Whom Are You Trusting With Your Body?

Have you ever asked yourself: “Where did my teacher get her or his qualifications to teach?”

Or have you ever thought about who you are trusting your body with?

Unfortunately, more often than not, we go to classes or engage in training without even knowing the instructor's background. We are so trusting and hand our bodies over to someone that we often forget to ask: Where is this person coming from?

Okay, she or he has a bubbly personality and an engaging attitude. But are they qualified? Are they experienced? 

So often, we walk into a studio and roll out our mat before we even know who is standing in front of us and teaching. 

Having worked in the wellness industry for years, I have unfortunately seen that the industry has some significant gaps. The international grey area around qualifications and requirements for fitness instructors and wellness practitioners creates opportunities for people to enter the industry without adequate training or experience. 

As a teacher, you can become certified and take courses to teach Pilates, for example, for anything from $10 to $50,000.00, depending on the school, country, programme and level of qualification. The gap can be enormous. 

Unfortunately, some new teachers may look for the quickest or cheapest pathway into the industry, without fully considering the depth of knowledge required to teach safely and responsibly. 

I once worked in a studio where one teacher did not have any formal qualification to teach. Fair enough, she practiced herself, knew many of the movements, had charisma and was well liked by the students. But does personal experience and charisma justify the risk involved? 

In another studio, I saw teachers working without sufficient knowledge or experience of teaching prenatal clients. Imagine my concern when I saw a woman who was six months pregnant enter the studio, while the teacher appeared so unsure on what to do. 

I have also experienced teachers who did not know the names of the movements they were teaching, or who would throw exercise names around while demonstrating something completely different. 

In other cases, you might see a teacher texting during meditation. I don't blame her. Meditation must open a free passage to light and Wi-Fi. 

But these situations raise a serious question: what level of responsibility do we expect from someone who is teaching movement and working with people's bodies?

There are also cases where regulation goes to the other extreme. In some countries, the rules are very different. In Brazil, for example, there are professional regulations around who can teach Pilates. Medical and health professionals such as physiotherapists and nurses are allowed to teach Pilates. As if you need to administer an injection halfway through a Pilates class! 

It is extremely ironic when you consider that Joseph Pilates himself was not a physiotherapist or a doctor. So when did we lose sight of the origins of the method? 

France also regulates paid instruction of physical and sporting activities. An educator working for remuneration must hold an appropriate recognised qualification and declare their professional status, with the qualification requirements depending on the activity and scope of practice. 

This is very different from simply completing a short Pilates course and starting to teach. 

At the same time, movement-based practices such as Pilates, yoga and functional training sit across different professional and regulatory categories depending on the country. Pilates can certainly be used as part of physical rehabilitation, but teaching Pilates as movement and exercise is not automatically the same thing as providing medical treatment. 

The point is that every teacher should understand the limits of their knowledge and scope of practice.

When I did a yoga retreat in Rishikesh, India, in 2017, we had yoga classes with teachers who repeatedly pushed students into positions that appeared unsafe. If it wasn't a demonstration of their own physical ability, it was putting pressure on someone's body or asking everyone to perform an extremely challenging movement without an appropriate warm-up. 

I eventually had to leave the class or argue my way out of an exercise so that I could regress it to something more appropriate for me. 

During my own yoga teacher certification, I also experienced instructors whose teaching left me questioning the standard of the training. One instructor could not demonstrate inversions and was extremely scared going upside down. Another would openly criticise students who wore Lululemon activewear, as if becoming a yoga teacher meant you were no longer entitled to dress comfortably and confidently. 

These experiences taught me something important: 

Having a qualification does not automatically make someone a good teacher.

And the absence of a qualification does not automatically tell you everything about someone's ability either.

But qualifications, education, experience and continued learning provide an important foundation. 

I constantly try to improve myself through wellness networking, professional development and fitness education. Recently, I listened to a podcast where the host interviewed a studio owner in Australia about her success in business. 

Only about 40 minutes into the interview, after hearing the studio owner talk about revenue, numbers, marketing and business strategy, it became apparent that she did not hold a formal qualification to teach movement. 

Yes, she may be a great entrepreneur. Yes, she may be a bubbly and engaging person. 

But it made me wonder: where do we draw the line between being successful at running a fitness business and being qualified to teach the physical practice itself?

Unfortunately, when it comes to international regulation and professional standards in the fitness and wellness industry, there is no single global system. Requirements vary considerably between countries and between different types of movement professionals. 

That means the responsibility does not sit entirely with governments, studios or certification organisations. 

It also sits with the teacher. 

A teacher has a responsibility to do their research, choose their education carefully, invest in their knowledge, pursue continuing education and understand the limits of their own expertise. 

The drive to improve should come from within, not simply from external requirements. 

Learning from experienced teachers, dedicating hours to practice, completing internships, gaining teaching experience and continuing to study are all part of becoming a better professional. 

So when I stand in front of my students, I am proud to say: 

“I am a teacher.”

I am here knowingly and willingly to help you. 

I am guiding you with my experience and knowledge, not simply with my ambition, personality or smile. 

You cannot fake knowledge you don't have. 

And when someone trusts you with their body, you should never gamble with their health while pretending that you know more than you do. 

That is why I value what I bring to the table. 

I hold Pilates qualifications from internationally recognised training organisations, including Polestar and STOTT Pilates. Polestar has given me a strong foundation in movement, anatomy and clinical knowledge, while STOTT Pilates has provided a more contemporary approach and helped me adapt exercises using props and modifications for students with different needs and levels. 

I have also been certified as a yoga Teacher for almost 10 years, and I continue to learn and practice different yoga modalities: Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin, Ashtanga and Kundalini. 

More recently, I became certified as a Group Fitness Instructor in Australia with Women’s Fitness Education and am continuing my studies towards my Personal Training qualification. I am registered with Ausactive and maintain my First Aid and CPR certifications in place.

I have also completed additional education in women's health with Women’s Fitness Education, including areas such as the menstrual cycle, pelvic-floor health and hormonal changes. 

I don't consider education something that ends when you receive a certificate. 

For me, it is an ongoing process. 

So next time you sign up for a class or walk into a studio and roll out your mat, take a moment to ask your teacher: 

• Where did you get your qualification?

• How long have you been teaching?

• What experience do you have with people like me?

• When was the last time you completed additional education or professional development?

• Are you registered with a relevant professional or regulatory body?

Ask these questions from a good place — not because you should distrust every teacher, but because you deserve confidence in the person you are trusting with your body. 

Because ultimately, your body is yours.

Choose carefully who you allow to teach you how to move it. 

Book a free call with me and let’s talk about where you are, what you want to achieve, and how I can help you build strength, move better and feel more confident in your body.