TEACHER TRAINING

Becoming a teacher training provider

The Pilates Foundation offers one of the best teacher training courses and therefore require that our Teacher Training Providers are of the highest standard. We have established a set of criteria which Teacher Training Providers have to meet before they can become an accredited Pilates Foundation Teacher Trainer. This serves to protect the integrity of the Pilates Foundation and the interests of students.
  • Teacher training providers are required to have been a full and continuous member of the Pilates Foundation for at least 7 years.
  • The course director must have taught Pilates full-time in a fully equipped Pilates studio for a minimum of 7 years.
  • The course director will need to submit a course syllabus for approval by the Board of Directors and the Pilates Foundation Examining Board.
  • The course director must be teaching, tutoring or supervising at least 60% of the student contact hours, during the course.
  • The course director must have completed an appropriate City and Guilds, Batchelor in Education (or equivalent) certification to train teachers.
  • All teacher training providers will need to abide by the Pilates Foundation Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct.
To receive an application form, please go to the Contact Us page.

Meet a teacher training provider

Rachel Swindle
Rachel Swindle
The Thoughtful Body Studio, Derbyshire

What was your first experience of Pilates? I first came across Pilates after a knee injury and a dancing friend of mine suggested that I should give the technique a go, as it had worked for him. At the time I was a physically strong and active 19 year old and I could not believe how small precise movements made such a difference to my technique and body shape and how I could achieve power, strength and flexibility in a balanced and calming way. Twenty years later I still love the work as much as I did when I fist discovered it.

What is your Pilates experience to date? I started practising Pilates in 1987 with Alan Herdman studios in Homer Row London. Alan had the biggest studio at that time. I started training in Fully Comprehensive in 1988 and qualified in 1989. I started teaching in Stockholm Sweden for one year then was head hunted to work at the Trevor Blount studios in South Kensington. I started teacher training in 1990 and specialise in antenatal and postnatal exercise. I am Doula trained with Michel Odent and a NCT antenatal teacher trainee. Additional training: Bowen technique,remedial massage therapy, Reiki Master and light work healer. Studied with Elizabeth Larkham in San Francisco and other master teachers.

What inspired you to train to be a Pilates teacher? When I saw the positive affects it had on both my injury and body and felt the calming almost meditative effects it had on my active mind, I was hooked and decided to teacher train.

What inspired you to become a teacher trainer? People started to ask me to train them. They wanted to do the work and help others experience what they too had experienced.

Have there been any amusing moments whilst working as a teacher trainer? I was working with a well-known celebrity client but as I did not have a television at the time I had not realised who she was and asked her what she did for living! She was very sweet about it. The students thought it funny.

What was your most poignant teacher training moment so far? I had a student Kate who was so full of life and she had this unique way of learning the technique and making it her own, She taught me the joy of teaching and how the work can be delivered in a fun and interactive way, a change to the serious style of delivery I previously had. Kate passed away with cancer but her joy still touches my heart.

What has been you most rewarding teacher training experience? "All of it ...even the tough times!"