OPTIONS PILATES STUDIO HONG KONG
Pilates Instructor Course
Are you interested in becoming a certified Pilates instructor?
At OptionsPilates, we provide a comprehensive suite of Pilates courses and certifications through Pilates Academy International, a globally recognized institution based in New York. Our programs include:
- 40-hour Matwork courses (All Populations Mat or APM)
- 50-hour Reformer courses (All Populations Reformer or APR)
- 50-hour Full Studio courses (All Populations Cadillac, Chair, and Barrels or APCCB)
- Advanced Courses (APM II, APR II, APCCB II)
- Rehab Workshops
- Pre/Post-Natal Workshops
- A variety of workshops and continuing education courses
Since 2007, we have certified hundreds of Pilates instructors who now teach in Singapore and across Asia. Many of our graduates have gone on to open their own studios or become Master Trainers. As Asia’s largest and most reputable Pilates training center, we offer diverse courses and workshops every year. In addition to Pilates certifications, we also provide supplementary courses to keep instructors current with the industry’s latest developments.
Which course do I take first?
To begin your certification journey with Pilates Academy International (PAI), your first step is the Anatomy Workshop, also known as Anatomy, Biomechanics, and Posture Analysis (ABP).
This foundational workshop is mandatory for all first-time participants in PAI courses. It covers essential topics like the structure of the human body, including bones, muscles, and joints. Completing this workshop will prepare you for subsequent courses such as All Populations Mat (APM), All Populations Reformer (APR), and Cadillac, Chair, and Barrels (CCB).
After completing the ABP workshop, we recommend starting with the All Populations Mat (APM) course, as it lays the groundwork for all Pilates exercises. However, you may also choose to take the All Populations Reformer (APR) course first, depending on your interests and goals.
Courses can be taken in the following order:
ABP → APM I → APR I → APCCB I → APM II → APR II → APCCB II
How to register
To register your interest for courses, please fill the form at the bottom of this page.
Course requirements
To successfully complete our courses and receive certification, students must fulfill the following requirements:
Attendance:
- Mandatory Attendance: Students must attend all scheduled training hours.
- Missed Hours:
- If any hours are missed, students must arrange a private review session with the master trainer to make up for them.
- The private review fee is $1250 per hour.
- Private review sessions are more efficient and may require fewer hours than the group sessions missed.
- The required make-up hours will be determined by the master trainer based on the student’s knowledge and learning pace.
- Missing more than 12 hours of a course requires auditing the entire course during the next available session.
- Course auditing is subject to availability, and if the course is full, it may be streamed online.
- Students can audit courses as many times as needed, provided there is space available.
Outside class requirements:
To qualify for the exam, students must complete the following:
Observation hours:Observe classes, private sessions, or videos from the PAI website (maximum 5 hours). Attending a class does not count as observation.
Practice teaching: Practice teaching the exercises verbally to another person to build teaching proficiency.
Personal study hours: Study the exercises in depth, including design, modifications, breath patterns, and muscle involvement. Attending classes can count as personal study hours. These hours must be logged.
Certification Test Preparation
- All outside class hours must be logged and submitted on the day of the test.
- Students are not eligible to take the certification test until all attendance and outside class requirements are fulfilled.
| Course | Class | Practice Teaching | Observation | Personal Review | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anatomy, Biomechanics & Posture Analysis | 12 | 12 | |||
| All Populations Mat I | 40 | 25 | 15 | 15 | 95 |
| All Populations Reformer I | 50 | 50 | 20 | 30 | 150 |
| All Populations Cadillac I | 25 | 20 | 10 | 15 | 70 |
| All Populations Chair I | 15 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 55 |
| All Populations Barrel I | 10 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 24 |
| All Populations Mat II | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 20 |
| All Populations Reformer II | 20 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 50 |
| All Populations Cadillac II | 10 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 25 |
| All Populations Chair II | 10 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 25 |
| All Populations Barrel II | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 11 |
Mentorship Program
To qualify to take the exam, students must complete all observation, practice teaching, and personal study hours. We strongly encourage students to participate in our Mentorship Program, which provides comprehensive support to meet these requirements.
