Pilates

Legal wrangling over the years have meant that no one organization owns the right to the Pilates name. Consequently there is no official legal monopoly on Pilates certification. Not that several organizations havent tried to jostle into the position of influence on the national stage. But speaking plainly, there is no official line, only more or less influential organizations. If youre considering getting started as a Pilates instructor or indeed simply adding the skill set to your existing fitness training qualifications, youll need to consider several factors in finding the right route for you. This article discusses the multiple options on offer and makes some suggestions as to a path forward.

Non-profit organizations like the Pilates Method Alliance (the PMA \'ae) have made progress with their Castle Worldwide national certification program. PMA provides the only national certification process and aims for unity within the Pilates industry with an emphasis on continuing education for Pilates professionals.

Pilates certification certainly is demanding. If training outlines provided by the United States Pilates Organization (USPA) are any indication, genuine Pilates certification comes at no little effort. Comprising an academic and apprentice practical components, the certification is very thorough and hands on. Much befitting a discipline that requires focus and practice, the certification can involve hundreds of hours of practical experience (although credit can be gained sometimes for previous experience.)

The academic part of the training can be done either via several workshops across the months or in a boot camp style seminar covering Beginner, Intermediate and Advances Systems in one continuous seminar lasting 12 days or so. The practical part of the certificate process requires 600 supervised hours with an authorized trainer in the same school.

It goes without saying that you could start out small and see how you like things - the more thorough the training the more time consuming. Gaining the certification for mat workouts alone is naturally less time consuming than moving through the additional mastery on the Pilates machines. When one adds the professional component of supervised practice, the whole shebang can make for a fairly lengthy certification process. But considering Pilates instructors one-on-one sessions can be upwards of $100 per hour, the time and effort could arguable be justified in fairly short order.

The popular Stott Pilates group also offer their certification program that runs the gamut of cross training existing professional and those aiming to specialize in Pilates alone. Integrated with their excellent range of machines the Stott training prides itself in its reputation as the Ivy League of Pilates training. They also offer active corporate options such as team training for situations like keeping quality control in place for gym networks and have specialized training modules for professionals working as licensed physical therapists.

Certification is to be applauded in the Pilates community at large. Having a healthy public image and professional standards benefits all involved. As always a sense of the method of training and the facilities will finally influence your decision. If youre planning on simply training clients, then investigate the PMA or the Stott Comprehensive Program. If youre a purist and intent becoming a trainer of other trainers, then have a good look at the New York Pilates Studio USPA curriculum. All three organizations have their advocates. Match your instructor ambitions to their offers and youll no doubt make a great choice. Do make a choice though, take action, get certified and get those people fit the Pilates way!

Pilates |