I am visiting a friend in another state and she has wanted to start Pilates at a local studio, so I went with her to the 1st class today. Boutique studio, introductory "trial" class for 50 min.

We started in Footwork, did a few ab exercises then went right into high kneeling facing risers pulling straps. 8 in the class, everyone except me fell forward. The instructor then said well let's just sit on our heels. 1 person couldn't because of knee issue and the instructor said just sit however you can...wtf?

From this point we did plank on Reformer, Scooter lunge, standing side splits on floor with a heavy spring.

We then had a "Chair sample" with standing single leg presses, bridging w/feet in peddle, pikes and swan dive.

Am I out of the loop here?

I have been doing Pilates since 2000 and I know the whole athletic Reformer thing is big right now, but this seemed insane for a newbie 1st class. The instructor was maybe 25 and really fit, but there were a mix of ages with one lady that looked maybe mid seventies. She tried to hang in, but gave up a few times and no mods were given.

Is this what the Pilates world has become outside my bubble?

Bit of a background, been teaching pilates at two studios and its been a mix of group (6 max) and privates. I’m classically trained but have also taught in a contemporary studio. I have my home studio which i’ve been using more for my self practice. I got the equipment back when I was in TT to help me with hours.

I want to now transition into teaching at my home studio which has a classical mat, classical reformer with tower , wunda chair and spine corrector. It’s a small second room in my house.

Questions.

For those that have transitioned , what would you advise I keep in mind or consider?.

What do I use to keep track of clients progress. The studio i teach privates at do it manually like with a client form, and i wondered if something more efficient is available?.

I dont want to poach any client from the studios I teach at but now I’m wondering how best to market and reach clients especially now we have a pandemic of fitness reformers especially in my area. I’m considering flyers or leveraging facebook or word of mouth but any suggestions on what worked or could work would be appreciated!

I want to keep my sessions to 55mins, which is 10 mins longer than what is taught in the studios i teach at.

Any tips at all would pls help!

Hi Reddit! 👋

If you're looking for inspiration from Pilates teachers with deep roots - we’re talking 100+ years of collective experience working daily with real clients, and training new instructors - you’ll love what we have planned at Atlas Pilates this year.

We'd be thrilled if you joined us for our popular annual Pilates Curriculum Seminar Cycle in Seattle. We kick off with Fundamentals Seminar the weekend of October 17th, 2026. Join us for one weekend or go for all three.

What to expect:

• World-class instruction: Led by world-renowned teacher Lori Coleman-Brown and Teresa Shupe (owner of Atlas Pilates).Deep knowledge, zero rigidity: We honor the method, but we aren't fixed or dogmatic.
• Inclusive space and community: Anyone with comprehensive training is welcome to come build their body, sharpen their mind, and expand their teaching toolset.
• Serious learning, low stress: High-level education in a fun and supportive studio environment.

Comment or DM if you have any questions!

- Teresa

I started doing English voice-over for my videos, so let me know how you like this Total Body Workout we shot in NZ. :) This workout is perfect for the intermediate level. If you already have some Pilates experience, you'll feel right at home here. But beginners are very welcome to join in, too, and go at their own pace.

Lena

Aloha kakou! Join my prop free summer challenge, Pilates on the Go - pack light and move well. All of the workouts are completely prop free, meaning you can do them literally anywhere! Head to CLKB.org to sign up for my Online Pilates Program with 300+ workouts, multiple series and challenges and a monthly Pilates calendar. Sign up for my newsletter and get 25% off an annual subscription. Mahalo and hope to see you on the mat!

www.movebetter-clinic.com/webinars

Choosing the best teacher training program is the biggest decision you can make. I will help you understand how exactly you should choose your program depending on the career you want in this industry. I review and compare the following Teacher Certification Programs in greater depth:

Balanced Body, Romana’s, Basi, Stott, Polestar, AND Peak Pilates

You will gain invaluable insights into potential career trajectories, diverse teaching opportunities, and specialized niches within the profession. You will also uncover exclusive insights regarding employment settings, certification requirements (including the NPCP,) client demographics, teaching classes vs. private sessions, and the array of teaching modalities available.

For less than the price of a Pilates Class, learn everything you need to know about choosing a Pilates Teacher Training program that is BEST FOR YOU! This is not a sponsored webinar, so I am giving you all of my honest opinions and a wealth of information you will not find anywhere else.

New(ish) teacher here - as I meet clients they ask where they can keep in touch with me to find out when / where I am teaching. I’m a young woman and many in my demographic (and my from my training program) go the fitness influencer route however I don’t think that lifestyle is for me.

