Over the years of teaching Pilates at my Studio in Leeds many people have enjoyed their Pilates so much that they have looked into turning their passion into a new career. Some are either fed up with their current career and are looking for a new challenge or have been made redundant and are looking to change career. Plus, new mums who attend Pilates and see the benefits and are looking for a part time job that fits in with the family.
Becoming a Pilates teacher is a rewarding career, allowing you to work with a diverse range of clients to help them achieve their personal goals, from rehabilitation through to improving general health and wellbeing. Turning your passion for Pilates into a profession can often be one of the most rewarding opportunities for many enthusiasts.
Pilates has become a very popular exercise form and as a result, there is a big demand for highly qualified instructors. There are lots of exciting opportunities as a teacher allowing you to share your passion with a wider audience, however, it is important to be aware of what to expect when looking to become a Pilates instructor.
How long will it take me to become a Pilates Teacher?
Unfortunately, there’s no set answer when it comes to knowing how long it will take you to qualify as a Pilates teacher, it all depends on your pre-existing knowledge and experience and how you take in and process the information shared with you. Every student, every studio, every teacher, every Pilates training school approaches things differently. At the Studio we teach a method called Modern Pilates which brings the methods of Joseph Pilates exercises into the modern world applying all the recent research and knowledge that we have. We also work with physiotherapists and align ourselves to a ‘clinical’ approach. We believe that a course that has face to face tuition from physiotherapists and Pilates practitioners gives our students the edge. Our students come to us for their training as they prefer to have contact with our tutors to help develop confidence and teaching skills, which we personally believe is the best way to learn.
You can acquire a Pilates qualification after approximately 80-100 face to face hours of training. However, to be fully trained and certified as a Modern Pilates teacher it typically takes over 500 hours of coursework, home study, observation and teaching practise to confidently and successfully achieve this.
At The Studio we prefer our teachers to be Modern Pilates trained and recommend they attend The Modern Pilates Level 3 Diploma in Teaching Pilates which adopts a clinical and contemporary approach. This course starts with a home study pack on anatomy and physiology, allowing you to study at your own pace in the comfort of your own home. The tutors at The Studio help and support you with this study and we are here for questions and help. This follows with attending the course over 10 days set over 5 weekends, plus, there is 1 additional day for your practical assessment and time allocated to prepare a Case Study. The course is spread out over a 6-month period allowing you time to study at home and to complete homework assignments throughout the course. Modern Pilates is unique as it offers time with our tutors and physiotherapists to ensure you get the hands-on experience you require, plus additional time to take home, digest and interpret all of the knowledge and skills information we have passed on. Once you are qualified, we also offer additional workshops on focused elements of Pilates that you may find beneficial to your training and constant development.
Do certificates and diplomas differ in length?
A qualification at the Diploma level is the more in-depth in both content and time required to complete the coursework and associated tasks. This is one of the most time-consuming options available, however, it provides a full range of knowledge and teaching capability. The Modern Pilates Diploma takes on average 6-8 months to complete from start to finish. The level 3 Diploma in Teaching Pilates is recognised and highly respected within the health and fitness industry.
How much time do I need to allocate each month?
Most Pilates training programmes are accommodating and allow you to intersperse them comfortably into your busy lifestyle. Every Pilates training course varies based on the knowledge, level and hands-on training that is required.
Typically, you should be able to see a timetable of essential training dates and exams before agreeing to any course, it is just a case of finding a course that works for your lifestyle. Most companies are happy to chat with you about the Pilates courses before you enrol.
What do I need to consider before becoming a Pilates teacher?
It is important to consider whether you have a love for Pilates or whether you have a passion to share your knowledge with others. Ask yourself whether you enjoy teaching, are you interested in the science behind the exercises and are you comfortable speaking in front of a large group of people. You also need to be a caring and compassionate person as a lot of people who come to Pilates classes come because of a referral from a physiotherapist or because they have postural or back problems.
As a Pilates teacher you won’t be actively doing the Pilates yourself, you will be teaching and helping others. You need to make sure that you are confident in delivering the class in front of large groups and on a one-to-one basis as essentially you put yourself and your knowledge on display.
There’s no right and wrong answer when it comes to knowing how long it takes to become a Pilates teacher, it all depends on your current knowledge base, the time available to complete the course and what you want to achieve from it.
If you’re looking for any further information or guidance on becoming a Modern Pilates teacher our team will be more than happy to help!