OPTIONS PILATES STUDIO HONG KONG

We've scheduled courses in Hong Kong from 2025 onwards. Please send us an email at [email protected] or register using either of the forms at the bottom of the page for more updates and information.

PILATES INSTRUCTOR COURSE FAQ

Who can take a Pilates instructor course?

Students on our courses come from many backgrounds, including:

• Enthusiasts who want to change career or work part-time
• Gym Instructors/ Personal Trainers
• Physiotherapists and other Physical Clinicians looking to add to their knowledge of rehabilitation possibilities
• Retiring or semi-retired Dancers and Movement Professionals
• Pilates enthusiasts who simply want to learn more

If you are interested in a career as a Pilates Instructor you can work independently as a Certified Mat Pilates Instructor or you can go further to become a Reformer Instructor at a studio or gym, or even a Fully Certified Instructor, qualified to teach clients on all the Pilates equipment.

Many of our graduates decide to buy a Reformer or other equipment and work from home teaching just a few clients daily.

It is beneficial for personal trainers to take the Matwork course in order to add to their skill set for working with clients, especially clients with postural issues.

And of course lots of our students end up working for us. We even offer sponsorship for those who make a commitment to us early on.

What courses are available?

Student Pilates Instructors and fitness enthusiasts can learn to teach both 1-on-1 and group classes using the following Pilates equipment:
• Mat – including a large variety of props for modifications and interest
• Reformer – the best known traditional piece of Pilates equipment
• Cadillac – useful for rehab, clients with special requirements and everyone from beginners to the highly experienced
• Chair – in terms of efficiency this is the most versatile piece of Pilates equipment
• Barrels – including the Arc Barrel, Spine Corrector and gymnastic Ladder Barrel
• Jungles Sports Suspension Training

All courses are split into levels, Advanced is taken separately.

Post Rehabilitative Pilates and Special Conditions Certification can follow each and any course or can be done in one go when you’ve completed all the courses.

What If I’ve done some courses already?

If you’ve already taken some courses with other Pilates methods you can join one of our crossover courses. If you’ve taken IMP, IR or ICCB with Stott Pilates or courses with Polestar or Balanced Body you can automatically qualify to take further courses with us or to take your exam just by taking one of our Crossover Courses.

As you probably know, we were the largest Stott Pilates Licensed Training Centre in Asia for many years – if you were one of our students contact us for special deals and complimentary offers on cross-over courses, exams and workshops. Education - Crossover Courses

How do I get certified?

How can I get regular updates?

Who teaches the courses?

Where are the courses held?

How can I find out more about the courses?

Where can I find course schedules?

Do you have any part time courses available for people who have a full time job?

Are there any discounts for taking more than 1 course?

How do I register for a course?

Are you under the Merrithew Pilates license? What is the difference between Stott and PAI?

PAI and Stott Pilates are both brands of modern Pilates. Stott Pilates is the name of the style from Merrithew Corporation.

The biggest difference between PAI and Stott is the way the courses are structured.

In PAI, different "levels/ tiers" are sequential, which makes it easy for the student to learn. With Stott you learn 1 exercise and up to 10 modifications from beginner all the way through to advanced, which many may find quite complicated (as well as a lot to remember all at once).

With PAI you learn the movements in tiers; for example in APM I, you learn tiers 1, 2 and 3. You will learn tiers 4, 5 in APM II. In practice, instructors tend to use a lot more of the Tier 1 and 2 movements with clients, and fewer of the more advanced movements. For this reason, we think doing a deeper dive in tiers 1, 2 and 3 is really important, especially if your goal is to become a better instructor - that’s why PAI has separated the courses.

Of course, as an instructor, you may want to get certified in the more advanced levels for personal interest and benefit. But in practical terms, it is very unlikely that you will use as many of the advanced movements in your teaching.

PAI also teaches more about which muscles are being used and why, and each exercise has a goal which is listed in the manual for each exercise (plus any contraindications). Stott does not publish this information in their manual.

Considering how much the student is supposed to know about muscles and joints, we feel that PAI’s ABP course (anatomy workshop) is an excellent addition – it even forms part of the practical exam. ABP is a 2 day workshop and, as we have already mentioned, the information you learn during the course is crucial for passing the practical exam, so it really is essential to becoming a Pilates instructor. There is no compulsory anatomy component with Stott, and the postural analysis is only 1 session of the whole course (4 hours) making it less comprehensive.

I plan to teach abroad after my certification. Is there a difference between being certified under PAI and other schools? Are they all recognized equally worldwide?

Yes, both are internationally recognized certification centres, and both fall under the ‘Modern Pilates’ category.

PAI was founded by two highly experienced ex-STOTT instructors and the style is very similar. STOTT is more well-known because it is easy to become a STOTT hosting center, and the STOTT name became more widely recognised on their branded Pilates equipment.

The styles and movements are similar but the way the courses are structured is quite different. You can learn more about the differences in the answer to the previous question.

Is the anatomy workshop with PAI compulsory?

If I took an anatomy workshop at another studio is it valid with PAI?

If I take Pilates lessons at your studio, do I still need to take ABP (Anatomy, Biomechanics, Posture)?

Are there any pre-requisites (e.g. minimum number of Pilates lessons taken) before the training course?

There is no pre-requisite for the training course, but it will definitely help if you have done Pilates before.

It’s easier to get started with the courses when you are familiar with some of the Pilates and anatomy terms, rather than having to start by learning a lot of new words from scratch. It also takes few classes to get the hang of Pilates (how to engage certain muscles, "correct posture" for certain movements, pelvic placement etc).

If you have never done Pilates, we would encourage you to take some classes. It goes without saying that a private 1-on-1 session would be much better than attending a group class, since your instructor can immediately correct your position if you're doing the movement incorrectly, and give you their undivided attention for the full session.

The main "job" of a Pilates instructor is to correct and guide the client to ensure they’re getting the most benefit from Pilates, so it’s very helpful if you have some knowledge of how Pilates is taught before taking the course.

In what order should I take the courses?

ABP (anatomy) is a pre-requisite for APM (mat) or APR (reformer).

We usually advise you to do ABP (anatomy) > APM (mat) > APR (reformer) > CCB (cadillac, chair, barrels)

But you can do ABP (anatomy) > APR (reformer) > APM (mat) > CCB (Cadillac, chair, barrels)

Lot of people decide to take APM (mat) before APR (reformer), because it’s a solid foundation for Pilates movements and terms and therefore can make subsequent courses easier to understand.

You must complete both APR (reformer) and APM (mat) before taking CCB (cadillac, chair, barrels).

You can take a certification exam at any stage, either for individual courses, or combined.

What if I miss a session during the course?

Ideally, students would not miss any of the scheduled sessions, however any sessions can be made up privately with an Instructor Trainer in your own time at a ratio of 2:1 hours. So if you missed, for example, 6 hours of the ABP training you would have to make up 3 hours privately with an IT at the rate of $160 per hour. Alternatively you can join the next course if you coordinate with us to ensure you attend the correct days. All our scheduled ABP workshops take place on weekends.