Teaching Pilates is a great career choice.

I have had more fun in the past 16 years teaching Pilates than at any other job I’ve ever had.  In fact, it’s hard to consider teaching Pilates a “job.”  This is the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.  Every day it’s a new opportunity to help other people improve their quality of life and whole-body health.   And my body had the priviledge of figuring it all out first, (since you’ve got to be a Pilates student, before you can become a great Pilates teacher!)

My Thoughts on Being a Pilates Teacher

Do I know everything there is to know about Pilates?  Nope… but I think that’s a good thing!

But I  Do know A LOT, and have tons of valuable information to share. 

One of the most interesting things about teaching Pilates is that I can honestly say that every day I learn something new! Sometimes I learn new things while I’m doing my own personal Pilates workouts.  And other days, my clients help me discover new things.  It might be a new and improved cue, or visual image, other days it may be a modification to an exercise,  progression that helps improve technique, or just something I “see” that I never noticed before.

The biggest reward is the feedback I get from my clients. When I hear, I’m stronger, I’m a half an inch taller, my back doesn’t hurt anymore, my shoulder-pain is gone, I can do a Roll Up, my neck feels much better, my hip doesn’t bother me anymore, I can walk without foot-pain,…and more.  This is the encouragement I need to know that I’m helping make a positive difference in the lives of others because I’ve chosen to be a Pilates Teacher!

Are You Ready to Become a Pilates Teacher?

If you’ve been doing Pilates for awhile and think you’re ready to cross over the line from Pilates student to Pilates teacher, now’s a great time to checkout the Centerworks® Pilates Teacher-Training program. This comprehensive Pilates Teacher Ed program will help teach you everything you need to know to develop your skills and become a fantastic Pilates teacher!

• Learn the Pilates exercises in detail – Pilates Matwork, Pilates Reformer, Trapeze Table/Cadillac, Pilates Chairs, Pilates Barrels, and Supplemental Equipment
• Develop Your Eye to See, Spot, and Cue
• Learn Exercise Modifications, Fundamental Exercises & Concepts
• Become More Knowledgeable on the Do’s and Don’ts for Pilates Exercise Safety
• Get Guidelines for Working with Special Populations
• Become Confident with your Pilates Teaching & Cueing Skills
• Gain the Skills YOU Need to Work the Pilates System & Design Safe and Effective Pilates Exercise Programs

The Centerworks Pilates Teacher-Training Program will take you step, by step, through the process of becoming a knowledgeable Pilates professional.  Which means… a long, enjoyable,  and successful career teaching Pilates.  Whether you want to teach part-time for fun, or full-time for a career change, the education and expertise you need is the same.  NOW is the time to dive in to the most fun you’ve had in your life!  Stop just thinking about becoming a Pilates Teacher and DO IT!

Upcoming Centerworks Pilates Teacher-Training Workshops

The next series of Centerworks Teacher-Training workshops will begin in January 2011.  But to help you prepare and get all your questions answered before things start in January,  I’ll be offering a complimentary Intro to Pilates Teacher-Training Workshop in November 2010.

Don’t Miss This Event!
Click here to get details, and Get REGISTERED for the Intro to Pilates Teacher-Training Workshop.

Hope to see YOU at the Intro to Pilates  Teacher-Training Workshop!  And would love the opportunity to mentor you into the career of your dreams!

 Think I may turn this into a regular section and update & add posts with questions as they come in.

It’s so important that students interested in making the transition from client to Pilates teacher ask good questions and gather lots of information before making the decision about who to enroll with for their Pilates Teacher Training Workshops and apprenticeship. 

With the commitment of time, energy, and finances it takes to invest in your Pilates education – you want to be sure you’ve found the best program for you!

There are lots of great teachers and programs to compare.  Each has a different format for teaching the information, varying philosophies about the Pilates Method, slight or huge differences in how the exercises are executed and/or body placement (example being the controversy over the classical Pilates scoop vs. neutral spine,) and may provide varying degrees of support and assistance while you’re developing your teaching skills – learning how to cue, spot, and design safe and effective Pilates workout programs.

There are differences between programs in how many of the exercises are taught, and which pieces of the Pilates equipment – Reformer, Trapeze Table, Ladder Barrel, Spine Corrector, High/Electric Chair, Low/Wunda chair, small barrels, pedi pole, foot corrector, tensometers… are actually covered in the Teacher-Ed program.

