Where can I use my Muse Pilates Certification?
BY: KERI O’MEARA, Founder Muse Movement Toronto and Muse Movement Lisboa,
Will I be able to use my Pilates Teacher Training Certification anywhere in the world?
This was my fundamental question when I applied for my first Pilates teacher training many moons ago. Knowing in my heart that my second love was traveling, I needed to know if being a Pilates teacher was something I could put in my suitcase and take anywhere.
Lately I’ve been getting this same question a lot in teacher-trainee interviews. My guess is that with the current boom, there are so many Pilates schools to choose from that it’s hard to sift through the noise.
The truth? There’s no one straightforward answer.
What Matters Most
The best advice I can give you—both as a student who has done many trainings and as a studio owner who has hired many teachers—is this:
Ask yourself: Do I want to learn here? Do the method, pedagogy, and values align with me?
If the answer is no, you may not enjoy your training. Over the course of your career you will likely do hundreds of hours in continuing education, but you can never get your “first training” back.
To note:
It also matters whether the program has a clear structure, a standard of hours, and experienced teachers who have been doing this work for years. Choosing a training with depth and history gives you more than a certificate—it gives you a foundation you can trust.
Muse has been running teacher trainings’ for almost a decade, and the combined teaching experience of our faculty adds up to well over a hundred years of professional practice in movement, Pilates, and education.
Where Muse Stands
Muse Movement is not an “internationally recognized” training. If you ask about us in Toronto or Lisbon, you’ll probably hear we’re a comprehensive, reputable training that produces creative, skilled, and compassionate teachers. But if you ask in Singapore, Cape Town, or Paris, the name might not ring a bell (yet).
Say “STOTT,” “BASI,” or “Polestar Pilates” and you’ll get nods around the world—those are huge companies that have been around for decades and have built their recognition through size, marketing, and time.
But here’s the thing: Pilates is not trademarked.
Joseph Pilates created it as a system of exercises. Like yoga, it’s a lineage practice—passed down and reinterpreted countless times over the last hundred years. (Fun fact: in the 2000s, there was an actual U.S. trademark case where “Pilates” was declared a generic term, opening the door for anyone to use it.)
That means there are hundreds of different Pilates methods. Muse Movement is just one of them.
Yes, there are large internationally recognized trainings—but most Pilates trainings’ are led by passionate and experienced small studio owners passing down their skill and lineage, just as Joseph Pilates did himself. Alternatively, and increasingly (and sadly) in recent years, trainings’ are also being offered by fitness chains that want to quickly pump out branded teachers.
Accreditation: What Are They Looking For?
Because Pilates isn’t trademarked or government-regulated, there is no single global authority. Instead, there are professional associations and accrediting institutions that set voluntary standards.
What do these bodies look for in a training program?
Curriculum hours (mat, apparatus, anatomy, observation, practice teaching)
Instructor qualifications (are the trainers experienced, certified, insured?)
Assessment methods (are students actually evaluated before being certified?)
Ethics and safety guidelines
In more detail:
NPCP (U.S.) requires around 450–500 documented hours across lecture, observation, self-practice, and supervised teaching. These hours apply to a comprehensive program that includes all major apparatus (mat, reformer, Cadillac, chair, barrels).
EuropeActive Level 4 Pilates Teacher Standard requires at least 250 hours, with set allocations to theory (anatomy, physiology, professional practice) and practical (teaching and assessment). Like NPCP, this also refers to a comprehensive program across mat and all apparatus.
Muse deliberately focuses on Mat and Reformer, because the reality is that very few teachers outside large urban studios ever teach Cadillac, Chair, or Barrel regularly. Our goal is to train you thoroughly in the areas you are most likely to work, with enough depth and rigour that you can adapt if you encounter the other apparatus later.
Muse Movement checks all the above boxes—and then some. Our Mat training is nearly 200 hours, and so is our Reformer training. Together, our comprehensive path is actually longer than the minimum required hours set by many accrediting institutions. Our programs are rooted in science, mentorship, and critical thinking.
For example, NPCP standards require hours in classroom instruction, observation, self-practice, and supervised teaching. Our program includes all of these: structured classroom study, detailed anatomy and biomechanics, practice teaching with feedback, observation of senior teachers, and a final practical assessment. These layers mean you’re not just memorising exercises—you’re learning how to teach humans.