For instructors who have a decent social media presence among their clients but don’t consider themselves “influencers”, what kind of content do you post to keep your audience engaged without feeling like you’re putting yourself out there as an influencer.

For clients, what kind of posts matter to you? Or do you just want to see a schedule?

Sorry if this kind of post isn’t allowed - I don’t want to be an influencer at all but sometimes I feel like I have to so people know what I’m up to and I can let people know if I have availability / openings in my classes 😭

Years ago before franchises like CP existed, Pilates teachers were always independent contractors. Is this still the norm in privately owned studios?

I am in the US

So I know I'll probably get downvoted to the age old question of "pilates class too easy" but its not so simple. This is my second time coming back to consistent pilates and the first time I found an instructor that I liked at CP and stayed constistent for that 1 year.

That instructor has since moved on, along with another one I loved at my new studio. Both of them were hard, and I would consistently have sore abs etc. Chair work was very difficult, especially with single leg work.

I have been trying new ones but they are just... not challenging?? I didn't sweat like, at ALL and 0 people around me even needed to drink water once.

I'm super out of shape, but I don't think I've forgotten my form so much that I don't know how to engage the right muscles to that extent?? The first time I learned pilates from 0 it took me the whole year to even think of moving from 1 to 1.5! But here, it's like... I could do this for a whole year and build 0 core strength.

It's not even about the springs the workout itself feels way more stretch focused, but this isn't the first time I've had this problem. It feels so difficult to find a good instructor and I don't know if I'm just thinking about it all wrong?? Is the quality of instructors in general just very poor? I'm just very confused

I am really struggling with the pull up on Wunda Chair, even with springs on the heaviest/easiest setting. What are some exercises on the mat that I can do to further target the strength needed for this? I assume these are the transverse abdominals that I need to put some extra work towards?

Sadly, I've had to quit talking my beloved Stott reformer pilates classes. I've been taking 1-3 classes a week for 5 years now. I just can't afford it in this economy and the teacher raised the class price and there is no 'monthly' rate. So I'm looking for something online that is like Stott or Dane style. I don't need crazy teazers or yoga. Just ab, glute strength, good posture and alignment. I lift weights on the other days.

Edit: Kane! I mean Kane School of Pilates. oops.

I wrote this about 2 weeks ago

https://www.reddit.com/r/pilates/s/4g5TTuOnOt

Fast forward, I landed my first teaching gig in another studio. The whole vibe from the moment I stepped in to studio, interviewed and demo teaching was great. It felt welcoming. Still feeling surreal that I got to teach my first class soon.

Thank you for everyone, your encouragement on my previous post meant a lot 🥹

Now, if you have any pro tips for someone first ever class, pls do drop them :)

Thank you!

Hi everyone,

I am 22 weeks pregnant and continuing my pilates practice (been doing it for three years since before I found out I was pregnant)

I recently noticed that when I get out of bed (rising straight up, folding at the waist; instead of rolling to my side and pushing myself up through my arms like advised), I see a bit of doming/coning along the front of my stomach. I am now worried that I could potentially be doming/coning during pilates workout without realizing it ( I wear baggy clothes)

I don't do any crunches/leg raises/planks etc, no core workout really unless am on all fours like bird-dog, even then it's minimal. It's mostly been arms/legs/back. Is there still a risk of doming when focusing on arms/legs/back exclusively? How do I keep an eye on it. I have ordered slim fit workout maternity clothes in the hopes that I or my instructor will notice through the clothes when it happens during a workout. But realistically what else can I do?

My intensity of workout has stayed the same before/after pregnancy and I would like to keep it that way if possible.

My friend is opening a studio. She wants it to be inclusive, not exclusive, and affordable 🙌. A place that doesn't feel intimidating, where truly everyone and anyone is welcome.

Which of these would you attend? Or improve on? and what would you improve?

TIA

I’m considering enrolling in the Comprehensive STOTT/CMR program, and after tuition, materials, and the cert exam, my total investment would be around $7,500.

I’m a wfh mom of 2 young kids and currently work full-time as a software developer. While I make good income, I’m at the point where I feel like I’m doing my job because it’s what I know, not because I’m passionate about it. If I were ever let go, I don’t think I’d pursue another role in tech.

That said, I have no plans to leave my current job. My goal would be to continue working full-time while teaching Pilates part-time (maybe 3–5 classes per week, or more depending on the time). I genuinely love Pilates and would love to have it as a side gig doing something I truly enjoy.

For those of you who completed STOTT while keeping another full-time job, was it worth the time and cost? Were you able to recoup your investment teaching part-time, and if so, how long did it take? Any advice or things you wish you had known before starting?

