Ways to Turn Your Passion For Pilates into a Career
Are you passionate about pilates and helping people improve their health? Meg Whitman, an American business executive and politician, once said, "Do what you love and success will follow. Passion is the fuel behind a successful career." Starting a full-time or side hustle as a pilates instructor or studio owner can be rewarding. As a pilates instructor, you can earn an average salary of $59,210, according to salary estimates by Glassdoor. And while turning your passion for pilates into a career is easy, you must plan carefully. For instance, before teaching pilates, you must learn the difference between mat and reformer by enrolling in a certification course. You'll also need to decide if you'll train clients in a gym, rehabilitation center, or fitness studio. Let's see what else you'll need to achieve this dream.
Equip Yourself with the Right Qualifications
While your love for Pilates is a key driver to starting a successful career in the fitness industry, gaining a deep understanding of the practice is crucial. Therefore, enroll in a pilates training program where you'll learn the principles of pilates, which include concentration, precision, centering, control, breathing, and flow. Acquiring the required pilates training will improve your skills and boost your credibility as a trainer. Ideally, a certificate is a stamp of excellence that tells clients you're qualified to provide the best pilates exercises to help them improve their overall well-being.
Explore The Business Side Of A Career In Pilates
As much as the idea of doing what you love for a living is enticing, you must consider the business aspect of starting a career in pilates. First, assess the demand for a pilates instructor in your location to determine if it aligns with your goals. Whether you want to train people in the gym or rehabilitation center or start your pilates studio, it pays to know how much you need to invest and what to expect in return. For instance, to become a qualified and certified pilates teacher, you must invest $500-$6,000 in a certification program, according to Studio Growth. While you need to make a huge investment for training, the return on investment is worthwhile, considering you can earn over $59,000 annually.
Setting up a pilates studio can be an excellent move if you want a more sustainable career. While a pilates studio requires a huge investment ranging from $10,000 to $50,000, you can enjoy high profits from $150,000 annually, depending on the studio size and location. Like any business, starting a pilates studio requires careful planning to maximize profits. Aside from choosing a location with demand for your services, you need a business license to prove you've met all the requirements to deliver fitness tips and exercises to those interested in pilates. You'll also need to budget for rent, equipment, marketing, and legal fees.
Determine How You Deliver Pilates Exercises
After conducting thorough market research, network with professionals and seek advice from those who have successfully turned their passion into a career in pilates. Then, get creative on how you provide training to clients. With advanced technology, you can provide pilates classes to many individuals online. You only need a laptop with a webcam, learning software, website hosting, and video recording software. Teaching online via an eLearning platform means you can provide pilates lessons 24 hours daily. Your clients can access your recorded training sessions and shared content at a time that fits their schedule. As a result, your business will continue to grow and provide value to students.
Hosting a health and fitness workshop or community event is another excellent way of doing what you love while earning more money. For instance, you can organize a wellness retreat at your pilates studio where other wellness professionals, like mindfulness coaches and nutritionists, can give your clients useful tips on enhancing their wellbeing. Showing commitment to elevate the lifestyle of clients can go a long way in attracting new pilates students.
Transition From Learning to Instructing
There's no fixed timeline as to when you can start teaching pilates in a gym, fitness studio, rehabilitation center, or online. You can get started after three months of training if you practice with a qualified instructor. Alternatively, find a studio where you'll get mentored until you're ready to instruct. During the training and mentorship period, practice what you learn by teaching pilates to family and friends. Once you have gained expertise in Pilates, you can further your education by enrolling in a Pilates instructor teacher-training course. The knowledge you gain through this program will enable you to start a side hustle that involves training aspiring Pilates instructors.
Pilates has become popular for the many health benefits it offers. If you're passionate about this strength training exercise, you can turn it into a full-time career or side hustle. Depending on your personal goals, you can become a Pilates instructor to help people achieve their fitness goals. You can also train aspiring Pilates instructors or start a Pilates business by setting up a studio.