The Only Classical Pilates Training of Its Kind in Kentucky
Joseph Pilates’ Legacy Continues
Train with the Best. Teach the Method.
The Real Pilates Teacher Training Program® is recognized as one of the most prestigious certifications in the Pilates world—renowned for its academic rigor, lineage-based instruction, and comprehensive curriculum. Unlike hybrid or contemporary training programs, Real Pilates offers a proper Classical education grounded in the original work of Joseph Pilates.
Pilates Fit Studio in Louisville is proud to serve as an official host and trusted branch of New York’s acclaimed Real Pilates®, bringing world-class Classical Pilates education to Kentucky.
Direct Lineage. Expert Mentorship. Unmatched Excellence.
As a Real Pilates apprentice, you will be mentored by a team of master instructor trainers with a direct lineage to Joseph Pilates—based both in New York and Louisville. This mentorship ensures that your education reflects the true essence and depth of the classical system, encompassing repertoire, rhythm, and apparatus.
What You’ll Experience:
- Over 600 hours of immersive, comprehensive training
- Personalized private mentoring and hands-on coaching
- In-depth academics paired with a practical apprenticeship
- Authentic training on the original GRATZ apparatus
- Complete Classical Pilates syllabus
- A structured system proven to develop world-class teachers
Graduates of the Real Pilates program are highly sought after worldwide, with many securing teaching positions immediately after certification. The Real Pilates name is a mark of credibility, excellence, and tradition—one that sets you apart in an increasingly saturated industry.
Download Real Pilates Teacher Training Program Overview
Our Programs
Primary Training Certification
This comprehensive 30-week program is delivered across four immersive seminar weekends, totaling over 600 hours of rigorous practical and academic study. You will master the complete Classical Pilates system, including program design, anatomy, anatomical alignment, and modifications for special populations and common injuries. Every exercise, variation, and piece of apparatus developed by Joseph Pilates will be taught in meticulous detail.
By completing this program, you will join an exclusive lineage of instructors directly connected to Joseph Pilates, becoming part of the esteemed third generation of classical Pilates teachers.
Graduate Program
Already a certified comprehensive Pilates teacher eager to deepen your understanding of the classical method? Our Graduate Program is designed for you. Explore the foundational "why" behind the system, fill in any knowledge gaps, and build your program design skills from the ground up.
This 450-hour comprehensive training immerses you in the authentic teachings of Joseph Pilates, guiding you to master classical principles and refine your instruction. Upon completion, you will join an exclusive lineage of instructors directly connected to Joseph Pilates as a third-generation teacher.
"The life's work of Joseph Pilates is not something we can fast track, and the responsibility we all share in promoting and preserving the legacy of Pilates is a profound one."
~Alycea Ungaro
A Tradition of Excellence. A Legacy of Precision.
Why Lineage Matters in Classical Pilates Education
In the world of Pilates, lineage is everything. It is the lifeline that connects today’s instructors to the original teachings of Joseph H. Pilates—preserving the integrity, sequencing, and philosophy of the method exactly as it was intended.
When Joseph Pilates passed away, he entrusted his life’s work to his protégé, Romana Kryzanowska. Romana passed this legacy on to Alycea Ungaro, who now shares it with the next generation of teachers through the Real Pilates® Teacher Training Program. We are proud to host this unparalleled program here at Pilates Fit Studio in Louisville—the only Classical training of its kind in Kentucky.
What Does "Lineage" Mean in Pilates?
When Mr. Pilates operated his New York studio in the early 20th century, he trained a small group of students—Romana Kryzanowska, Kathy Grant, Eve Gentry, and Lolita San Miguel, among others. These First-Generation Teachers passed on the method through direct mentorship, creating a clear and traceable line of instruction. This lineage ensures that every exercise, every cue, and every use of apparatus remains true to its original design.
Today, Classical Pilates is defined by this lineage system. It distinguishes itself through:
- Unaltered sequencing and choreography
- Authentic apparatus usage (as created by Joseph Pilates)
- Direct mentorship under certified lineage holders
- Rigorous educational standards (minimum of 600 hours of training)
Become Part of a Living Tradition
Our Real Pilates® Teacher Training Program in Louisville is more than a certification—it’s an initiation into a time-honored practice.
If you’re serious about becoming a Classical Pilates instructor, let your training reflect that. Join a program rooted in history, driven by excellence, and powered by legacy.
