The Ki-Atsu Pilates Instructor Program is a 510-hour, 51 credit program designed to provide all of the necessary knowledge and skills to pass the new National Instructors Certification test from the Pilates Method Alliance and begin a career as a Pilates Instructor. The program consists of two classes, Pilates I and Pilates II.

The following classes are included and may also be taken individually: 

 The Ki-Atsu Pilates Curriculum

Classes Include:

• Anatomy in Clay / 40 Hours
• Essentials of Movement / 16 
• Pilates Mat Repertoire/18
• Pilates Equipment Repertoire/70
• Homeworks and Case Studies/196
• Internship / 170 Hours
• Total Program Hours / 510 Hours

Pilates I is a 110-hour, 11-credit course that will instruct the student in the theory and fundamentals of Pilates based exercises. The course will also teach the student all of the thirty-four exercises that comprise Pilates floor based exercise, commonly known as Pilates Mat. The student, upon completing Pilates I will be able to perform all thirty-four exercises and teach others to safely and effectively perform these exercises both in one-on-one or class setting. The class consists of lecture, performance of the exercises, practical teaching exercises, participating in Pilates classes, and teaching clients.

Pilates II deepens the student’s knowledge of the anatomy of the body, the Chinese Meridian system and Myofascial Planes, and how Pilates affects each. The course also instructs the student to perform and teach Pilates exercises using Pilates exercise equipment including: the Reformer, Trapeze Table, Two Pedal Chair, Spine Corrector, Bosu Ball, Exercise Balls and Resistance bands. The class will also instruct the student on how to observe the client’s posture, and movement, and how to design programs to address that client’s specific needs.

Total Tuition for the program is $3600.00

View on-line courses for the Pilates Instructor program at The Ki-Atsu Method

Pilates I

Class Hours: 110 hours
Credits: 11 credits
Prerequisites: None
Instructor: Dr. Ki F. Kosut
Text: Ki-Atsu Pilates I Manual
Tuition Cost: $600.00

Class Description

The purpose of Pilates for Massage Therapists Level 1 is to instruct the Student on the history and theory of Pilates exercise, to provide the student with the knowledge and experience to safely and effectively perform Pilates floor exercises, and to provide the student with the knowledge and ability to safely and effectively teach the Pilates floor exercises to clients. The course utilizes the teaching technique of lecture, video, a manual, and practice of the performance and teaching of the exercises.

The course begins by presenting the history of Pilates, and its founder, Joseph Pilates. Students are shown a video of Joseph Pilates performing the exercises he developed. The students then learn the theoretical concepts of Pilates training. Students will learn the six Principles of Pilates, the three centers, and the anatomy of the muscles that Pilates exercise effects. Students also learn the concept of repatterning, and how Pilates can be effective to achieve this. The course will then teach students on how to view their posture and client’s posture to observe when deviations may exist and how Pilates exercises can be used to correct these deviations. Students will learn about the role that the fascia plays in determining posture and deviations in posture. Students will learn about the postural objective, and how to assess posture in terms of horizontal and vertical lines. Movement analysis for Anterior and Posterior tilts will also be taught to students. Students will also learn about typical muscle imbalances, their causes, and how to correct them.

Students will then learn the thirty-four exercises that make up Pilates floor work. Each exercise will be examined on the basis of:

• Appropriate skill level (beginner, intermediate, or advanced)
• The muscles used in the exercise
• How to perform the exercise safely and effectively
• Which clients would benefit from and which clients should not perform the exercise
• How to effectively teach the exercise to a client.
• The students will be provided with a sample routine of a beginner’s workout, an intermediate workout, and an advanced workout.
• Students will practice the exercises to gain proficiency in performing them, and will also practice teaching the exercises to other members of the class to develop skills in assessing how a client is performing an exercise.
• Students will learn how to give appropriate cues to a client or group of clients to perform the exercise correctly.

