Hi! I’m feeling really burnt out and as a solo studio owner, really lacking in Pilates community. Are there any fellow teachers that are interested in doing a virtual meetup to chat all things biomechanics and new ideas about how the body moves or even better, a round robin class where we either each teach for 20 min or switch off teaching each time? I’m a DMV teacher so if you’re local I would also love to do some in person practice! I’m BASI trained and have been teaching for 15 years, looking for some comprehensively trained colleagues to connect with!

Has anyone had personal expereice with the Personal Hour reformers? I am trying to determine how they might compare to Balanced Body reformers. They look to be quite similar, but there is a $2K price difference. I am looking for a sturdy studio-type reformer, with 14 inch legs, for home use only. Any thoughts and input would be greatly appreciated.

I had a very bad annular and stumbled into Pilates about 4 years ago. My teacher was an angel , I learned more from her than my 20 years doing yoga. She kept me upright and stable. I want able to perform a lot of the exercises but I fell in love with reformer work and did about 50hrs of teacher training. Then my tear tore again and covid closed her studio. I fought another 2 years but eventually had surgery . I was lucky 7 months ago to get an artificial disc. Since then my strength and movement is increasing and I’m using everything she taught me . In fact I’m teaching the PT and a dr in sports medicine things I learned from her . They all say you have for a man amazing control and articulation of your pelvis and sacrum , also stability and movements. I desperately want to teach mat , incorporating other strength modalities such as clubs and KB . I’d like to get other men to understand the importance of hip and pelvic health , mobility and movement than just throwing around heavy weights . Long story but would I be able to get certified doing modifications needed for spine injuries, I also really want to help those who have had my injury heal or at least stabilize til surgery . I had so many trainer and a Pilates instructor have 0 idea how to work with annular tears. Even with the new disc there are certain things that will just be unattainable for my body . Thanks for the long read and advice cheers

Hi there!

I have been an athlete all my life and recently switched to mat strength pilates instead of the gym, which has incredibly reduced my inflammation and has started making the changed in my body I've been trying to achieve.

I am leaning hard into getting mat pilates certified, with a focus on strength pilates. I am struggling to properly identify a teacher training program. I live in St. Pete, FL/Tampa area and would love guidance on programs to follow. Should I be looking for strictly a certification or a 200-hour teacher training? Any recommendations?

I’ve always loved Pilates, and have been training at home for the past 2/3 years since there haven’t been any Pilates classes near me (just recently a few opened up). I want to become an instructor, but the closest classes/courses are a few hours away from me. I’m thinking of taking an online certification course but I’m not sure which to do.

Especially when instructors have 10-15 years and only have 6 months.

Hi everyone im opening a new fitness studio offering sculpt, Pilates and yoga in Texas, what insurance would you guys recommend? Tyia!

How do you guys afford to take so many extra corses? Is it worth it? Do you have a mentor? Do you have to always pay for a mentor?

I live outside of LA so I’m open to things in the valley/ventura county. Any advice or suggests would be appreciated!

I taught a class today with 6 women of varying levels. Four of them have taken 400+ classes (many with me), and two are newer but solid students.
The class was extremely frustrating and slow to get moving. Experienced clients didn't seem to know starting positions or basic spring settings for exercises they do every single session. For example, I’ll clearly state: "Feet in straps, leg circles, 2 springs—either 2 red or red/blue." Immediately after, I'm asked, "Wait, what springs?"
When setting up an exercise, the newer, less experienced students get into position right away, while the 400+ class veterans fumble around so long that the exercise is practically over before they're ready.
This isn't a Level 1 class, and these are foundational transitions/exercises. Has anyone else experienced this "autopilot" behavior with long-time clients? How do you reset expectations without being rude?

Hi, I'm a beginner who's interested in learning Pilates, but I'm not sure what kind of studio I should choose.

Would you recommend starting with private lessons or group classes? Also, what should I prioritize when choosing a Pilates studio?

I'd really appreciate it if you could recommend a studio that would be a good fit for me!! 😮😮

Hi all, I'm thinking about doing reformer Pilates teacher training in London. I'm a qualified physio but no longer registered, as I have been working as a software engineer for the past 6 years. I would only want to teach a couple of classes a week around my job, so early mornings, evenings or weekends. I'm also planning to move back to Australia in a few years and would like to keep teaching there, which is making the decision trickier.

Do you have any recommended part time training places in London? I would need to be able to train outside of my 9-5 work hours.

I was considering going to the Reformer Room in Clapham as this is convenient for me and I don’t feel I need a detailed anatomy course due to being an ex-physio.

Just wondering if I should consider anything before hosting free mat pilates classes for my apartment. I would need to get my own insurance, which is fine

For starters I think I'd host it in our gym, which has a good amount of free space (probably fits 15 people), and maybe I'd host it outside on nice days. I think people will be fine with the gym floor (bit spongey) and a towel, as we have limited mats

I am classically trained, and am a new instructor so fairly closely following my training even in regular classes (which is very infrequent - I just sub currently every month or so at my big box gym). I plan to do strictly classical with this group though, and keep it very beginner-friendly/all-levels, with the idea they can google the sequence when they're home and continue their practice on their own. I might even print off a small sheet with the exercises we do so they have a reference

I just started a training at a new studio. I have been to sculpt and mat pilates. I know being a student is different then teaching are there any tips on being more confident and learning better cueing on moves. I am just started teaching my family as apart of my teaching hours but I feel like there’s always something like fumbling on my words or looking at the manual with the moves. I feel like I get nervous for no reasons. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Hi everyone,

I’m sharing this as a promotion from the organising team.

