Education

Discover an exciting opportunity at The MoveWell Studio as we partner with Merrithew to offer premier instructor training.


Our collaboration brings you the renowned STOTT PILATES® Comprehensive Training Program, designed for Pilates enthusiasts aspiring to become certified instructors. Whether deepening your practice or embarking on a new career path, our program emphasizes contemporary teaching techniques, personalized instruction, and a deep understanding of Pilates principles. Join us at The MoveWell Studio and take the next step towards sharing the transformative benefits of Pilates with others.

Intensive Reformer (IR)
In Person


This course is designed for individuals active in fitness or movement disciplines, or those facing time constraints that prevent them from committing to our Comprehensive Program.

Prerequisite: 30 hours of participation in STOTT Pilates reformer classes, and working knowledge of functional anatomy.


What you will learn:

  • The STOTT PILATES Five Basic Principles
  • Essential, Intermediate, Power workouts
  • Effective use of the Reformer to enhance torso stability and strength, peripheral extremity conditioning, joint stability, flexibility, balance and coordination
  • Verbal cueing and imagery for performance enhancement and client motivation
  • Theory and practice of postural analysis
  • 139 exercises plus modifications for specific body types, postural issues and conditions
  • How to incorporate resistance equipment to support and intensify exercises
  • Exercise layering related to effective program design


Requirements of Certification:

  • 50 hours of instruction and supervised teaching
  • Minimum of 10 hours of observation
  • Minimum of 40 hours of physical review
  • Minimum of 25 hours of practice teaching

Total: 125 hours


Schedule:

  • January 16th-20th, 22nd-26th, 2026
  • 10 Days (please email us for specific times)


Advanced Reformer (AR)

In Person


Learn to use the various Reformer components and accessories to intensify Reformer repertoire and provide a stimulating workout for athletes, dancers, and highly conditioned clients. Held over three days, this 18-hour Advanced course teaches exercises in the repertoire that require greater strength, stability and flexibility.

Prerequisite: Completion of the Intensive Reformer course or the actively completing the Intensive Reformer course simultaneously.
 

What you will learn

Muscular initiation and sequencing of Advanced-level exercises

Multiple variations for variety and intensity

70 new exercises


Requirements of Certification:

18 hours of instruction and supervised teaching



Schedule:

January 15th, 21st, 27th, 2026

3 Days (please email us for specific times)


Intensive Mat Pilates (IMP)

Virtual


This course targets individuals already active in fitness or movement disciplines or those unable to participate in our Comprehensive Program due to work or scheduling conflicts.

Prerequisite: 30 hours of participation in STOTT Pilates reformer classes, and working knowledge of functional anatomy.

What you will learn:

  • The STOTT PILATES® Basic Principles
  • Essential, Intermediate, Power workouts
  • Flex-Band, Fitness Circle and Arc Barrel variations
  • Verbal cueing and imagery for performance enhancement and client motivation
  • Theory and practice of postural analysis
  • 63 exercises plus modifications for specific body types, postural issues and conditions


Requirements of Certification:

  • 40 hours of instruction and supervised teaching
  • Minimum of 10 hours of observation
  • Minimum of 30 hours of physical review
  • Minimum of 15 hours of practice teaching

Total: 95 hours


Schedule:

  • February 26th-March 1st
  • March 5th-8th
  • March 14th & 15th, 2026
  • 10 Days (please email us for specific times)


Advanced Mat Pilates (AMP)

Virtual


This course is for instructors ready to expand their Matwork repertoire with advanced exercises that demand greater skill, including enhanced coordination, balance, control, speed, agility, strength and endurance.

Prerequisite: Completion of the Intensive Mat Pilates course.

What You Will Learn:

  • 13 advanced exercises for highly conditioned clients.
  • Progressions and modifications to challenge strength, balance, and endurance.
  • Muscular initiation & sequencing for precise movement control.
  • Variations for increased intensity in personal and group settings.


Schedule:

  • May 2nd, 2026
  • 1 Day (please email us for specific times)


Functional Anatomy

Virtual


The Functional Anatomy course is part of the Comprehensive program, and fully prepares students for that program. Additionally, it can serve as a refresher for anyone needing to fulfill the anatomy prerequisite for the Intensive program. The classroom-style presentation utilizes visual aids and hands-on techniques, providing students with a thorough review of anatomy basics which can be applied to all repertoire, as well as functional activities and movement.


