BALANCED BODY PILATES TEACHER TRAINING
Spiral Spine Pilates strives to create thoughtful, creative, and successful Pilates teachers.
The Balanced Body Pilates teacher training curriculum emphasizes the principles underlying each exercise. Courses are modular and progressive, allowing students to build on their education and train at a pace that works best for them. These courses are also a great opportunity for certified instructors to learn new teaching tools and for renewed inspiration.
All courses at Spiral Spine Pilates are taught by Erin Myers, Jackie Arnold, Sarah Case, and Whitney Etheridge. Courses are offered over long weekends, making it easier for students who work full-time or live outside of Nashville to train at the studio. The Mat, Reformer, and Equipment trainings are intertwined, helping students understand how to create private lessons earlier in their studies instead of learning this concept at the end. As a result, our trainees spend more of their practice hours composing comprehensive lessons and also can be hired earlier. Additionally, intertwining the courses means trainees can start the program at almost any module, minimizing the wait to begin training.
Below you will find training requirements, course descriptions, and FAQs. Should you have further questions, please contact us.
Summer Intensive
Complete all 11 modules required to become a comprehensively trained Pilates instructor during a two month period over the summer.
Two weeks on, five weeks off, two weeks on.
You do not have to register for all 11 modules in order to attend summer modules. Pick and choose which dates work best for you!
Join us June & July 2025!
Scroll down to see the dates and register.
Pilates Teacher Training Schedule
If you are reading this on your phone, please turn it sideways. Teacher training can be scheduled on Balanced Body's website.
| Course | Hours | Date | Time^ | Cost*+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CoreAlign 1 (in person or online) | 16 | January 17-18, 2025 | 9a-6p | $595 |
| CoreAlign 2 (in person or online) | 16 | January 19-20, 2025 | 9a-6p | $595 |
| Chair | 14 | January 23-24, 2025 | 8a-4p | $545 |
| Mat 3 | 16 | January 25-26, 2025 | 8a-5p | $595 |
| Reformer 2 | 16 | February 8-9, 2025 | 8a-5p | $595 |
| Anatomy in 3D ++ | 16 | February 21-22, 2025 | 9a-6p | $595 |
| Movement Principles | 16 | March 6-7, 2025 | 8a-5p | $595 |
| Reformer 1 | 16 | March 8-9, 2025 | 8a-5p | $595 |
| Mat 1 | 16 | May 3-4, 2025 | 8a-5p | $595 |
| Movement Principles | 16 | June 2-3, 2025 | 8a-5p | $595 |
| Reformer 1 | 16 | June 4-5, 2025 | 8a-5p | $595 |
| Reformer 2 | 16 | June 6-7, 2025 | 8a-5p | $595 |
| Reformer 3 | 16 | June 9-10, 2025 | 8a-5p | $595 |
| Barrels | 6 | June 11, 2025 | 9a-4p | $345 |
| Cadillac | 18 | June 11-13, 2025 | Fri: 3-5p, Sat & Sun: 8a-5p | $645 |
| Anatomy for Movement Professionals (in person or online) ++ | 16 | July 21-22, 2025 | 9a-6p | $595 |
| Mat 1 | 16 | July 23-24, 2025 | 8a-5p | $595 |
| Mat 2 | 16 | July 25-26, 2025 | 8a-5p | $595 |
| Mat 3 | 16 | July 28-29, 2025 | 8a-5p | $595 |
| Chair | 14 | July 30-31, 2025 | 8a-4p | $545 |
| Program Test Out | N/A | Scheduled Privately | Scheduled Privately | $350 |
^1-hour lunch break included for all full-day trainings
*Additional fees for required manuals and videos, along with shipping and tax will be added at checkout.
+15% early bird discount offered on all modules if you sign up 6 weeks in advance
***Core Align 1 & 2 are not part of the required curriculum for Pilates teacher training. They can be used for continuing education or taken as an independent apparatus training.
++Either anatomy course can be used to fulfill the Pilates teacher training anatomy requirement. However, if you have no previous exposure to anatomy, we recommend taking the Anatomy for Movement Professionals course. Anatomy in 3D can also be used in continuing education.