The Mentorship Program includes:
- Observation: Watching an instructor teach a session (subject to client approval).
- Practice Teaching: Using the studio space to practice teaching.
- Personal Study: Participating in group classes to study and analyze exercises.
The Mentorship Program is available exclusively to Options Pilates course students for a monthly fee of $2140
For students who do not wish to enroll in the full Mentorship Program, the following individual packages are available:
- 10 Hours of Observation: $1070
- 10 Hours of Studio Usage: $1250
Certification Exam and Fees
To achieve certification, students must complete the certification exam within one year of the final day of their course.
Exam Timing:
If more than one year has passed, students are required to schedule a review session with a certifying instructor to ensure they are prepared. The review will cover study progress and retention of course material.
Exam Components
All Populations Level I Courses:
- Includes both a written exam and a practical exam.
- A minimum score of 80% is required to pass the written portion.
- The practical portion is graded on a pass/fail basis.
- All Populations Level II Courses:
- Includes only a practical exam.
- The practical portion is also graded on a pass/fail basis.
| COURSE | COURSE PRICE | EXAM PRICE |
|---|---|---|
| Anatomy Biomechanics and Posture Analysis | HK$3500 | HK$720 |
| All Populations Mat I | HK$11210 | HK$2140 |
| All Populations Reformer I | HK$15660 | HK$2500 |
| All Populations Chair, Cadillac & Barrels I | HK$15660 | HK$3210 / 1550 each |
| Mat Progressions / Challenge APM II | HK$2440 | HK$2200 |
| Reformer Progressions/Challenge APR II | HK$8250 | HK$2200 |
| CCB Progressions/Challenge APCCB II | HK$9490 | HK$3980 |
| Retake 1 Exam | HK$840 | |
| Retake 2 Exams | HK$1490 |
| DATE | DAYS | TIME | COURSE TITLE | SPACE AVAILABLE | STATUS | Master Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education Schedule 2025 | ||||||
| QUARTER 1 | ||||||
| 12 Jan | SUN | 3PM | Education Info Session | Yes | Completed | Katrina |
| 15 - 16 Feb | SAT - SUN | 12PM - 6PM | Anatomy Bio-mechanics and Posture Analysis (HKD 3500) - 12 hrs | Yes | Completed | Erick |
| 17 Feb - 20 Feb 22 - 25 Feb | MON - THU SAT-TUE | 1PM - 6PM | All Populations Mat (HKD 11210) - 40 hrs | Yes | Completed | Erick |
| 26 Feb | WED | 1PM - 5PM | Pre/post Natal Workshop (HKD 1900) - 4 hrs | Yes | Completed | Erick |
| QUARTER 2 | ||||||
| 3 - 4 Apr | THURS - FRI | 12PM - 6PM | Anatomy Bio-mechanics and Posture Analysis (HKD 3500) - 12 hrs | Yes | Completed | Morven |
| 5 - 8 Apr | SAT - TUES | 1PM - 6PM | All Populations Mat (HKD 11210) - 40 hrs | Yes | Completed | Morven |
| 10 - 13 Apr | THURS - SUN | 1PM - 6PM | All Populations Mat (HKD 11210) - continued | Yes | Completed | Morven |
| QUARTER 3 | ||||||
| 2 Aug - 3 Aug | SAT - SUN | 12PM - 6PM | Anatomy Bio-mechanics and Posture Analysis (HKD 3500) - 12 hrs | Yes | Scheduled | Morven |
| 4 Aug - 7 Aug | MON - THUR | 1PM - 6PM | All Populations Mat (HKD 11210) - 40 hrs | Yes | Scheduled | Morven |
| 9 Aug - 12 Aug | SAT - TUE | 1PM - 6PM | All Populations Mat (HKD 11210) - continued | Yes | Scheduled | Morven |
| QUARTER | ||||||
| 1 Nov - 2 Nov | SAT - SUN | 12PM - 6PM | Anatomy Bio-mechanics and Posture Analysis (HKD 3500) - 12 hrs | Yes | Scheduled | Katrina |
| 3 Nov - 6 Nov | MON - THURS | 1PM - 6PM | All Populations Reformer (HKD 15660) - 50 hrs | Yes | Scheduled | Katrina |
| 8 Nov - 13 Nov | SAT - THURS | 1PM - 6PM | All Populations Reformer (HKD 15660) - continued | Yes | Scheduled | Katrina |
| 15 Nov | SAT | 12PM - 4PM | Pre/post Natal Workshop (HKD 1900) - 4 hrs | Yes | Scheduled | Katrina |
Course Descriptions
ABP (Anatomy, Biomechanics & Posture)
APM I