This course uses lectures, demonstrations and group activities to teach basic anatomy fundamentals. There is a focus on anatomical terminology, which includes anatomical position, planes of motion, types of movement, names and locations of most of the bones in the body, locations and actions of joints, major muscle groups and the individual muscles’ origin, insertion and action. Select exercises from the STOTT PILATES® repertoire are also broken down and analyzed regarding the functional anatomy at play.


Participants will deepen their understanding of the body and enhance their teaching with improved exercise selection and programming.

Prerequisite: N/A
(Please Note: Working Knowledge of functional anatomy is required prior to taking any of the intensive STOTT Pilates courses. Previously taken anatomy courses or class must be a minimum of 20-25 hours of learning and include tests, assignments and other assessment types)

What You Will Learn:

  • Anatomical position and its importance
  • The bones that make up the axial and appendicular skeleton
  • Names and locations of bony prominences and landmarks
  • Terms of direction, relationship, and their application to movement
  • Types of joints and the movements available at the joints
  • Types of muscular contractions, including the application of force
  • Origin, insertion and action of muscles
  • Application of functional anatomy to chosen exercises and movements


Schedule:

  • June 2026- Date and Time TBA


Intensifying Essential Reformer

Virtual Workshop


Learn to challenge clients with maximum safety and effectiveness by taking STOTT PILATES® Essential Reformer exercises to a higher level of intensity. Developed by the MerrithewTM team, this workshop will show you how to increase muscular and cardiovascular endurance by increasing the speed and flow of exercise sequences. Simple modifications to the existing repertoire can inspire more capable clients who may not be ready for the Intermediate Reformer program.

Prerequisite: Completion of Intensive Reformer (IR) or Comprehensive Matwork & Reformer (CMR)

What you will learn:

  • Apply the STOTT PILATES® Principles to select Essential Reformer exercises
  • Understand how movement essence and exercise goals are achieved while increasing intensity
  • Learn how to safely challenge strength and endurance on the Reformer while maintaining a focus on core stability and alignment.
  • Learn cues and corrections to ensure safety and effectiveness.

Schedule:

  • October 2026 - Date and Time TBA
  • Check back or send us an email to be notified once the date and time is confirmed.


Jumpboard Strength & Conditioning

Virtual Workshop


Learn programming to improve the strength and stability of hip, knee and ankle joints in supine and standing positions in this workshop developed by the MerrithewTM team. Using a Jumpboard with the Reformer allows the hip joint to be closer to an anatomically neutral alignment when transferring forces from the soles of the feet up through the body, promoting good biomechanics of the entire lower kinetic chain. Increased spring resistance emphasizes strengthening of the arms, shoulder girdle and legs.

Prerequisite: Completion of Intensive Reformer (IR) or Comprehensive Matwork & Reformer (CMR)

What You Will Learn:

  • Apply the STOTT PILATES® Principles method to exercises on the Jumpboard
  • Understand movement essence and exercise goals as applied to athletic conditioning
  • Discover how simple moves and increased tension can address specific strengthening goals
  • Learn how to alter starting positions to increase core strength and stability


Schedule:

  • October 2026- Date and Time TBA
  • Check back or send us an email to be notified once the date and time is confirmed.


Athletic Conditioning Performance Enhancing Progressions & Sequences on the Reformer

Virtual Workshop


Experience new movement sequences and progressions to build strength and endurance, improve movement health and enhance athletic preparedness. Based on the four key components of athletic conditioning: Activation, Conditioning, Endurance and Recovery, this workshop reviews traditional approaches to performance-based training, introduces and highlights newer methodology and concepts and explores how they can be combined with the STOTT PILATES® Movement System. Created by the MerrithewTM Programming team, this workshop demonstrates innovative ways of structuring and designing a Reformer-based program for the everyday athlete and beyond.

Prerequisite: Completion of Intensive Reformer (IR) or Comprehensive Matwork & Reformer (CMR)

What you will learn:

  • Receive greater insight into various training methodologies and concepts that can complement the STOTT PILATES® repertoire
  • Gain a greater understanding and clarification of commonly used terminology related to performance-based athletic conditioning.
  • Explore and experience movement patterns and sequences to activate, engage and integrate the whole body.


Schedule:

  • November 2026- Date and Time TBA
  • Check back or send us an email to be notified once the date and time is confirmed.