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Pilates Business Podcast
Setting Pilates Teaching Standards with Lolo from the National Pilates Certification Program
00:29:28
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- [00:00]
A
What if one of the biggest reasons that studio owners right now are overwhelmed has nothing to do with marketing? One of the things that I'm hearing most often from studio owners everywhere is I can't get enough great instructors. I can't find good instructors, or I don't trust anyone else to teach my clients. Or I feel like I'm stuck teaching all the time because I don't feel like I have a strong team that I can rely on. And you guys. As the Pilates industry continues to grow fast, there is a bigger conversation happening underneath all of this. And that is, are we actually developing instructors well enough for the future of this industry? So in today's episode, I invited the head of the National Pilates Certification program to talk about the evolution of Pilates education, what certification really means, why so many studios struggle with instruction development, and what studio owners need to understand if they want to build sustainable businesses, not just businesses that are completely dependent on them teaching. So there's a lot in this conversation and I'm really excited for us to dive in. Well, hi there. I'm Sarah Glanfield. I'm a business and marketing strategist just for boutique fitness studio owners like you. If you're ready to be inspired and make a bigger impact, you're in the right place. All you need are a few key strategies, the right mindset, and some support along the way. Join me as I share the real life insights that will help you grow a sustainable and profitable studio. This is the Pilates Business Podcast. Welcome back to the Pilates Business Podcast. I'm really excited for today's conversation because we're diving into a topic that honestly impacts everybody, every single Pilates studiona whether you realize it yet or not. And that is instructor development, teacher development. Not just hiring people, not just hiring someone to come and teach, and not just getting certified, but the bigger conversation around what it actually takes to build a strong team of teachers, building careers in this industry and ultimately building a business and a studio that is filled with folks who are qualified, highly qualified and highly competent to teach your clients. And one of the biggest challenge that I face when, when I got get to work with studio owners is not just focusing on the remote marketing side or the retention side. It's also about finding, developing and keeping incredible teachers and instructors. And as the Pilates industry continues to grow, the conversation around education and certification and teaching standards truly has never mattered more. And today we're diving into that conversation with the head of the National Pilates Certification program to explore what's really happening in the industry. And what I would like to share with you today about what's possible for instructor development as we evolve in this industry. So our guest today is Lolo Arrieta. She is the executive Director of the NPC or National Party Certification Program. And she works closely with a board to oversee the organizational strategy, the program growth and the standards that are set across the industry. She joined the NPCP in 2021, but she's played a key role in the program's evolution for more than a decade before that. Originally from Brazil, Lolo brings a really unique background in the taking care of customers. She knows the industry well and she is also a license, our therapist as well as. So she is. She is. She has been in the same shoes as all of us. So welcome. Lola, I'm so glad you're here.
- [03:58]
B
Thank you for inviting me. It's a pleasure. And to be able to talk a little bit more about what the NPCP is.
- [04:05]
A
Yeah, I'm so glad you're here. You know, we have known each other for a very long time. We both kind of go back in, in the Pilates industry. Many, many, many, many years. And I think that there is a lot that I think we kind of can give on when it comes to the National Plotter Certification Program. So why don't you tell us a little bit. Let's just start sort of where we are today and tell us a little bit about the National Pilates Certification Program and the organization behind it and what it looks like today. And then perhaps we can talk a little bit about how it came to be and how it's evolved into what it is today.
- [04:44]
B
Okay. The MPCP is the only accredited credential organization for Pilates teachers in the United States. Is based in the United States. However, it's accepted and adopted internationally because Pilates is an unregulated profession. And what we do is we focus or sole focus is in certification credential for Pilates teachers. And that focus is intentional. So we prepare entry level. What we do is we do not train. We offer an examination for teacher trainers that have finished their, their training and they sit for a third party exam, which is what the NPCP offers.
