TRAIN TO TEACH. LEARN TO LEAD. MOVE WITH PURPOSE.


​With over 10 years of experience running one of Bristol’s most respected Pilates studios, we’ve learnt what makes a truly exceptional teacher – and what’s often missing from conventional training.

At Soul Pilates, we don’t just teach you how to deliver a class. We guide you through a process that deepens your own body awareness, your connection to movement, and your ability to hold space for others.
Becoming a movement teacher isn’t about choreography. It’s about presence, empathy, and intuition. It’s about learning to read the body in front of you – physically, emotionally and energetically – and knowing how to respond in a way that’s intelligent, connected and considered.

Our 12-month Comprehensive Teacher Training Programme has been shaped by everything we’ve seen work with thousands of clients. We combine science-backed movement principles with lived experience and emotional insight – all delivered with warmth, integrity and a deep respect for the practice.

This is your path to becoming a teacher who moves with purpose – and teaches with soul.

Science-backed. Soul-driven. For life, not just for now. 

Next 12mth Comprehensive Course Entry: January 2027
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a deeper kind of training

You’ll train across the full Pilates repertoire, preparing you to teach in studios, small groups or 1:1, with confidence and clarity.

Our 12-month training includes the full repertoire across the entire system of Pilates and its equipment:
  • Reformer
  • Mat
  • Trapeze Table
  • Chair
  • Ladder Barrel & Spine Corrector​
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​This is Pilates education designed to support long-term wellness, not just a piece of paper.

You’ll graduate confident in:
  • Functional anatomy & biomechanics
  • Client-centred programming for groups and privates
  • Teaching for rehabilitation, pain & injury
  • Nervous system-informed movement
  • Breath-led cueing and mind-body integration
  • Real-time teaching experience with studio clients​

Let us guide and support you on this empowering journey towards becoming an exceptional Pilates instructor – making a transformative and lifelong impact on you and your client’s lives. 

Book a call with Lead Educator Nic to discuss the course in more detail (call booking will reopen when new course dates are announced), or email Nic at [email protected] if you have any questions or wish to book your spot.

We keep our courses small and our support levels high so do book early to avoid disappointment.

Our next 12mth Comprehensive Course entry is JULY 2026.

If you’d like to speak with a member of the Soul Pilates team to ask some questions before committing, feel free to book a call below.​

your questions answered

Watch the 30-min replay of our live Q&A, hosted by course leader Nic Lenny, where she answers the most common questions we hear from aspiring teachers, including:
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  • Do I need to have an advanced Pilates practice to join the Teacher Training?
  • Can I do this course alongside a full time job?
  • Is there work out there for new Pilates teachers? 
  • What if I don't feel confident speaking in front of groups? 
  • Is this qualification internationally recognised?
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soul student stories

COURSE PRICING

Course Fee £3,995
Can be split into 7 instalments

The course can be paid in full or spread out over a maximum of 6 months, interest free.  A deposit of £695 is required to secure your spot on the course.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

  • 6 x 2-day In-Person Course led by Soul Founder Nic Lenny and Physiotherapist & Soul Pilates Educator Katie James
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  • 3 x Bound Course Manuals and logbook​
 
  • Video Library of all course content 

  • Exam Fee

  • 4 hours studio hire per month from start of course until exam (extra hours available for small fee) 

  • Apprentice Teaching Classes for you to teach post-course training with real clients

  • Access to Soul Pilates at Home, perfect for observation and practice hours
 
  • 10% discount on Soul Pilates memberships.
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  • 5 x free classes at the studio, prior to starting the course, or if already a Soul member a 1:1 session

BUILT BY A STUDIO. SHAPED BY REAL WORLD NEEDS.

Soul Pilates is not just an education provider – we’re a thriving, in-demand studio with over a decade of client experience. Our teacher training programme was born out of a very real need for more capable, confident, and deeply attuned instructors in the industry.

We’ve seen first-hand the gap between qualification and real-world teaching. So we created a course that fills it – blending technical skill with human connection, and giving our students direct access to the kind of environment where great teachers are made.