Q: Is it important to get certified in both mat and machines pilates?

A: For your first question – YES, in the long run to be a Pilates teacher you should be trained in both Matwork & equipment.   The Pilates Method is a system 1/2 is Mat, the other 1/2 is the work on the equipment.  There are a lot of people who are just teaching Matwork – that can be an ok place to begin, but there’s a lot more to Pilates than this – and for many people the mat exercises may not be safe or appropriate, where there’s tons of things they could be doing with the equipment to improve their health. 

A well-qualified Pilates teacher that knows the whole Pilates system will be able to direct clients into the safest and best Pilates program and choose the right exercises to help them get avoid injury and get results.

Q: How much money is it to become certified?  

Answer:Fees for teacher training programs vary as each provider has their format broken down differently.  You need to budget not only for your workshops – but for lessons, classes and an apprenticeship for hands-on training to gain the experience you need under the guideance of a senior teacher.  It’s best to look at the whole picture when comparing programs.  I generally tell people that completing Pilates Teacher-Training is like getting a 4-year college degree in a year.  There’s that much to learn, and you’ll have expenses.

Q: Is it better to start teaching these classes at a young age if possible?

Answer:It’s not important that you begin teaching at a young age.  There are some teachers that start at 18, and others who begin training in their 50′s and older.  What’s more important is that you are an experienced Pilates student (preferably at at least a high intermediate level on both Matwork & equipment) before you enroll in a Teacher-Training program.  The more personal experience you have before you begin the process of learning how to be a teacher – the better!

Q: What types of certifications are available and how does your certification compare to the others out there?

Answer:You’ve got lots to choose from when selecting a training program.  On the market you’ll find everything from a $39.95 online Pilates “certificate,” a 1-weekend only Pilates workshop, to comprehensive Pilates Teacher Training programs requiring one, two, or more years of study.  (Please don’t opt for either of the first two on this list!) 

The cost of my program is comparable to other comprehensive programs available on the market. Follow this link to find more information about the Centerworks Pilates Teacher-Education Program.  

You might also check out information from the Pilates Method Alliance (PMA)to search for other programs.  You get what you pay for – cheaper & faster may not be the best route for a great education. 

It’s important to compare not only the price of a Pilates workshop, but location & travel expense, # of students in workshops, apprenticeship requirements, is the work taught on all the equipment, do you like the presenter, agree with how they teach, and feel like it’s someone you want to learn from, ect… 

I am in the midst of revising & updating my website – and will have additional info up to help people learn more things to ask so you can effectively compare programs.  Please check back soon & you should find more up on my site.

I hope you find this information helpful!  If you’re reading this blog and have other questions on the topic of Pilates Teacher Training, or other Pilates-related topics… Please drop me a comment – I’d love to reply.

I had a blast teaching Shoulder Mechanics and Fantastic Feet workshops in Little Rock in April, as well as a Matwork master class. Thanks to the fantastic group of students and teachers that participated in these workshops!

I am looking forward to being back in Little Rock for a full series of Centerworks Pilates Teacher-Training Workshops starting the end of June.

If you’re interested in these courses, you can download the flyer & registration forms at: Centerworks Pilates Teacher Training Program Info Flyer for 2008-2009 Little Rock Workshops

If you have questions, drop me a comment on the blog, or email me a question with the contact form at http://centerworks-pilates.com/contact.html

Hope to see you in a workshop soon!

 Blessed to have had an excellent first teacher (David Mooney) and to have had the opportunity to study with many great teachers and most of the Pilates elders.  Romana Kryzanowska, Sari Pace for my first teacher-training program, Colleen Glenn for my second, and Dianne Miller for my third.  Continuing ed. workshops with Dianne Miller, Michelle Larsson, and others. And, through my association with the Pilates Method Alliance, it’s been a privilege to participate in continuing education with all of the Pilates “elders,” Mary Bowen, Ron Fletcher, Lolita San Miguel, and Cathy Grant – all of whom studied directly with Joseph & Clara Pilates.

I can say that I’ve learned more about Pilates in the past seven years, than I did in my first seven! 

The reason – I never stopped wanting to learn more. 

