Consumer FAQs

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Everyone and anyone willing to dedicate themselves to regular Pilates sessions. It is as beneficial to the 14 year old as the 85 year old, men and women, the elite athlete to the physically challenged. The exercises are organized into beginner, intermediate, advanced, and super advanced workouts so that expert instructors can customize each session.

Pilates was originally created to help rehabilitate soldiers wounded in World War I and then later injured dancers. In fact, the modern day Reformer with its spring resistance and sliding carriage was developed to help patients exercise while they were bed-ridden. Where traditional methods of training tend to produce short, bulky muscles that are more prone to injury, Pilates elongates the spine, makes muscles more elastic and joints more flexible, which reduces the potential for injury. It's one of the reasons so many serious athletes practice Pilates.


Like most fitness regimens, you will only see results with regular, consistent practice. Optimally, you should work out two to four times a week - combining private sessions with mat classes. Within about 10 to 15 sessions you'll begin to understand and integrate the various Pilates principles in your body and start, to see and feel noticeable results - an increase in core strength, muscle tone, and flexibility and a general overall sense of well being.
A mat session may be done before a private (working with a trainer one on one). Private Sessions are a great way to get started in Pilates.
We do not accept insurance cards. If your insurance pays for Pilates sessions you will need to pay for the class and then submit the receipt to your insurance for reimbursement.
Our instructors are among some of the best in the industry.  As far as the term "better", that is a very subjective term.  One person's preference is not necessarily another's.  We do however; have instructors who are further along in the level that they are trained as well as instructors who have been teaching for a longer period than of time.
We will provide a Mat. Wear clothing you feel comfortable moving we recommend a drawstring sweatpants.
Yes.
Yes, 24 hours in advance for full refund in studio.  
Yes! Not only can Pilates ease lower back pain in a very short period of time but, often, the weaknesses that cause or result from it can be corrected. Pilates is designed to give greater stability to the spine by strengthening the muscles in the lower back and pelvis. Improving alignment and returning function to these areas alleviates pressure on the lumbar discs, which has been scientifically demonstrated to assuage back pain.
Your posture will improve so dramatically that your height will increase. Your spine will create space in between the vertebra allowing the discs to shift back into space.
Mat work is the most difficult form of Pilates to do correctly. All of the equipment utilized in Pilates was developed to assist clients in the mat exercises.
Although you will often work up a sweat, it's not the same as doing cardio workouts. It's a good idea to supplement with some sort of cardio to achieve a higher level of fitness in your everyday life (ie, Power Pilates OneShot or Indo-Row class).
Engaging in any exercise regime that you enjoy increases body awareness and self esteem, which are essential to weight loss. If you commit to Pilates, you will achieve a trimmer appearance, since the exercises are designed to build long lean muscles. Usually within 10 training sessions, people see significant changes flatter stomachs, lost inches, better posture. This kind of musculature increases calorie burning potential. Pilates also promotes deep and efficient respiration essential for burning calories and regenerating tissue. More advanced students who are able to execute more difficult exercises with greater efficiency find Pilates to be extremely aerobic.
Pilates trains the body from the inside out. You learn how to engage and stabilize the muscles of the core to initiate movement, rather than using movement to activate the muscles. During a Pilates session, the focus is on the quality of movement rather than repetitions, so that one leaves the studio feeling invigorated, rather than exhausted. Unlike other forms of exercise that encourage breaks between workouts, Pilates can be practiced every day. That's because Pilates is more than just a form of strength training; you work toward mind/body integration and educating the body  to move more efficiently.

Power Pilates recognized the brilliance of classical Pilates and the equally brilliant teachings of Romana but felt that there wasn't an organization of work to be able to pass on to the future generations of students and teachers. We broke the work down and organized it into systems and provided the teaching components needed for the instructor to learn how to teach, the why's of teaching and also the communication skills needed to make the experience of the consumer successful.  By breaking the course down into this manner we made the work more accessible to the teacher and in the end to the consumer.