Studios regularly come to us looking for graduates. Why? Because they know our programme produces teachers with depth – people who understand how to support clients through injury, rebuild trust in their bodies, and create lasting transformation. Our graduates consistently fill classes and feel confident teaching private sessions.

course breakdown

in person weekend dates

  • Module 1: The Soul Principles of Movement, Contraindications, Special Populations & Safety + exercises across all equipment.
  • Module 2: Imagery, Touch & Tactile Cueing + exercises across all equipment.
  • Module 3: Programme Design & Sequencing + exercises across all equipment.
  • Module 4: Teacher Communication Skills + exercises across all equipment.
  • Module 5: Healing Energetically + exercises across all equipment.
  • Module 6: Setting up a Successful Pilates Business + exercises across all equipment.
Each session takes place at our Queen Square Studio in central Bristol (one day on weekend 5 will be at our Paintworks reformer studio), in a group of up to 10 participants. We're keeping this training small so you get maximum support. 

course prerequisites

  • A basic knowledge of anatomy and physiology - we can provide training links for an online course if you need this which costs £49. 
  • At least 25 hours of personal Pilates experience (your course fee gives you 5 x Soul class passes to be used prior to course starting).
  • Exposure to the full range of Pilates apparatus - ask us how to get this if you have none. ​

training hours required for certification

Training Breakdown: 380 hours 

Pre-Course: 40 hours reading and online learning + basic anatomy training (if required)

Course: 170 hours of course education + assignments and reading

Self Mastery & Observation: 75 hours
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Apprentice Teaching: 50 hours 

Mentorship: 6 hours

Exam Date: 6 months post in-person weekends

Qualification: ​Soul Pilates Comprehensive, internationally recognised

Outcome: Proficient in teaching group Mat, Reformer and Equipment classes and 1:1s across Reformer, all equipment and Mat.

setting the standard

Unlike many UK-based courses, we don’t limit our training to ‘Level 3’ or other regulatory frameworks that don’t reflect the full scope of comprehensive Pilates. Our programme is aligned with the world’s leading teacher training schools and the international standards that define excellence in our field.

This is education led by integrity, not by ticking boxes.

Our application process includes booking an informal call with Studio Founder so you can discuss the course in more detail and make sure we're the right one for you.

a learning experience that supports you

We offer a blended model to suit real lives and different learning styles:
  • In-person teaching weekends at our Bristol studios: in-person education is our passion.
  • Online lectures, resources and reflection tasks so you can listen again post-class.
  • Hands-on mentorship and regular feedback beyond the in-person weekends.
  • Free studio hire for practice.
  • Opportunities to teach real clients throughout the course with education mentor support.
  • ​Dedicated group classes for trainee teachers.

Whether you’re changing careers or deepening your path in movement, you’ll feel supported, seen and encouraged – every step of the way.

soul STUDENT STORIES

MEET YOUR EDUCATORS

Nic Lenny 
​Founder, Lead Educator & Mentor

With over 15 years in the industry, Nic brings a rare blend of experience, insight and heart to her teaching. She’s the founder of Soul Pilates – as well as the force behind Soul Retreats and Soul Education – and has guided thousands of clients and students through movement that transforms far more than just the body.

Nic is also the host of the Beyond the Reformer podcast, where she explores the deeper layers of movement, teaching, and wellness – sharing conversations that reflect her thoughtful, intelligent approach to the Pilates world.

Her teaching is grounded in deep expertise across mat, reformer and full studio apparatus, but what sets Nic apart is her ability to hold space – helping people reconnect with their bodies, build confidence, and uncover their potential as both movers and teachers.
The Soul Comprehensive Teacher Training Programme was born from Nic’s mission to raise the standard of Pilates education. After a decade running a busy, rehab-informed studio, she saw the gaps in traditional training – and created a course that goes deeper. One that combines anatomical precision with emotional intelligence, business acumen with compassion, and real-world client experience with reflective teaching.

