Pilates Instructor Journeys

Every instructor starts as a student, with a story that’s uniquely their own. Here at Premium Pilates & Fitness, our instructors come from all walks of life—each with a spark that led them to teach and help people through movement. Read their stories below for an authentic look into what becoming an instructor really feels like.

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Maddie’s Journey

Let’s start from the beginning — what inspired you to become a Pilates instructor?
I fell in love with Pilates as a client at PPF. I was looking for an exercise routine that I enjoyed and could stick to, once I did mat Pilates and barre I was hooked! As time went on I realised I wanted to help other people find enjoyment in exercise too so I signed up for the course and here I am!

What were you doing before you became an instructor?
Before becoming an instructor I worked in Human Resources. I still do work in HR alongside teaching and love the mix of both. I was nervous to get into instructing without a fitness background but I'm so glad I made the leap.

What made you choose Premium Pilates & Fitness for your training and what was it like?
I felt so supported and encouraged as a client at PPF and that vibe carries through in the PPF instructor training course. I loved that it was in person so there were other people to share the experience with and I finished the course feeling confident having learnt so much.

What do you love most about being a Pilates instructor?
There are two big things for me: connection with clients and flexibility. My biggest love is definitely the clients — I love watching them give new things a go, push through challenging classes or just hearing about what's going on in their lives before and after class. I also love the flexibility. I get asked all the time how I balance instructing and having a full time job but being able to teach a couple of classes in the early morning, late afternoon or on the weekend makes it very achievable!

What’s your teaching style like, and what can clients expect in your classes?
Fun, challenging and inclusive is the vibe of all my classes. Clients can expect good tunes, a few giggles and a clear class plan — as a type A girly, my classes are structured in blocks with a focus area so you'll always know what you're working and where you should be feeling it!

What advice would you give someone thinking about becoming a Pilates instructor?
It's really easy to stay in your comfort zone but I can say that I am 100% better off for getting out of mine! Be open, be brave, you never know what might come of it.

How has becoming an instructor changed your life, professionally or personally?
Becoming an instructor has brought me so much joy and confidence. I love building connections at the studio and get a real sense of accomplishment from teaching.

What’s one cue, prop, or exercise you always come back to?
Anything glutes (this answer definitely won't be a surprise to any of my clients), especially jaw + variations with a booty band — barre, mat or reformer!

What’s next for you in your Pilates journey?
Definitely going to more classes to inspire my own teaching. We have great instructors who all have their own style so there's always something I can learn from each of them!

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Eloise’s Journey

Let’s start from the beginning — what inspired you to become a Pilates instructor?
I’d been doing lots of Pilates for a few years and always loved how much it reminded me of dance technique, which I studied after school. A friend of mine let me know she was running a teacher training course, and I’d actually been thinking about doing one for a while. So I did it!

What were you doing before you became an instructor?
Before becoming an instructor, I worked in marketing and support work – a mix of creative and caring roles.

What makes PPF stand out as a Pilates studio?
The community at PPF is genuinely the kindest and most supportive I’ve ever experienced!

What do you love most about being a Pilates instructor?
I love being able to share my passion for Pilates technique. It’s rewarding to watch clients improve and become more confident in their movement. I also love the physicality of the job.

What’s your teaching style like, and what can clients expect in your classes?
My style is a blend of athletic and classical Pilates, with a strong focus on deep core engagement. I also love working the glutes!

What advice would you give someone thinking about becoming a Pilates instructor?
Give it a go! You won’t know if it’s for you until you try.

How has becoming an instructor changed your life, professionally or personally?
It’s given me more confidence when speaking in front of a group.

What’s one cue, prop, or exercise you always come back to?
The squishy ball is my go-to! It’s so versatile. I also love incorporating oblique rotations.

What’s next for you in your Pilates journey?
At the moment, I’m focused on continuing to grow as an instructor and expanding my repertoire with new exercises.

Dani’s Journey

Let’s start from the beginning — what inspired you to become a Pilates instructor?
I had been doing Pilates for a few years and loved it, so I thought I’d give teaching a go!

What were you doing before you became an instructor?
I was working in retail and hospitality, then went to uni for a short time before starting Pilates training.

What makes PPF stand out as a Pilates studio?
The community and support. I love how PPF is always striving to improve their training and classes, and how supportive they are of their instructors.

What do you love most about being a Pilates instructor?
Meeting so many different people and being able to share the Pilates love!

What’s your teaching style like, and what can clients expect in your classes?
Challenging but fun. I like to make sure clients are working hard but also enjoying themselves.

What advice would you give someone thinking about becoming a Pilates instructor?
Go for it! It’s such a rewarding career and you’ll learn so much about yourself and your body.

How has becoming an instructor changed your life, professionally or personally?
IIt’s given me so much more confidence, and I’ve made so many amazing friends through Pilates.

What’s one cue, prop, or exercise you always come back to?
Anything using the Pilates ring – it adds such a great challenge!

What’s next for you in your Pilates journey?
Continuing to teach and hopefully doing more training in the future.

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Jasmine’s Journey

Let’s start from the beginning — what inspired you to become a Pilates instructor?
I fell in love with Pilates after taking classes myself, and I wanted to be able to share that passion with others.

What were you doing before you became an instructor?
I was studying at uni and working part-time in retail.

What makes PPF stand out as a Pilates studio?
The high-quality training and supportive environment. Everyone is so welcoming and genuinely cares about your growth.

What do you love most about being a Pilates instructor?
Helping people feel stronger and more confident in their bodies.

What’s your teaching style like, and what can clients expect in your classes?
I like to keep things fun and engaging, with a balance of challenge and flow.

