Is Pilates Right for you?

Yes, there is a program for every age and fitness level.  My clients range in age from the oldest of 75 years old to the youngest of 12 years old. 

I teach both men and women of all fitness or experience levels.  You do not need to know how to do Pilates or be athletic to start. 

We will find a class that is right for you and through consistent strengthening of the core muscles, your overall strength, balance, flexibility and concentration will dramatically improve.

"I chose Beth because she seemed very dedicated to Pilates.  Her experience shows in her teaching.  I wasn't sure about Pilates, but I think I stuck with it because of Beth.  She makes it fun too!"   Ellen (Charleston, SC)

How to Chose the Right Teacher

Not all Pilates is Created Equal.  Unfortunately, with the increase in popularity, many gyms and studios have taken short-cuts in training to improve the bottom line.  These days it is not enough to inquire if your teacher is "certified or "classically" trained. 

• Always check to see if a teacher is trained by a nationally recognized training organization.

I am Beth Sterne, owner of Classical Pilates studio.  I am certified by Power Pilates who has training programs worldwide.  In 2002, I moved to New York City to train with the Master instructors who actually wrote the original teacher training manuals that are being emulated by many certifying organizations today. 

• Always check to see how many years your instructor has been teaching. 

It is not a good sign if a studio or instructor does not specifically note specific dates and details about his/her training.  Be careful, there are a lot of studios and gyms that are taking short-cuts in teacher training. 

Pilates needs to be taught by a qualified instructor or you will not see results or worse yet, you may get injured.  

I started Pilates in 1998.  I started teaching in 2001.  In early 2003, I became fully certified after logging over 600 apprenticeship hours under the Master instructors who actually wrote the manuals.

• Check to see if your instructor is PMA certified. 

The Pilates Method Alliance was established by a wide range of Pilates experts in 2005 to develop a unified certifying agency to ensure adherence to high teaching standards. 

In 2010, I chose to become PMA certified because I believe that teachers should always remain humble and should continuously subject themselves to a level of scrutiny by their peers.   I respect the need for a central organization and agree that all teachers should be held accountable for their level of commitment to learning the Pilates method as Joseph Pilates intended.  The PMA requires that teachers have at least 400 hours of apprenticeship.  I logged 600 hours for my certification.  A teacher seeking a PMA certification is a teacher who exhibits commitment to Pilates.