This past October I was invited to fly out to L.A. and audition to become a POP Pilates®Master Trainer. I was so excited to meet Cassey Ho, who is the creator of POP Pilates® and Blogilates. It was an amazing weekend full of learning and sweating, and at the end of it, I was thrilled to be offered a spot on the team.
POP Pilates® is a Pilates-inspired dance fitness class that fuses ab-chiseling and total body defining moves choreographed to upbeat pop songs. This intense, mat-based workout challenges students to rhythmically flow from one exercise to the next, developing a rock solid core while leaving no muscle untouched. Most POP Pilates® moves originate from classical mat Pilates and share the fundamentals of breathing and core engagement. The difference is in the class design, the relationship with music, and the sequencing and reps. We like to say that the class is like a “dance on the mat,” and while the movements are challenging your body, the flow of the class is challenging your brain and strengthening your coordination skills. And my favorite aspect of POP Pilates® is the inclusive nature of the class, with options to modify and progress most movements to make them an appropriate challenge for all fitness levels.
As a POP Pilates® Master Trainer, my job is to travel across the country to lead day-long instructor certification classes. Each one starts with a POP Pilates® Master Class, and then we dive deep into the structure of the class, how to work with music, and teaching techniques. Typically only about half of my students getting certified have ever taught a fitness class before, and that creates an incredible learning environment for both new and seasoned instructors. Experienced instructors are amazing resources for the beginners, and the beginners bring a fresh perspective and energy that is so inspiring. And the incredible part about teaching POP Pilates® is the community of teachers there to answer questions, give advice, and offer support and encouragement to one another. I stay in touch with many of my certification students, and it’s so exciting to see them now taking on permanent classes in their hometowns. One of my students is taking her teaching to the next level and is actually in the process of opening her own studio!
On Sunday, March 18th MINT will be hosting a POP Pilates Instructor Certification class from 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM at the Downtown studio. I’m so excited to lead a training here in DC, and I’m looking forward to bringing more amazing POP Pilates® instructors to our area. If you or someone you know is interested in teaching fitness, I encourage you to sign up for the training here.
And if you’ve never tried POP Pilates®, I’d love to see you in class on Wednesdays at 9:30 AM and Sundays at 2:35 PM in the main Mind Body studio at MINT Dupont!
If you have questions about the class or the certification training, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me via email at kathryn@mintdc.com