Anatomy Requirement
Both Anatomy for Movement Professionals and Anatomy in Three Dimensions meet the anatomy qualification for Pilates Instructor Certification. Students will need to purchase Trail Guide to the Body separately as the manual for Anatomy for Movement Professionals. If you sign up for Anatomy in 3D online, you will need to purchase the Anatomy for 3D Skeleton and Sculpting Toolkit. Two students can share one skeleton, but you will need one Toolkit per person.
Use Erin's 5% discount link to save some money on your skeleton and sculpting kit here!
Private Teacher Training Courses Offered
We also offer all our courses privately. People take private trainings for many reasons and just because you take one private training does not mean you have to take them all that way! Private trainings offer greater flexibility and attention.
All of these modules are offered in person. However, many can be taken virtually as long as you have access to the required equipment (Reformer, Cad, etc.) during the training.
Please note that prices do not include additional materials and shipping fees.
Duet teacher training modules are also available upon request.
Please contact the studio if you're interested in either private or duet teacher training.
| Course | Cost |
|---|---|
| Anatomy for Movement Professionals | $1680 |
| Movement Principles | $1400 |
| Mat 1 | $1400 |
| Mat 2 | $1400 |
| Mat 3 | $1400 |
| Reformer 1 | $1400 |
| Reformer 2 | $1400 |
| Reformer 3 | $1400 |
| Cadillac | $1680 |
| Chair | $1120 |
| Barrels | $600 |
| Anatomy In 3D | $1400 |
| Core Align 1 | $1400 |
| Core Align 2 | $2240 |
ENHANCE YOUR TRAINING
When you register for four or more teacher training modules that occur in one calendar year, you will be eligible for the offers below. In total this is worth more than $1,000.
10 free multi-equipment group classes
10 free Reformer group classes
10 free Reformer group classes
5 free Reformer group classes
5 Reformer group classes at 50% off
Make the effort to make this part of your path
"Due to experiencing chronic bodily pain, a friend suggested I try Pilates with her. I took classes for 3 years and then my Pilates instructor moved away. There was nowhere else to practice Pilates in Birmingham, Alabama. My instructor encouraged me to get certified and to make it my career.
In 2006 I took my first workshop with Erin Myers, when she came down to Birmingham to teach a Reformer 1 training module at a YMCA. I loved teaching and would share Pilates with anyone who would listen. I wanted to help people.
In 2008 I had a heart attack at the age of 39. I was then diagnosed with Lupus. I didn’t want to stop Pilates, but didn’t have a reliable place to teach. Erin guided me through navigating my own business and encouraged me to get more training. I opened ReformUPilates in Birmingham.
In 2016 I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a double mastectomy. Erin was such a good friend! She listened to me cry, gave me guidance, and even prayed with me.
It is now 2019 and I train over 100 people a week and have crossed the $150,000 mark in yearly sales. Erin has helped me grow as a person in so many ways! Pilates is her passion. She is inspirational to learn from and is so encouraging. I have a staff now to help me and I send them all to her because I truly think she is the best. Erin makes the long training sessions really fun. I highly recommend you make the effort to make this part of your path. It is a true blessing to have her be part of my life."
~Ainslie McLean
PILATES TEACHER TRAINING FAQs
Can I complete my teacher training hours at the Spiral Spine Pilates Studio?
When can I start completing my hours?
Hours may only be started after you have taken the corresponding module. For example, you may start working on your Mat hours after taking Mat 1, but not your Reformer hours.
Is private teacher training available?
Private trainings are available. Pricing is listed above. Please contact the studio to schedule.
Does Balanced Body offer a bridge program for students of other Pilates teacher trainings?
Students who have completed their Mat, Reformer, or Equipment training through other organizations can take the Balanced Body curriculum and receive a certificate of completion from Balanced Body. Students will need to provide proof of completion of a comparable Mat or Reformer program before being accepted by Balanced Body. Please contact Balanced Body for details.
How do I schedule my final exam?
