Becoming a Pilates Instructor…The Real Deal

You’ve decided you want to teach Pilates

That’s great! Congratulations on a fantastic career choice. Sharing the mental and physical benefits of Pilates with people will be rewarding experience.

Now, let’s talk about your relationship skills. Because it’s not enough to know your muscle groups, your repertoire, etc. You need to know PEOPLE. So if you are thinking about becoming a Pilates instructor because you’ve fallen in love with the workouts, you’re feeling amazing, you’re dreaming of wearing leggings to work everyday, and Pilates has become such a big part of your life that you’ve just got to share it with everyone…that’s great!

There’s a few thing you might want to consider:

How are you as a listener?

There will be times when your clients will want to come in and just chat. Maybe they are chatty people, maybe life is throwing them a curveball, maybe they are nervous, or maybe you are their only human interaction. Be ready to listen.

Are you patient?

You may have to teach someone how to hold their legs in Table Top (like it was the first time) every single session. Everyone has a different learning curve. Be ready to be patient.

Are you comfortable touching people?

Sometimes cueing is just not enough to get a client into a position. Hands on instruction might be needed. Tactile feedback has been a part of Pilates from the beginning. One would think that making a bodily adjustment would be no big deal, but touching another person can trigger emotion. Be ready to be hands on (when consensual).

Do feet bother you?

Yeah, you’re going to touch feet… a lot. Enough said.

Are you a good Detective?

There will be many times when you will need to figure out what’s going on with a client’s body. Maybe they have discomfort during an exercise and you have to find ways to modify it. Maybe they feel the exercise in the wrong place. Maybe they walked in and have a new mystery pain that showed up over the weekend. You don’t need to be a doctor or a physical therapist, you just need to be ready to use some problem solving skills.

How are you at being a Therapist?

Clients are often busy, stressed, lonely…you name it. They might walk in and start crying…right off the bat. They might get those feet in straps and start crying. Tears happen. Be ready for emotions, have tissues.

Will you be able to put on a smiling face when you teach, even though your entire world might be crumbling around you?

Your client doesn’t need to know that your husband is was a jerk that day, you can’t stand your mother-in-law, or your bills are piling up. You may have developed a relationship where they have become a friend, but give it some time before you get too personal and bring your stuff to the table. Read the room. The hour is about them. Be ready to put your emotions on the back burner.

How are you at hustling?

You go to any appointment these days, and someone schedules your next visit before you leave. Dentist, therapist, hair stylist, etc. If you took a Pilates class from someone and they didn’t rebook you…would you go back without that commitment? In addition to this, would you go back if the person didn’t seem very interested in you during the hour? Building a genuine connection during the session is important so they will want to return (authentically of course). Ultimately creating a client base so you can do what you love! You could just wait and see if they return, however an instructor with a wait list knows how important it is to ask for the next appointment. I know it sounds inauthentic, but it’s not. Relationships are part of every long standing partnership. Be ready to unknowingly sell yourself to find a solid client base.

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

— Maya Angelou

I mention all of these things because teaching Pilates isn’t just about working out. There’s a whole other side to it, a side that many people fail to consider before they spend a lot of money on a certification program. It’s a people person career that embodies elements of teaching, counseling, coaching, managing. You name it.

A good Pilates instructor should be able to read their client’s movements, their body language (though not be a mind reader). They should be able to connect with them and encourage them to step outside of their comfort zone. A good Pilates instructor should be able to create a bond with their client, challenge them, support them, push them, all the while building trust between them (because we are all connected in some way or another). They should be prepared for the things I mentioned above, and more. Not just the physical element of the work.

One final consideration…

Is there room in your heart for others?

Be ready to expand your heart’s space with amazing new people, with relationships that often last for many years.