Every day a new Pilates teacher training course opens, and each one promises to make you a real instructor. Some take one weekend, others stretch to four. But which of them can actually make you a good teacher? And if you're new to the industry, what should you look for when choosing?
Here are seven questions that will tell you what to look for. Ask any program these questions, including ours. Below the list, we answer each one for PT7 Academy's 300-hour Reformer Pilates Instructor Course.
The 7 Questions
- How valid is the certificate you receive, and is the program approved by the PMA?
- Can you do your observation and self-practice hours at the studio where you took the course, and is it paid or free?
- Is teaching practice supervised, or are you on your own?
- What is the total cost, and are there payments beyond the course fee?
- Can you keep your current job while you study?
- What exactly must you complete to earn the certificate?
- How many trainees share one piece of equipment, and how much hands-on practice does that give you?
A course that cannot answer these clearly may turn out to be the expensive choice. Short courses can still be a useful introduction to the vocabulary, a few exercises, and the first cues. A certificate can be printed in days, but teaching judgment cannot be learned that quickly. Some graduates of very short courses report paying twice, freezing when a real client arrives with a pain history or a pregnancy, or knowing the choreography but not when to regress, stop, or refer out.
1. How valid is the certificate, and is the program PMA approved?
PT7 Academy's 300-hour Reformer Pilates Instructor Course is ITTAP approved by the Pilates Method Alliance (PMA). Note what that means: the PMA reviews the program, which gives the course an external quality frame beyond our own word. Graduates who complete all requirements receive the PT7 Academy Reformer Pilates Instructor Certificate. Full accreditation breakdown: PMA ITTAP explained.
Ask any course: is it an internal certificate only, or is the program reviewed by an outside body?
2. Observation and self-practice: where, and at what price?
Inside the course, observation and self-practice are built in: 60 hours of observation in a live boutique studio and 60 hours of self-practice, so the work lives in your body and not only in your notes.
Graduates who complete the course also have a route into work: we offer teaching opportunities at our studio for successful graduates, and several PT7 Academy graduates now teach at PT7.
Ask any course: are these hours in a real studio, and do you keep access afterwards?
3. Teaching practice: supervised or alone?
Supervised. The course includes 40 hours of teaching practice, 10 hours of assisted teaching with a master trainer, and 5 hours of QTT observation and assessment of your student teaching. You get feedback throughout, not only a list of exercises to run through.
Teaching practice stays free for a year: graduates can do their teaching practice at PT7 at no cost for a year after finishing the course.
Ask any course: how many teaching hours are supervised, and by whom?
4. Total cost
Fee from €2,000 + VAT, or 3 installments of €667 + VAT. Winter 2026/27 (November-January) and Spring 2027 (March-May) are open; Autumn 2026 is fully booked.
One more cost: the mandatory exercise assessment, €250 including BTW. The first attempt at both exams is free; retakes carry an additional fee. Anatomy is included in the Reformer course.
Ask any course: what is the all-in price, and what is not included?
5. Can you keep your job?
Yes. Each term has four lecture weekends. Lecture weekends at PT7 run 12:00-18:00 on selected dates, so weekday income stays. Observation, self-practice, and teaching hours fit around real life. Depth does not require a resignation letter on day one.
- Phase 1: Keep your role. Train weekends. Log practice and observation.
- Phase 2: Pass assessments. Start teaching with support.
- Phase 3: Choose full-time, hybrid, or a serious side career from evidence, not panic.
Personal story of that path: From Banker to Pilates Instructor.
Ask any course: does the schedule clash with a full-time job?
6. What you must complete to be certified
- Reformer Levels 1-3 with regressions, progressions, and modifications
- 85 hours of lectures and theory, including functional anatomy and contraindications
- 60 hours observation and 60 hours self-practice
- 40 hours teaching practice, 10 hours assisted teaching, 5 hours QTT observation and assessment (300 hours in total)
- Pass the multiple-choice theory exam and the practical exam
- Pass the mandatory exercise assessment with a lead trainer
Ask any course: what must you pass, and what happens if you don't?
7. Equipment ratio during training
At PT7 Academy, 1 Reformer is shared between 2 trainees. Fewer people per machine means more time actually on the equipment, not watching from the side.
Ask any course: how many trainees share one piece of equipment?
Side by Side
Compare categories, not brands. The middle column describes what some short and intensive courses look like; it varies by provider, so check each program yourself.
| Question | Some ultra-short / intensive courses | PT7 Academy 300-hour (PMA ITTAP) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Certificate & approval | Sometimes an internal certificate only | Program ITTAP approved by PMA |
| 2. Observation & self-practice | Sometimes limited, optional, or self-reported | 60 hours observation in a live studio + 60 hours self-practice |
| 3. Teaching practice | Sometimes few practice teaches | 40 hours teaching practice + 10 hours assisted teaching + 5 hours QTT assessment |
| 4. Total cost | Varies | €2,000 + VAT (or 3 × €667 + VAT) + €250 exercise assessment |
| 5. Job fit | Can clash with a full-time job | Selected weekend lectures, 12:00-18:00 |
| 6. Requirements | Sometimes attendance or a light check | Theory, practical, and mandatory exercise assessment |
| 7. Equipment ratio | Varies, sometimes shared across large groups | 1 Reformer per 2 trainees |
Ready to switch without burning your income? See PT7 Academy dates and enrollment or email info@pt7.nl.
Enroll for Depth, Not Speed
Autumn 2026 Reformer term: fully booked. Winter 2026/27 (November-January) and Spring 2027 (March-May) are open. Fee from €2,000 + VAT, with installment options.
Ready to switch without burning your income? See PT7 Academy dates and enrollment or email info@pt7.nl.
Experience it yourself. Ready to try Pilates? Book your class at PT7.