International
Pilates Certification Competency
Doctrine
IPCertification
documentation requires Pilates Instructors to teach within their skill.
The following recommendations are guidance for Pilates Instruction.
A
certified Pilates instructor can make an accurate ‘Fitness Assessment’
of the Pilates client(i.e. strength, flexibility endurance and
body fat composition) and is competent designing fitness programs
(i.e. considering the client’s goals, intuition, feedback,
‘Health History Questionnaire’, posture analysis and fitness assessment
and if provided, their physician's evaluation or prescribed protocols)
and is skilled in ‘Fitness Record’ documentation.
A
certified Pilates instructor MUST hold the client’s SAFTEY as her/his
core responsibility. Therefore she/he is required to obtain CPR certification
and professional fitness instructor liability insurance as well as perform
safety inspections of fitness equipment and subsequently request maintenance
of it when deemed necessary, for the well-being of the client.
A
certified Pilates instructor teaches how to perform movements safely and effectively,
therefore she/he must be proficient
in critical analysis of any exercise with the Pilates principles (i.e.
Pilates is unique in the fitness industry due to application of the 5 Pilates
principles; 1. Breath, 2. Oppositions, 3. Successive Contractions (originated
by Francois Delsarte-1811-1871) and 4. Reciprocal Enervation (implemented
by Physical Therapists), 5. Articular Traction (employed by the medical industry
and exercise physiology)and is obligated to modify or dismiss
any Pilates exercise when evaluated to be contraindicative to the clients'
needs and abilities. NOTE; all modifications are based on the client's current needs and
abilities, subsequently, we do not adhere to PRE-SCRIPTED routines (i.e.
set spring loads, number of repetitions, breathing directives, pelvic/spinal
alignment, sequence, pace or teaching style).
A
certified Pilates instructor is knowledgeable in the five stretch techniques.
NOTE; The IPC flexibility policy is; we do not stretch clients, but rather,
instruct the client in 4 of the five stretch modalities. Our objective is
to teach the client to obtain or maintain a normal ROM. We never use the BALLISTIC
stretch technique or force clients into an extreme or uncomfortable ROM (as
in Joseph Pilates videos). Pilates Instructors may facilitate flexibility
exercises by assisting stabilization within a normal ROM as the client releases
excess tension in a STATIC STRETCH or performs PROPRIOCEPTVE NEUROMUSCULAR
FACILITATION stretch techniques. We prefer instructing the client in DYNAMIC
STRETCHING and ACTIVE ISOLATED STRETCHES for functional efficiency.
A
certified Pilates instructor is skilled in contemporary ‘Teaching Techniques
(i.e. Demonstration, Touch System, Verbal Cueing, Graduate System,
Technical Training, KISS System, Inspirational Teaching)and
‘Learning Modalities’ (i.e. Categorization, Code,
Rhyme, Chant, Mnemonics, Acronyms, Reconstruction, Crossdics, Chunking, Visualization,
Color-coding, Loci Method, Concept Image, RCRC).
A
certified Pilates instructor should be able to recognize(NOT
diagnose)conditions or symptoms that a client exhibits that
warrants immediate cancellation of the Pilates session and referral to a health
professional.
NOTE; symptoms such as, (but not limited to) chronic pain that does
not respond to Pilates exercises, prolonged or increasing pain, inflammation,
unusual chest pain, rapid heart rate, difficulty in breathing, numbness, distal
bilateral tingling, intoxication, blurred vision, fainting, nausea, prolonged
dizziness, a significant decrease in their normal coordination or mobility,
loss of consciousness.
A
certified Pilates instructor always request clearance from a medical professional
prior to working with a client under present or recent medical care and always
follows medical guidelines, contraindications and general suggestions of the
client’s health care provider. NOTE; Pilates exercises may exasperate fresh injuries permanently
if the client returns to Pilates before the medical professional has discharged
the client.
A certified
Pilates instructor will NOT breach her/his scope of practice by practicing
physical rehabilitation, adjust a subluxation, correct illness, deformity
or advise as a pharmacist, physician, chiropractor, physical therapist or
dietitian.
NOTE; A Pilates instructor may employ post-rehab protocols or offer her/his
unqualified opinions but our principal consideration is to focus on maintaining
the client’s wellness, it is the attending physician's responsibility
to evaluate, monitor and prescribe protocols for the client's physical changes.
A
certified Pilates instructor concentrates on balancing the ratio between strength,
endurance and flexibility and will not instruct a client to perform exercises
past normal levels, even at the client's request.
NOTE; intense strength training a muscle causes an imbalance with it’s
antagonist muscles which may lead to injury, excessive endurance training
may lead to joint compression or joint disorders such as degenerative disc,
bursitis or arthritis, flexibility beyond a normal ROM may lead to permanently
over stretched tendons or ligaments which predisposes the client to severe
injuries (i.e. we avoid hyper-flexion as well as hyper-extension including
the spine, knee, elbow and wrist).
Continue
education is required for a certified Pilates instructor. NOTE; A Pilates instructor must complete a CPR/first AID course.