How to Become a Truly Client-Centred Pilates Teacher
And why so few instructors today are equipped to do so
In an ideal world, every Pilates teacher would leave their
initial qualification with the ability to confidently assess, understand, and
adapt movement to serve real clients; not just theoretical ones. Yet in today’s industry, many instructors,
through no fault of their own, are simply not prepared for the very people they
meet in class: older, stiffer, post-rehab, pre-surgical, arthritic,
uncoordinated, and often anxious.
It’s time we admit something uncomfortable: Much of today’s Pilates education is robotic,
reductive, and removed from reality.
From Overcorrection to Under delivery: What Went Wrong?
The launch of the Level 3 Matwork National Standard in 2007
was, in many ways, a necessary correction. It addressed the growing problem of underbaked
one-day Pilates certifications that left instructors ill-equipped and posed a
genuine risk to the public. But while the standard set a baseline, it never
evolved.
In practice, most Level 3 training today has become little
more than a tick-box affair: syllabus-focused, assessment-led, and geared
toward qualifying candidates to teach repertoire to groups, rather than
educating them to think critically or programme individually.
The deeper specialist Pilates Schools are really not a load
better - it is shocking to see how little the curriculum for Stott Pilates,
Polestar, Body Control Pilates, BASi etc. have really been developed over the
past couple of decades. For sure they
offer a far deeper understanding of what Pilates is and have a much higher
expectation of what a Pilates instructor needs to be able to achieve. However, they don’t really teach this in
their education they instead leave the instructor to follow up their training
with piles of own work research and one on one work with ‘experts’ to fill the
gap between the course teaching and the examination standards required. It is no wonder, so few instructors actually
take the exams from these schools (but still continue to teach without
certification.)
What is sorely missing for the Level 3 basic Pilates is the
bridge between repertoire and real-world needs, between “how to teach the
Hundred” and “how to help Mavis with her frozen shoulder, her hip replacement,
her fear of movement and her grief following the death of her husband”. For the Professional Pilates Schools what is
missing is direction of where to gain the knowledge and education to bridge the
course and pass the exam without working one on one with an instructor trainer
(the hidden cost in training that is seldom mentioned at the start of the course).
And these gaps are costing the profession.
The Industry’s Confidence Crisis
Without the tools to understand anatomy in motion, assess
postural and functional limitations, or have meaningful conversations around
pain, injury, or movement fear, many instructors feel like they’re bluffing. As
a result, they:
·
Avoid working one-to-one
·
Rely rigidly on pre-set sequences
· Lose confidence in their value
· Earn less, and burn out faster
Some instructors try to compensate by taking Apparatus CPD (Reformer, Chair, Tower, Barrels) in hopes of unlocking more career potential. But here too lies a trap: most CPD is repertoire-based only: a widening of tools, not a deepening of knowledge. Instructors end up with more ways to do the same thing, without truly learning why or when to do it. The outcome? A generation of teachers with the same core limitations, now able to teach ineffective Reformer classes alongside ineffective Matwork.
The Case for a new way: Building a Truly Client-Centred Practice
This is precisely why the team at Mbodies and Pilates Consultant UK have joined to create a different style of online and hybrid education. To re-centre Pilates education around the client, not the choreography.
The focus will be on:
·
Conducting proper intake and functional movement
assessments
·
Recognising red flags and contraindications
·
Understanding how to read posture and translate
it into practical programming
·
Designing personalised Pilates interventions
based on what you see rather than what you memorised
·
Developing empathy-driven communication and
class planning skills
This is not about passing a checklist; it’s about building a
toolbox. It’s where you learn to
confidently teach “Pilates for real people”.
Coming Soon: Online Pilates Education with Real Depth
The new Mbodies modular pathway with a delivery model both
for new Pilates students and existing instructors wanting to enhance their
skills and understanding balances rigour with accessibility:
·
Self-paced study
·
Optional tutor support and feedback
·
Formative quizzes and written assignments
·
Video submissions of teaching assessments
The education can stand alone as focussed CPD modules for
the already qualified or build into a structured pathway to full qualification
(Reformer 200-hour, Mat and Reformer 250 hour or Comprehensive 350-hour
insurance accredited qualifications. If
students wish for international Accreditation rather than UK accreditation the
syllabus will meet the needs of the National Pilates Certification Exam. Formally known as the PMA Pilates
Certification exam.
This is education for those who care not just about being
qualified; but about being capable.
Rebuilding Pilates from the Centre Out
As discussed, Pilates Consultant’s recent blog post on the
elderly market, the majority of potential clients out there are not lithe,
pain-free and 27; they’re retired, post-injury, sedentary or self-conscious,
and they’re looking for professionals who see them, hear them, and know how to
help them safely. Unfortunately, the current system isn’t preparing most
instructors for that role.
At Mbodies, we believe the answer isn’t “more apparatus” or
“more repertoire”: it’s more understanding. More relevance. More focus on the client, not just the
movement. We’re here to build that
bridge. And we’d love to have you walk
it with us.
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:
Pilates Business Specialist Consultant
Phone: +44 (0)1993 883449
Whatsapp text +44(0)7301052846
20 Nash Lane, Freeland, Witney, Oxon, OX29 8HS, UK
Web: https://www.pilates-consultant.co.uk/ (Pilates Consultancy, Apparatus sales and hire)
Email: chris@pilatesconsultant.co.uk
Web: https//www.mbodiesacademy.co.uk/ (Instructor training)
Email: chris@mbodiesacademy.co.uk
Web: https://mbodies.thinkific.com/ (Online Training Portal)
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