As you grow your Pilates teacher training studio, nothing will be more important than finding great student teacher candidates. There are over nine million Pilates practitioners across the country (1). Which of your current, former, and future students not only want to pursue teacher training, but also have what it takes to become fantastic Pilates instructors?

At the bare minimum, your Pilates student teachers will need to meet these requirements:

  • They must be at least 18 years old.
  • They must have no injuries that would prevent them from performing challenging exercises during the course of the program.
  • They must be able to afford the cost of your Pilates teacher training program.
  • They must have the time to focus on their work throughout the course of the program.

A great teacher will exceed these base requirements and bring even more to their learning and teaching. Be on the lookout for these key indicators of great potential teachers.

A Love of Pilates

A great indicator that a person would make an incredible Pilates instructor is that they themselves are passionate about the system. The best instructors don’t just show students the movements; they inspire students to understand their physical needs and the way Pilates meets them. Seek out students whose love of Pilates rivals your own. These students often make fantastic instructors.

A Success Story of Their Own

Another great potential Pilates instructor is someone who has a personal success story driven by their growth in practicing Pilates. This could mean someone who used Pilates to recover from an injury. It could mean someone who reached ambitious health goals through Pilates. Or it could be a person who transformed their way of life by integrating a full body fitness program that improved their physical and/or mental health. These are the people who will inspire future students to transform their own lives through Pilates.

A Career Seeker

Becoming a Pilates instructor is an exciting possibility for those with and without a fulltime job. The COVID pandemic created financial stress for millions of people around the country. In this time of transition and change, more people than ever are looking for new opportunities to learn, grow, and change careers. If you have any students who’ve been debating taking their Pilates practice to the next step, now may be the time for them to sign up for your teacher training program.

 

As a training studio owner, you’re the most qualified person to determine who will make a great student teacher and, eventually, Pilates instructor. Keep your eyes and ears open for potential students, and most importantly, keep your mind open about their potential. The best teachers aren’t always the loudest, the bubbliest, the most fit, or the most outgoing. On the other hand, a person who’s passionate about Pilates but makes fun of other students would be a poor instructor. You know your students best. Trust your intuition and you can’t go wrong. 

 

  1. https://www.statista.com/statistics/191616/participants-in-pilates-training-in-the-us-since-2006/