Pilates Teacher Training

World-renowned teachers, inspired instruction, hands-on learning, and so much more.

Paragon Pilates and Physical Therapy offers the highest quality Pilates teacher training through one of the world leaders in the industry, Balanced Body Education. Our program is part of the Pilates Method Alliance (PMA) Registry of Schools and teaches both the classical and rehabilitative aspects of Pilates. We are pleased to now offer pilates certification for physical therapists through Balanced Body.

Paragon Pilates and Physical Therapy also holds the Private Career School Licensure designation through the State of Minnesota and all courses are approved for American Council on Exercise (ACE) credit.

What our students are saying:

“Cari is a true treasure! I am always in awe of her vast knowledge of Pilates. She presents the material in a way that excites my learning. I know that I am learning from one of the best teachers in the country!”

“Cari and Roger teach with such a love and passion that it would be impossible not to have a wonderful learning experience. I would strongly recommend anyone who is interested in becoming a Pilates instructor to complete their training through Balanced Body, especially with Cari and Roger!”

“Very comprehensive, organized program. The materials are very well written and organized. Tiza and Cari were very knowledgeable of the course material and have a lot of practical experience to share. I would highly recommend this program.”

“Excellent Master Teachers with a wide depth of knowledge and enthusiasm to teach this very subject-dense course. I highly appreciated that the class size was small so despite being remote, everyone felt included and part of a team; all working towards the goal of infusing the pilates industry with well educated new teachers. The Master Teachers were patient and paced the course well. I appreciated the spacing over four days to allow us time to absorb the material and not get too overwhelmed. I really can't say enough about this team at Paragon, and how impressed I was. They (Cari & Matthew) will be a tough act to follow as I attend more courses at different studios.”

“Cari and Roger have done an amazing job over the entire comprehensive course. From their instruction, guidance, and inspiration I am confident I can give my future clients an appropriate and safe Pilates program.”

“Tiza and Cari did an excellent job! The material was explained thoroughly with a lot of detailed focus on the purpose of why this exercise would be beneficial to a specific client and how to modify it or provide external props to help the client understand it as well. I would highly recommend taking a course from either of these instructors!”

Getting started

From your first day of class to your Pilates teacher certification, we’ll help you every step of the way.

Classes are taught in modules, often over a weekend. Students will learn how to teach a comprehensive Pilates program to clients at any level on the mat, reformer, trapeze table, chairs and barrels. We cover the classical Pilates repertoire along with specific precautions for clients with injury or special considerations. Our program begins with the Movement Principles course which forms the foundation of the Pilates work. Our program also includes a formal anatomy lecture series utilizing Anatomy in Three Dimensions. Students may take the comprehensive course all at once, or divide their education into shorter sections. We offer training on the Mat only, Reformer only, Mat + Reformer in addition to the Comprehensive course.

Download our Teacher Training Packet Here

Students will receive an emailed certificate of completion from Balanced Body after each module, and their comprehensive certificate of completion after successful completion of the 520 program hours, and passing both written and practical exams. Students who successfully complete the program graduate and are awarded a formal certificate of completion from Balanced Body Education.

To register, please use the Balanced Body Education Finder.

After graduation, students are eligible for the PMA Pilates Certification Exam. The Pilates comprehensive certificate of completion is required in order to sit for the PMA exam. Individuals who pass the exam earn the PMA Certified Pilates Teacher designation, and are then permitted to use PMA-CPT after their name. The PMA is the only body eligible to certify Pilates professionals, thereby setting an industry-wide standard of competency, safety and professionalism in the field.

Paragon Pilates and Physical Therapy is pleased to offer Advanced Movement Principles

Instructor: Cari Riis Stemmler

Fall 2024 TBD

Paragon is the exclusive training center in Minnesota for Balanced Body’s® Advanced Movement Principles workshop.

Learn More

Please note that Balanced Body is in the process of upgrading their website. They have notified us that registrants may experience some technical issues when registering. If you experience any issues, please call the Studio. Workshop times are generally Fridays 4–8pm, Saturdays 11:30am–4pm, Sundays 9:30am–5pm. For specific times, please call the Studio, or email caroline@paragonpilatespt.com

March–May 2024

March 15-17 Reformer 2
(In-person & online options)
Prerequisites: Reformer 1
April 19-21 Movement Principles
(In-person & online options)
Prerequisites: None, entry point
May 10-12 Anatomy for Movement Professionals
(In-person & online options)

Fall 2024-Spring 2025 Schedule

Sept. 6-8 Movement Principles
Prerequisites: None, entry point
Oct. 4-6 Mat 1
Prerequisite: Movement Principles
Nov. 1-3 Mat 2
Prerequisite: Mat 1
Dec. 6-8 Reformer 1
2025___________________
Jan. 10-12 Anatomy for Movement Professionals
Feb. 7-9 Mat 3
Feb. 21-23 Reformer 2
Mar. 7-9 Reformer 3
Apr. 11-13 Trapeze/Cadillac/Tower
May 2-4 Chair and Barrels
May 30-June 1 Corealign Module 1

Group Test-Out Dates

Recommended test-out time frame
after last course completed:

Mat: 6 months
Reformer: 6 months
Mat + Reformer: 6-12 months
Comprehensive: 12 months

Next test-out dates:

June 14, 2024

Alternate/individual test-out dates available upon request for an additional fee. Call the studio to schedule (952) 405-9765.

