Training
Pilates is a principle-based way of learning healthy postural habits. It is a form of movement that develops a functional balance of strength, power, endurance, flexibility, co-ordination, balance, agility and speed to create a body that moves with grace and ease at any age. To enhance understanding of its various applications and benefits, we teach motor learning concepts and look at how the brain adapts and learns on a neurological level. Students also study the biomechanics and physics that Pilates instructors need to understand.
This does not mean reteaching anatomy or physiology that students have learnt in other disciplines: we focus instead on the more specific anatomical skills that Pilates and other mind-body instructors must have to provide good training.
Instructor Training
Prospective student must have a recognised certificate, diploma or degree in basic health or fitness studies before they can be admitted to our courses, to ensure that all trainees are able to learn at a higher level. We work closely with the Exercise Teachers Academy (www.exerciseacademy.com) , a recognised leader in health and fitness education, which provides foundation courses that can lead to our training.
Our course facilitators are qualified to teach at an advanced level, and have a broad knowledge in related fields outside the context of Pilates, enabling them to answer questions with authority. Cape Town students have the benefit of the company founder James Raaff's knowledge of exercise science and rehabilitation, and a medical doctor runs the courses at our Pretoria studio.
As clients' safety during training is paramount, we stress to our graduates the importance of being skilled enough to recognise when they need to refer clients to doctors, physiotherapists, chiropractors and other medical professionals for injury rehabilitation.
Courses
In this field, it is essential to keep progressing: if you apply the same techniques you were using a year ago, you need to examine your offering as an instructor.
To comply with rigorous education standards, all our training is designed around outcomes-based learning. Recognising the time constraints of busy working professionals, our courses are presented in modular format, and trainees may begin at a level appropriate to their current knowledge and experience. Each module combines theoretical knowledge and practical training.
The first two course units focus on mat-based exercises. The entry-level module is designed to increase body awareness and introduces basic Pilates principles. In the second module students learn specific teaching methods, advanced evaluation techniques and more complex exercise progressions.
The third course prepares students to teach a broad range of exercises on the Reformer, a primary piece of resistance equipment. This course includes safety, set-up and care procedures.
Students then progress onto the Trapeze Table, learning techniques for teaching more challenging exercises using springs and bars. Further courses include Stability Chair work for strength training, and Barrels for enhanced flexibility and improved posture.
Most of our full-time courses are two or three days long, and a competency assessment is carried out at the end of each course. After completing our instructor certification courses, graduates may register on the SA Directory of Certified Pilates Instructors (www.pilatesinfo.co.za).
Workshops
We offer various workshops for Pilates instructors with special interests. The Postural and Movement Assessment workshop teaches simple, scientific methods to properly assess the needs of new clients and test for specific movement disorders – a critical first step to ensure that a Pilates programme will be effective.
The Accessories in Pilates Exercise Modification workshop develops skill in the use of several Pilates accessories, so that instructors can add excitement and challenging modifications in their classes.
We also offer a Flexibility Training workshop, focusing on the science of stretching to increase the range of motion. Our Myofacial Meridians workshop helps instructors understand the connectedness of the body's tissues, and aims to shift the paradigms of students' understanding of body shape and posture.
The Business Solutions for the Pilates Studio workshop is designed to help aspiring or existing studio owners turn their businesses into profitable, well-run ventures. Presenter Anita Vos, an MBA graduate, Pilates instructor, and former associate director at Deloitte & Touche, aims to give studio owners a structure on which to base important business and financial decisions, and to address problem areas.
The Peri-Natal Pilates teaches how to modify Pilates mat exercises for women during and after pregnancy. Our Pilates for Seniors workshop will teach trainers how to adapt Pilates exercises for a receptive older market that has been largely forgotten by the fitness industry, and can benefit positively from a carefully planned Pilates exercise regimen. Both the Peri-Natal and Seniors workshops are only presented on request from January 2009. Please let us know if you'd like other topics covered in workshops for the future (info@jamesraaffandassociates.com).