There are different forms of Pilates. Power Pilates honors the teaching of Joseph Pilates making it classical while providing tools to learn the exercises and teach them which empower teacher and student mentally and physically.
Every move we make in our daily life - sitting, standing, walking, and lifting - is supported by the core muscles of the stomach, back and pelvis. Pilates, developed nearly a century ago by Joseph Pilates, is the most evolved system for strengthening these important core muscles. Pilates encompasses more than 500 controlled exercises on six pieces of apparatus and the mat. It relies on the interplay of mind, body, and spirit to achieve total fitness. Each exercise balances strength, stability, stretch, and stamina to improve posture, reduce stress, and create long, lean muscles.

Shopping FAQs

Instructor FAQs

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Take Pilates mat and apparatus classes at your local Power Pilates Training Center. The prerequisite for all our Teacher Training programs is the Beginner Mat program. This is your starting point regardless of your level of training.

Beginner Mat - 3 days

Intermediate Mat - 3 days

Advanced Mat - 2 days

Comprehensive - 6-9 months

System 1 - 2 months

System 2 - 2 months

System 3 - 6 weeks

Yes. Workshops that reinforce and support your classical Pilates education from other organizations may be approved. You must obtain prior approval to receive Power Pilates credits.   Please see our Certificate Renewal page for more information.

Certificates may be renewed online here: http://www.powerpilates.com/renew-certificate-online.html. Please see our Certificate Renewal page for more information.  Renewals are not accepted via phone or fax.

No. Your manual will be given to you on the first day of your training.

No.

Power Pilates does not provide liability insurance but we recommend Philadelphia Insurance Company. Please visit the website for more information http://www.phly.com/products/FWI_FitIndiv_Powerpilates.aspx

Yes. As long as your doctor thinks it's safe and you are healthy, we welcome pregnant woman in to the program. Please use your judgement and listen to your body.

No. Just bring yourself. Be prepared to move and learn.

Yes. We also recommend bringing a healthy snack and a reusable water bottle--you'll be working hard!

No. You must attend the entire program to earn your ABC.

Yes, for all apparatus programs.  Payment for Tower, Mat and System 3 programs is due in full at time of registration.

A deposit of 50% is due at time of registration for System 1 & 2 programs.  The remaining balance (plus surcharge) for System 1 & 2 programs is due in full before the second intensive weekend.  A surcharge of 5% applies for chosing the payment plan option. You will not be permitted to continue in the program if you owe a balance.  No exceptions.

For the Comprehensive program, a balance of 50% is due upon registration.  The remaining balance (plus surcharge) is due before the third weekend intensive.  A surcharge of 5% applies for chosing the payment plan option.  

Contact the Education Department at registration@powerpilates.com to learn more.

Yes. You will receive a confirmation email from Power Pilates upon registration with the program dates, times, location and study material.  If you do not recieve an email within 24 hours, please contact a Client Service Representative at 212.627.5695 or registration@powerpilates.com to confirm your registration went through.

Yes. Power Pilates offers mat and apparatus programs at Affiliate & Host Training Centers worldwide. The quality and curriculum will not differ by location.

The Systems training is the Comprehensive program divided into 3 parts, perfect for those individuals that require a more flexible schedule. The Comprehensive program requires a larger time commitment, including 600 apprentice hours over 6-9 months.

Yes. Power Pilates offers a workshop entitled Basics of Anatomy at many of our Continuing Education Conferences, as well as a downloadable version of this workshop at our online store.

Yes. Beginner Mat is a pre-requisite for all upper-level programs, regardless of previous training.  During the Beginner Mat program, in addition to introducing the 18 Beginner Mat exercise, we introduce Power Pilates Teaching Tools and "The Art of Teaching." This is the only time our toolkit will be explained in detail. Our teaching formula/philosophy isn't reviewed in the apparatus program. Beginner Mat is the foundation for your Pilates career.

The pre-requisites for Beginner Mat are:

  • Attend 10 classically taught Mat classes prior
  • Read chapters 1-3 & 6 of Anatomy of Movement by Blandine Calais-Germain (available online)
  • Recommended: Complete the Power Pilates Basics of Anatomy course (available online)

During the Beginner Mat program, we explore more than the 18 beginner level exercises but more importantly we introduce Power Pilates Teaching Tools and "The Art of Teaching." This is the only time our toolkit will be explained in detail. Our teaching formula/philosophy isn't reviewed in the apparatus program. Beginner Mat is the foundation for your pilates career.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)