Nic’s leadership style is calm, clear and quietly empowering – helping future teachers build a practice that’s not only successful, but sustainable. She’s here to help you find your voice, own your knowledge, and become the kind of teacher that truly makes a difference.
Katie James 
Educator & Clinical Specialist

Katie brings over 17 years of experience as a Pilates teacher and 10 years as a teacher trainer, paired with the clinical insight of a qualified physiotherapist – a combination that gives her teaching remarkable depth and clarity.

Her approach is rooted in both movement and medicine, blending the precision of physiotherapy with the embodied intelligence of Pilates. This unique lens allows Katie to guide students with a strong anatomical foundation, always with an eye on injury prevention, recovery, and whole-body wellbeing.
Katie has spent years working in 1:1 settings, helping clients move out of pain and into confidence. As an educator, she brings that same presence and care into the teacher training space – offering personalised support, thoughtful mentorship, and practical tools that help each student grow in their own way.

Her teaching style is calm, supportive and quietly empowering – helping trainees not only understand the “what” of movement, but deeply explore the “why.” Through her guidance, students learn to read the body with more nuance, teach with more intention, and move with more clarity.

Katie’s work embodies one of Soul Pilates’ core beliefs: that movement should feel intelligent, intentional and alive.

start your journey


​We want to ensure this course is right for you, and that you're ready to make the commitment needed to become a Soul Pilates Teacher. If you'd like to chat things through, you can book an informal, no-obligation call with the Soul Pilates team. This allows us to explain the training in more detail so you're fully up to speed with what will be expected of you. 

soul STUDENT STORIES

FAQS

How is the course structured and what study materials are provided?
The course is split into 6 modules, all supported with online materials. You will receive a course manual, logbook and access to the studio to practice. 
Who is this course for, what can I do when I complete it and what are the required prerequisites?
  • Fitness instructors, rehabilitation practitioners and other movement teachers (e.g. yoga or dance) who wish to teach Pilates using the apparatus.
  • Physical Therapists and Medical Professionals who wish to incorporate Pilates into their clinical practice.
  • Career-changers. We can support with guidance on online anatomy and physiology training suitable for meeting the prerequisite requirements.
  • People who love Pilates and want to understand more about it. This course will be a deep dive into your own body too, so perfect for those who just wish to embark on that journey. 
What if I can't make one OF THE WEEKEND DATES? 
At this time we have no way for you to retake a missed weekend. You will be liable for paying for private sessions to go through the material at another time. All exercises will be available online. 
What is the format of the training?
This course covers more than 120 of the original and evolved Pilates exercises, as well as hundreds of variations and modifications.

Our weekends together will consist of:
  • discussion forums
  • labs (doing, observing, teaching)
  • problem solving case studies
  • hands-on teaching (group and 1:1)

The learning and support doesn't stop when the weekend training stops. We will be providing you with the following ongoing training to support you every step of the way with becoming a successful Pilates Teacher:
  • 2 x monthly group mentoring sessions with Nic via zoom (included in course fee).
  • 1hr studio hire per week for the duration of your training (included in course fee). More studio hire hours bookable for a small fee. 
  • 1 x month Group Class for trainees (additional fee).
  • Observation opportunities.
  • Apprentice Teaching opportunities.
  • 1:1 sessions with Nic or Katie (additional fee).

You will be expected to complete a logbook in order to become a certified teacher. You will need to log the following:
  • 25 hours of observation (15 hours must be live, the rest can be via watching online pre-recorded classes).
  • 50 hours of self-practice (all apparatus, alone or with another trainee).
  • 50 hours of practice teaching with you as the Instructor teaching a mix of private sessions and classes across all apparatus with 10 of these being observed by an Educator and 10 of you assisting a class.
  • 5 hours of mentorship. 

​The exam will be 3 hours 6 months post in person training, making this a 12 month training.
HOw long will the course take to complete? 
Once you have completed the course and your logbook you will be eligible for the exam, which is set 6 months after your last weekend in-person. This exam is included in your fee. If you cannot make this date, it is possible to arrange it for another time but this will be for a fee of £295.