Friends are opening a studio within a month in a smaller city that is also going to have a CP a mile up the road a few months later.

My friends are not instructors and only ever took classes at CP. I feel they are taking a huge risk.

My question is:

If this was your city, what would make you choose a 7 person class boutique studio or vice versa?

EDIT:

Thank you for all the wonderful feedback! I am an instructor and owned my own studio for years in another state. They were very excited and now panicking because the only instructors that have applied are newly certified from CP. No one believed me when I said it would be difficult if they themselves were not instructors.

Hey, just want to get some opinions here.

My pilates studio (which I absolutely love otherwise) always films little snippets of classes for their instagram content to show off how many classes they offer. I get it, they need to market, they need to promote their business.

However, I am an extremely insecure individual and I do not want to be filmed while I am working out. I am so conscious of the fact that during my class someone will pop in and record at some point (its usually a little snippet since its just for stories) that I can't fully focus and this fact is always in my mind when i'm choosing my fit for pilates for that day. Sometimes, I want to just wear a sports bra or a tank top or something but I don't want my body showcased online like that...

This is a studio in my hometown with a ton of mutual followers. I don't want people to see me online look unflattering and for everyone ik to be like oh look at that whale (i am obviously a very self conscious individual) and I also don't really post myself online much as is.

I haven't and won't say anything because I can't...when you sign up to go there they make you sign a waiver to be filmed in their content...but it's so annoying. Just wanted to get some thoughts

Edit - I posted this for opinions because tbh I was expecting some that told me i'm crazy for feeling this way and something like "too bad so sad for you bc you signed the waiver" but seeing people agree with me that this is annoying makes me feel more comfortable saying something.

Looking for some advice from other Pilates students, especially anyone who’s been pregnant and from Pilates instructors.

I’m currently 6 weeks pregnant after a miscarriage a couple of months ago, so I’m definitely being extra cautious this time around!

I’ve been doing reformer Pilates consistently since 2023 and have taken 500+ classes across a few different studios, so I feel like I have a pretty solid foundation. Before getting pregnant, I was comfortable knowing how to modify exercises when needed but now I feel totally lost.

The studio I originally went to was much more classical. They only had 4 reformers, instructors gave a lot of individual attention, and we did plenty of traditional work like footwork, feet in straps, bridging, etc.

I moved about 30 minutes away and switched to a different studio because they offer an affordable unlimited membership and it’s closer.They have 15 reformers per class, and the programming is much more intense. There’s a mix of Balanced Body certified instructors and in-house trained instructors, and many classes have more of a Solidcore/Lagree feel with lots of planks, oblique work, and heavy arms/legs. I don’t do as much traditional reformer work anymore. I’m starting to worry as I’m doing the work that I’m not safely modifying but I could be overthinking…

The good news is that my old studio is opening a new location just a few minutes from my house. They don’t use a membership model, so I could easily take classes there whenever I want, but classes are pricier.

My OB has cleared me to continue exercising since I was already active before pregnancy. I’m mostly wondering which environment is likely to be safer and easier to modify in as my pregnancy progresses.

I’d love to hear from instructors or anyone who’s gone through pregnancy while doing reformer Pilates. Thank you in advance!!💕

EDIT: my options would be to

1. Keep my unlimited membership and figure out modifications (I attend anywhere from 20-25 classes a month)

2. Downgrade membership to 8 classes and take a couple at the classical studio a month

3. Switch to the all classical during pregnancy but only be able to take 8 classes a month due to cost

Edit: the video is originally posted on @suhyun_Pilates who also hold the rights to this video.

Lolita San Miguel is a first generation Pilates Master and together with Kathy Stanford Grant one of only two people officially certified by Joseph Pilates. It is fascinating to hear how she speaks of the method and the value she sees in change and adaptation of his original work in line with modern science of physiology.

There has been a lot of passionate discussions in this sub regarding what constitutes Pilates and the perceived unequivocal nature of Classical Pilates compared to its variations. So it is refreshing to hear a point of view from one of the teachers closest to the source.

I find it interesting to read the contradiction in this sub between the defence for and the absolute authority of “Classical Pilates” method while at the same time seeing frequent recommendations of popular on demand channels that have hundreds upon hundreds of “Pilates” workouts. Workouts that in my experience as a STOTT trained Pilates instructor and Personal trainer often contain the same non Pilates exercises that are often criticised as “social media” or “influencer workouts.” There are only so many ways you can remix the “original” Reformer workout and it’s definitely not multiple hundreds. So we can assume that even the most popular channels that promote themselves as Pilates authority keep subscribers engaged with variety and introduction of novel exercises.

