Recommendations

Recommendations for Running a Studio

The PMA™ recommends to its members operating Pilates exercise facilities/ studios and to all Health/Fitness Clubs, Country Clubs, Recreational Facilities, Spas, Wellness Centers, and Physical Therapy Studios operating Pilates exercise studios on their premises to review the ACSM Health Fitness Facility Standards and Guidelines. The following are their basic 6 recommendations:

A facility must be able to respond in a timely manner to any reasonably foreseeable emergency event that threatens the health and safety of facility users. Toward this end, a facility must have an appropriate emergency plan that can be executed by qualified personnel in a timely manner.

A facility must offer each adult member a pre-screening that is appropriate to the physical activities to be performed by the member.

Each person who has a supervisory responsibility for a physical activity program or area at a facility must have demonstrable professional competence in that physical activity program or area.

A facility must post appropriate signage alerting users to the risks involved in their use of those areas of a facility that present potential increased risk(s). Especially re: the unsupervised use of Pilates equipment in studio & gym settings.

A facility that offers youth services or programs must provide appropriate supervision.

A facility must conform to all relevant laws, regulations, and published standards.

Please contact ACSM for more information at: www.acsm.org

Recommendations for using Pilates videos

The PMA™ does not recommend videos to the general public as a first time exposure to Pilates. The Pilates method of exercise should be experienced first through participation in classes or private sessions with a comprehensively trained Pilates instructor. Pilates requires feedback on technique, form, and body placement. Videos should only be used as a supplement if the participant is unable to attend a class or private lesson.

The PMA™ keeps a list of member-produced videos which is available to anyone requesting this information.