There’s a moment every Pilates instructor remembers: walking into the studio to teach your first class, feeling excited, nervous and perhaps questioning whether you’re really ready. The truth? You probably won’t feel completely ready, and that’s okay. Your first three months of teaching are filled with new experiences, plenty of learning, small wins and moments that remind you why you chose to become an instructor in the first place.
We asked eight of Your Reformer’s Master Trainers to look back on their own beginnings: the lessons they learned, the moments that stayed with them and the advice they wish they’d received. Here’s what they had to say about the first few months of teaching and what comes next.
What to Expect: The Learning Curve Is Real
However prepared you feel when you complete your teacher training, nothing quite prepares you for teaching your first real class. Suddenly, you’re responsible for reading the room, adapting exercises, remembering your cues, managing springs and helping the people in front of you feel confident and supported. It’s a lot, but it’s also where the real learning begins.
Simon remembers just how much he questioned himself early on: “The nerves! In the sense that, am I doing this right? That’s the right cues, right? To the right springs? I was questioning everything but, of course, there was the joy too of just sticking with it knowing that we grow every single class and body we teach to.”
For Kenlie, the wake-up call came from her very first client: “One of the biggest moments for me was realizing that the majority of the people I would be teaching, were not the type of bodies I had been practicing on! During teacher training we mostly practice on each other or our friends and family. My very first client was actually an amputee from the knee down, that was a big eye opener to me! In no manual ever was I taught how to approach this. But what an Amazing learning opportunity! For one, it showed me pilates is 100% something everyone can do! And secondly it reminded me I had so much more to learn, and that most of that learning would be from hands on sessions in real time!”
Your training gives you the foundations. Teaching real people helps you learn how to apply them. Jaimie found that the pressure she’d put on herself to be perfect wasn’t actually what her clients needed: “When you first start teaching, you can be so focused on whether you’re saying the right thing, cueing correctly and remembering your whole class plan that you don’t always realise that people aren’t just coming back because of the workout, they’re coming back because they like you as their instructor. They feel comfortable with you, they feel seen and safe in your classes, and they enjoy the experience you’ve created for them.”
Great instruction isn’t just about what you teach. It’s also about how you make people feel.
The Moments That Change Everything
Most instructors can pinpoint a moment from their early days that made them realise, I can actually do this. For Lindsay, it was her studio manager seeing something she couldn’t yet see in herself: “I used to practice teach on my friends whenever I could. One day, everything just clicked. I know it sounds crazy, but the studio manager came running up to me and said- you’re ready. She put me on the schedule for the very next day. That moment changed everything for me because someone believed in me before I fully believed in myself.”
Sara’s turning point came from a client, right after a class she was sure hadn’t gone well: “I remember leaving one of my first classes and replaying every cue in my head, wondering if I’d said too much or not enough. Then a client came up to me afterwards and told me they felt stronger than they had in a long time, and that they had so much fun. That moment reminded me that great teaching isn’t about being perfect; it’s about helping people feel strong, confident, and excited to come back.”
Rachael remembers something similar: “The first time someone told me, personally, that they loved or really enjoyed my class. That moment stuck with me - it’s such a simple thing, but it made all the nerves and preparation feel worth it.”
For Juliana and Tessa, the standout moments came from discovering what teaching could give them in return. Juliana was struck by the sense of connection: “I was surprised by the community! It’s one thing to have a good relationship with what you do, but to gain a beautiful sense of connection with your clients and the people you work with is really special. Everyone is there for the same reasons, because they want to learn more about themselves and they enjoy movement.”
Tessa was struck by the impact she could have on others: “One moment from my first 3 months of teaching that stands out is the moment I realised that what I do for people is impactful and meaningful. I have the opportunity to create a moment in their day to disconnect from the world, tune inward with themselves, and truly just be.”
Teaching Pilates is about more than delivering a workout. It’s about creating an experience people want to return to.
The Confidence and Opportunities You’ll Build
Confidence doesn’t always come before you start. More often, it comes from teaching. Every class is an opportunity to refine your cues, better understand different bodies and develop your teaching style.
For Kenlie, teaching has opened doors she never expected: “Everything. Teaching has opened doors I never imagined. I’ve been fortunate to work with some of the worlds most elite athletes at the highest level, teach instructors around the world, and build a business that’s centered around movement and performance. More than anything, it’s given me confidence, not because I know it all, but because I trust my ability to learn, adapt, and help the person in front of me.”
Simon, who describes himself as an introvert, found teaching pushed him outside his comfort zone: “Definitely confidence. I’m actually such an introvert so I had to learn how to work with my personalities and stay authentic to myself. And also, so lucky to have been presented with different opportunities such as to become guest teacher for a new studio opening in Singapore, to come on as part of the filming and education with YR, and national awards nominations to name a few.”
Rachael is even more direct about it: “Confidence, hands down. Teaching in front of a room builds a kind of confidence you can’t get any other way - and it really does come down to just starting. The rest follows with practice.”
For Jaimie, that confidence extended beyond the studio: “Teaching has completely changed my confidence, not just as an instructor but as a person. When I first started, I was definitely more nervous and would overthink everything. Now I feel so much more comfortable walking into a room, taking control of a class and adapting to the people in front of me. … It’s also given me a lifestyle where I can build my work around the things that are important to me, which I really value.”
A Pilates teaching career can also lead to opportunities in studio leadership, education, mentorship and travel.
