Choosing the right Pilates teacher training program is a crucial step in your journey to becoming a Pilates instructor. With so many options available, it’s essential to choose a Pilates teacher training program that aligns with your values, goals, and commitment to excellence. Real Pilates® stands out as the premier choice for aspiring instructors, offering a program deeply rooted in the classical tradition, guided by industry-leading mentors, and supported by a comprehensive academic and practical curriculum. With Real Pilates®, you’ll gain the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to excel in your career while preserving the authentic teachings of Joseph Pilates.
The Real Pilates Teacher Training Program® is deeply rooted in classical Pilates and is renowned in the industry for its academic excellence and comprehensive syllabus. It is recognized as one of the world’s most prestigious certifications.I own two classical Pilates studios in Louisville and exclusively employ qualified classical instructors. We serve as a professional education center for Pilates teacher training and continuing education, and we are the Regional Training Center for Real Pilates®. Our commitment is to uphold the highest standards in classical Pilates education.
The Real Pilates Difference: Comprehensive Pilates Training Rooted in Authentic Lineage
Designing programs and working with clients in a concierge studio necessitates a well-rounded education. It is important to adapt to individual client needs, understand specialty populations, and possess exceptional communication and relationship-building skills. **All of my instructors and managers work full-time, and some are salaried. We offer a comprehensive benefits package**.
Lineage Matters
The lineage system helps to preserve Pilates’ original teachings so that they can be passed down to future students as accurately and canonically as possible. It also guarantees that only the highest quality of training is provided to future apprentices.
Second Generation Teacher
Alycea Ungaro, who studied under Romana Kryzanowska, one of Mr. Pilates most notable students, from the early 1990s to the early 2000s, became a key figure in sharing these teachings. She was one of the first instructors in the 1990s to offer Pilates Mat classes in New York City and opened Tribeca Bodyworks, a classical Pilates studio, in 1995. By 2001 the first iteration of the Real Pilates Teacher Training Program was born. In addition to being a second-generation teacher, she is also a physical therapist.
Real Pilates ® Signature Style for Training Formulas
Targeted goal setting
Strategic Sequencing
Program Design
Anatomical Alignment
Anatomy
Hands-on-work
Advanced Cueing
Train on the Original Pilates Apparatus
You must train in the original equipment design to teach classical work. Real Pilates® has had a close working relationship for decades with the original manufacturer of Joseph Pilates’ designs, Gratz®. Pilates Fit Studio in Louisville is fully equipped with all the original Gratz apparatus made by Joseph Pilates.
The Academic Track with RPTT
The Academic track within Canvas offers advanced tools and features to enhance learning, collaboration, and resource management, providing a rich educational experience.
Each week, you will complete your homework on these topics in Canvas.
- Alignment:
The teacher’s role is to ensure alignment. Understanding alignment in the body achieves optimal performance and prevents injuries. This section explores the key concepts of how body alignment impacts movement efficiency and stability. - Applications of Anatomy and Physiology:
Understanding how the body’s systems collaborate optimizes performance and helps prevent injuries. You will learn to apply these principles to develop individualized program designs based on a person’s unique anatomical and physiological characteristics.
By exploring anatomy and physiology, we can improve health outcomes and enhance our understanding of the complex interplay between structure and function in the human body. - Case Studies:
This section presents a series of case studies demonstrating various scenarios related to common ailments across different populations. Each case offers insights into problem-solving and the effectiveness of different approaches in addressing everyday challenges. - Program Design:
Discover the Secret Sauce of Real Pilates®. This section will teach you how to design effective training programs that integrate alignment and anatomical principles. You will learn to create personalized programs to improve performance while reducing the risk of injury for different populations. - History:
Pilates is named after its founder, Joseph H. Pilates, who originally called his work Contrology. Today, his method is popularly known as “Pilates.” He was a German-born émigré who moved to Britain and then to America. In the early decades of the 20th century, he developed the Pilates method as a unique approach to exercise and body conditioning. - Resources:
Access a curated list of valuable resources, including books, articles, websites, and organizations dedicated to your classical Pilates education. These materials will support your learning and provide additional insights into best practices. - Weekly Quizzes:
Test your knowledge with engaging weekly quizzes designed to reinforce key concepts discussed in the course. These quizzes serve as both a learning tool and a gauge of your understanding as you progress through the program. - Exams:
Prepare for comprehensive exams that assess your mastery of the content covered throughout the course. These assessments will challenge your critical thinking and application skills, ensuring you are well-equipped with the knowledge needed in real-world situations.
