Here at Core, part of our teacher training and certification recruitment strategy is always to tell prospectives to shop around and find the right fit. Between timing, cost, location there are so many variables to consider when choosing the right program for you. Especially if the goal is to find a Pilates studio (or fitness facility) in NYC that for Pilates certification. We have always felt that people will gravitate toward the studio and program that seems right for them. Whether it’s the big guns like Equinox or a franchise like Club Pilates or a dedicated Pilates studio like Core – there are so many educational options out there when considering making a career change into Pilates.
The best guide when considering which Pilates certification program is right for you is to look at 3 thing – Required Hours, Classical versus progressive approach and available Mentoring – depending on what you think may want to focus on as a future Pilates teacher.
It’s an industry expectation in general to have a solid classical education. Why is that important? Learning the foundation of the Method as Joseph Pilates prescribed it and taught it so many years ago is vital in understanding the principles and how to apply it. Variations and new approaches are much easier adapted AFTER getting that foundation education. At Core Pilates NYC we take the classical approach when curating our teacher training courses here in New York City. It’s the most in-demand teacher and most marketable so we know it’s the best approach.
Many of our graduates have gone on to further their certifications in more specialized areas such as prenatal Pilates, Pilates for golfers, or a method specific to a studio such as New York Pilates or Speir Pilates in Los Angeles. Each studio has their own set of classes and approaches that any teacher would have to mold to. Just like any job — you have to learn on the job! But going into an interview or into any market, it’s safe to say that a classical foundation in any teacher training program is the ideal.
Many certification programs also provide a mentor to follow. Usually it’s the studio owner or long-time pro of Pilates who offers their tutelage for a duration of time. This is effective for some people but generally this type of apprenticeship is much more personalized and can take longer and often without a proper education structure in which to follow. At CPNYC we have a firmly established and inspiring group of faculty who not only teach our intensive weekends but work full-time at our studio and provide mentoring. So there is a lot to go around and many different perspectives!
Our Comprehensive Immersion program – the gold star for any Pilates teacher training is a 600-hour program that is composed of 5 intensive weekends, observation and practice hours, mentor calls and time spent on our exclusive online e-learning platform. Anybody interested in being a legit teacher should consider that this is pretty much the standard and any weekend apparatus training course will just not be sufficient to be an effective Pilates teacher.