KEY POINTS:
Costs: Mat work course $2200, equipment course $2600, or both for $4500
Starting salary: Studios pay teachers between $25-$30 an hour for private classes, between $40-$60 an hour for a class lesson.
Prerequisites: Applicants should have a background in movement, exercise, dance and/or a related physical therapy. They should also attend regular Pilates classes.
Course dates: Mat class June 18 (closes May 20, maximum 16 people). Equipment class October 8, (closes Sept 8, maximum of eight).
Pilates exercise classes use a method of body work developed by Joseph Pilates more than 80 years ago. It combines breathing, stretching, posture and movement control, and aims to improve the body's strength and flexibility, toning muscles while maintaining correct posture and awareness.
Research and development of the Pilates method and apparatus have made it a safe method of body conditioning and rehabilitation. Absolute Pilates on Auckland's Eden Terrace is one of several studios in New Zealand training teachers.
Suna Pilates at Takapuna also runs courses; and some studios bring in overseas tutors to provide ongoing training for their instructors.
Absolute Pilates offers mat work and equipment courses for teachers. Students can complete just the mat course, as preparation for group work in the gym situation, or they can continue to the equipment class which readies them for working in private studios and one-one-one, using equipment. The courses gives trainees a sound knowledge of the Pilates technique and a comprehensive understanding of the body and its functions.
This allows trainers to adapt to a variety of teaching situations, from a busy advanced mat class, to a private remedial session.
The mat work course runs over 12 weeks and the equipment course for 10 weeks. Instructor Clare Luiten, who completed her teaching certificate in London under the endorsement of The Pilates Foundation UK, says the part-time course is staggered over days, evenings and weekends. "They could fit the training around a job, but it's a lot of work," says Luiten.
Another 10 weeks of teaching practice is needed for teachers to be competent. The courses are not NZQA-recognised and Luiten is keen to pursue this accreditation, however she thinks it would need the involvement of a bigger training institution to get a standard national qualification.
THE GRADUATE
Tru Paraha (32)
Rehabilitation and movement specialist, Absolute Pilates
Graduated in July 2006
When I was training in Wellington at the NZ School of Dance I attended Pilates sessions to rehabilitate from a knee injury. I never forgot the value of those sessions. Joseph Pilates had a strong association with the dance community of his day in New York and it has been utilised by dancers, athletes and sports people since the early 1900s.
Clare offered me the chance to train with her. She and I were at dance school together and she was aware of my interest in training under the Pilates method.
The job involves developing a relationship and understanding with your clients. It requires empathy and sensitivity to people's needs. You need a strong knowledge of anatomy and physiology as it applies to the Pilates method and practical application. You also need to be aware of the requirements of people who may be injured, pregnant, elderly or coping with certain physical limitations.
As well as comprehensive training, Absolute Pilates provides ongoing personal development and mentoring for its instructors. The course is ideal for dancers and sports people who already have a strong kinesthetic awareness and interest in bodywork. It is a great way to complement an active lifestyle while enabling you to educate yourself further in the art and science of movement. In the 21st century the wellness and health industry is going to be inundated with people seeking this kind of service; and we can improve people's lives through a healthy and holistic experience.
THE EMPLOYER
Clare Luiten
Company director and instructor
I went to school with Trudi and we were both dancers. She has an excellent approach to movement and body awareness - that really helps.
And she's got good communication skills. She has a different method of teaching to me, even though I trained her, particularly now she is finding her own feet and how she wants to do it. She is original and uses her initiative. To be a good Pilates teacher you need a genuine interest in people, to help them with their injuries and things. A lot of people aren't confident in their own bodies. You need to understand how to put yourself in their place. Teachers also have to know how to self-manage. Trudi knows the method now, so she can get a job anywhere.
She also has a heap of knowledge behind her from working with people.
