Become a Third Generation
Classical Pilates instructor
If you are searching for the perfect time and place to pursue your continuing Pilates education, you’ve found it! Flex is proud to announce its affiliation with REAL Pilates in New York as a Host Site for Teacher Training. REAL Pilates honours the legacy of Romana Kryzanowska and training is rooted in the authentic Classical method, as learned by Alycea Ungaro.
The life’s work of Joseph Pilates cannot be fast tracked, and the responsibility we all share in promoting and preserving his legacy is profound. As a graduate of Real Pilates Teacher Training (RPTT), you will become a part of this legacy.
“The teacher training pushed me out of my comfort zone, as I was expected to start teaching from day one. I have always been a shy person who is reluctant to come under the spotlight unless it’s absolutely necessary. Beyond my expectations, the programme helped me conquer my biggest fear through the weekly and teaching hour requirements. With the guidance and mentorship from both RPTT and Flex team, I found my teaching voice and confidence. Also, the programme brought my own Pilates practice to the next level and I am happy to see the positive changes in my body.”
— Amber Tsui, 2020 Graduate of the Real Pilates New York Teacher Training Programme
Real Pilates Teacher Training ( RPTT) teaches Classical sequencing and repertoire, as well as the ability to “think” about the moving body in front of you and deliver the most effective and rewarding sessions for Pilates students. The result is success as a professional Pilates instructor.
The life’s work of Joseph Pilates cannot be fast tracked, and the responsibility we all share in promoting and preserving his legacy is profound. As a graduate of Real Pilates Teacher Training (RPTT), you will become a part of this legacy.
“The teacher training pushed me out of my comfort zone, as I was expected to start teaching from day one. I have always been a shy person who is reluctant to come under the spotlight unless it’s absolutely necessary. Beyond my expectations, the programme helped me conquer my biggest fear through the weekly and teaching hour requirements. With the guidance and mentorship from both RPTT and Flex team, I found my teaching voice and confidence. Also, the programme brought my own Pilates practice to the next level and I am happy to see the positive changes in my body.”
— Amber Tsui, 2020 Graduate of the Real Pilates New York Teacher Training Programme
At the end of our time together, you will have developed a completely new teaching skill set.
Flex Studio is a host site for Alycea Ungaro’s REAL Pilates Teacher Training (RPTT), an internationally recognized Classical Pilates training programme. Those who complete the training are certified 3rd Generation Classical Pilates instructors in the lineage of Romana Kryzanowska.
Trainings are conducted in Flex’s spacious studios, fully equipped with Gratz and Pilates Designs classical apparatus. Seminars are conducted in English, and are supported with weekly online learning via Canva. Modules are broken down by level: Beginner, Intermediate I and II, and Advanced.
Full Classical certification will be awarded to those who complete 600 Primary hours (450 for Bridges) and pass the final written and practical examinations. Certificates of completion will be awarded for those who pass the practical exam and complete the required 150 hours at each level. Apprentices are required to take 5 Privates and 6 Semi Privates for Beginner, Intermediate I and Intermediate II modules. To complete the Advanced module and qualify for certification, there is a requirement of 22 additional mandatory hours, which can be split across a minimum of 5 Privates and Semis.
Each module will cover all Apparatus (full studio) and has required hours for: observation, homework, practice teaching, self mastery, research and group class participation, in addition to 2x weekly Privates and Semi-privates.
Learn more about RPTT Lead Trainers here.
Always a movement enthusiast, Heather Thomas has been teaching Pilates for two decades. Her recognition of Pilates’ benefits and passion for the discipline led her to embark on intensive training, completing her full Studio certification in 2002. She later studied traditional Pilates through Benjamin Degenhardt’s 360° Pilates in 2016, and received 3rd Generation Classical Pilates certification with Alycea Ungaro’s REAL Pilates in 2018. Heather is a Lead Educator for REAL Pilates, and conducts multiple training cycles in Hong Kong and Singapore every year. Read more about Heather’s background HERE.
We invite all interested parties to apply to our program. We recommend all applicants have a minimum of 6 months experience across all studio apparatuses. Applicants should be over 18 years of age. No applicant will be denied on the basis of an individual’s race, color, religion, creed, sex, national origin, age, disability, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, veteran status or any other status protected by federal, state, and local laws or ordinances.
