Do you dream of helping people learn how to move their body in way that enhances health, wellness and happiness? Do you strive to help others achieve their fitness goals?
Or maybe you want to help patients regain full health and mobility through the use of pilates rehabilitation therapy? Whatever your aim, becoming a professional pilates instructor can be a rewarding and life-changing achievement that can help you help others.
There are literally dozens of pilates training and pilates certification programs sprouting up all across the United States. How can you choose the one that is right for you? First, it may help you to narrow down the possibilities by sorting out the different kinds of programs that are available.
Pilates Method Alliance
One of the leading pilates training organizations in the United States is the Pilates Method Alliance (PMA).
The PMA has organized many of these pilates courses and training programs into different categories.
The PMA made history in 2005 by launching the first industry wide certification exam for the Pilates method in the United States.
The PMA has established recommended industry performance parameters guiding the practice of all PMA Certified and non-certified Pilates teachers.
The PMA has established these standards to further bring professionalism to Pilates.
The PMA is well aware that as Pilates exercise has gained popularity, confusion and controversy have increased in the media, the public and even between Pilates instructors.
Since the PMA’s goal is protect and enhance the Pilates method, it is essential to establish a position statement to clarify the perception of what Pilates was historically and what it is today.
The PMA has organized a great deal of all the pilates courses and pilates training programs available in the United States into two primary categories. The first of these categories of pilates training program is labeled as course of study workshops.
Course Of Study Workshops
According to the PMA, course of study workshops are training courses in the pilates method. These may range from weekend long workshops to more extended workshops.
The PMA recommends that all directors of these workshops have at least five years of teaching experience in the pilates method. The PMA also recommends that the course facilitator have at least three years of pilates teaching experience. Course of study workshops are offered across the country.
Comprehensive Training Programs
The other basic category described by the PMA is known as comprehensive training programs. In order to become official members of the PMA, these comprehensive training programs must fulfill several specific criteria.
According to the PMA, a director with at least ten years of pilates teaching experience should head a comprehensive training program.
The course facilitators must have at least five years of pilates teaching experience in order to be approved by the PMA. The program should provide students with at least 400 hours of training in order to complete the program.
A comprehensive training program should include several facets of training. According to the ATM, the training program should involve several hours of observation, lecture, and personal practice. This Pilates training program may also include some kind of supervised student teaching.
Another important facet of a comprehensive training program is that it includes training in pilates machines, including popular machines such as the reformer, the ped-o-pul, barrels, chair, and trap table.
In order to complete a comprehensive pilates training program, the student must be able to pass a practical and written test with passing scores. Also, the student must have some prior experience with pilates before being admitted to one of these comprehensive training programs.
Obviously, pilates comprehensive training programs must meet a set of very stringent requirements before they can join and receive advocacy from the PMA. If you are interested in becoming a certified pilates instructor, contract the PMA to find an approved Pilates training program in your area.