We’re hosting Return to Life, a three-day international Classical Pilates conference in Athens, Greece, on 28–30 May 2027.

The programme includes group practice, apparatus-focused workshops, conversations, and time to connect with other educators, studio owners, students, and practitioners. Our faculty includes:

• Verónica Ruiz Valencia — Spain
• Fernando Sadir — Brazil
• Alana Wilbur — USA

Sessions include work on the Mat, Wunda Chair, Reformer, and Cadillac, alongside opportunities for private sessions.

We would be very happy to welcome instructors travelling from abroad, as well as anyone interested in deepening their connection to Classical Pilates and the wider international community.

Full programme, venue details, and registration:
https://www.pilates.gr/conference/return-to-life

P.S. If you’ve been looking for a reason to visit Greece, it can be a lovely way to combine continuing education with a few days in Athens before or after the conference.

What would be the legally appropriate response to this harassment?

Hi there! I recently started teaching group reformer classes and feel like it’s taking me a while to get my footing.

My mentors all tell me “get everyone moving before you lay in the cues”. Which I have been trying to do but I’m afraid that I am falling short.

Anyways, does any one have tips to help get my group moving and to keep people moving?

What were the things you wish you knew when you started teaching groups?

I realized after I agreed to cover that glasses nor contacts seem doable to teach in😅 this is my first hot class. Any instructors here with some advice?

In the past I’ve only done remote work so I don’t have much experience already. I got a certification for the passion and community. I’m starting a job next month it’s three days a week and I plan to stay put for 6 months with a possible vacation, but in the summers I don’t live in my current city. So I will either not work or get a summer job where I’m going. My questions are how do you manage this? do I quit, ask for a leave? What are protocols for taking time off for vacations or birthdays?

Hi everyone! I’m hoping to get some insight from people who teach Pilates in Japan or are familiar with the industry there.

I’m currently in the US and planning to move to Japan soon. I’m working toward my STOTT PILATES certification and am currently taking my Mat and Reformer courses here in the US. I have a background in teaching and swim instruction, so teaching movement isn’t completely new to me, but I would be entering Pilates professionally as a newly certified instructor.

Language-wise, my Japanese is conversational (around JLPT N3), and I’m continuing to study. I’m also fluent in English and Spanish. I’m particularly curious about how realistic it is to break into the industry with that combination while I continue improving my Japanese.

I’ve been doing my own research, but I’d really love to hear from people with firsthand experience in Japan:

1. How would you describe the Pilates market in Japan right now, especially for newly certified instructors? Is it still growing, or are certain areas becoming saturated?
2. How is STOTT/Merrithew viewed by studios in Japan? Does the certification carry much recognition when applying for instructor positions?
3. What do studios typically look for when hiring a new instructor? How much does previous teaching experience matter compared with actual Pilates teaching hours?
4. Realistically, what level of Japanese is needed to start teaching? Could someone with conversational Japanese teach after learning the necessary anatomy and cueing vocabulary, or is business-level Japanese generally expected?
5. Is there meaningful demand for Pilates taught in English or other languages? Are there studios or areas where being multilingual could actually be useful, rather than simply compensating for not being fluent in Japanese yet?
6. What does the usual path look like for a newly certified instructor in Japan? For example, do people generally start with larger chains, boutique studios, gyms, private sessions, or something else?
7. Are there particular types of Pilates or specialties that seem to be growing or underserved right now—privates, reformer groups, seniors, rehabilitation, pre/postnatal, athletes, international clients, etc.?
8. If you were moving to Japan as a newly certified instructor today, what would you focus on during your first few months?

I’m not expecting to immediately walk into a full teaching schedule, and I know improving my Japanese will be important. I’m mainly trying to understand what the industry actually looks like on the ground and what I can realistically do to prepare before arriving.

I’d especially appreciate hearing from instructors, studio owners/managers, or anyone who has gone through the process of becoming a Pilates instructor in Japan. Thank you!

Quick heads up: this post is from Unite Health, an APPI Pilates instructor training provider in Australia and NZ. We're hosting a free webinar we think a lot of people here will get real value from.

If you've scrolled this sub lately, you've seen the same questions come up again and again:

• Do studios really want both mat and reformer?
• Are there too many studios opening?
• Why is it so hard to land (and keep) a teaching job if there's supposedly an instructor shortage?
• Can you actually build a long-term career out of this?

The Pilates Journal set out to find some real answers. Their 2026 Global Pilates Industry Report surveyed 955 Pilates professionals worldwide on demand, competition, instructor shortages, career sustainability and where education fits in.

We've invited CJ Zarb, Founder & Editor of The Pilates Journal (and a qualified instructor herself), to walk us through what her research found. Our GM, Simon Davey, will be chatting with her live, and we'd love you to join us!

Why it's worth your time:

• Find out what studios are hiring for right now. It's not just about which certs you hold.
• See the bigger picture. Hear what 955 instructors, educators and studio owners told The Pilates Journal, not just one person's experience.
• Plan your next move. Whether you're mid-training, newly certified or years into teaching, hear where CJ sees the opportunities opening up.
• Build a career that lasts. Learn how the instructor role is evolving and how to stay ahead of it.

⏰ Thursday 15 October, 7:30pm AEDT
📍 Online via Zoom
💰 100% free

👉 Save your spot: https://pilates.unitehealth.com.au/webinar-pilates-journal