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Mat Pilates Instructor.

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Mat Pilates Instructor Certification Overview

Curated by two Pilates instructors who also happen to be Registered Physiotherapist, Pelvic Health Physio and Registered Kinesiologist. You’re in good hands here.

  • Dive into anatomy, functional movement screening, considerations & modifications for special populations.

  • Learn pre-Pilates movements, essential for warming up a class and modifications for Classical or advanced Pilates exercises.

  • Review Classical Pilates exercises, including the use of common props, providing a well-rounded Pilates class.

  • Learn and become confident using all forms of cueing: verbal (anatomical, imagery, alignment, correctional, instructional, motivational); tactile, directional; kinesthetic; visual; environmental; rhythmic; proprioceptive. Learn how to use language, movement and muscle activation tactile touch to enhance your teaching.

  • Both Danielle and Ashley have experience starting their own corporation and managing everything from the finances, compensation, contracts, marketing, social media, liability and insurance and more. We can help support you in creating the Pilates business you’re looking for upon graduation. Danielle especially loves supporting other healthcare practitioners in adding their certification into their practice as an additional form of treatment and service.

  • Curating your own Pilates exercises into the perfect class is a skill that we teach you. We will build classes together centred around themes, props, special populations and more. Our ‘Class Planning Guide’ manual has templates, mind maps, and class programming guidance to help you program your own classes for beginners all the way to advanced movers.

  • Because our Mat Pilates Teacher Certification is led by a registered physiotherapist, pelvic health physiotherapist, and kinesiologist, we bring a clinical, evidence-informed lens to every aspect of the program. This allows us to provide expert-level scaling and progression strategies for diverse populations, including injury rehabilitation and pre- and postnatal clients.

  • Our Mat Pilates Teacher Training Certification includes 30 hours of self-practice and observation—each accompanied by a reflection sheet—to deepen understanding and integration, along with 10 hours of practice teaching in either group or 1:1 settings. Trainees will also have the opportunity to complete practice teaching hours through community classes at Flow Physio + Wellness, gaining real-world experience in a supportive studio environment with instructor feedback provided.

  • Our program requires 30 self-practice hours, which can be completed in-studio, through online follow-along classes, or by participating in group practice sessions led by fellow Pilates instructor trainees. Each session is paired with a guided reflection sheet to deepen understanding of what makes a Pilates class exceptional—exploring effective cueing, thoughtful use of props, intentional themes, and strategic progressions to design the perfect class.

Mat Pilates Instructor Certification Agenda

We’ve intentionally designed our certification as a hybrid experience—combining self-paced online modules with lifetime access, live Zoom lectures and practical sessions (all recorded for future viewing), and in-person learning opportunities. This flexible format supports busy schedules and diverse learning styles, making high-quality education accessible to everyone.

  • Focus: Anatomy

    • Functional anatomy for movement and cueing

    • Introduction to the core canister muscles

    • Bones, muscles, joints - range of motion and movement

    • Proprioception, levers and forces

    • Muscle slings and functional movement application

    • Special populations and considerations in Pilates

    • Considerations for specific injuries and conditions and how to work appropriately with your clients

  • Focus: Pre-Pilates/Prep Exercises

    • Principles of Pilates

    • History/evolution of Pilates and our approach

    • Positions

    • Prep Pilates

    • Practical work: cueing positions and prep exercises

  • Focus: Prep & Classical Exercises

    • Prep Pilates exercises

    • Classical Pilates exercises

    • Discussions around scaling and progressing

    • Common movement faults

    • Use of props to progress and modify

    • Practical work: prep and classical exercise cueing

  • Focus: Classical Exercises & Real World Application

    • Classical Pilates exercises

    • Discussions around scaling and progressing

    • Common movement faults

    • Use of props to progress and modify

    • Practical work: classical & functional exercise cueing

  • Focus: Cueing & Class Building 

    • Cueing Techniques 

    • Types of class formats

    • How to build a class

    • Walk through a ©Pillar Pilates Mindmap 

    • Practical: Build a class in breakout groups and teach

  • Focus: Putting It All Together

    • Morning movement opportunity

    • Postural analysis by Physiotherapist

    • Pelvic floor & core lecture

    • Positions

    • Props education and practice

    • Progressions

    • 10-min practice teaching opportunities

    • Group discussion

    In-person weekend will take place at Flow Physio + Wellness 15 King St W Bowmanville ON

