Empower Mat Pilates Teacher Training
Start Your Pilates Journey in the heart of South Tampa!
Our Mat Pilates Teacher Training is the perfect place to begin your Pilates education. Whether you’re new to teaching, looking to deepen your practice, or planning to become a fully certified instructor, this foundational course will help you build strength, knowledge, and confidence.
Created by a Doctor of Physical Therapy and taught by a team with over 25 years of combined experience, this program blends the art and science of movement to help every student succeed.
Why Start with Mat Pilates?
Mat training is the foundation of all Pilates work.
It’s where you learn body awareness, breath, and control.
Mat Pilates:
Is a perfect starting point for new instructors or fitness enthusiasts
Requires no equipment — learn and practice anywhere!
Builds a strong understanding of core Pilates principles
Allows you to gain the confidence to teach clients safely and effectively
Has flexible options for every schedule and learning style
Why Empower’s Program?
NCPT Approved
Meets national standards and prepares you to sit for the NCPT exam.
Our mat program runs over five Saturday modules, so you can keep working while you learn!
Flexible & Accessible
Designed and taught by Doctors of Physical Therapy and Master Instructors with 25+ years of combined experience.
Led by Experts
Graduate with the skills and confidence to lead safe, effective mat classes with our continuous hands-on mentorship.
Hands-On Mentorship
What You’ll Learn
Our course combines education, movement, and mentorship to help you feel confident teaching Mat Pilates to a wide range of clients.
Curriculum Includes:
The History of Pilates and the evolution of the method.
The Pilates Principles, created by Joseph Pilates, and the Empower Principles focused on optimal alignment, breath, and movement.
Functional Anatomy to provide a deeper understanding of how the musculoskeletal system works to create movement.
Movement assessment strategies to examine how correct and faulty movement patterns affect the body for optimal performance and injury prevention.
Special Populations to learn modifications for clients of all ages, levels, and conditions.
The full repertoire of 34 Classical Mat Exercises, fully digitized and detailed in your course manual.
Teaching strategies, effective cueing for correct form, class design, and safety
Join us for the next cohort!
Spring 2027 Mat Training Dates:
February 6th
February 27th
March 20th
April 17th
May 1st
This course is led by Doctors of Physical Therapy and Master Pilates Instructors with a combined 25+ years of Pilates teaching and rehabilitation experience.
You’ll learn from professionals who integrate anatomy, biomechanics, and evidence-based movement principles into every lesson, guiding you to become a confident, skilled, and safe instructor.
Who You’ll Learn From
Saige Deveau, NCPT
Certified Pilates Instructor
Niajah Dixon, DPT, NCPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Pilates Instructor
Alyssa Stewart, DPT, NCPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Pilates Instructor
Pilates Mat Intensive Certification
The Empower PT Pilates Mat Intensive Training is an NPCP-approved course.
This certification course includes:
Full digital manual and video library of all 34 classical exercises
Use of Empower PT’s Tampa studio for self-practice and observation
Personalized feedback and mentorship from Empower PT instructors and physical therapists
Certification upon completion, qualifying you to sit for the Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher (NCPT) exam
Pilates class and intake form templates
Cost: $1800
$500 Deposit upon Sign Up Required
Gives you access to Functional Anatomy, History of Pilates, Pilates Principles, and Pre-Mat exercises
Pilates Intensive Mat Certification Requirements:
This certification requires a minimum of 100 hours and must include the following:
Lectures (15 hours):
History of the Pilates Method (3 hours)
34 Established Pilates Mat Exercises (5 hours)
Anatomy (4 hours)
Special Populations - Modifications, contraindications, progressions, and cueing (3 hours)
Observation hours (15 hours; 8 hours can be online)
Student observes an experienced teacher
Practice Teaching (20 hours)
Student teaches friend, family member, or classmate
Apprentice Teaching hours (10 hours)
Student teaches one of program instructors
Self-Practice hours (40 hours)
Practicing independently or as a student in a group or private setting
Complete/pass all check-offs and final practical, which includes:
Teaching of 2 program instructors for 30 minutes utilizing the Pilates ring and optional use of the spine corrector.
FAQs
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No, a college degree is not required for this program.
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It is recommended, but not required, that each applicant has taken at least ten classes that are a mix of mat and reformer.
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This is an NCPT (formerly PMA) approved 100-hour course. You will receive a certificate of completion and will be eligible to sit for the NCPT Mat exam.
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The timeline for the course does vary per person, however, most students are able to complete the certification within 6-8 months if they maintain steady completion of their hours and check offs.