Some programs, including those that are internationally recognized, run as brief intensives with around 50 in-class hours (sometimes even less). That might be enough for exposure, but in my experience it doesn’t provide the same depth of learning, practice, and reflection that a longer program offers.
A program under 100 hours simply cannot prepare someone to be a safe and effective teacher. You might leave with a certificate, but not with the skills or confidence to lead a class responsibly.
Sometimes, even in studios that require internationally recognized certifications, I’ve noticed teaching that feels more about repeating choreography than about curiosity, adaptability, or critical thinking. In those cases, the teachers often aren’t fully equipped to meet the needs of their students—not because they don’t care, but because their training emphasized rote instruction over depth.
A certificate alone doesn’t guarantee great teaching. What truly creates capable teachers is immersive education, strong mentorship, and a culture that values questioning, exploration, and critical thinking.
Who Accredits Pilates Programs?
Here’s the landscape:
In North America
Pilates Method Alliance (PMA): a professional association (advocacy, community, and standards). It does not accredit individuals; it accredits teacher-training programs via ITTAP.
National Pilates Certification Program (NPCP): an independent, NCCA-accredited exam that certifies individual teachers.
Brand schools (STOTT, BASI, Polestar, Balanced Body): private training companies. They certify teachers in their own method but are not independent accrediting bodies. Their programs are widely recognized because of their international reach and longevity, not because of regulation.
In Europe
CIMSPA (UK): requires Pilates qualifications to meet national occupational standards. A Level 3 Mat Pilates teacher qualification usually requires ~200 hours.
EuropeActive: sets a Level 4 Pilates Teacher Standard requiring a minimum of 250 hours, with specified allocations to theory and supervised teaching.
Elsewhere
Australia: Pilates Alliance Australasia recognises comprehensive programs (minimum 450 hours).
Asia: AASFP offers Pilates certifications across Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, and more.
FISAF: provides multi-discipline fitness accreditations globally.
Specifically in Canada: Pilates is not a regulated profession. There is no government licensing. What matters is whether your program is sufficient for insurance purposes. Muse graduates have always been able to obtain professional liability insurance based on the comprehensiveness of our hours and curriculum.
Specifically in Portugal: Pilates is also not regulated by law. To work independently, teachers generally need liability insurance. If you want to work in a gym, however, you will need a Cédula de Técnico de Exercício Físico (a fitness professional licence issued under Portuguese law). This is required no matter where you train—Muse, BASI, STOTT, or otherwise—if your goal is to teach in health clubs.
So, accreditation shifts depending on the continent, and the rules are often murky. A “recognized” program in one country may mean little in another.
Bridging Courses & Exams
Another thing to note is that you can always take bridging courses if you want to work at a studio that follows a specific training method. For example, BASI has a Bridge Program that allows instructors to complete their coursework.Polestar runs bridging tracks for teachers who want to align with their network.
These usually involve extra modules to cover that school’s unique approach.
At Muse, if someone presents an international certificate—or one that we don’t directly recognize—and wants to teach with us, we may ask them to do some bridging mentorship too.
It’s not about undervaluing their past training; it’s about making sure they feel confident with our way of teaching and our emphasis on curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking.
We (and most reputable institutions) also encourage continuing education. Some larger schools actually require you to take a certain number of continuing education credits (CECs)—and often at their school—in order to maintain your certificate. At Muse, we absolutely encourage you to continue your education with us and beyond, but you don’t need to stay exclusively with us to keep your training current or your certification valid. We encourage you to get out there in the world and try many programs and modalities so you can find your unique teaching voice and style that feels authentic to you (and ultimately your students).
Beyond bridging and continuing education, there’s also the exam route. The NPCP exam is the main independent credential in North America, designed to test an instructor’s competence outside of brand-specific certification. To sit the exam, you need to have completed a comprehensive program (like Muse) and logged a required number of hours.
In Europe, the closest parallel is the EuropeActive Level 4 Pilates Teacher Standard, which is recognized across EU countries and sometimes required by larger gyms or fitness clubs.
So whether you bridge, continue your education, or pursue exams, your training with Muse gives you a strong and flexible foundation to take any of those next steps.