Real Pilates ® Maintains the Authenticity of Pilates
The authenticity of Pilates is maintained through Real Pilates®, which teaches the core techniques and methods passed down from Mr. Pilates to Romana Kryzanowska and then to Alycea Ungaro. At Pilates Fit Studio, we are excited to share this knowledge with you through the Real Pilates Teacher Training® program.
In this program, you will learn every exercise, variation, and piece of equipment developed by Joseph Pilates. You will also learn to train effectively, challenge your clients, and inspire them.
Over four seminar weekends and 600 hours of practical and academic study, you will become a qualified expert in the classical system that was the life’s work of Joseph Pilates. As a third-generation instructor, you will have the opportunity to carry on his legacy.
Classical Pilates begins here. Learn the practice as “Uncle Joe” intended it. We can show you how.
- The Real Pilates Teacher Training® program (RPTT) is a licensed vocational school, which means you, as the student, have consumer protection.
- RPTT is among the industry’s most respected and rigorous Pilates education programs.
- The right type of education is essential. Learn to teach the original Pilates method as it was intended.
- This is a 600-hour professional program that has a live apprenticeship and academic program all in one.
- The education methodology is specific and not exercises on a list. You will learn the anatomy of the method, the intent of the method, program design, and how to work with all conditions and ages. You will learn to teach every piece of apparatus created by Joseph Pilates, including the historical apparatus.
- Alycea Ungaro, a licensed physical therapist, created the scientifically sound program. Alycea trained at the original studio in NYC under Romana Kryzanowska, Joseph Pilates’ protege.
- Your host and lead at Pilates Fit Studio, Erica Walters, has a B.S. in Exercise Science and an M.S. in Exercise and Sports Sciences.
- At Pilates Fit Studio, there are two locations in Louisville where you can complete your hours and four approved RPTT mentors between both studios.
- Lead Teacher Trainers from New York come to Pilates Fit Studio to present the seminars.
- Real Pilates® is global, and you will have an international support network.
- Pilates Fit Studio is Kentucky’s only fully equipped authentic studio with the original GRATZ apparatus, which has the perfect ratio of strength to stretch. Joseph Pilates trusted GRATZ to ensure the integrity of the method, and so did we.
- Experience the original, and you’ll never have to retrain as a Pilates instructor.
At Pilates Fit Studio, we are proud to uphold the legacy of classical Pilates through the Real Pilates Teacher Training® program. This immersive, 600-hour program combines hands-on learning, academic rigor, and the authentic teachings of Joseph Pilates to prepare you for a fulfilling career as a classical Pilates instructor. Whether you’re beginning your teaching journey or seeking to refine your skills, our expert mentors and fully equipped studio provide the support and resources you need to succeed. Ready to carry on the tradition and become part of the Real Pilates® family? Enroll in the Real Pilates Teacher Training® program today and take the first step toward transforming your passion into expertise.
Erica Walters is a force in the Pilates industry. She is a nationally known fitness expert, instructor, trainer, and author. A multi-time entrepreneur, Walters is the Owner of Pilates Fit Studio. Her Pilates studio is Kentucky’s only Authentic Pilates Studio and teacher-certification center for Real Pilates of New York City. Erica is the author of The Better Back®, Pilates for Osteoporosis, which is based on her in-studio class format. Walters also mentors and certifies the next generation of Classical Pilates Teachers with Real Pilates of New York City.