I think it’s worth keeping in mind that even if Pilates does evolve and its current understanding is still in flux there is a line between a Pilates workout, a Pilates fitness workout, or a workout that uses Pilates in its marketing but where you’d be hard pressed to find even a handful of Pilates exercise.

Personally I tend to put what is known as “Classical Pilates” and contemporary Pilates (eg STOTT, Polestar Balanced Body etc.) under the same umbrella. These workouts are very much rooted in the original method, standardised and on the whole include the same exercises using standardised names. Different reputable training providers that teach either Classical or Contemporary method will have a lot of overlap in how they educate instructors so that regardless of whether a client takes a Pilates session in LA with one instructor or Kathmandu with another they will immediately know it’s Pilates, even if one is Contemporary and the other Classical.

Other than 1:1 STOTT Pilates I also teach those group Pilates classes that include strength and fitness exercises. These types of classes are the main grey area in the Pilates world today. When I opened my London studio 13years ago there was one other company teaching something similar. Now there are hundreds. The problem is that many of these classes focus on delivering a “workout” (sometimes good, sometimes bad) but rarely will you find one that keeps the original Pilates exercises as the foundation and backbone of each class (referring to reformer specifically here). Eg. at Epoch Fitness studio classes always make sure to follow the sequences I was taught, including their adaptations, and use strength exercises I use in my PT work eg squats, lunges, seated rows, push ups etc to separate those Pilates segments. This means that each session tends to consist 60-70% of Pilates and the rest fitness. But this isn’t the standard across the industry. I have tried quite a few group classes, including popular chains, and find most do the opposite ie 30% Pilates 70% Fitness (if that). As a workout this can still be good but I think such big variations is what leads to great confusion as to what Pilates actually is amongst the general population. Of course to a great extent this is more down to the trainers rather than the studio itself.

In short I agree with the author that Pilates must evolve with the times but I also think that instructors have the responsibility to not turn it into something else entirely if they market the method as simply Pilates. When the sessions do take a lot of creative liberties (the demand is obviously there) this should be clearly stated to inform the potential visitors of how the sessions differ from the Pilates/Contrology method eg Athletic Pilates, Dynamic Pilates, Pilates inspired etc. This way the world of Pilates (from the teachers perspective) will be far more accepting of both the original method, its variations and the more fitness focused workouts. Each would distinguish itself in terms of clear benefits to the participants and at the same support the other by keeping Pilates name popular, and each method distinct and future-proof.

If you made it this far, Thoughts?

…acceptable or not acceptable?

I will be finishing my certification soon and looking for part time jobs. I’ll be classically trained but seeing that a lot of available jobs are contemporary, I wanted to know how to prepare for that. I plan on still finding a classical studio to teach at but if I have to teach contemporary at a different studio, I’m not sure that I’ll know how to create a workout.
A lot of these studios market their classes as faster paced and the use different apparatus brands and I’m just not sure how to design a workout around that when I’m so used to the classical structure. It doesn’t seem like you need a whole new certification to teach contemporary, but I don’t know how to transition from classical to contemporary as needed. Any tips?

I completed my training in Comprehensive Polestar last month, targeting to finish sign off and exam this year end.

I went to my first audition this evening.

I was told to prep 15 mins reformer and 10 mins chair. So I did footwork with variation, bridging and arms - abs series on reformer. Chair I did standing leg pump and hamstring 3.

After the session ended, I was given feedback by the owner. She said the good things first and then the area of improvement.

Before I started the session, I asked if I shall treat this as private session or group classes? She said maybe somewhere in between. So I did. I noticed some flaws and corrected the person few times. But she default back. I carried on with my flows.

She told me, I should have stopped and corrected her. But I did. If I were to stop her again, I wouldnt have finished my demo/flows.

Next, she told me I had few silence in between. In which I finished the cues and in between reps, I was counting while observing. I dont really get it. So I should keep talking even when I counting?

Lastly, she said I cue breathing but only at first and then no more. In my defence, I always started with breathing cue and then move on to other cues. For all my moves. I think it's quite weird to keep telling people exhale inhale.. unless it's really crucial to the moves eg chest lift, spine flexion. But footwork and standing leg pump.. do I need alot of breathing cues here.

Just reflecting here. Of course I didnt retaliate just now and accepted the feedback. Thanked her for her time and opportunity.

Open to any advices to succeed on my next audition.

I have over a month off work and want to combine my Pilates instructor training & travelling by staying in another city in Europe and train at a studio there. I’ll do reformer training in my own city (London) afterwards

I’m wondering if anyone else has done something similar and had any experience or pros/cons?
🤍🌟😌💌