While my hometown Wichita, KS has not been a hot-spot with an abundance of Pilates teachers. For me to learn and grow it has always meant traveling in search of teachers with more experience and something relevant to share. 

I’m here to encourage you to make it a priority to find a mentor or two and keep on learning.  If you’ve attended a workshop, and just have your manuals to rely upon…it’s to your advantage, (and that of your students) that you find someone to take lessons from to continue learning more about the exercises in your own body. Find someone to observe teaching – to keep developing your eye for corrections, and program development. Find workshops that interest you to keep adding additional layers to your education.

I learn lots from my students while I’m developing creative ways to help them reach their goals and better understand Pilates.  I learn new things everytime I give myself a workout.  I learn new things everytime I take a class, lesson, or workshop with somebody else.  I learn new things at every conference I attend.  (Sometimes I learn things I love and can’t wait to share.  Sometimes I learn why I’m doing it my way – and better appreciate the skills I have and the mentors who have shared their expertise with me)  Either way I’m a better teacher for my time & energy applied to continuing my education.

I’m now teaching in a studio where there are Pilates teachers who have gone the extra mile to keep educated, and others who have done their initial workshops and that’s it!  There is a HUGE difference in the knowledge, understanding, execution, and teaching skills of these teachers.  If you’re looking for a long-term carreer as a Pilates Professional – the best money you will ever spend is on yourself and your personal education.  Make it a priority and you’ll find you’ve got lots more to give to your students which will keep them enthusiastically coming back for more.

Invest in your education.There’s good job security in being a great teacher! 

Good Execution of the Up Stretch
First, look at the starting position. In the UP position the “center” is strongly pulling to the spine in a C-Curve.(Look for an even back position from the tail to the head.) This should put the center of gravity in the center of the carriage – with the body weight balanced evenly between the hands and the feet.

Second, as the hips and legs extend to press the carriage out, the center/center of gravity should remain in the same spot and just lower so that the body is in a straight line from the head to the heels. (Depending on the height of your client and the length of their legs – the legs will be over the carriage and the “center” will be over the stretched springs.)

As they pull the carriage in, the “center” should remain in the “center” – so the body weight remains more evenly distributed between the hands and feet and there is less weight in the arms and shoulders so they can move freely to hinge forward over the bar.

Done well, once forward over the footbar, returning to the Up position is easily accomplished because the shoulders are free and the spine articulate easily from the top to the tail back to the Up position with the “center” over the center of the carriage.

What To Watch For:

1. If the center of gravity moves out with the legs – the arms and shoulders have a tendency to grip to put the brakes on and keep from going too far out. When this happens, clients pull themselves in with the shoulders and the “center” moves forward into the chest & shoulders. The result – no control and tons of weight on the arms and wrists. 
2. If the back sags as the carriage goes out, the movement is being initiated from the low back instead of the hips to extend the legs. This gives the “saggy old mare” visual and causes the center of gravity to be unsupported dropping the belly & back too low -the result the deltoids, upper traps, rhomboids, and back extensors are trying to do the work that the abs, multifidi, and serratus should be doing to support the body as it moves forward over the bar. (In simple terms…the shoulders will take over to pull the “center” into the chest & shoulders causing the upper back to hunch more while moving the body towards the footbar.) And too much weight on the hands and wrists.
3. To compensate for the lower body moving out – the “center” may be shifted forward from the “center” to the upper body as the legs extend. The deltoids are cued to do the work as the body hinges forward over the bar, PLUS all the body weight is moving forward with the carriage – assisted by the closing of the springs. Gripped shoulders, scrunched neck, folding the hips too soon, lots of weight on the hands. Panic will set in for sure!

Add a head position that’s looking forward over the footbar rather than down at the feet to any one of these three possibilities (or for some clients – a combination of 1,2, or all 3) and they are set up for that scarey “flying over the footbar” feeling.

In all my years of teaching, I’ve never had anyone actually fly over the bar! Comforting to tell folks, but they will be more reasurred by having complete control over their own body during the exercise. So the SECRET’s out…

Keep Your “Center” in the Center
With the “Center/Center of Gravity” staying supported and IN the pelvic bowl throughout the exercise, it is easy to keep the body lifted with less weight on the wrists, move freely – hinging from underneath rather than on top of the shoulders, articulate well through the spine and have great control over the body throughout the whole Up Stretch exercise.

Try it and let me know how it goes!