Chelsey Cameron spent ten years in public relations and marketing in Melbourne and London, before leaving the corporate world to pursue a career in Pilates. We take a seat on the reformer to quiz Chelsey on her transition from office to studio, find out about her role as head of the BodyMindLife Pilates Teacher Training program, and ask, “How do I become a Pilates Teacher?”
You head up the Pilates Program at BodyMindLife. What does that entail?
First up, I teach reformer Pilates classes in our studios and Mat Pilates online. I’ve been teaching for nearly 10 years now and my greatest joy is helping clients access their strength, build confidence, and find joy in movement. Creating sequences that push physical and mental boundaries is very rewarding.
I’m also responsible for hiring, mentoring and supporting our amazing instructors, and managing the class scheduling online and in our physical spaces. A big job in itself, coronavirus restrictions made this an even greater challenge. Not many people have a reformer at home! We developed an entirely new schedule so that our community could continue to practice from home, with beginner and intermediate Mat Pilates, Core Focus, Pilates Barre Fusion, Pre Natal, HIIT, Arms & Abs and Booty Burn!
Reformer Pilates Teacher Training, which I created and lead, is one of the most fulfilling aspects of my job. Trainees usually start out pretty nervous, but by the end of the training they are confident and ready to share their new skills and knowledge with the world. It’s an honour – and an amazing ride – to be able to pass on everything I’ve learned from my time in the industry.
How did you originally get into Pilates?
I had a back injury, and Pilates was part of my rehabilitation. I fell in love with the classes! I had also been working in entertainment and PR for ten years, and was at a crossroads in my career. My Pilates instructors were so happy and passionate about what they were doing, I decided to complete my certification and haven’t looked back.
How do you become a Pilates Teacher?
Most courses, both online and face-to-face, cover foundational exercises, anatomy and posture alignment. The cheapest and fastest are not the best, and it pays to do your research. Find a certified course that will give you the training you need to teach private and group classes right away.
I genuinely believe that BodyMindLife’s reformer Pilates Teacher Training is the best in Australia. Our training is science-based and focused on practical teaching skills, so our trainees are armed with an extensive library of exercises, and the knowledge and confidence they need to lead intelligent classes when they graduate. We also include injury management, applied anatomy, posture analysis, and pre and post natal Pilates in our basic training, and offer ongoing mentoring after the course is complete.
When does your next training start?
It’s coming up soon – 12th April 2021! It’s the first course for the year, and includes 80 hours of training over seven weekends. All our courses are intensive, take an evidence based approach, and are taught by senior Pilates instructors.
How do we get involved?
You can find out more about upcoming trainings on the bodymindlife website, and download our Pilates Teacher Training Handbook to dig into the curriculum. You can also get in touch with Luzette, who manages our trainings, to ask questions or connect with me on instagram. Apply for Pilates Teacher Training at BodyMindLife, or book into a Reformer Pilates class with Chelsey in the studio or Mat Pilates online.