In late 2020 several of the UK’s leading specialist Pilates teacher training providers announced the creation of a new industry body and the introduction of new standards governing matwork and apparatus (studio equipment) teacher training.
Body Control Pilates is proud to be one of the three Founders of this new organisation, The Society for the Pilates Method (SPM).
Its prime goal is to protect the integrity of the Pilates Method, ensuring that current and future Pilates students and teachers have access to the full body of work through the training programmes and expertise provided by its member organisations.
In addition, it aims:
- To be the primary body representing the interests of the UK Pilates community, comprising both training providers and individual teachers.
- To support the development and implementation of new standards for the UK Pilates industry. In so doing, to recognise and support that, whilst all SPM member organisations are working to the same end goals, their teaching approaches, course content, curriculum, and course structure will differ.
- To gain recognition from UK Government and other public organisations that Pilates, as a method and as an industry, cannot be grouped into mainstream fitness.
- To actively work to ensure that, over time, the community of Pilates students, teachers, and tutors better reflects the diversity of wider UK society.
The SPM will also maintain a Register of Pilates Teachers. This is only open to teachers who are directly affiliated to, or are current members of, an SPM member organisation and whose training has been recognised as meeting the requirements of the new standards. It will show their location, qualifications, and parent organisation.
More about the SPM
The SPM is a not-for-profit organisation. Membership is only open to Pilates teacher training organisations who deliver the full programme of matwork and studio equipment education through tutors with a high level of Pilates expertise and experience.
In 2023 a category of membership will be opened up to matwork-only training providers who meet the SPM’s matwork standard and who have an agreed route plan in place to deliver studio equipment teacher training on the key items of equipment (Reformer, Cadillac, Chair, Ladder Barrel).
Accreditation and ongoing quality assurance for all SPM members is overseen by PD:Approval, an independent agency with extensive international experience of creating and managing standards.
Individual Pilates teachers cannot become members of SPM, but they can join the SPM’s Register of Teachers – details above. As a teacher, you may only join the Register if, as a minimum, your matwork qualification is ratified against the new SPM standard, and if you are a member of or directly affiliated to an SPM Member. If you fall outside of these categories – or need to ask for more details – most SPM Members will offer ‘Accreditation Courses’ to help you meet the criteria for coming on to the SPM Register. Please click here for details of how we can help you – we’d love hear from you and come up with a plan as to how we can help you!