What advice would you give someone thinking about becoming a Pilates instructor?
If you love Pilates, you’ll love teaching it! The training is so worthwhile even just for your own practice.

How has becoming an instructor changed your life, professionally or personally?
It’s given me a career path that I’m excited about and a lot more confidence.

What’s one cue, prop, or exercise you always come back to?
The Pilates ball – it’s so versatile and can really change up an exercise.

What’s next for you in your Pilates journey?
I’d love to keep building my teaching experience and take on more classes.

Emily’s Journey

‍Let’s start from the beginning — what inspired you to become a Pilates instructor?
I think it’s a very serendipitous story, personally. I was at a point in my life where I didn’t know what direction I wanted to go in. Recently returned from a working holiday in Canada, I quit my job in hospitality and was about to move to the mines to drive trucks when covid hit and put a stop to… everything, which actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise for me. After a few months at home (living my best life tbh) I was approached to manage the Yoga and Pilates studio around the corner from me which is where I discovered Pilates. With a background in dance, when I found Barre Pilates (which I call ballet for the booty) I fell in love. I knew immediately I wanted to teach, so in addition to managing the studio, I commenced my Mat Pilates Certification, followed by my Barre and then Reformer Pilates certs.

What were you doing before you became an instructor?
I’d worked in retail for 5 years before jet setting off to Canada and worked predominantly in hospitality, dabbling in a little housekeeping, over the course of the two years I was abroad. When I returned to Australia it made sense to take on a management role in hospitality, but my passion for it was starting to dwindle. I’ve always loved working with people but I felt something was missing (I just wasn’t sure what).

What makes PPF stand out as a Pilates studio?
I love that PPF allows instructors to bring their own personal touch and personality to each class but has an expectation in regards to the quality and standard of teaching provided. Because PPF offer their own in depth training, clients can expect a level of uniformity across their instructors when it comes to their knowledge of the Pilates repertoire and the principles required to get the most out of every exercise. I also think PPF are very deliberate with their recruiting and have created a team of instructors who all share a passion for not only Pilates, but also people, fun and have zest for life in general. It’s a very positive and energetic place to work, which I love.

What do you love most about being a Pilates instructor?
There are so many reasons why I love being a Pilates Instructor! Here’s my top 3:

1. I whole heartedly believe in the power of Pilates and the transformative effect it has on people not just physically but mentally. I have experienced it myself, in my own body and mind over the last 5 years and have been privileged to witness it in my clients as well.
2. I love talking to and working with people so this is the perfect job for me. With a background in Film, Television and Theatre, I love being in front of people, commanding the room and having a positive impact on those who walk through the door (even if they’re not exactly my biggest fans at the time). Encouraging people to become more in tune with their bodies, reach their goals and challenging them to strive for more, gives me energy and purpose.
3. The flexibility is unparalleled to any other job I have had. I’ve never been able to sit still, so I knew a regular 9-5 office job wasn’t going to work for me. Between my classes I can spend time with family and friends, pursue other interests, enjoy my hobbies and have naps (which I love).

What’s your teaching style like, and what can clients expect in your classes?
To be honest, I’m a bit of a task master haha. I like to keep the class moving and flowing so I rarely give you time take a break (if you get a stretch mid class, I’m feeling generous). “It’s a marathon, not a sprint” so I like to keep you energised and challenged but moving with intention and precision. My playlists often reflect this, creating a vibe of good beats with an occasional banger. With that being said, I LOVE a chat before and after class, but during you will find I tend to go into “business mode”. I’m very approachable though, so don’t let this put you off from asking me questions or having a laugh. If you are coming to a Barre or Strength x Cardio with me, expect high intensity, fun, great bangers and dance breaks.

What advice would you give someone thinking about becoming a Pilates instructor?
You can never go wrong learning a new skill. It was definitely the best decision I’ve made and even now I’m still looking to continue learning by completing more training. You will definitely be nervous teaching your first class (I’d be worried if you weren’t) but you will eventually build confidence within yourself the more you do it. If you love Pilates, I think you will love being an instructor but even if you don’t go on to teach, the knowledge you gain will have a huge impact on your own practice, which I believe is a win in itself.

How has becoming an instructor changed your life, professionally or personally?
I wake up every day excited to go to my job, which unfortunately I don’t think a lot of people can relate to. Even on the days where I’m tired, it’s cold outside and I’d rather stay under the doona, I know my clients are relying on me and I always feel SO much better for showing up for them and myself. There’s constant ways to keep growing as a professional and you can literally take these skills anywhere in the world.

What’s one cue, prop, or exercise you always come back to?
The Pilates ball is my favourite prop, I use it a lot. It’s so dynamic because it can be used to both support and progress your practice which is really cool. It’s also a really fun and easy way to change up an exercise and give it a new twist. I also love a lunge. There’s so many different ways to do it on the reformer, it never gets old.

What’s next for you in your Pilates journey?
I’m currently undergoing a few different types of training so I can offer more to my clients. One aspect is for winding down and supporting clients to take time to rest, stretch and add more mindfulness to their lives, which I believe is incredibly important. The other is adding more strength and conditioning elements to be able to teach more advanced and dynamic classes for those who want even MORE spice. I have a few other ideas in the works but you’ll have to wait and see what those are.

Think you’d make a great Pilates instructor? So do we!

If these stories sound like you, your journey could start with our self-paced Anatomy course. From there, you can build your foundation in our in-person Matwork course and Reformer course.

Already certified? Keep growing with Intermediate Reformer or dive into specialisations like Prenatal Matwork & Reformer.

If you’re ready to take the next step, visit our Instructor Training page to explore course details and upcoming dates—we’d love to see you in training soon!

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