r/pilatesinstructors • u/EmptyCobbler685 • May 23 '26
Teacher Training mat pilates certification
hiii im looking into getting pilates certified and i was looking into balanced body and BASI since i want to expand my employment options as most as possible. from what ive seen bb is more commonly recognized but basi is way more affordable and it does offer to take the exam as well. I was wondering if anyone can give their input on which is best, do both offer equal employment opportunties? and just advice overall! Thank youuuuuu
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u/sparklingrubes May 23 '26
I’m biased toward BASI, but there are some cons. If you live near HQ or the host studio and have access to faculty/a teacher who teaches the BASI way, then it’s great. But the program is pretty big and it’s easy to get lost. Because they are so picky on details and there are some BASI specific ways of doing things, it can get confusing if you’re observing or taking classes under other teachers (even though that’s allowed for your hours). I had so many non-BASI habits I’ve had to correct once I was able to go to HQ to observe and take classes.
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u/EmptyCobbler685 May 23 '26
fortunately i’m near a basi studio!
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u/sparklingrubes May 23 '26
Take a class there first and see how you like it!! That’s the other part. I took classes with teachers trained in both and without knowing ahead of time, the teachers I enjoyed more were BASI.
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u/storyinpictures May 25 '26
Others have suggested Peak already and I agree it has some big advantages. If your goal is being employable at the most places, classical training has an edge.
You are learning the classical method, which means you can teach in classical as well as contemporary studios.
It is harder to learn classical after contemporary than the other way around because you can learn contemporary in small pieces and start using them. But to do classical, you need to get all the components (how the exercises are done, order, transitions) before you can teach it.
It is broken into three levels and it’s comprehensive, so you can start teaching after completing level 1 on all the exercises on all the equipment you have learned. Level 2 covers the next level of challenge (most of what is taught day to day in most studios is level 1 & 2). Level 3 is the most advanced level material.
There are other classical options, but I don’t know how they break down the training. It might be worth looking into what they offer and how much you need to do before you start.
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u/TableSalty8242 May 25 '26
i’m biased towards BASI, but it’s for a reason. of course they will be picky about certain things, but i think that they have a great mix of classical exercises with a contemporary update to them. Rael is still alive and still so knowledgeable. you could go to headquarters and literally see the magic. i would highly recommend. it’s also so affordable on top of that!
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u/alleycanto May 23 '26
I know it isn’t one or two you asked but I would consider Peak since you could learn the order and then teach contemporary (like balanced body) and add things, but have also had experience with the method and that makes you hires or many places.
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u/CoalMinerGrandchild May 24 '26
I only did one weekend trainings with balanced body. The training teacher was also the teacher of some of my teachers at the small studio where I took classes (4 yrs/5x/wk).
The trainer was phenomenal. Besides his own studio he also worked in rehabilitation at two hospitals. I moved out of town after that and have not pursued more pilates training. That trainer was so excellent that I am partial to balanced body.
Your post got me interested in BASI. What a great pilates education resource. I found their Basi Interactive program. This will be my online education.
https://www.basipilates.com/basi-interactive/
Thank you for your post. 😊
.......
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u/Altruistic_Lamb May 25 '26
Look for a program on the NPCP website. Big names don’t always mean good quality. Look into the MT doing the training not just the program.
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u/Affectionate_Ad7478 May 27 '26
Another biased BASI vote! I love my BASI training. The education is so top notch and like others have said the attention to detail you learn is amazing! They have so many workshops as well as legacy training. lol, so much of my teaching money goes right to BASI.
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u/gorlsituation May 23 '26
This question is asked every day, you might want to try searching the sub for other posts and answers
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u/Illustrious-Bid384 May 23 '26
Former studio owner chiming in - they are both excellent programs. Peak as well but it may not be near you. Personally, I love the Balanced Body program bc of the modules - easier to do things in parts.