Aspiring Pilates instructors have many options for training. Mat work training teaches you the basic Pilates principles and how to apply them to non-equipment exercises. Apparatus training teaches you the nuances of the Pilates equipment, especially the Pilates reformer. Reformer training is expensive and time-consuming, but completing a reformer teacher training program provides an extensive selection of career opportunities.
The Pilates Reformer
The Pilates reformer consists of a gliding platform with adjustable springs on one side and a complex pulley system on the other. It has an adjustable foot bar as well as an adjustable head rest and shoulder pads. Teachers must learn to adjust all parts of the reformer to suit their clients' strength, coordination, leg and torso length. The reformer facilitates more than 100 exercises for all parts of the body. Personal training reformers have legs that elevate them from the floor, whereas group-fitness reformers are low to the ground and folded for storage.
Choosing a Program
Many organizations offer Pilates reformer teaching. Finding the best program for your career objectives involves some research. Pilates studios and fitness center-based Pilates programs only hire instructors trained in a particular reformer teaching method. If you're targeting a particular teaching venue, inquire about which trainings they accept. Your personal training philosophy should also influence your choice. If you prefer the classic, original approach to the method, choose a training program affiliated with the United States Pilates Association or True Pilates. These programs teach the method exactly as Joseph Pilates created it in the 1920s. Programs such as Stott, Polestar, Balanced Body and PhysicalMind Institute use modern principles of physical therapy and sports medicine to modify their training.
The Training Process
Most programs require an extensive knowledge of anatomy, as well as a mat and Pilates principles training program as prerequisites for reformer training. You must pass a mat work and Pilates principles exam before taking a reformer training. Although training centers teach the reformer as a separate course, full Pilates certification requires course work in all Pilates machines.
Time and Financial Commitment
As of December 2010, most Pilates reformer training programs cost $500 and required at least 18 hours of time commitment. Cost and time commitment do not include mat training and testing fees. Some training organizations, such as Polestar Pilates, have three levels of reformer training. Each two-day session at Polestar costs $675, but payment plans and early-bird specials are available. Other programs, such as the PhysicalMind Institute, require applicants to take 10 private reformer sessions with an approved instructor before admittance into a reformer teacher training program. If you want to test the waters before committing to an entire program, fitness conferences such as IDEA offer a one-day or 90-minute reformer.
Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics 2010-2011 Occupational Outlook Handbook predicts a "much faster than average" growth in all fitness professions," which translates into a 20 percent increase in employment opportunities. Results of the American Council on Exercise 2010 Fitness Professional Salary Survey indicate that full-time Pilates instructor salaries average at $46,650 annually, compared to $31,963 annually for group fitness instructors. The International Dance Exercise Association conducted a similar survey and reported that Pilates instructors received an average hourly rate of $35.72, compared to group exercise instructors, who averaged $25.93. The instructor's reformer training was not factored into the survey, but some gyms consider mat classes to be part of their group exercise program and only pay a slightly higher rate for mat instructors. By contrast, the cost of reformer sessions ranges from $50 to $100 an hour. Reformer instructors receive 40 percent to 60 percent of the rate paid by the client.
Member Comments