Once instructors have completed the modules and hours, they must pass a written and practical exam demonstrating their teaching ability.
After all documented hours have been sent into Balanced Body and an approval has been issued for test-out, a date and time will be agreed upon for the exam, which will be taken in person at the Spiral Spine Pilates Studio. A minimum of 6 weeks is needed between when hours are sent in and the date of the exam. If this minimum is not met, a late fee will be charged. Balanced Body will create a registration link so the student can register for the test-out.
To prepare for the written portion of the test, review the manuals, including movement principles, lectures, families of exercises, and exercises on each piece of equipment. You will have a 2-hour written test and a 1-hour practical test, during which you will teach a student a full lesson.
How long does it take to become a Pilates teacher and what is the cost?
With Balanced Body there is no requirement to finish the teacher training program in a set amount of time. In total, there are around 500 hours you’ll need to complete. That being said, most people tend to finish within 18 months and it is rare to finish a well-reputed program in less than 6 months. We have also had successful trainees take 2 years. Here’s a good post to read up more on how long it takes to complete a training program.
At Spiral Spine Pilates studio, the training program (modules only) costs $6,840. This is on par with other reputable programs. With our discount the cost of the modules alone is $5,814, a savings we encourage you to take advantage of by signing up at least 6 weeks early. Other costs you can anticipate are the manuals and videos as well as any fees you have to pay to rent space or take classes to complete your training hours. The cost of a program is more fully discussed here.
How do I choose a good Pilates teacher training program?
Becoming a Pilates teacher is going to take a good amount of time, 500+ hours, and some money, around $5,000, so you want to make sure you choose a good training program before you sign up for that first module. Here are some tips for picking a good training program:
- It should teach you how to accommodate many different types of clients (knee injuries, pregnancy, herniated discs, etc.)
- It should provide you with information beyond the in-studio courses. This may be in the form of manuals or videos, but you shouldn’t leave a training empty-handed. Pro tip: see if you can peek at a manual before committing to a program.
- It should be lead by an experienced instructor. Check out the bio of the teacher before you commit and make sure they know their stuff.
- Studios and gyms in your town should be open to hiring people from the program. If they won’t, you may have a hard time getting a job.
To read more in depth about choosing a good program, check out blog post.
Cancellation Policy: Cancellation of your class will incur the following fees: • $100 fee if written notice of cancellation is received by Balanced Body up to five (5) days before course start date or a $50 transfer fee to transfer from one course to another. • $250 or the full course fee, whichever is less, if written notice of cancellation is received by Balanced Body within five (5) days before course start date or a $50 transfer fee to transfer from one course to another. • No refund is given for any cancellation received on or after the start date of the training. • Instructor Training Manuals and Videos are non-refundable.
What others are saying:
This course was phenomenal. I’ve never seen anyone more excited about anatomy than Erin. It made so many things “click” in my mind and helped me understand my body better and how better to help others. I loved it!
Erin and her crew are truly some of the best. They are extremely gifted teachers and inspire me at every single training module.
Erin Myers is a great teacher and is very knowledgeable of the body. She and her staff are probably the most articulate Pilates professionals I have ever heard of. They are excellent Balanced Body Master Instructors. I love the way that Balanced Body encourages creativity within the realm of Pilates principles.
As always, Erin was brilliant, inspiring, and adorable! I am running out of superlatives to describe the high quality of education offered by the staff. I have taken 7 Pilates modules, 5 with Erin and she is remarkable. Bravo!
Erin is one of the best instructors I have ever worked with. Her knowledge and presentation is superior to most. She motivates others to become better in their field. I truly enjoyed Erin and the course.
Erin did an amazing job teaching the class. She is so brilliant and her skill level blows me away. She made the whole learning process a pleasure, and the weekend sailed by with complete enjoyment.
Erin and her staff are simply dynamic. Very knowledgeable and approachable. Erin’s staff is a great complement to her and they make a great team. They are so good at what they do.
Erin and her staff are so dynamic as instructors. Each has a totally different style, each equally engaging and incredibly informative. I feel like I am getting the highest level of Pilates instruction under these teachers.