- [05:31]
A
It's interesting. I think this is really important to be clear on. I think it's similar to, you know, we look at other industries and I think I remember when we, I was first sort of understanding what it was a long time ago now we kind of compared it to sort of perhaps the bar for lawyers, right. Where you can go to any law School you can go and learn, you know, all of the need to learn. But you know, there's a certain standard that you want to have everybody that practices meet and that has to be consistent. And you know, to be a minimum standard, it has to be consistent. And so it has to be the same exam that everybody takes. And that is really where the, the way you come in, where the NPCP comes in to play. It's not a teacher training program, but it is an accreditation that says, hey, I have been through a teacher training program and I meet this minimum standard.
- [06:25]
B
Right? Correct. You are definitely correct. Yes. The you finish your teacher training and then it's a third party. So there's no bias with the school, with any organization or any endorsement of anybody. It's a certified exam created by Pilates teachers for Pilates teachers. It goes through a psychometric process. So it's a completely separate from any school that has assessed the knowledge of a student. So it's a, it's a separate piece. It complements the path of the profession after they get trained.
- [07:02]
A
Right. And I think, you know that there's a lot of sort of nuances that comes with being a third party and being an accreditation provider.
- [07:12]
B
Right.
- [07:13]
A
You know, you have to be independent. You are not associated with any particular school or training program or lineage or association. Right. There's no advocacy for one or the other. All that you do and your, all your organization is designed to do is to set and uphold a particular standard. Right. And one of the things that you mentioned just then was that, you know, you. It's. It's by Pilates teachers, for Pilates teachers. And I think one of the things that perhaps we don't often think about when you're in the day to day of hiring teachers and training teachers and thinking about teaching standards is or how and who sets those standards. So tell us a little bit about the way that those standards are created. Who sets the exam? How does the exam get created? Who does all of that and how those people chose and can you share a little bit about that?
- [08:10]
B
Sure, gladly. What happens is a very nice process, interesting process because we do not. NPCP does not create exam on our own. The exam is created by Gladys teachers all around the world in different lineages and they come together as subject matter experts. And we have different groups creating different parts of it. So not just one group creates everything. We just created a job task analysis, which is the role. What is a Pilates teacher? What does a Pilates teacher need to know in order to be a teacher? To be in a setting. We just did that and we created a new exam content outline which is the blueprint for the next steps, the exam. After that, the item writing. Writing. We have a bank and we have items that we have to write. And then after that they have to be put in a form. The form gets put out and then validated and then it becomes an exam. But all this is done by Pilates teachers, different groups of them coming together, discussing what it needs. This new job task analysis that was just created was based on something that is on everybody's mind at the moment. Those small courses for the weekend, you know, so we are trying to make the exam as comprehensively as possible, as critical thinking based, as cross as possible to make sure that when you take this exam, even though is a multiple choice. So those are real situations that need to be validated. So it validates your knowledge. If you really know you have the experience, you'll be able to sit for this exam. And we try to do that just to make sure that, you know, you are comprehensively trained. So this is happening at the moment and we're going to launch a new exam in 2027. But this is a beautiful process. Yes, it's a very nice process that I like to be part of.
- [10:13]
A
Absolutely. So you're, you know, you are you in order, you people can be a part. Anyone who is in the Pilates industry can be a part of developing this exam.
- [10:23]
B
Yes. For the subject matter experts. Yes. We put a call out, we asked them to have at least set for the NPCP exam so they have the experience of, of going through the exam and they know if it's too hard or too easy. But yes, anyone can be part of minimum. We need 14, 15 people each step of the way. But we have a really nice set of groups that we have we're working on at the moment. And I thank so much everyone because it's a volunteer work and it's so important.
- [10:58]
A
Yes, yeah, it is so important.
- [11:01]
B
Right.
