REFORMER PILATES INSTRUCTOR COURSE · REPS APPROVED
Just Reformer.
Done properly.
Already qualified in Mat Pilates? This is the add-on that turns your hourly rate from €15–€25 into €35–€60+ per session. 4 weekends · exam weekend · REPs Ireland Approved. Studios across Ireland are hiring qualified Reformer instructors right now.
ENTRY REQUIREMENT
Do you already hold a
Mat Pilates Instructor qualification?
This is a specialist add-on qualification. It assumes you already understand foundational Pilates principles, anatomy and cueing. We don't teach Mat fundamentals on this course — only Reformer.
Yes — I'm Mat-qualified
Then this course is for you.
Pick your studio (Kerry, Cork, Dublin Swords, Clare or Derry), pick your weekend block, secure your spot with a €300 deposit. Balance over 6 months interest-free, or pay €1,000 upfront and save €200.
Book a Reformer Cohort →Not yet — what now?
Start with Mat first.
You'll need The Cert — Mat Pilates Instructor (REPs L4) before you can join this course. Most students who go on to teach Reformer take both back-to-back.
There's also a combined Mat + Reformer pathway ("The Career") that takes both in a single bundle — usually the most cost-effective route if you're sure you want to teach both.
WHAT REFORMER ACTUALLY IS
A sliding carriage,
springs, ropes & tons of leverage.
The Reformer is the piece of equipment that defines modern equipment-based Pilates. A sliding carriage runs on a frame, attached to four springs and adjustable straps, with a stable footbar at one end. The springs do two things at once — provide resistanceand assistance, depending on how you load them.
What this means as an instructor: you can take a client through hundreds of exercises that simply aren't possible on a mat — supported back-bends, traction work, assisted teasers, full-range leg-work, deep-tissue spring stretches. You'll teach a very different body, in a very different language, to a very different price-point.
Mat
Pilates
Reformer
Pilates
CURRICULUM — WHAT YOU'LL ACTUALLY LEARN
4 weekends of teaching.
1 weekend of testing.
The Align–Flow–Empower Reformer framework, broken down weekend by weekend. Every weekend is Saturday + Sunday, 10:00–18:00. Online theory between weekends — self-paced, in your own time.
Weekend 1
Align — Foundations
- Reformer anatomy, parts, spring tensions, safety
- How to set up any rider in 20 seconds
- Footwork series — the foundational warm-up of every class
- Cueing language specific to spring resistance
- Online theory module: kinesiology refresher (self-paced before weekend 2)
Weekend 2
Flow — Building the Repertoire
- Full beginner repertoire (~40 exercises)
- Leg series, abdominal series, arm series with straps
- Bridging, short box, long box
- How to programme a 45-minute beginner-friendly class
- Practical teaching: you teach your peers a 15-minute block
Weekend 3
Flow — Intermediate Repertoire
- Intermediate exercises — short spine, swan dive, semi-circle, knee stretches
- Kneeling work, prone work, side-lying
- Mixing equipment-based with mat-based for hybrid classes
- Common mistakes and how to spot them across a full studio
- How to layer cueing — alignment first, then breath, then refinement
Weekend 4
Empower — Special Populations & Adaptation
- Adapting Reformer for pregnancy, post-natal, lower-back issues
- Working with older clients & deconditioned clients on equipment
- Athletic populations — using Reformer for sport-specific conditioning
- Private session structure vs group class structure
- Final preparation for practical exam
Exam Weekend
CertificationAssessment
- Saturday: written examination (anatomy, principles, programming)
- Sunday: practical exam — you teach a full beginner Reformer class to peers
- Tutor feedback delivered within 7 days
- REPs Ireland Approved certificate issued on pass
WHY THIS QUALIFICATION
Reformer pays more,
retains clients longer, fills classes faster.
€35–€60+
per Reformer session — compared to €15–€25 for mat-only classes. Higher price-point, smaller class sizes, premium clientele.
#1 trend
in fitness right now — boutique reformer studios are opening every month across Ireland, all desperately hiring qualified instructors.
10–14 wks
average time to qualified, hired, and earning — from your first Reformer weekend to your first paid teaching shift.
UPCOMING INTAKES
Find Your Intake.
Start Your Story.
In-Person · Online · Intensive — built around your life, not around ours.
Entry requirement: A Mat Pilates Instructor qualification is required to enrol on the Reformer Pilates course.
SOLD OUT — Next IFT Swords reformer intake: 12 September 2026
Places filling — early enrolment recommended
Places filling — early enrolment recommended
Places filling — early enrolment recommended
Join the waitlist to be first to know
Places filling — early enrolment recommended
Not sure which location suits you?
View All Reformer Options →QUESTIONS WE GET ABOUT REFORMER
Reformer-only FAQ.
Do I really need to be Mat-qualified first?+
Yes — and we won't let you enrol without it. The Reformer course assumes you already understand Pilates principles, cueing, anatomy and class structure. Without that foundation, you would struggle from day one. If you're not yet qualified, take The Cert (Mat Pilates Instructor) first — most students do both back-to-back, often inside a Mat + Reformer "Career" bundle.
Can I take this as part of a combined Mat + Reformer pathway?+
Yes. "The Career" pathway bundles The Cert (Mat) and the Reformer Pilates Instructor course together. You'll do your Mat weekends first, then the Reformer weekends after. Usually the most cost-effective route if you know you want both. See the homepage for the full pathway view.
Where exactly are the reformer weekends held?+
We rotate intakes across Killarney (Kerry), Cork City, Dublin Swords, Clare (Pilates Playground, Shannon) and Derry (Gateway Studio). Every venue has at least 8 reformers so the class size matches what you'll actually teach in the wild. See "Upcoming Dates" above for the exact upcoming intakes.
What if I miss a weekend?+
Missing a weekend isn't the end of the road — but you do need to make it up before the exam weekend. Options: catch the same weekend from a later cohort at a different location, or arrange a 1:1 catch-up with the tutor (chargeable). Tell us as early as possible so we can plan around it.
Is there an exam? What's on it?+
Yes — one exam weekend at the end of the four teaching weekends. Saturday is a written paper (anatomy, principles, programming, cueing). Sunday is a practical exam: you teach a full 45-minute beginner Reformer class to your peers under the tutor's observation. Results within 7 days. Re-sits are available if needed.
How much does it cost and what's the deposit?+
The Reformer Pilates Instructor course is €1,000 paid upfront (or €1,200 across a payment plan — same content, the €200 is the cost of spreading it). €300 secures your spot, with the balance over 6 interest-free months. No hidden extras — the price covers all 5 weekends, the manual, online theory, exam, and your REPs-approved certificate.
What about insurance, REPs registration, finding work?+
You can register with REPs Ireland the day after you pass. Insurance is straightforward — most Pilates instructor policies cost ~€120/year for a fully qualified Mat + Reformer teacher. We share our jobs board with every graduate; reformer instructors are usually placed within 2–6 weeks of qualifying because demand outstrips supply.
Accredited & Recognised By
READY TO ADD REFORMER?
The instructors who add
Reformer now own the market.
Reformer studios are opening every month. Places on every cohort are limited by the number of machines in the studio. Lock in your weekend block before it fills.
Book a Reformer Cohort →From €300 deposit · 0% finance available · REPs Ireland Approved · Mat Pilates qualification required