What to look for in your Level 3 Matwork Pilates training provider

The Level 3 Matwork Pilates Diploma is the entry level qualification in the UK and it guarantees that your course meets minimum requirements.

It's what most gyms and health clubs like David Lloyd, Virgin Active and Everybody Active, as well as independent Pilates studios will want instructors to have so that a minimum knowledge and skill level is met.

BUT just because an instructor has gained a Level 3 Mat Pilates certificate doesn't mean they are actually any good at teaching!

It goes without saying that not all courses are created equal, but what you may not be aware of is that not all courses will actually teach the same content beyond the national occupational standard requirements. So whilst there are an abundance of companies offering a 'level 3 Mat Pilates diploma' they are not all teaching the same content!

Are you even learning what you think you're learning?

Most Pilates Matwork courses are actually "pilates-based" matwork which means you're not learning the Pilates method and you're not learning all of the original Pilates exercises.

With Classical Pilates training courses you'll be learning the original Pilates matwork but you'll likely only learn beginner exercises and then have to go back again to learn more. You'll not learn how to modify and adapt exercises to suit individuals just on the mat, but rather using the Pilates apparatus, so it's not necessarily transferrable to most mat Pilates scenarios.

On our course you will learn all of the traditional Pilates repertoire that Joseph Pilates taught on the mat. You'll also learn how to modify and adapt exercises to teach all kinds of different people on the mat so you can teach mixed groups of people effortlessly.

Will you know how to program Mat Pilates group classes and one-to-one sessions?

If you attend a Classical Pilates training course the chances are you won't learn how to program different group classes. You'll likely be taught to teach the Classical order to individuals and maybe small groups. You'll not learn different programming methods and strategies especially for groups.

Many contemporary Pilates education companies will not help much with programming either, or they'll be heavy on either groups or 1-to-1 and ignore the rest. You'll learn very basic movements.

On our course you will learn different programming techniques and have the skills to program group and 1-to-1 specific classes for all kinds of different people. You'll know how to confidently teach mixed groups of clients in an inclusive way. Everyone will feel part of the group!

Will you learn how to teach and end the course confident to do so?

Most contemporary courses teach you how to pass an assessment, not how to actually teach in real life! You'll spend your time teaching other course attendees without ever teaching anyone outside of that.

Classical training courses are usually apprenticeships where you'll come together for a weekend, learn some exercises and then have a couple of months in which to complete required hours in the studio, observing, practising and teaching clients before coming back to learn more.

With us you get the best of both whilst not taking a year to complete everything.

You'll start teaching the average person immediately and be expected to complete observation of real classes, personal practice hours as well as practice teaching hours whilst evaluating your progress to identify your strengths and areas to improve. You'll also teach each other, giving and receiving feedback to enhance your learning as well as receive feedback from your tutor.

Are you learning relevant, up-to-date content?

Pilates is Pilates and it has been since Joseph created it in the 1920s. But scientific research has advanced which means what we say, reasoning and how we teach needs to be current with the best available latest research.

This has become a bit of a buzz right now and lots of people are saying their courses are grounded in research which on the face of it sounds good, but they are still teaching you to palpate peoples' bodies to see if their bones are wonky all in the name of 'fixing people' and keeping them 'safe'.

Guess what, just as our faces are asymmetrical, so are our skeletons! Science has progressed. What scientific papers (good quality systematic reviews) do they cite? When are they from? I can bet that many are still citing papers from the 1990s/2000s... that's 25+ years ago!

Fixing posture...

Neutral spine...

Engage your pelvic floor...

Do you know why 'bracing' your core is rarely the best thing to do?

Pain science has developed so much too and if the training provider haven't updated their content or way of teaching for years they are perpetuating false narratives and doing a disservice not only to learners but also people attending their classes. And so the cycle continues.

We use the latest scientific evidence as a backbone to the content we teach, and that goes for teaching methods too. We look at the optimal theory for motor learning (aka how to teach movement effectively) and that is infused into both what we teach course as well as how we teach you to teach.

Do you want to be a fearless teacher?

Someone who is confident in helping people to move in a way that is fun and doesn't put fear into how their are moving? Maybe we have the course for you!

We are a YMCA Awards approved training centre for both Level 3 Matwork Pilates and Level 3 Reformer Pilates.

We offer Mat Pilates training fully online (recorded and live sessions on Zoom) as well as blended learning (recorded online and live in person) training courses across the UK for Mat Pilates, Reformer Pilates, Tower and Cadillac, Chairs and Barrels (Luton, Harpenden, Guildford, Glasgow, Cambridge, Stockport, Watford, Manchester, Sheffield, Chichester, Southsea).

You can choose to learn the full Pilates Method with us over time, or just pick up the element that you love the most.

Check out the mat course details here and get in touch if you have any questions.

You won't get a hard sell from us. What you will get is support to become the best Pilates instructor you can be if our course is the right choice for you.