*photo courtesy of Balanced Body®

Community Expansion Scholarship Program

In collaboration with Balanced Body’s Diversity in Pilates initiatives, Paragon now offers scholarships for our Comprehensive Teacher Training Program to qualified candidates!

The goal of the Balanced Body Community Expansion Scholarship Program is to increase the diversity of the Pilates profession by training teachers who come from Black and other underrepresented communities. Paragon is proud to be one of only twenty-two Authorized Training Centers worldwide currently participating in this program!

Learn More

Start your teaching journey with Balanced Bodys' entry point workshop.

Interested to sample a Movement Principles Mat Class? Watch the Video

Balanced Body® Movement Principles

Date: April 19–21

(In person and online attendance options)

The foundation of Balanced Body’s education program, Movement Principles (16 hours) shows how to recognize, improve and teach fundamental movement. It is the prerequisite and sole entry point for the Balanced Body Pilates teacher training program as of 1/1/2019.

This course is designed for both new and experienced instructors to refine their understanding of the body in motion. It provides the foundational knowledge necessary for you to understand fundamental movement and become a truly transformative instructor. Movement Principles is a program requirement for our Pilates Instructor Training and Integrated Movement Specialist certificate.

Instructors: Matthew Hodge-Rice & Ann-Marie Chesterfield, DPT

Build a solid foundation

Learn how to recognize, improve and teach fundamental movement patterns with the Movement Principles, the foundation of the Balanced Body instructor training system. The Movement Principles provides a solid foundation for training in any environment, with any equipment. You will come away with a complete tool box for effectively training clients to improve their general fitness and alignment as well as enhance their performance.

Five Course Sections

Whole Body Movement
Trunk Integration
Lower Body Training
Upper Body Training
Mobility and Restoration

The focus is on developing a practical understanding of common movement patterns and prepares instructors to be excellent at problem solving, goal setting and learning new exercise techniques.

Program Includes

General discussion and overview of musculoskeletal anatomy as it relates to movement
Learning foundational exercises that apply to any movement or fitness setting
A detailed, full color manual with 5 accompanying DVDs* and streaming video to enhance your learning experience (*DVDs not available in all markets)
Cueing, coaching and teaching tips

Have you started your training elsewhere?

Our Pilates Bridge program is designed to help you obtain a Balanced Body certificate.

Get credit for your experience and expertise

Balanced Body’s Pilates Bridge program was created for students who have either completed or are close to completing an existing non-Balanced Body Pilates certificate and want to obtain a Balanced Body certificate.

The program recognizes that each student’s experience is unique and is designed to accommodate a wide variety of students and situations. Student’s experiences and courses will be individually evaluated, and if accepted, a course of study will be recommended.

Balanced Body offers bridging programming options for Mat, Reformer and/or Comprehensive training.

Learn from the best in the industry

Balanced Body and Balanced Body instructors are recognized as leaders in the field of movement education, health and wellness. Bridging is an excellent way to experience and/or re-visit the movement principles and exercises of Joseph H. Pilates. It is also an excellent way to freshen up on the advanced work not often used in day to day instruction and to add diversity to your training background.

Balanced Body is a forward-thinking, progressive company. With great respect for the traditions of the past, Balanced Body seeks new and creative ways to innovate, inspire and move instructors and clients alike.

To get started, download the bridge application here.

Meet Our Instructors

Our nationally renown instructors have over 80 years of combined Pilates expertise.

Cari Riis Stemmler

Cari Riis Stemmler is a PMA Gold certified teacher and teaches comprehensive Pilates teacher training courses, Bodhi Suspension training, CoreAlign training, Anatomy in Three Dimensions and continuing education as a Senior Master Instructor for Balanced Body Education. She also teaches continuing education courses on integrating Pilates with physical therapy and special conditions, and presents at PMA & Pilates on Tour since 2005. She was invited by Balanced Body to contribute to their video podcast library. Check out her Balanced Body video podcasts for athletes. (read more)

Matthew Hodge-Rice

Matthew Hodge-Rice is a Master Pilates Instructor and Personal Trainer, specializing in Corrective Exercise and Performance Enhancement. He holds certifications through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and the National Pilates Certification Program. Matthew graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and also studied at Otterbein College, majoring in Musical Theater and Dance. He has completed his prerequisites for Physical Therapy school and enjoys the ongoing study of movement science. (read more)

Dr. Annie Chesterfield

Annie Chesterfield is a women’s pelvic health physical therapist with a strong background in orthopedics and sports medicine and a special interest in dance medicine. She utilizes a variety of manual therapy and neuromuscular re-education techniques that are integrated with a carefully prescribed exercise program. Her philosophy is to treat each person as an individual in order to find the root of dysfunction and educate the patient for optimal, independent function and return to activity. (Read More)

Tiza Wynn Riley

Balanced Body Master Instructor and Core Conditioning member Tiza Wynn Riley began teaching Pilates in 2000 after receiving her certification with Marie-Jose Blom-Lawrence. Tiza’s fascination with the human body and holistic health led her to receive certification in CranioSacral Therapy, massage therapy, and ActivCore. From rehab patients to the ultra fit, Tiza enjoys working with clients with a wide range of ability and is looking forward to further sharing her passion and knowledge with others through teaching. (read more)