If you have been teaching mat Pilates, yoga or personal training for a while and are wondering whether it is time to add Reformer Pilates to your skillset, you are not alone. It is one of the most in-demand qualifications movement professionals are searching for right now, and one of the questions we hear most often at Yogarise is simple: is it actually worth it, and how do you know which course to choose?
Here is what we think anyone considering Reformer Pilates teacher training should know, using our own course with Jane Gambarini as the gold standard (of course).
What does Reformer Pilates teacher training actually involve?
A good training should cover the history and principles of Pilates, reformer anatomy and safety protocols, exercise repertoire, programming and lesson planning, teaching methodology, contraindications, and the business and ethics side of running a teaching practice. You should get plenty of time for practical learning in studio, as well as time devoted to theory and functional anatomy.
Yogarise’s Reformer Pilates Teacher Training is an 8-day, in-studio qualification for movement professionals who already have a foundation in the body and want to teach reformer at a high level. The course runs across two working studios, Peckham and Queen’s Park, combining 40 hours of self-practice on the reformer, 10 hours of observation watching qualified instructors teach, and 25 hours of practice teaching with real clients.
To make sure that you leave with a complete working knowledge, assessment is by a multiple-choice written exam and a practical teaching exam, and every graduate receives a full manual and logbook.
Why train with Jane Gambarini?
Not all Reformer Pilates courses are led the same way, and who is teaching you matters. Jane Gambarini’s own path into Pilates began following a neurological diagnosis in 2010, when she discovered how the practice built body awareness, stability and control for herself first, before it became her career. She trained with STOTT PILATES®, taught in Dubai, and spent 18 years in corporate leadership at HP and Microsoft before returning to the UK to found her own studio, PT Pilates, in Monmouthshire.
She now holds a YMCA Level 3 Award in Education and Training and a Level 3 Award in Assessing Vocationally Related Achievement, and designed the PT Pilates Mat & Reformer Teacher Training Programmes specifically to combine evidence-based movement with real-world teaching skills. Graduates of the Yogarise course receive the PT Pilates Reformer Teacher Training Certification, internationally recognised and respected across the industry, though it is worth knowing this sits alongside, rather than replaces, an Ofqual-regulated Level 3.
Why train in a real working studio rather than a hired venue?
This is one of the biggest differences between training providers, and one that is easy to overlook until you are actually in the room. Training in a dedicated studio, on the same professional reformers used for real client classes, in a live teaching environment, means you absorb far more than the syllabus alone can teach you. You see how a real class runs, how clients are welcomed and managed, how equipment is properly maintained, and what it genuinely feels like to teach in a professional space, rather than a temporary hired room set up for the weekend.
Will I actually get to teach afterwards?
This is often the gap that trips people up after qualifying, and it is a fair question to ask any training provider before you book. At Yogarise, graduates of the Reformer Pilates course are offered the opportunity to teach paid classes at the Peckham and Queen’s Park studios once qualified, stepping into a professional teaching environment with an established client base already in place, rather than starting entirely from scratch. It is also a genuinely useful credential to put on a teaching CV when applying for cover lists or auditions elsewhere.
Is this training right for you?
The course is designed for mat Pilates teachers, yoga teachers and personal trainers who already have a foundation in the body and want to take reformer teaching seriously, rather than a complete beginner’s introduction. To enrol, you will need one of the following: a mat Pilates teaching qualification, a yoga teaching qualification (200-hour minimum), or a personal training qualification (Level 3 or above). If you are unsure whether your current qualification meets the entry requirements, it is worth getting in touch with the team directly before applying.
What do past students say?
Previous graduates have described the training as genuinely practical and confidence-building. As one recent graduate, Katy, put it: she found the in-person days engaging and fun, still uses Jane’s course materials for her own lesson planning, and felt Jane’s support made a real difference to her progression.
The details…
Yogarise’s next Reformer Pilates Teacher Training with Jane Gambarini runs from October 2026 to January 2027, across the Peckham and Queen’s Park studios, starting Saturday 24th October 2026. Full syllabus, pricing and application details are available on the training page.
