The International Sports Sciences Association has opened a waitlist for new online Mat, Reformer and combined Pilates instructor certifications, reflecting the method’s growing presence in mainstream fitness and expanding training options for aspiring teachers.
The International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) has opened a waitlist for three new Pilates qualifications: a standalone Mat Pilates Instructor Certification, a Reformer Pilates Instructor Certification and a combined Mat + Reformer pathway. The announcement was made on October 12, 2026, with general enrolment to follow. ISSA says the programmes are designed for flexible, fully online study.
The proposed Mat course covers the classical 31-exercise mat repertoire, functional anatomy, cueing and programme design for different populations. The Reformer qualification is intended to address reformer safety, spring mechanics, progressive cueing and a 27-exercise repertoire. According to ISSA, the Reformer curriculum was developed with instructor and master trainer Josh Vela, alongside the organisation’s education team.
For Pilates professionals, the development matters because large fitness-education providers are increasingly treating Pilates as a distinct instructor pathway rather than a minor add-on to personal training. Online delivery could make entry-level education more accessible to people who cannot attend lengthy in-person programmes, although prospective teachers will still need to assess how much supervised practical experience, observation and assessment they require before teaching clients.
ISSA also linked the launch to participation figures from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, reporting that 13.8 million Americans practised Pilates in 2025, compared with 12.9 million in 2024 and 9.9 million in 2020. Those figures are U.S.-specific and were supplied through ISSA’s announcement; they should not be read as a worldwide participation estimate. The certification launch is therefore best understood as a commercial education development that may influence how Pilates training is marketed and accessed, rather than as evidence that one online course represents an industry-wide standard.
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Reformer Pilates is One of Fitness's Fastest-Growing Specialties and ISSA Has Built the Certification to Meet It
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