What They’d Tell Their Beginner Selves
If our Master Trainers could go back and speak to themselves during those first few months, the message would be clear: give yourself permission to learn. You don’t need to know everything or have your teaching style completely figured out from your very first class.
Simon: “Don’t rush! Take time. Certain elements cannot be rushed and that’s the accumulation of teaching experience and hours. As they say, pay your dues and trust the process.”
Kenlie: “You don’t have to prove how much you know, you just have to care, stay curious, and keep learning. The best instructors aren’t the ones with all the answers; they’re the ones who continue asking better questions.”
Lindsay: “Relax this isn’t brain surgery. Your clients aren’t coming because they expect perfection. They’re coming because of how you make them feel. They won’t remember if you stumbled over a cue. They’ll remember that you made them feel stronger, more confident and cared for.”
Sara: “Trust yourself and don’t wait until you feel ‘ready.’ I spent so much time thinking I needed to know everything before I could be a great instructor, but confidence comes from teaching, not before it.”
Rachael: “Take as many classes as you can with different instructors. Learning from other teachers’ styles and simply being taught by them helps you figure out what you like and what you want to bring into your own teaching.”
Juliana: “I would remind her that burnout is very real. Be patient with yourself. You don’t have to be perfect and do everything all at once - learning alongside the job is the most rewarding thing!”
Jaimie: “Stop trying to be perfect, and walk into the room like you’ve taught 100 classes, even if you’ve only taught one. … You don’t have to wait until you feel confident to act confident.”
Tessa: “In order to show up for others you need to show up for yourself. Self care is important too!”
What Surprised Them Most
The learning doesn’t stop after your first three months. Even with years of experience behind them, our Master Trainers are still learning and evolving.
Simon: “That I’m actually good at this? Primarily it’s because more than a decade later, I’m still truly enjoying every moment of teaching.”
Kenlie: “How much I love learning! After almost 15 years of teaching, I actually feel more curious than I did when I started. Every client, every athlete, every injury teaches me something new.”
Lindsay: “How much Pilates has grown since I started teaching in 2018. It’s been incredible to watch so many people discover it. … Years ago, a psychic told me she saw me teaching future Pilates instructors one day. At the time I laughed, but now I find myself mentoring and helping others begin this journey.”
Tessa: “One surprising thing has been the compassion and care I’ve received from my own clients. And, how many have turned into true friends.”
Rachael: “Just how many variations there are. Right when you think you’ve seen it all, you take a class with a different instructor and realise there’s always more to learn.”
Juliana: “I’ve had some amazing opportunities teaching across the globe. … Across all of these places, everyone has their own iterations of the practice and it’s evolved and changed to become one of the most accessible forms of movement.”
There is always more to learn, whether that comes from the people you teach, the instructors you learn from or the opportunities that come with experience.
Thinking About Teacher Training? It’s Normal to Feel Nervous
If you’re considering starting your Pilates teacher training, feeling nervous is completely normal.
Every instructor featured here started somewhere. None of them walked into their first class with years of experience, complete confidence or all the answers.
Sara: “Feeling nervous usually means you care, and that’s a great place to start. You don’t need to know everything before beginning your training. That’s exactly what your training is for.”
Tessa: “Nervousness and excitement feel the same within your body. How you process it is a matter of mindset. There’s a lot waiting for you on the other side, so why not choose to be excited!”
Rachael: “Nerves are a good sign, it means you’re excited. You’re so well equipped by the end of this course, with a full toolkit of repertoire and theory, that once you start teaching you’ll feel far more capable and confident than you expect.”
Juliana: “You don’t know what you haven’t tried. If you have the opportunity to learn, take it. … Nerves just mean you care to do a good job!”
Jaimie: “Do it before you feel ready. … You don’t need to have the perfect voice, perfect cueing or know everything about Pilates. You just need to be willing to learn and practise.”
Lindsay: “Do it. Becoming a Pilates instructor has been one of the most rewarding decisions I’ve ever made. … And if you’re nervous, that’s actually a good sign. It means you care.”
Kenlie: “Don’t wait until you feel ready, start because you’re curious. Everyone begins as a beginner, and confidence comes from doing, not from knowing.”
Simon: “It’s ok to be nervous as there is actually so many different components and information to even a foundational teacher training course. … Find a good support and mentoring network as they can shed the 1% that differentiates brilliant from average.”
The Takeaway
Your first three months as a Pilates instructor won’t look like your last three, and that’s exactly how it should be. There will be nerves, classes you overthink, cues that don’t land quite how you imagined. Moments when you wonder whether you’re doing it right. But there will also be breakthroughs, a client who tells you they felt stronger, a studio manager who believes in you before you believe in yourself and a room full of people who start to recognise you. The first time you walk into class and realise you’re no longer thinking about every single cue. That’s when it starts to click.
Becoming a great instructor isn’t about knowing everything from day one. It’s about staying curious, continuing to learn and showing up. You don’t need to feel ready to begin. You just need to begin.
Ready to Begin Your Journey?
Every Pilates instructor starts somewhere. The nerves and learning curve are part of the process. What matters is having the knowledge, tools and support to take that first step and continue building confidence as you grow.
Your Reformer’s Pilates Education programs are designed to give aspiring instructors a strong foundation in Reformer Pilates, while InstructorPro provides ongoing support through structured programming, real-time cues and continuing education as they develop their teaching style.
You don’t need to have everything figured out before you begin. You just need to begin. To learn more about supporting your instructors beyond their initial training, contact our Commercial team about InstructorPro.