:: Body Control Pilates ::Standards

Body Control Pilates is proud to be the first specialist Pilates training provider to receive formal approval against the UK national standard for Pilates that was introduced in August 2005. This means that students graduating from the Body Control Pilates matwork teacher training course will now automatically be recognised as meeting that standard and that they will be eligible to gain entry onto the Register of Exercise Professionals as a Pilates Teacher (Level 3: Advanced Instructor). A ‘Level 3’ Pilates qualification is now a precondition for entry onto the Register as a Pilates teacher.

The approval from SkillsActive also means that existing teachers who are members of the Body Control Pilates Association may also now apply for recognition against the standard. Almost all UK-based Body Control Pilates are expected to join the Register of Exercise Professionals in the first quarter of 2006.

Within the space of ten years, Pilates has gone from being the exclusive preserve of the rich and famous to becoming one of the most popular exercise regimes in the world today. It is estimated that 25 million people now take regular Pilates classes in the US and that more than 1 million people do the same here in the UK.

With this massive increase in demand for classes, leading Pilates groups and government bodies working with the exercise industry have recognised the urgent need for a formal national standard that ensures the quality and safety of Pilates teaching and which helps Pilates enthusiasts check that their teacher is properly qualified. This standard, which is endorsed by SkillsActive and the Register of Exercise Professionals, came into effect in August 2005. It is increasingly becoming the benchmark for Pilates teaching.

The national standard, which sits within the National Occupational Standards framework) covers the teaching of Pilates matwork in groups or on a ‘one to one basis’ and requires that all student teachers are given comprehensive training in the theory and background of Pilates; that they undertake an extended period of practical, supervised training; and that they are also able to assess clients and adapt exercises to the particular needs of that client.

The goal is simple: to ensure that your Pilates teacher has the knowledge and skills to teach classes in a safe, enjoyable and effective way so that everyone, regardless of their level, can benefit from Pilates exercises.

The Body Control Pilates Association has led the way in the process with its teacher training course becoming one of the first to be formally approved against the standard. The majority of its existing teachers have also undertaken additional training to meet the requirements of the rigorous standard.

It is strongly recommended that, when starting or even when continuing with Pilates classes, you check that your teacher is a member of an established Pilates organisation and that they are recognised against the new ‘Level 3’ Pilates standard – you can do this by consulting the Pilates Register maintained by the Register of Exercise Professionals at www.exerciseregister.org

Lynne Robinson, a director of the Body Control Pilates Association and a member of the Standard Working Group, said: “This standard is a major milestone for Pilates worldwide. Pilates organisations in the UK have spent several years helping to develop its content and the result will be hugely beneficial for Pilates enthusiasts across the country. This standard, and the list of qualified teachers on the Register, will significantly help to ensure the quality, safety and effectiveness of Pilates teaching. I wholeheartedly support this important initiative.”

The Body Control Pilates Association is Europe’s largest professional body for Pilates teachers with more than 750 current members. All have completed a comprehensive training in, at a minimum, Pilates matwork and are governed by a Code of Practice related to teaching and to professional ethics. All Body Control Pilates teachers undertake continued learning courses each year to retain their membership.

The Register details the names of Pilates teachers who have met the requirements of the new ‘level 3’ standard for Pilates in the UK. It is administered by the Register of Exercise Professionals and will be available online (at www.exerciseregister.org) from late February 2006.

Update issued December 2005

Body Control Pilates is the first UK Pilates teacher training provider to submit its Basic Matwork Course for approval at Level 3.

The UK’s major Pilates organisations and training providers have, for many years, supported the need for a national standard in Pilates. Such a standard is considered vital in helping to ensure the quality and safety of teaching in the Pilates Method, thereby continuing to protect the excellent reputation that Pilates enjoys today.

After three years of preparatory work, we are very pleased to confirm that a new national standard for Pilates came into effect in August 2005.

This was ratified by the Qualifications Curriculum Authority (QCA) and will be overseen by SkillsActive (the Sector Skills Council for Active Leisure and Learning) and the Register of Exercise Professionals. The standard sits at Level 3 in the national qualifications’ framework.

Any organisation that provides a Pilates teacher training faculty in the United Kingdom will be able to apply for recognition of its courses against this standard and it is strongly recommended that, if you are about to embark on a career as a Pilates teacher, you train with an organisation whose course has either been ratified at Level 3 or which is in the process of applying. Typically, a ‘Level 3 course’ should comprise around 100 hours of classroom tuition with a further 50 hours of supervised teaching and an additional element of ‘self study’. You should expect that a Level 3 course will, in total, require about 250 hours of your time from commencement to certification.

Pilates teachers graduating from approved courses will then be eligible to apply for inclusion on the Pilates section of The Register of Exercise Professionals (www.exerciseregister.org). The Register is the recommended information source for both club operators and members of the public, who may wish to check a Pilates teacher’s credentials in terms of training qualifications and professional development.

Existing Pilates teachers can also apply for inclusion on the Register as long as their original training course is assessed as meeting the standard, or if they have upgraded their knowledge through approved courses or workshops. Teachers must have continued to develop their knowledge and teaching skills through a programme of continued professional development.

In October 2005, the Body Control Pilates Academy submitted its course for approval at Level 3. It was the first UK Pilates teacher training provider to do this and we now await the outcome of this submission, expected in January 2006. As part of this process, we have introduced some minor amendments to the content and procedures of our course – these took effect from all courses commencing in October 2005.

Body Control Pilates is committed to retaining its position as Europe’s foremost provider of Pilates teacher training and wholeheartedly supports the new standard.

Following an extensive consultation process with Pilates organisations, Pilates teachers, trainers and employers across the UK, SkillsActive is pleased to finally launch the new standard for Pilates – a first for the industry within the UK.

Now official approval has been received, the industry will enjoy a Pilates specific standard that will be recognised across the whole of the health and fitness industry, and can now be used to work towards membership of the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs) at Level 3.

Lee Buck, SkillsActive’s qualifications and standards officer said; “We are so pleased that these standards have now been approved. The whole process has been years in the making and could not have been achieved without the support of many Pilates training organisations, Pilates experts, teachers and employers; without them the development of the standard would not have happened.

“This is a huge step forward for the fitness industry, we will be able to recognise Pilates training providers who deliver quality training that meets the nationally agreed standards and in turn this will allow fitness professionals to access quality training in the discipline of Pilates leading to an upskilling of the workforce.”

Lynne Robinson, director Body Control Pilates Association said; “This standard is a major milestone for Pilates worldwide. Pilates organisations in the UK have spent several years helping to develop its content and the result will be hugely beneficial for Pilates enthusiasts across the country. This standard, and the list of qualified teachers on the Register, will significantly help to ensure the quality, safety and effectiveness of Pilates teaching. I wholeheartedly support this important initiative.”

The approval of the standard will lead to the recognition of qualified and skilled Pilates professionals across the UK. There are several organisations around the world that have developed a certification process for Pilates professionals, however SkillsActive is the first to have consulted with the industry to develop National Occupational Standards for Pilates.

Michael King from the Pilates Institute said; “Pilates Institute welcomes the new Level 3 Pilates Qualification as now instructors who have been doing ongoing comprehensive training can be acknowledged and fully represented within the industry.”

REPs registrar, Cliff Collins said; The Register of Exercise Professionals is looking forward to working closely with the leading Pilates training providers to help make sure the hundreds of Pilates teachers can join REPs. These Level 3 Standards are an important addition to the qualification structure which will help enable operators and members of the public to understand and identify which Pilates teachers who are properly qualified.”