Why does being Classically trained matter?

I was recently trying to help a friend find a studio close to his work and he said,

“There’s so much Pilates being offered - Why is it so hard to find classically trained instructors?”

Now, not everybody cares about this - that’s ok!

For us, it is an important distinction.

We LIKE being able to trace our lineage back to the source - If we’re going to call ourselves Pilates teachers, it’s important that we are actually learning (and therefore, teaching) work that has been passed down from Joseph Pilates himself.

So again, in a world of so much Pilates, why is it so hard to find a Classically trained teacher and why does that matter?

A.) It’s time intensive and expensive.

B.) Pilates is unregulated.

Keep reading for what that means, to us!

A.) It’s time intensive and expensive.

To become trained in a Classical program usually costs between $6,500-$10,000 and over 500+ hours of training, practicing, and apprenticing to understand how to understand and move different types of bodies through space safely.

We’re talking able bodies - weekend warriors unite!

But we’re also talking pregnant bodies, herniated disc bodies, knee replacement bodies, dancing bodies, surfing bodies, aging bodies - all of these bodies need intelligent movement that exercise the full body, from the feet to the head and neck.

The Classical System address all of this, from it’s built-in diagnostics to the super advanced exercises.

It is what all exercise is - for the mind, for the body, for the nervous system - designed to make you feel better in your body.

But ultimately, learning this particular system of understanding and caring for different types of bodies and minds takes presence.

It takes passion. It takes time. It takes skill.

And, because of the presence and passion of teachers, Pilates has garnered an amazing reputation for being fun, helpful, and personalized.

EVERYONE wants to do it.

The unfortunate part of being time intensive and expensive is that people search for other ways to get what they want.

Which leads us to the (somewhat unfortunate) fact that…

B.) Pilates is unregulated.

There is actually a lawsuit around this, but essentially what this means is that literally anybody could create a training program, open a studio and hire instructors, and call it Pilates.

And because of Point A above, and the popularity of Pilates… they do.

So then you have a Pilates studio, and/or a Pilates training center, on every corner -

and essentially, they could just be making it up as they go along.

Capitalism!?

These reasons are why it is so important for us to differentiate ourselves as a studio that has teachers who are Classically trained.

In our studio, each instructor can trace their lineage directly back to the source - Joseph Pilates himself.

He created a system that emphasizes proper order and progression of movement exercise.

He also emphasized that each exercise be used with discretion - the RIGHT exercise at the RIGHT time for the RIGHT body.

It’s very personalized, and our sessions highlight that.

The system is our foundation - it’s our guiding light for assessing what each body needs and how to best offer that information.

When we leave that foundation behind… well, then anything goes.

—Think of it like your favorite pasta sauce recipe - things get changed over time.

Quality ingredients become hard to find, and people don’t have as much time to simmer the sauce. —

You’ve got the essence of Pilates… but the real McCoy can be hard to find.

Maybe you’re asking… how will I know if my teacher / studio is classically aligned?

WE WILL TELL YOU, lol.

Classically-aligned studios often emphasize teaching lineage, and where we received our training - on our websites, on our instagrams, you can even tell with the type of quality equipment we use. (Yes, this matters to us.)

You also might not care.

And that’s ok. There’s movement for everyone out there!

To those who do, we’re here for you.

Our ethos: To provide quality, classically-aligned Pilates that is taught with integrity, depth, and clarity.

We do this in private sessions.

We do this with our small group mat classes.

We do this in our Reformer/Tower Semi-Privates (trios).

We’re small but mighty - this allows us to teach the Method the way it was intended - tailored to you.

And you’ll feel the difference.

See more about the team and your movement options here - and high-five, we can’t wait to move with you!