What makes great buildings? Great foundations! This course teaches the first three tiers of the Pilates Mat repertoire and how to modify exercises for all age groups and fitness levels. Emphasis is placed on maintaining variety and providing small challenges while safely progressing a client in order to avoid monotony. Students leave the course confident and capable of creating safe and effective workouts for today’s diverse client. 68 Exercises.APR I
APCCB I
This course must be preceded by the All Populations Mat course. Students will learn the first three tiers of exercises on the cadillac, chair, spine corrector and ladder barrel, and, more importantly, how to incorporate the barrel into a client's workout, and use it as a support or a challenge, depending on the exercise. Emphasis will be placed on the benefits of Cadillac exercises as stepping stones to more challenging exercises and utilizing chair and how to integrate this often under-used piece of equipment into clients' workout routines.Advanced Courses (APM II, APR II, APCCB II)
Other Courses & Continuing Education
Pre and Post-Rehabilitative Pilates
Teaching injured or deconditioned clients requires a different approach to the session and a different mindset throughout the client’s attendance. This course outlines the protocol for teaching post-rehabilitative clients, from the initial meeting and first session to ongoing sessions and a return to recreational activities. Key concepts and definitions of injuries, post-rehabilitation and healing are covered. Students will be taught the benchmarks to hit before progressing a client to more challenging exercises and the importance of maintaining a dialogue with the client’s treating physician(s). Anatomy is reviewed in terms of local stabilizers, global stabilizers and global mobilizers so that students both learn the terms used by physical therapists as well as understand how to safely progress these clients. Prerequisite: APM
Post-Rehabilitation: The Sacrum and Lumbar Spine
Subjected to forces from both the upper body, and lower body, the sacrum and lumbar spine are critical structures for maintaining healthy biomechanics of the entire body. This course first reviews the anatomy of the lumbo-pelvic region in terms of local stabilizers, global stabilizers and global mobilizers. Then, common injuries to the area along with suggested protocol for teaching are discussed. Finally, exercises specific to post-rehabilitating the lumbo-pelvic region are reviewed or taught on all equipment.
Prerequisite: APM, Foundations of Post-Rehabilitative Pilates
Post-Rehabilitation: The Cervical Spine and Shoulder
Though separate structures, the neck and shoulder are closely linked biomechanically, and thus are considered together in this course. Anatomy of the head, neck and shoulder is reviewed with special attention not only to the local stabilizers, global stabilizers and global mobilizers, but also to the muscles that cross the cervical spine and scapula and those that stabilize the shoulder joint. Common injuries to the neck and shoulder are covered along with suggested protocol for insuring a safe Pilates’ experience. Exercises on all equipment specific to post-rehabilitating the cervical spine and shoulder girdle are taught.
Prerequisite: APM, Foundations of Post-Rehabilitative Pilates
Post-Rehabilitation: Hip, Knee, Ankle and Foot
Healthy biomechanics of the lower extremity are essential to everyone as bipedal human beings carrying on our daily activities! For instance, gait abnormalities (problems with walking) due to any pain or injury in the hip, knee, ankle or foot may lead to even greater problems in the lumbo-pelvic region and spine. Anatomy of the lower extremity is reviewed with regards to local stabilizers, global stabilizers and global mobilizers and common injuries to the lower extremity are discussed. Most importantly, exercises for the hip, knee, ankle and foot are taught on all equipment with close attention to modifications that may be necessary.
Prerequisite: APM, Foundations of Post-Rehabilitative Pilates