  • Focus: Putting It All Together

    • Morning movement opportunity

    • Class building & programming

    • Practice cueing in variety of cue types

    • Written exam (optional)

    • 20-minute practice teaching opportunity

    • Exercise and position cueing and refinement

    In-person weekend will take place at Flow Physio + Wellness 15 King St W Bowmanville ON

  • We host virtual office hours over Zoom where students can come to us with any questions about course material and we will review it as a group. We will host 2 during the session.

    #1 Office Hours: business, ethics, exercise questions, special populations

    #2 Office Hours: 5-10 min practice teaching with group feedback

    Office hours will be decided as a group with a polling system for most popular times.

  • There will be an opportunity to practice teach in-person classes at Flow Physio + Wellness for students. This is a great opportunity to get your practice teaching hours in front of a group at a studio free of rent charge. We ask that all students designate a charitable focus for their class that attendees can donate to in lieu of class cost.

Investment

Investing in a Mat Pilates teaching certification is more than gaining the credentials to lead a class—it’s a deep dive into understanding the human body and how it moves, adapts, and thrives. Through the process, you don’t just learn how to teach exercise; you develop a greater appreciation for biomechanics, alignment, breath, and the powerful connection between strength, stability, and longevity—knowledge that transforms both your teaching and your own movement journey.

  • $2500.00 + HST

  • $883.33 + HST x 3

    HCPs $766.96 + HST x 3

  • $2300.88 + HST

    This discount if intended for students who are already professional healthcare clinicians (accepted designations: physiotherapist, chiropractor, registered massage therapist, osteopath, physiotherapy/occupational therapy assistant). If you do not see your designation here, but are curious if you’re eligible, please email us at hello@pillar-pilates.ca

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    • Once you register for the course, you will gain immediate access to our comprehensive online course library. This library includes: detailed anatomy lectures and exercise repertoire videos, which demonstrate each Pilates exercise step-by-step.

    • You will also receive a hard copy of the course manuals to follow along as you review the content and begin to familiarize yourself with the material. Prior to our first official session, you are required to review all anatomy lectures and related content to build a strong foundation for the course. However, you are not expected to have covered all of the exercises in the repertoire at this stage!

    • Our virtual sessions will take place every other weekend, a schedule specifically designed to give you time to absorb the information from the sessions, practice the exercises, and refine your skills. At the end of each virtual session, you will receive a homework assignment that your instructors will review and provide feedback to help you continue progressing before the next session!

    • This carefully structured calendar ensures a balance of independent study, live learning, and practice - setting you up for success throughout the program and accessible for all learning styles and walks of life!

    • Between our virtual sessions participants are expected to dedicate time to self-practice, focusing on exercise retention and learning the repertoire in detail.

    • Self-practice includes: participating in Pilates classes, observing Pilates classes or other Pilates Instructors teaching classes, refining your technique, and exploring how to cue and instruct exercises effectively.

    • You'll begin learning how to build and sequence exercises to create cohesive Pilates sessions.

    • The every-other-weekend schedule is intentionally designed to allow you to move at a slower, more thoughtful pace, giving you ample time to absorb the material and practice on your own.

    • Throughout this process, we will host “Office Hours” which are extra virtual sessions to ask specific questions, practice our skills together, receive feedback. These sessions will be scheduled around the convenience of our entire cohort.

  • Anatomy: 25 hours

    Prep Exercises: 25 hours

    Classical Exercises: 35 hours

    Additional Learning Modules: 15 hours

    Live Virtual Sessions: 16 hours

    In-Person Intensive: 18 hours

    Office Hours: 6 hours

    Self-Practice: 30 hours

    Practice Teaching: 10 hours

    Practical Class Planning & Teaching: 5 hours

    Homework: 15 hours