility, balance and endurance.

Enter Pilates. What started out as something of a fitness fad has become a popular way to develop muscle strength without bulk and strengthen that all-important core. There are Pilates studios all over the world; lots of gyms and fitness centers offer Pilates classes as well.

It turns out this fashionable exercise method holds plenty of potential benefits for runners. You don't even have to do Pilates every day to see results. According to experts and several runners we talked to, just adding one Pilates workout each week will make a difference.

How can a fitness program developed in the early 20th century improve endurance and injury recovery for today's running athletes? This article will explain the link between Pilates and running, complete with specific exercises that could help your training routine.

What Is Pilates, Anyway?

The Pilates workout is a series of controlled movements designed to strengthen muscles -- with an emphasis on the body's core. It was developed by Joseph Pilates, a German of Greek ancestry who came to the United States before World War II. The popularity of his methods spread gradually, finally hitting the mainstream in the 1990s.

Pilates believed that the key to good fitness was to use precise, controlled movements using the body's own weight as natural resistance (he later invented several machines for Pilates training). His exercises focus on breath control, concentration on the overall movements required and the proper alignment of the body. The meditation needed to do Pilates correctly represented his belief in the connection between physical and mental health.

There are a lot of similarities between Pilates and yoga. They share some movements, as well as the focus on breathing and control. However, their origins are very different.

Although both exercises can be performed on mats, Pilates isn't a form of yoga. You need no other special equipment. There are some more advanced Pilates routines that use a resistance spring or special table, but runners can try Pilates without buying any expensive gear.

Most Pilates exercises involve holding a body part in a particular position while you control your breathing. For example, you might lie on your side and raise your top leg several inches up. This exercises both the muscles that lift the leg, the muscles that stabilize the rest of the body and the muscles required for controlled breathing.

Benefits of Pilates for Runners

Joseph Pilates created his exercises as a way to increase overall fitness for anyone. However, because graceful, flowing movements are part of the full Pilates exercises, and because they build strength without building bulky muscles, they were quickly adopted by dancers and gymnasts. Runners didn't consider the benefits of Pilates until it was more widespread.

For example, runner Chaz Nasca says, "After the first few months running, I added Pilates to my workouts to increase my flexibility and strength. I find that it reduces my muscle soreness and my knees tend to feel better. I think the loosening of my muscles reduces the strain on my ligaments."

While all runners should stretch before they run, some runners' training programs don't focus enough on stretching. Strength and endurance training alone won't provide the progressive stretching that regular Pilates workouts will. Insufficiently stretched muscles can cause many problems for a runner, slowing them down at best, or leading to a serious injury at worst.

Just like stretching, Pilates helps runners focus on their breathing. This benefit is synergistic with the stretching because warming up the core helps the intercostal muscles that connect the ribs. This makes it easier to breathe smoothly using all available lung capacity.

The focus on breathing helps devotees in other sports as well. Runner Erica Turner Nasca says, "Pilates seems to help with both strengthening and stretching muscles, so I definitely notice a difference in any athletic endeavor I attempt, whether it's running or soccer. During a 'no-Pilates' week, my muscles seem to remain sore for a longer period of time following other sports."

A runner endures constant impact while running. The force of each step travels up from the legs to the lower back and rib cage. The core strength acquired through Pilates not only makes those areas better able to deal with the impact, it improves body alignment and balance, helping the runner distribute the force of running throughout the body more efficiently, instead of just dumping it all onto a few muscles. As a result, they won't feel nearly as sore after a hard run.

Print

Cite

Feedback