We invite all interested parties to apply to our program. We recommend all applicants have a minimum of 6 months experience across all studio apparatuses. Applicants should be over 18 years of age. No applicant will be denied on the basis of an individual’s race, color, religion, creed, sex, national origin, age, disability, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, veteran status or any other status protected by federal, state, and local laws or ordinances.
The RPTT program is a rigorous program and there are no shortcuts. The weekly commitment is 18 – 22 hours per week to be accomplished according to your schedule and the schedule of your Host studio. But we have multiple protocols for extensions should one be necessary.
Immersion education is shown to have the best results over the long term. Our program allows you to keep pace with a group of your peers so that you always have support from students in the exact same place you are. This allows for camaraderie, team building and a level of education that is uncommon in programs that allow you to go at your own pace. All graduates have 30 days beyond the program to compete their final exams. Should an extension be necessary our team will work with you to make sure you can proceed to the finish line.
Short answer: No. Longer answer: The Real Pilates program is laid out with specific goals, targets and assignments for each of the 30 weeks. We require all participants to stick to the outline of 18 – 22 hours per week in order to avoid education overload or worse, plateaus. Performed at a steady pace, we are confident that 30 weeks is the minimum time you should invest in order to process this enormous body of work. When you leave this program you will be responsible for the health and well-being of others. Such a responsibility should not be rushed. Take your time, respect the process and soak up every single second.
No. There is no path to becoming a Real Pilates Teacher that allows for trainees to complete seminars alone. In fact, our seminars account for just 72 hours of the 600 total required to graduate. The bulk of our training program is completed on the teaching floor, with supervision and support.
All trainees are required to complete the weekend seminars in order from first to last. If your schedule restricts you from attending a seminar, we suggest you look to the next upcoming program dates.
Not really. Depending upon when a program creator studied with an original source of Pilates and which source that was will determine what type of classical training is offered. Our program is based on Romana’s syllabus from the early 1990’s when she was at the peak of her teaching. This foundational training coupled with modern technology and founder Alycea Ungaro’s background as a physical therapist, makes our program unique. Trainees often describe the training as two programs in one. The live program and the online program combine for the best of both experiential and academic education. We insist that every single hour of your program is truly valuable.
There are many ways forward to become a Pilates instructor. But there are very few ways back to the real work of Joseph Pilates. The real value of your training is the expertise you glean and your ability to work with any type of human. The RPTT confers another distinct benefit: lineage. This is what you earn by training in the original method. Joe taught Romana. Romana taught Alycea. Now Alycea will teach you. You will then take your place as an ambassador for the work of Joseph Pilates.
If the cost seems higher than others programs it’s because we show you the total costs up front whereas many programs only reveal the tuition and mask the many other required costs. We believe there shouldn’t be any surprises. If the cost seems lower it’s likely because we have enough Host studios and enough volume to scale our expenses and pass the savings on to you. Remember that is really two programs in one. We believe that you should only have to go through your primary Pilates education once. Too often, instructors graduate their programs and immediately begin again somewhere new spending enormous time and money re-educating themselves. Our motto is “do it once and do it right”. It is far less expensive to enroll in a complete comprehensive education than to begin all over again in new training programs.
Despite what you may have heard there is no teacher training program that can legally confer upon you the title of “Certified” Pilates teacher. In order to be a “Certified” Pilates teacher you must complete a qualified program and then sit for the independent third party exam administered by the National Pilates Certification Program. Real Pilates will issue you a certificate of completion as a qualified professional Real Pilates Instructor.
All professional Pilates instructors are invited to keep up their training with RP through our membership program, our annual educational event and regular trainings.
13- 16 March 2025 with Anna Serafinas Luk
The Xtend Barre basic repertoire training consists of 22 hours training over 4 days held at Flex, an affiliated Xtend Barre studio. Learn correct technique and how to effectively teach barre with one of the most well-structured barre programs available.
13 March 2pm- 7pm
14 March 2pm- 7pm
15 March 11:30am- 2:30pm; 3:30pm- 6:30pm
16 March 10am- 4pm
Contact our One Island South Studio for course information and application process.
