There comes a moment in many Pilates practitioners’ lives when the practice shifts from something you attend to something you want to understand. Not only the choreography, but the architecture. The reason one exercise follows another. The lineage behind every cue.
Flex Studio is not simply a place to practise. It is where Pilates professionals are formed. Since 2018, Heather Thomas, Asia’s Lead Educator for Real Pilates Teacher Training (RPPT) from New York, has guided more than 50 instructors through Flex’s Classical Pilates Teacher Training, many now teaching across the region.
A lineage that matters
As the region’s only host site for RPPT, now entering its 6th cycle in Singapore and 12th in Hong Kong, Flex continues to shape the future of classical Pilates education in Asia. The program is grounded in the classical syllabus developed in the early 1990s and shaped through the work of Romana Kryzanowska, protege of Joseph Pilates.
Training is led by Heather Thomas, a third generation classical Pilates teacher with more than two decades of experience and extensive study across both classical and contemporary systems. Her teaching style is known for clarity, depth, and an unwavering respect for the method.
What sets RPPT apart is not how much you memorise, but how you learn to think. Graduates leave able to observe, analyse, and respond to real bodies with intelligence rather than relying on scripts.
Why Real Pilates Teacher Training
There are many pathways into teaching today, from accelerated certifications to hybrid fitness formats, but only one that traces directly back to Joseph Pilates himself. Real Pilates Teacher Training is built on that lineage, passed from Joseph Pilates to Romana Kryzanowska and carried forward through generations of educators.
You do not learn a curated selection of movements or a modern remix of the method. You study the full classical system. Every exercise. Every variation. Every piece of apparatus that forms part of the original repertoire.
The outcome is not simply technical skill, but a way of teaching grounded in understanding. Graduates know not only what to teach, but why an exercise exists, how it fits within the
sequence, and how to adapt it with integrity to the person in front of them. Pilates does not begin with trends or shortcuts. It begins here, with the method as it was designed.
What the training looks like
RPPT unfolds across four progressive modules. Beginner, Intermediate I, Intermediate II and Advanced. Each level blends weekend seminars with observation hours, personal practice,
supervised teaching, written work, and practical assessments.
Every stage covers the full classical apparatus including Reformer, Cadillac, Chairs, Barrels and Mat. After completing the Beginner module, trainees are equipped to lead a full 55-minute private session or group class.
The tempo of transformation
This training requires a weekly commitment of approximately 18 to 22 hours, combining practice, homework, and mentored teaching alongside seminar weekends. The pace is deliberate. Students are given time to integrate the work, sharpen their observational skills, and develop confidence through real studio experience.
At every level, apprentices complete private and semi-private sessions, and upon passing both written and practical assessments at Advanced, are awarded the Real Pilates Instructor certificate within the classical lineage.
The RPPT difference
RPPT is not about ticking boxes. It is about shaping a teaching identity grounded in the original system and expressed with nuance, accuracy, and depth.
- The full classical sequence is taught, with intelligent adaptations rather than a diluted curriculum
- Observation and cueing skills are developed so teaching becomes responsive rather than reactive
- Live hands-on education is supported by weekly reflection and ongoing mentorship
- Graduates join a connected community of teachers linked through a shared classical foundation
- Many describe the program as two journeys in one, professional qualification and personal transformation
Who this is for
Not everyone who enters RPPT intends to change careers. Some come to deepen their understanding of the method so they can move better for life. Others are ready to step into teaching with intention. What unites them is a respect for lineage and a desire to move beyond surface level instruction.
If you are drawn to depth over shortcuts and integrity over trends, the 2026 cycles in Singapore and Hong Kong may mark the beginning of a new chapter in your Pilates journey.
Contact us to learn more.
Flex Studio Classical Pilates Teacher Training 2026
Singapore. RPTT 6th Cycle
- Beginner: 19 to 22 March
- Intermediate I: 14 to 17 May
- Intermediate II: 25 to 28 June
- Advanced: 6 to 9 August
Email Flexrpttsg@flexstudiosg.com for more information
Hong Kong. RPTT 12th Cycle
- Beginner: 27 to 30 August
- Intermediate I: 8 to 11 October
- Intermediate II: 3 to 6 December
- Advanced: 14 to 17 January 2027
Email flexrptt@flexhk.com for more information