- [11:01]
A
Because ultimately, you know, this, this drives the quality of instructors and teachers in industry. And I think a lot of the concerns that when I speak to studio owners, you know, a lot of their, their big concerns is around, you know, maintaining a certain quality of, of of within the teaching, within the standards. And I think that as standards, you know, the, the, the, that rapid growth that we've seen in, in, in boutique fitness in Pilates, you know, I think is, are putting a lot of pressure on the industry to, to, to produce instructors faster than maybe even we can then Perhaps we can to develop them. Right? We properly develop them. And so having this in place really sets that standard across the board. And when it is, you know, you open to contribution from anyone who is, who cares about the standard in the industry, then anyone listening who has the, the interest in upholding standards can participate in, in this and, and you can do your bit too. You guys listening in if you want. Right. Because there are, you know, I want to change gears a little bit so we, you know, this is an, you know, it's a completely neutral bridge across the whole Pilates landscape. The NPCP is not associated with any one lineage or anything like that. So the certification is the same. The you you sit the same set of questions depend regardless of whether you were, who you were trained with. And so that credential carries the same weight. Right. And that's the whole kind of point, right. It kind of brings up the minimum standard, but it is a minimum standard for a lot of people. It won't be the final thing that they do to for their teaching. A lot of folks will, in fact most will continue on to learn. Right. But it sort of raises the bar. So everybody meets this minimum. Okay. And so what we where does. So it works with a few different sort of sectors within, within the industry. Because for those who offer teacher training programs. Can you talk a little bit about where what your relationship is with those who offer teacher training programs?
- [13:10]
B
That's the best connection we have in the industry because the schools, the teacher trainers are the ones creating those professionals. So we are developing a close relationship with them. At the moment we're creating a verified program which means your program aligns with our eligibility. So you train someone and what the exam. Let me go back a little bit. What the exam is, is entry level competence. That's what is doing evaluating the entry level competence of a Pilates teacher. So from there, sort of a baseline. You finish your school, get your diploma, sit for the examination and then you go on with your career. So it's one of the steps in your career and then have to renew every two years. That means continuing education to maintain that competence that you proved when you passed exam. Every two years you need to improve and learn something new. So it helps with the growth of the industry as well. Not everyone's going to stay on that or you know, in that, that base level because so by doing continuing education they're learning something new. But it's a baseline, it's complements the industry, all the communities, it gets together and then from here you move forward in your career. That's basically what this is.
- [14:35]
A
Yeah, exactly. I think that's. It's. Yeah, I. So it's. It's not something that is sort of like the final step. It's like you said, it's the. It's the first step right on the beginning to set the baseline. So when are you working with or when you are working alongside teacher training programs? Is there. You know, do you give. Is. Is there an guidelines for them to. When, whenever there is someone create. Creating a new program to follow so that they are able to meet the requirements? Do you give. Do you have a framework?
- [15:09]
B
We have an eligibility requirement. Right. So based on the eligibility requirements, minimum 450 hours, we cannot tell the schools how to teach, cannot release them. But we can say, look, you need to learn. You need to teach that the candidate needs to learn. Minimum 450 hours. All the apparatus, all the repertoire, the history, the philosophy, everything. And they do the hours. They separate the hours as best as they can. They assess their students, they do the practical examination that they have to do. So we cannot tell them, but we have some questionnaire. Here is an example of how you can distribute the hours as you see fit based on the eligibility requirements. So we cannot tell the schools how to do it. We cannot get into that. But we can take a look at their program and say, okay, this program, somebody goes through this program, they should be able to sit for our exam. But that's what we can do as a credentialing agency, which is a name that we call ourselves as well.
- [16:13]
A
Yeah, right. Exactly right. Credential. I like that. So. So we set. Set the standard, and then we say every two years, you need to renew. And that means in order to renew, you have to have continuing education credits.
- [16:26]
B
Right.
- [16:27]
A
And so not only are we setting the minimum standard, but you're also saying, hey, you do still need to continue to learn. And for so many folks who are listening, this is a natural part of your teaching. Regardless. I know so many. I mean, most of the teachers who love what they do, love to learn more about what they do, love to elevate their skills as teachers. And so they're often already doing the continuing education. And this is designed to help support you guys and recognize you for that, but also is to encourage those people who perhaps are not doing that to maintain their education standards and to make sure that, you know, folks are aware of, you know, the, you know, evolving needs of their clientele and, you know, that developing their own skill set. Because, as you said, you know, that that first, that the exam itself, and initially is sort of the beginning, you know, it's the beginning, right? Yeah.
