Is the Spencer Pilates Certification a respectable Cert?
I have been taking Pilates at my local gym and I am interested in getting a certification. The NESTA Spencer Pilates Certification appealed to me since I could do it a my own pace at home. Is it considered a respectable certification to have if I chose to teach Pilates classes? Any input would really help.
Hi Nina,
respectability is often in the eye of the beholder. I can see the appeal: you pay $199, study at home, pass a test, and you will have the required piece of paper which will enable you to get insurance and call yourself a Pilates instructor.
I have a basic Pilates certification myself and consider myself quite well-informed in matters of anatomy and exercise in general. Getting Pilates exercise right is a really tricky business, and I have a hard time imagining how one can be a competent instructor without the benefit of hands-on experience. That includes that a trainer corrects you where necessary because we are often poor judges of our own compensations.
I am not recommending for or against the certification that you are contemplating but just want to give an additional viewpoint.
One other thing I would suggest, though. Unless you plan to immediately strike out on your own, you are most likely looking to teach Pilates at a club near you. If you have one in mind, I would call them and ask whether they have any requirements pertaining to a specific certification or whether they would let you teach with the one that you are considering.
Karin Singleton
www.meltnc.com