Preserve the method. Embody the tradition. Teach with precision.
OUR SIGNATURE STYLE FOR TRAINING FORMULAS
Targeted goal setting
Strategic Sequencing
Program Design
Anatomical Alignment
Anatomy
Hands-on-work
Advanced Cueing
TRAIN ON THE ORIGINAL APPARATUS
To teach Classical Pilates authentically, training on the original equipment design is essential. Real Pilates® maintains a longstanding, close partnership with Gratz®, the original manufacturer of Joseph Pilates’ apparatus. Pilates Fit Studio proudly features a complete collection of these original Gratz® apparatus, crafted according to Joseph Pilates’ exact specifications, ensuring you experience and learn the method as it was truly intended.
Start with Real. Keep it Real.
Winter 2025 Cycle in Session. Registering for Summer 2025.
Interested in our next cycle? Enhance your readiness and success with our Preparatory Training Program.
Due to the academic intensity and to ensure we provide you with the proper support, mentorship, and attention, we have a limited capacity for four people in each certification cycle.
2025 SUMMER Seminar Weekends
Beginner System
July 11-13, 2025
Intermediate 1 System:
August 29-31, 2025
Intermediate 2 System:
October 24-26, 2025
Advanced System:
November 14-16, 2025
~ After the advanced seminar, each apprentice will have 3-4 months remaining of their internship before their final exams.
Program Overview
- 4 Seminar weekends
- Weekly academic assignments, case studies, and quizzes
- Program Design
- Observed Practical Teaching
- Practice Teaching
- Observation
- Anatomy and Alignment
- Safe spotting & Hands-on
- Weekly Private Training Sessions
- Weekly Small Group Sessions
- Monthly Meetings
- Practical Assessments
- Assisted Teaching
- Paid Teaching Opportunities
- The Business of Pilates Workshop
Start Your Real Teacher Training Journey
Due to the academic intensity and to ensure we provide you with the proper support, mentorship, and attention, we have a limited capacity for four people in each certification cycle.
PART I
Informational interview with Erica Walters, the studio owner and lead teacher trainer at Pilates Fit Studio.
PART II
Submit your 2025 application to www.realpilates.com
PART III
Interview and Assessment, by invitation, with RPTT Director of Education.
PART IV
Demonstrate completion of the prerequisite coursework or entry-level proficiency before the start date.
~ After the advanced seminar, each apprentice will have 3-4 months remaining of their internship before their final exams.
"We inspire students to greatness, teachers to excellence, and the industry to evolve and expand with our Louisville Pilates teacher training program."
~Real Pilates
Real Pilates Teacher Training Testimonials
Meet the Woman Behind the Method
A published authority on fitness and wellness and a pioneer of the Pilates method, Alycea Ungaro introduced some of the first mat Pilates classes to New York City. The method and Alycea built a devoted following as people flocked to her classes.
Alycea has expanded her popular Pilates classes into a fitness media empire. Her first multi-media project was the innovative Portable Pilates™, an easy-to-use at-home mat workout. Best-selling titles followed, including Pilates: Body in Motion, The Pilates Promise, and The Pilates Practice Companion, Alycea’s most comprehensive book. Her 15 Minute Everyday Pilates was an international bestseller. A new edition of Pilates: Body in Motion was released in 2019, and a reworked version of 15-Minute Everyday Pilates was released in 2020.
Alycea has traveled widely as a guest teacher, hosting retreats at world-famous locations such as Amangani in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. She has trained scores of celebrities, including Madonna, Uma Thurman, Kyra Sedgewick, Claire Danes, and Molly Sims. Together with long-time client Christy Turlington, Alycea collaborated on a “Pilates Booty” for Puma, which was aptly named “The Alycea.”
In addition to her Pilates expertise, Ungaro is a licensed Physical Therapist who graduated from New York University’s prestigious program. She holds a Master's Degree in Applied Clinical Nutrition, a certification in Perinatal exercise, and is a Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher.
Her commitment to the industry led her to create her comprehensive Pilates Teacher Training program, where she shares the method as she learned it directly from her teacher, Joseph Pilates’ protege, Romana Kryzanowska. The Real Pilates Teacher Training program is now conducted internationally, and hundreds of professional Pilates instructors have graduated worldwide.
