One of the questions we often get asked at Polestar UK  is whether it is necessary to be mat qualified before embarking on a reformer training. Traditionally many training providers will insist that you start with a mat qualification. However, at Polestar we say that it really depends on your personal preferences and how/where you are intending  to teach.  Therefore it is not always necessary to qualify in mat work first.

Let us take a look at mat vs reformer Pilates to help students make an informed decision about which course is right for them.

I always ask prospective students what they are planning to do once they have completed their training.  Some will say that having loved taking reformer classes for themselves that this is the environment they wish to work in. There has been an explosion in the number of reformer studios opening up around the country and therefore great job opportunities for newly qualified reformer teachers to work in these studios.  If this is your goal, then it is fine to jump straight into the reformer course.

However, an important consideration is to look at how you are going to achieve all your self-practice and apprentice-teaching hours because you are going to need a reformer that you can access easily for at least 3 hours per week whilst you are training. This is important from both a cost point of view and accessibility. At our King’s Cross studios we offer self-practice for £12.50 per hour and many other Polestar affiliated studios will offer similar arrangements for students.  The other possibility is to look at getting your own reformer which might be a great idea if you have the space.

But you may ask will I  be disadvantaged by not having a mat qualification? My answer to this is not necessarily but this is a good opportunity to look at the advantages of learning mat work Pilates. The great thing about learning mat work is accessibility.  All you really need is a mat and you can do all your practice in your living room. You can also teach it anywhere including at home and in group settings which gives you a huge amount of flexibility.

So, to summarise  if you are just starting out and wanting to teach in more casual or flexible environments then mat Pilates might be a better choice as it is more accessible and requires less investment. However, if you are keen to work in a reformer studio and love the resistance and support that this wonderful piece of apparatus gives you then go for the reformer training. Or do both!

In my next blog I will be looking at the Comprehensive course and how this differs from both  mat or reformer training.

Julia Moss – owner Polestar Pilates UK