Pilates vs Yoga: Which Certification Boosts Your Personal Training Skills?

Whether you’re already a personal trainer or are about to begin your journey in the fitness industry, there are plenty of avenues to explore. Investing in additional certifications that complement your Level 3 Personal Trainer diploma or exploring alternate career paths can open up more opportunities.

Pilates and yoga are popular certifications that attract personal trainers due to their popularity with clients. The biggest issue you’ll have is choosing which is right for your long-term career goals.

Discover everything you need to know in this post as we explore the benefits of each certification.

Understanding the differences between Pilates and Yoga

Before discussing the advantages of each certification, it’s important to understand the main differences between Yoga and Pilates. Both are highly popular in gyms and health centres, but their purpose and technical elements differ.

Pilates

Developed in the early 20th century, Pilates is all about improving posture, flexibility and physical strength. Its founder, Joseph Pilates, created a focus on core strength and alignment, emphasising movements that build flexibility and stability.

Pilates is a precise exercise, and each movement requires attention to breath, form, and control. Most Pilates exercises use a mat, resistance bands, reformers, and other equipment.

Yoga

Yoga is an ancient practice that dates back thousands of years. It originated in India and combines numerous disciplines, such as physical postures (asanas), breathing exercises (pranayama), meditation, and ethical practices.

Yoga focuses on the mind and body, making it more spiritual than Pilates. Enthusiasts can practise different forms of the discipline, including Ashtanga or Vinyasa Yoga and more restorative forms like Yin or Hatha Yoga.

The benefits of choosing a Pilates certification

If you want to become a Pilates instructor, you’ll need to undertake specialist training and gain qualifications. While a Level 2 Group Training Certificate is beneficial for learning how to teach groups of clients, Pilates is a complex discipline and prospective employers will ask for an accredited certification.

Here’s what you can look forward to if you’re willing to invest in a Pilates certification.

Help clients build foundations

Pilates focuses on core strength and stability, which is what most personal training clients want. A strong core makes it easier to maintain proper posture and prevent injuries. It’s also vital for rehabilitation, and Pilates is key to strengthening the muscles.

If you can offer Pilates training, you can help clients develop a strong foundation, which enhances their performance in other fitness activities.

Pilates classes are ideal for low-impact exercise

Pilates is a low-impact exercise, making it ideal for clients from all backgrounds. Older individuals and those with limited mobility can experience relief from joint issues and conditions that cause chronic pain, but they require specialist instructors.

Gaining a Pilates certification means that you can support individuals with unique needs or disabilities and tailor exercises for various fitness levels. Not only does this ensure better results, but it also makes you more valuable to prospective clients and employers.

Postural alignment and flexibility

Pilates also focuses on postural alignment, which is vital for overall health and well-being. Unfortunately, office work and sitting for long periods of time can limit flexibility and cause ongoing discomfort due to poor alignment.

Poor posture makes it difficult to perform certain activities and limits the results of personal training. Certified Pilates instructors can identify alignment and flexibility problems and develop a plan to correct them.

Increased marketability

Pilates certifications can help you stand out in an ultra-competitive market. With so many people trying to develop successful careers within the personal training industry, being able to run Pilates classes can set you apart and attract more clients.

Whether you want to work in a gym or become self-employed, prospective clients are willing to pay for a Pilates exercise specialist.

The benefits of choosing a yoga certification

Yoga certifications are also highly sought after, and personal trainers with a passion for the Ancient spiritual practice can find plenty of employment opportunities.

As with becoming a certified Pilates instructor, you’ll need to invest in training and take an accredited yoga course. Let’s take a look at the benefits of yoga certifications.

Teach a holistic approach

Yoga is renowned for its ability to support physical and mental health, making it a popular exercise for people from all backgrounds. It also incorporates breathing techniques, meditation, and mindfulness practices, making yoga ideal for much more than just fitness.

As clients often seek ways to improve their overall wellness, becoming a certified yoga instructor is a great way to develop your skills and provide a unique service to clients.

People love the results

Certain fitness disciplines are associated with distinct results. For example, HIIT is all about weight loss, while weight lifting builds muscle. Yoga has the unique ability to improve flexibility and range of motion, which contributes to athletic performance.

Certified yoga trainers can provide targeted flexibility training, which helps clients enhance athletic performance, achieve better posture and reduce injury risks. Over time, yoga can also contribute to weight loss.

The opportunity to specialise

While Pilates instructors can offer different types of equipment and unique experiences, such as mat Pilates classes, yoga is definitely more diverse. Once you have your basic qualification, you can choose to specialise in different forms of the discipline.

For example, Iyengar Yoga and Ashtanga Yoga are ideal for beginners or people who want more precision with their movements, while Vinyasa Yoga is much more advanced. Your employability will increase if you can support advanced clients with new Yoga exercises.

Attract a diverse client base

Yoga instructors support a wide range of clients, including athletes, dancers and beginners who want to enhance their flexibility. If you understand the principles of restorative yoga, you can also help clients decompress after personal training sessions.

While some personal training niches have limited growth potential, yoga appeals to people of all ages and fitness levels.

Pilates vs. Yoga: Which certification aligns with your career goals?

When deciding whether to complete a Pilates or yoga certification, it’s vital to consider your personal preferences and long-term career objectives. Here are the most important factors that should play key roles in your decision:

• Earning Potential: According to PayScale, Pilates instructors have an average hourly rate of £22.50, but experienced instructors can earn over £50 hourly. Yoga instructors earn around £25.00 hourly, but some earn over £50.

• Your Preferences: Do you prefer taking a pragmatic and technical approach to training? Or do yoga’s holistic and spiritual elements seem more like your thing? Both offer numerous health benefits, but the discipline you choose should match your personality.

• Long-Term Opportunities: An interesting article from Life and Fitness Magazine revealed that more people prefer Pilates to practising yoga due to its dynamic elements. Still, yoga instructors significantly outnumber Pilates instructors. So, if you want long-term career growth, a Pilates certification might be your best bet.

• Certification Requirements: Some Pilates certifications focus on specific disciplines, such as Classical Pilates or apparatus, and yoga certifications are the same. Both require continuing education, so it’s really a matter of personal preference.

• Teaching Style: Most people would agree that Pilates is a lot more direct than yoga, with set exercises and routines. In contrast, yoga is more philosophical and fluid, which can make it less structured. Choosing a certification based on your preferred teaching approach ensures you’ll enjoy supporting clients.

The wrap-up

Both Pilates and yoga will continue to be popular ways for people to gain more body awareness, lose weight and enhance their flexibility. Whether you prefer the directness of Pilates or love the fluidity of yoga poses, investing in certifications can benefit your personal training career.

With the opportunity to build a diverse client base and boost your earning potential, specialising in either Pilates or yoga is a lasting investment. Remember to check whether your course is accredited by a reputable fitness organisation before signing up.