Incorporation of excercise balls and resistance bands is included in the training. Students shall learn and practice the exercises with the balls and resistance bands so that they may perform them safely and correctly. Exercises will also be examined to determine the level of proficiency needed to perform them, identify clients who would most benefit from them, and identify clients for whom these exercises would be contraindicated. Students will practice teaching the exercises to clients to develop the ability to give cues and assessment skills. Students will also learn a specific back stabilization program that can be used for themselves or to teach to clients for whom it may be beneficial. Students must successfully complete a written exam on the material presented in the course.

Pilates II

Class Hours: 400 hours
Credits: 40
Prerequisites: Completion of the 16 classroom hours of Pilates I
Instructor: Dr. Ki F. Kosut
Text: Ki-Atsu Pilates II Manual
Tuition: $3000

Course Description

The Ki-Atsu Institute for Healing Arts’ Pilates II is a comprehensive course that will instruct the student on the skeletal and muscular systems, movement analysis, fitness assessments, Chinese meridians, Myofascial plans, and also on the Pilates exercises which can be performed on four different pieces of Pilates equipment. The course also presents information regarding injury and rehabilitation. Upon completion of the course the student will be able to safely and effectively perform the exercises upon the Pilates equipment, know the anatomy behind the exercises, and be able to teach these exercises to clients. This course employs the use of a manual, demonstrations, practice, journals, homework, and a case study as teaching techniques.

The course begins with a review of the skeletal and muscular systems. The review focuses on the major muscle groups, their origin, insertion, and action. Students then learn to perform a functional assessment on a client. The student will learn the effect of muscle shortening on the functionality of the body, and will learn how to design an exercise program to assist the client in correcting these problems.

Fitness testing is presented so students will learn to assess the clients (or their own) level of fitness. Cardiovascular testing, body composition testing, and flexibility testing are covered to give the student a good idea of where the client’s level of fitness lies. Students will perform fitness testing on each other to gain proficiency in administering these tests.

In addition, students will also learn how to assess clients using Meridian theory from Traditional Chinese Medicine and Myofascial planes. Students will learn the meridians, the pathway of the meridians in the body, the function of the meridian, what the manifestations are of problems with each meridian, and how Pilates exercises can be used to return balance back to the body. Pilates II will teach students to use the various pieces of Pilates equipment that exist to perform Pilates exercises, building upon the foundation of floor work techniques the student learned in Level 1. The course will teach the student to perform and teach exercises utilizing the Reformer, Trapeze Table, Spine Corrector, and Two Pedal Chair.

Students will learn fifty exercises that can be performed on the Reformer. Learn how to set the machine for each exercise, how to safely and correctly perform the exercise, how to teach the exercise to a client, the purpose of the exercise, and how to identify clients that should not perform the exercise. Students will also learn variations of each exercise and when to employ the variation for clients. Proper cuing techniques for each exercise are emphasized for client safety and proper performance of the exercise.

Seventeen exercises on the Cadillac/Trapeze Table are included. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to correctly perform each of the seventeen exercises and be able to safely teach these exercises to clients. Students will be able to identify the purpose of each exercise, identify the benefits of the exercise, be able to properly cue clients in the safe and effective performing of the exercise, and identify clients for whom the exercise is contraindicated.

Twenty-nine exercises are presented us the Chair. Students will be able to safely and correctly perform each exercise, configure the equipment correctly for each exercise, be able to identify the purpose of each exercise, be able to teach each exercise to a client, using proper cuing, and will be able to perform modification of each exercise.

The curriculum includes twenty exercises using the Spine corrector. Students will be able to safely and correctly perform each exercise, identify and describe the purpose of each exercise, identify clients who would benefit from the exercise and clients who should not perform the exercise and be able to properly cue each exercise.

The course also includes a section on Injury and Rehabilitation. Instruction covers neurological feedback loops, clinical terms related to the muscular system, common problems that clients may present with and how exercises should be modified to accommodate these problems, emergency care of acute injury, and proper rehabilitation of soft tissue injury. In order to successfully complete the course, the student must demonstrate proficiency in both performing and teaching all of the exercises, and successfully complete a written exam.