This course fully prepares students for the Intensive Mat and Reformer courses or can serve as a refresher for these programs. It uses lectures, demonstrations and group activities to teach basic anatomy fundamentals. There is a focus on anatomical terminology, which includes anatomical position, planes of motion, types of movement, names and locations of the majority of the bones in the body, locations and actions of joints, major muscle groups and the individual muscles' origin insertion and action. Select exercises from the STOTT PILATES repertoire are broken down and analyzed in terms of the functional anatomy at play. Participants will deepen their understanding of the body and enhance their teaching with improved exercise selection and programming.

This course provides a solid foundation and the skills to create and teach effective and motivating Level 1 (Basic and Intermediate) group and personal training sessions on the mat. This includes the use of various small equipment (Flexband, Fitness Circle and Arc Barrel) to support or intensify the exercises. A variety of exercises, variations and modifications and the learning of different communication techniques help to respond specifically to the course participants with their different bodies and postures. The theory and practice of posture analysis are discussed. The 6 biomechanical STOTT PILATES principles form the basis for every training session.

This course teaches how to create and teach effective Level 1 (beginner and intermediate) workouts for individual and group training on the Reformer. This includes the handling and effective use of the equipment to improve core stability and strength, strengthen peripheral muscles, improve joint stability, flexibility, balance and coordination of course participants. A variety of exercises, variations and modifications and the learning of different communication techniques help to respond specifically to the course participants with their different bodies and postures. The theory and practice of posture analysis are discussed.

The course is structured into 3 separate modules to provide maximum flexibility. All modules build on the knowledge acquired in the Intensive Reformer and Intensive Mat-Plus™ courses. The course teaches how equipment and mat exercises complement each other and how to put together effective and safe Level 1 (beginner and intermediate) workouts on one or more pieces of equipment and the mat. The goals, biomechanics, and alignment required for each exercise will be discussed. Effective communication and observation skills are developed to motivate clients and improve their performance. Exercises on the Cadillac can be performed with the roll-down bar, push-thru bar, trapeze, and leg and arm springs. The chair allows functional exercises to develop core strength against spring resistance in various positions. Core stability, peripheral strength, and flexibility can be improved. Split pedal options transform the exercises by challenging bilateral, unilateral, and reciprocal strength and stability. The various barrels (Ladder Barrel, Spine Corrector, and Arc Barrel) support the spine in flexion, lateral flexion, or extension. You will learn to target the core and peripheral muscle groups and adapt the exercises to specific body types.

This course progresses to advanced material and offers more options and challenges on the mat for highly conditioned clients. Participants will learn 13 exercises and advanced modifications to create an intense workout that requires strength, balance, and coordination.

Learn to use various Reformer components and accessories to intensify your repertoire and create a dynamic workout for highly conditioned clients. Seventy new athletic exercises and variations are taught to challenge the strength, balance, and coordination of the clients.

The course teaches how to address specific physical challenges (such as weaknesses, poor posture, and health problems) with their consequences and how to tailor training to diagnosed injuries. An understanding of the client's circumstances is developed. Industry standards for screening clients for dysfunctional and optimal biomechanical movement patterns, current models of joint stability, and the three-level muscle classification system are taught. A training/rehabilitation approach can be developed and applied on this basis. Programming exercise modifications and progressions for the most common injuries and special populations (e.g., pregnant women, elderly clients, chronically ill clients, etc.) is learned. The full studio equipment and small props are used.

The course provides the groundwork for instructors to produce safe, effective and varied barre programs that address the needs and goals of every client. Participants are introduced to the Total Barre Principles - six movement awareness fundamentals that provide the structure and biomechanical basis for each exercise. During the course, participants can experience movements before examining the application of the principles and learn the essence of each exercise along with the theories of dynamic stability, optimal mobility and movement efficiency.