The Pilates Center of Boulder

What is the name of the training program you did?: 

What Year(s) Did You Do the Program?: 

Did You Get Your Instructor Certification?: 

My Review 

This comprehensive program not only gave me in-depth knowledge of the pilates method (mat and equipment), anatomy, and kinesiology, but also developed my ability to teach and truly relate to another human being through movement and breath. Although this program has many exams to ensure your progress (3 written, 2 teaching and 2 performance), you as the trainee, are in control of what you ultimately get out of this program.

I love that 250 hours of practice teaching are required as part of the training. However, the majority of these hours are teaching private lessons and I feel that since many of us instructors teach classes, that more focus should be placed on teaching groups with maybe even a specific number of hours required teaching classes. My specific mentors at InsideOut Body Therapies heard this feedback and arranged for the trainees to teach more groups. So, I graduated feeling very comfortable teaching both private lessons and classes.

The other thing that I feel sets this training program apart from others is the focus on rehabilitation and education concerning contraindications. I think some of this can be attributed to the specific studio in which I studied and the background of my mentors, but I feel rehabilitation is a very practical, but overlooked area and use of pilates that more instructors need to be aware of.

This training program has a specific curriculum to harmonize requirements across participating studios. But, you should be aware that your experience will be very much influenced by the specific studio in which you study. I had been a client at this studio for a few years and knew I would do well in that environment, but may not have done as well under different mentorship. So, my advice is to scope out where you will be doing the majority of your hours and make sure the environment and people are a good match. Having said that, I highly recommend visiting other participating studios for some of the lectures and/or to experience as many different teachers as possible--we can learn from everyone!

Again, it's really up to the participant as to what you get out of a training program, but the TPC Teacher Training Program provides all the tools and knowledgeable people--you just have to be open to a mental, emotional, and physical challenge and not be hesitant to voice your needs as a trainee.

Did this program prepare you for professional life? 

The symposiums and one on ones with the teachers/mentors provided supplemental information needed to succeed professionally (e.g., how to market yourself, some typical good business practices of studios, etc.).

Did you think the cost of the program was fair? 

Well worth the cost. An investment in knowledge.

How long did the program take to complete? 

The program is typically 1 year and I took an extra 2 months.

Would you recommend this to a friend?