- [17:22]
B
Yeah. I feel like sometimes, you know, some people say, why. Why do we need a certification? We don't need. I know what I know. However, for safety of the public, you go to someone that you can grasp some knowledge, minimal knowledge that you can grasp, because it can. It's. It's validated, you know, and it's. It's a public. It's. How can I say it's more for the public than for the teacher itself? Because if you say I pass this benchmark, which is what we are, we're the benchmark, potentially benchmark for the profession, then from here on, you know that if you go to that professional. I'm talking about the clients, the public itself, you go there, you know, that they met certain standard, and then if they know more, great. This profession is better than that one. However, we know that they know the minimum they need to know in order to be able to. To work with you. Because Pilates teachers work, you know, they work with bodies. And for me personally, is something that for a teacher to be assessed independently from the school, they learn because we love our children, right? Us, our children, we tell them. But if somebody comes and assesses your child and they know exactly where they're at, that makes a difference. So Pilates changes people's lives and in one professional that knows what they're doing minimally.
- [18:51]
A
Yeah, absolutely. I think, you know, and this is what I think everybody wants, right? You want to be in a profession that is recognized for the intensive, hard, many hours of learning that you have put in to getting your training in the first place, and then the ongoing, you know, education that you invest in and to be recognized for that, I think is really important. And when you are investing in yourself in that way, you know, you are incomparable to those who are not, you know, and so this is, you know, this is a recognition of that and an opportunity for that, too. So I think a lot of folks for this, about that, right about this point are probably saying, this is so interesting because it sounds a lot like the pma, so.
- [19:37]
B
Oh, yes. Oh, yes.
- [19:39]
A
Right. So tell us a little bit about, you know, how the NPCP has evolved and become its own organization, and a little bit about the history and its relationship with what was originally the Pilates Method alliance, which at one point did, in fact, house the NPCP organization.
- [20:00]
B
Right.
- [20:01]
A
But over time, you have separated, officially, formally separated. So tell us a little bit about that relationship. You Know, the beginnings of this, you know, organization I think initially was in very back in the early days of the, of the PMA being formed was was really fundamentally about developing these quality standards in the industry and how now this has evolved into a separate organization. Can you share a little bit about that? Sure.
- [20:31]
B
The exam came to be in 2005. So that was created under the PMA in the name of platism after alliance certification program. So PMA certification program that was created. However, the PMA was a membership organization. So there was a very, a lot of confusion between a member and a certificate. PMA member, PMA certificant. So that started evolving and in 2012 it got accredited by the NCCA, which is the accreditation we hold until today. And to be accredited, you need to have a separation from an organization. You cannot be under any guidance, not guidance, but any direction of another organization or be endorsed by anyone or endorse anyone. So there was a natural path to separate. So in 2019, the board, which was commissioned back then, decided to rebrand the program from EMA certification program to National Pilates certification program, something more general like, you know, aas, NASA and all those other names, acronyms. So we decided to change that name and rebrand the program, which was still the same exam that had created, that had been created back then and accredited in 2012. So in 2020 it was time to do a new exam. So it happened at the same time, the rebrand the new exam. And once the NPCP was able to show independence from the organization, the pma, it kind of separated and became its own organization with a different, you know, name that had changed already. So what happened is PMA created the examination, it got rebranded and then got separated. So that's. Those are the three sort of benchmarks. So creation, rebranding, and then separation. And now we're completely independent. And the PMA continues to be a membership association, but we have no connection with them anymore. And we're just a certifying agency. We certify individuals and we approve continuing education courses provider that comes to us offering courses to our certificants. We approve them and they take to renew the certification every two years.
- [23:03]
A
Yeah, and you, and you work purely under the guidance of the, the board of that help to facilitate the exam questions. And they are really the folks who are overseeing that really essentially. I mean, they're the folks who are overseeing the quality standard. And if you go and check out who is on that board, you know, you will recognize many of their names. They are Leaders in the industry and have been in the industry for many, many years. And so what a great group you have there, Lulu, to work with. Fantastic.
