Official sounding Pilates Organisations are Confusing Students – is this their intention?
In recent months, there has been growing confusion among
prospective and existing Pilates instructors regarding the accreditation of
Pilates apparatus training courses. This
confusion is largely driven by targeted social media campaigns and email blasts
suggesting the establishment of new national standards and accreditation bodies
for Pilates in the UK. Here are some key
points to consider:
1. Frequent Inquiries
I receive weekly emails from various sources, stating the
writer’s confusion about the accreditation of Pilates apparatus training. Recent communications, such as those from the
"National Pilates Certification Program" (NPCP), Pilates Teachers
Association (PTA), and Pilates Method Alliance (PMA) as well as others seem to
have increased this confusion.
Sometimes these associations imply that only their courses
meet or exceed the required industry accreditation standards, or that only
their courses are officially accredited and credible. They may state a certain number of hours that
an instructor must train for, or that an instructor must train across a range
of Pilates disciplines, or in a particular manner (i.e. apprenticeship or face-to-face), or be taught
by an instructor trainer with a particular heritage, or be taught by a list of
recognised training academies in order for the instructor to meet the required
standards. This is quite frankly untrue
and misleading and adds to the confusion among many instructors who hold
existing certifications as well as those seeking new ones.
2. Further Misleading Claims
These organisations often imply that they are an
accreditation body or that their accreditation is conducted by special external
organisations (like Meazure Learning) implying that these external
organisations are in some way special because they are associated with the
accreditation of other certifications in unrelated fitness disciplines
worldwide. For example one recently made
association with well-known American fitness industry membership bodies such as
ACE, ACSM, and NASM which have little or nothing to do with Pilates course
accreditation.
Whilst these associations and external international
companies may be extremely credible and well-regarded, the reality is that
these are private, profit-making companies, not government-backed education
standard authorities. The organisations
themselves are often little more than membership clubs or associations of
like-minded individuals, or companies setting their own standards, which they
choose to have accredited by a profit-making external company. Whilst
there may be an overall intention of improving standards there is also a clear
profit motive in trying to drive learners to their ‘with profits’ learning
academies, in preference to their competitors.
3. True National Standards
In the UK, there is only one government-backed National
standard for Pilates first certification, which applies only to Pilates Matwork
and is set at Level 3. Most Pilates
instructors in the UK entering the industry take a Pilates Level 3 accredited
course, which is readily accepted by all fitness-focused instructor insurance
companies.
However, this is not the only way to enter the Pilates
industry as an instructor. Since the
only national standard is in Pilates Matwork, and Pilates comprises other
disciplines like Reformer, Cadillac/Tower, Wunda Chair, and many others, each
insurance company has to decide whether to accredit the qualifications from
specific Pilates Instructor Training Academies themselves, and insure students
based on their own accreditation.
Typically, major fitness industry insurers like Balens, Fit Pro Insurance, Hiscox, and many others set expectations for a training provider seeking to offer first qualifications for a Pilates instructor in a non-regulated Pilates discipline.
4. Accreditation and Insurance
The only real accreditation is the UK is Level 3 Matwork. Insurance companies effectively accredit
individual training schools to assess whether these schools meet their own
accreditation standards, typically for a first qualification these will be 150
hour – 200 hour courses with prescribed components and student assessment
requirements.
Other external organisations like NPCP, PTA, and PMA may
deliver standards that meet or exceed those of the insurance companies. However, there may be training providers not
linked to these organisations delivering equally high or higher quality
training.
There is no compulsion for any instructor to undertake a
course linked to these organisations. Instructors
will be recognised as Pilates instructors regardless of who they train with,
provided they can gain insurance.
Instructors should therefore do their homework before choosing a course and ensure they have completed an insurance company recognised course and gained appropriate qualifications to meet insurance requirements.
5. Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Once an instructor has obtained their initial qualification,
they do not need to undertake a 150-200 hour qualification to add other Pilates
disciplines to their repertoire. They
can instead pursue CPD in related areas without needing a full new
qualification. The requirements for CPD
are lower than those for a first qualification.
Instead of needing to demonstrate the depth and quality of their
learning for CPD, instructors must prove they have attended the course and
learned the material to a standard where they can teach it safely.
Instructors can choose to take a full 150-hour course in a new discipline for personal reasons, but it is not a requirement to teach the public. CPD courses must be recognised by the insurance companies with which instructors plan to insure. Insurance companies only accredit CPD courses from training schools they recognise as meeting their standards.
Typically, main insurance companies expect their accredited
training providers to teach some, but not all, of their CPD education
face-to-face in workshops, small groups, or one-on-one tutor-pupil settings. The remainder of the learning can be virtual,
either through online learning in the student’s own time or via scheduled timed
sessions. The training provider is then
expected to assess the student for safety, either face-to-face or by video
submission marked retrospectively by an assessor. The training provider must also show evidence
that the student has completed the full extent of the course through workshops,
apprentice-style situations, or one-on-one interactions, including evidence of
assessment and passing standards.
By understanding these points, instructors can navigate the
current market confusion more effectively and make informed decisions about
their training and accreditation pathways.
Author: Chris Onslow - Pilates Consultant
Chris Onslow, has run Pilates focussed businesses since 1998. He and his team specialise in supporting Pilates entrepreneurs and business owners. With a rich history of owning and running successful Pilates studios in the UK, and supporting others in Europe and the Middle East, Chris has broad expertise in maximising profitability and optimising operational efficiency. His agency provides top-tier advice on selecting new, pre-owned, and hireable Pilates equipment from renowned brands such as Align-Pilates, Balanced Body or Stott-Pilates/Merrithew. As the founder of Mbodies Training Academy, Chris continues to revolutionise Pilates education, offering premier online and hybrid CPD and qualification courses for Pilates apparatus instruction and special population CPD. Discover more about how Chris can support your Pilates Business or home exercise choices at www.pilates-consultant.co.uk
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