How to Become a Pilates Instructor

Pilates as a career has gained immense popularity in the 21st century. Although, this form of exercise system was developed in the early 20th century by a German named Joseph Pilates, it is only in this century that it has gained prominence. There are several benefits of Pilates that has made it popular among the masses. Millions of people are practicing Pilates every year and industry experts predict that this will create more career opportunities for people interested in Pilates instructor career.

Job Description
As a Pilates instructor, an individual is expected to teach his clients about the Pilates system of exercises. Those willing to teach Pilates must firstly learn about what exactly Pilates is. Pilates exercises were developed for achieving holistic health, by increasing body's flexibility and strengthening muscles. In Pilates, there are exercises for every body part and one of the most interesting features of this exercise is that it involves the mind along with the body to treat physical ailments. For achieving faster results, every exercise is performed by keeping the focus on breathing. The practitioner is aware of his or her breathing patterns while practicing Pilates exercises.

Aspirants of this career must make efforts to learn the arts and science of Pilates from authentic sources. A Pilates instructor training is provided by trainers who have been in this industry for quite some time and there are several organizations that also train candidates professionally to become a Pilates instructor. A number of non profit organizations have been in existence that provide Pilates instructor certification. For instance, The Pilates Method of Alliance (PMA) is a non profit reputed organization dedicated to promoting and teaching Pilates all across the US. It is in fact one of the most reputed bodies for certifying Pilates teachers. You can visit the PMA website to locate schools that provide training for Pilates instructor in your area. Training sessions for Pilates may cost you anywhere from $30 to $100.

Educational Requirements
The time it requires to complete the courses and relevant training isn't usually fixed. It all depends on the type of certification and duration of its completion. The training programs last for weeks to months. Candidates can generally choose to take any or both the certifications at a time, that are, Pilates mat instruction and comprehensive Pilates instructor certificate. So all those who wanted to know how to be a Pilates instructor, the first and foremost step is, you have to take either one or both of these certifications, to become a professional Pilates instructor. During mat certification training, one is able to learn the basic Pilates exercises while in comprehensive Pilates instructor training program, more deeper methods of Pilates are taught to candidates. Generally, it is professionally more smarter to complete both the programs, as the latter one especially adds more skills to the Pilates instructor. Depending on the training program, you may have to pass a national level certification exam.

Salary
Let us discuss the earnings of Pilates instructors. There are various health clubs, studios and rehabilitation centers that are hiring Pilates instructors. Generally, the earning potential of a Pilates instructor is $15 to $40 per hour. Yearly, Pilates instructor can earn anywhere between $33,000 to $70,000.

Candidates having mixed profiles like a Yoga teacher certificate or a nursing, MD, Registered Nurse (RN) and medical assistant certifications have tremendous opportunities to get hired in big hospitals and rehabilitation centers. So, by now you must have observed that if you keep learning and upgrading your resume profile by learning new things in Pilates profession, you can surely make a bright career in this field. Since it is a relatively new career option, there is plenty of growth in this field. Those interested can surely harness the benefits of flourishing years of Pilates profession.