- [23:34]
B
Yeah, very nice. They're a nice group to work with.
- [23:37]
A
Very active board, very active members.
- [23:40]
B
Yes. They really support us and help create the vision, the branding, marketing. We have different comm committee committees. So the school outreach committee that, you know, focus on the school's community committee building committee. We also have branding and marketing committee to make sure that our voice out there is a clear voice. We not only use social media for, you know, promotion, but for. To educate. We like to educate and tell them, you know, who we are, why you should be certified, why it matters, you know, to. To have to hold a credential that is tangible and is real instead of like a diploma. It's a great thing. But a certification in the. In the United States, but around the world, I've learned that the certification, third party certification is something common. And when you mention, oh, we are third party certification. Oh, your certification. So it's something that, you know, it's getting more and more known outside the US as well, which is we have many people around the world, but it's finally, I think, getting to the point that, you know, professionals are understanding that there is something extra, something more to just what they've done in a school. And that's where we come in. We complement everything else that, you know, all the parts of the community.
- [25:10]
A
Absolutely, absolutely. Well, thank you so much, Lulu, for coming on and sort of opening up perhaps, you know, the eyes and to explain a little bit about what you do and can you share with us a little bit about. If people want to learn more about the national Pilates certification program, the exam, et cetera, et cetera, what's the best place for them to find that information and where should they go?
- [25:34]
B
I would tell them to go to the website www.netpcp.org. it's very short. The is huge. But you know, the. We can get to a short netpcp.org and they can also email us, you know, the emailing or in the website, you can contact us, we respond. We have a nice team. We have a really hardworking team that I'm so proud of. They're all, we're all friends and we try to give the best customer service that we can possibly can, you know, to everyone that reach out to us. But by email, phone, whichever way you want to reach out to us in the website has everything that everybody needs to contact us.
- [26:17]
A
I have to say, having interacted Firsthand, super great responses and always really, really. Yeah. Great. Really wonderful to work with all your whole team. So, yeah. Thank you, Lolo. I encourage you all to listen who are listening to get in touch because as we wrap up, I think, you know, one of the biggest takeaways from this conversation is that, you know, we're a rapidly evolving industry and you know, as a business owner, as a studio owner in this industry, I know the really that your success is directly connected to the quality of the people that you have who are teaching your clients.
- [26:54]
B
Right.
- [26:55]
A
And when you think about the, the quality and the development of your instructors, it's very different to just hiring someone and putting them on the schedule. And in order to uphold those standards, this accreditation is really important. Education matters, standards matter, quality matters. And building a sustainable studio really requires someone who cares about that within their studio and sets this tone for their whole team. And I think, I hope that today's conversation gave everyone listening, you know, a deeper perspective on, you know, what is possible for upholding some of the standards in the industry and perhaps think a little bit differently about, you know, how you can participate in elevating that standard and making sure that that minimum standard at least exists, but also the involvement and the support of continuing education within your team and within your teachers as well. So there's a lot to think about. Lolo, thank you so much for joining us today and sharing your insight and perspective. Such an important conversation.
- [28:02]
B
Thank you so much for having me. It was a pleasure being with you.
- [28:06]
A
Absolutely. So if this episode is something that resonated with you, I'd love to you to share it with another studio owner who would benefit from hearing this conversation. And if you're at the stage where you'd like to learn a little bit more about how hiring and evolving and developing your team, as well as stronger systems, stronger leadership and more sustainable growth for your studio. That's exactly what we do inside of Thrive. We have these conversations all the time about how you can help your team be better teachers, be a stronger team, be a high performing team, serve your clients better. And so you can learn more about that@spring3.com thrive thank you so much for listening and I'll see you next time. Did you love this episode and want more? Head to spring3.com and check out my free resources that will help you run a profitable and fulfilling studio business. And before you go, one last reminder. There is no one way to do what you do, only your way. So whatever it is that you want, want to do, create or offer. You've got this. Thanks again for joining me today, and have a wonderful rest of your day.