Why Muse Isn’t Chasing Accreditation
Here’s where we stand: Muse might not pursue formal accreditation because we believe in thinking outside the lines. Joseph Pilates was an innovator—we believe he would have updated his method if he were alive today, 100 years later.
We meet the standards, but we also encourage inquiry: Why this exercise? Why this cue? Do these choices still serve us in light of modern science and the diverse bodies we teach today? Our belief is that Pilates himself would have continued to evolve the practice—and we invite our teachers to carry that spirit forward.
At Muse, we teach the Pilates repertoire while placing it in the context of modern movement science and the social, historical, and technological world we live in. Our approach is more post-modern: we honour the tradition but aren’t afraid to shake it up. That mindset—valuing curiosity, adaptability, and critical thinking—may not sit neatly inside an accrediting board’s box.
This doesn’t mean our standards are low. On the contrary, they’re rigorous. But we aim to train teachers who are thinkers, not replicators, who put the needs of their clients first, even if that means stepping outside of traditional Pilates.
So, Is “Internationally Recognized” the Right Question?
It depends. Do you want the stamp of approval, or do you want an aligned training culture, mentorship, and value system?
There are no government boards for Pilates in Ontario (or most places). You don’t need a provincial licence like a physiotherapist does. But you do need insurance, and most insurers want to see recognized training hours.
Yes—you can get insurance with Muse. Both our 200-hour Mat and 200-hour Reformer programs meet insurer requirements in Canada, Portugal, and many other places.
Some studios will also require continuing education or bridging courses into their preferred method, or encourage third-party credentials like NPCP.
But the reality is, most studios won’t ask to see your certificate first—they’ll want to see how you actually teach.
At the end of the day:
What matters is not the name of the school on your certificate.
It’s whether you teach well, engage clients, and carry yourself professionally.
My Advice
Worry less about the name of the school, and more about whether its values align with yours.
Train where you feel lit up, challenged, and mentored.
Remember: no certification will magically build your career. Only your skill, passion, and persistence will.
From 12 years of hiring teachers (as a manager at another studio and then as the founder of Muse) the best ones are those who are present, informed, and able to connect—not necessarily the ones with the biggest brand on their certificate.
So listen to your heart and your body about where you want to train and ultimately, be certified. Whatever you choose, try to be present in the moment and fully engaged in the material. Try not to worry about what's next and where you will teach etc. Enjoy the ride because once you graduate you will have to work hard to build clientele whether that is on your own, online or in a studio and no particular certification will magically give you a career. Being a skilled, informed, passionate teacher will.
🌍 Pilates Accreditation & Insurance at a Glance
🇨🇦 Canada
Bodies: NPCP (optional), PMA/ITTAP (programs)
Standards: 450–500 hrs (all apparatus)
Insurance: Proof of comprehensive training required (Muse qualifies)
🇵🇹 Portugal
Bodies: EuropeActive, CIMSPA (UK-linked)
Standards: Level 4 Pilates Teacher (~250+ hrs, all apparatus)
Insurance: Liability insurance required; Cédula de Técnico de Exercício Físico needed for gyms
🇪🇺 Europe (general)
Bodies: CIMSPA (UK), EuropeActive, national associations
Standards: Level 3–4 (200–250+ hrs, all apparatus)
Insurance: Based on training hours + membership
🇺🇸 USA
Bodies: NPCP (NCCA-accredited), PMA (association)
Standards: 450–500 hrs (all apparatus, with practice + theory)
Insurance: No gov’t regulation; tied to training + cert
🇦🇺 Australia
Bodies: Pilates Alliance Australasia
Standards: 450+ hrs (all apparatus)
Insurance: Linked to recognized programs
🌏 Asia
Bodies: AASFP, FISAF
Standards: Varies by country; comprehensive = mat + apparatus
Insurance: Depends on local law
✨ Note on Muse
Our Mat (~200 hrs) + Reformer (~200 hrs) trainings = 400+ hrs total. While we don’t include Cadillac, Chair, or Barrels, our curriculum is longer than many international minimums and focuses on what teachers actually use in studios. Muse grads are fully insurable in Canada, Portugal, and beyond, with the option to bridge into other systems later if they want full “comprehensive” recognition.