Body Form® Education
Do I Need a Mat Qualification Before Reformer?
No. Mat is not a prerequisite for Reformer.
The short answer
No. Mat Is Not a Prerequisite.
Written by Kira-Leigh Rule, Physiotherapist and Founder of Body Form® Education. Last updated 14 November 2026.
No. Reformer is a standalone entry-level qualification and Mat is not a prerequisite. You can enrol in Reformer teacher training with no previous Pilates, anatomy, fitness or health-professional qualification. If you want both disciplines, the Mat + Reformer Double Certification covers Mat and Reformer in one enrolment, and you can also start with one certification and upgrade to the Double later.
| At a glance | Reformer without Mat |
|---|---|
| Prerequisite | None. Mat is not required first |
| Hours | 250+ for the Reformer certification, 365+ for the Mat + Reformer Double |
| Apprenticeship | 70 hours per discipline, 30 of them practice teaching |
| Assessments | 2 written programming and 2 practical teaching assessments per discipline |
| Access | 8 months from enrolment. Many students finish between 4 and 6 months |
Fully Online, Reformer is AUD $2,350 and the Double is AUD $3,950. In person in Australia, Reformer is AUD $2,950 and the Double is AUD $4,950. Every price and payment plan is on the pricing page.
What Reformer teaches
Why Mat Is Not Needed First
Reformer is a 250+ hour qualification. You start with 17 online modules covering anatomy, biomechanics, programming, practical teaching and professional practice. The theory gives you the foundation you need, so you do not need Mat to start.
What the Reformer Certification Teaches
- Footwork, supine foundations and core
- Planking and integrated strength
- Box and trunk programming
- Standing lower-body strength
- Upper-body push and pull in straps
- Dumbbell integration and jumpboard work
- The complete original repertoire from Up Stretch to Arabesque, then beyond it into functional, dynamic movement
- Spring selection and load: apply spring resistance with purpose, manage lever length and change load without changing the exercise's intent
What It Assumes
- No previous Pilates, anatomy, fitness or health-professional qualification
- No Mat qualification
- Time each week across your 8 months of access
- Access to a Reformer and people to practise teaching on
The Reformer course is a good fit for beginners and career changers, and also for existing instructors adding Reformer, health professionals and studio owners.
Every Exercise Comes With
- Setup
- Cueing
- Common compensations
- Regressions
- Progressions and layering
- Injury and pregnancy modifications
- Where it sits in a class
Read the full Reformer Pilates Teacher Training page and the curriculum.
The Body Form® way
Understand movement first.Teach exercises second.
Reformer without Mat
What You Do Not Cover If You Study Reformer Only
Reformer and Mat are two separate qualifications, each with its own repertoire, practical training and assessments. Studying Reformer on its own does not include the Mat course. If you already hold a Mat qualification you can enrol in Reformer directly, and it has its own apprenticeship hours and assessments.
| Reformer only | What Mat adds | |
|---|---|---|
| Repertoire | The complete original repertoire from Up Stretch to Arabesque, then functional, dynamic movement | The complete original repertoire from the Hundred to Control Balance, then functional, dynamic movement |
| Practical training | 14 practical hours on the Reformer | A further 14 practical hours on the Mat |
| Apprenticeship | 70 hours: 10 observation, 30 self-practice, 30 practice teaching | A further 70 hours, logged separately per discipline |
| Assessments | 2 written programming and 2 practical teaching assessments | A further 2 written and 2 practical assessments on the Mat |
| Certificate | Certificate in Reformer Pilates Teacher Training Qualification | A separate Mat certificate. The Double awards the Certificate in Mat + Reformer Pilates Teacher Training Qualification |
Not sure which to pick? Read Mat vs Reformer for the difference between the two, or Choosing a course.
Before you start
What You Need for Practice Teaching on a Reformer
Practice teaching means actively instructing another person, not doing the exercises yourself. Every discipline needs 70 apprentice hours: 10 observation, 30 self-practice and 30 practice teaching. You organise your practice teaching yourself and record it in your apprenticeship logbook.
Access to a Reformer
- You do not need to own a Reformer
- You need reliable access to suitable Reformers for practical learning, self-practice, practice teaching and assessments
- That can be a studio, a workplace, a hire agreement or a home studio
- Body Form® Education does not arrange or pay for external access
Where You Can Practise
- Pilates studios that accommodate student instructors
- Home or private settings with friends, family or volunteers
- Suitable community or private spaces
- Other appropriate places with the necessary equipment
- You do not have to complete hours at a Body Form host location
When You Can Do It
- After you officially enrol
- Before or after your practical training, though I recommend some foundational knowledge first
- Alongside the online modules
- At your own pace, as long as every required hour is complete before your certificate is awarded
How to Do It Safely
- Practise within your current competence
- Get your participant's consent
- Make sure the environment is safe
For the Filmed Assessments
- Each practical assessment is a continuous, unedited 45 to 50 minute class
- Assessment 1 needs at least 2 clients
- Assessment 2 needs at least 4 clients at once, with one suitable Reformer per client
- One client simulates a third-trimester pregnancy and one a shoulder or back injury
How Many Hours
- 30 practice teaching hours per discipline
- 70 apprentice hours per discipline in total
Participants cannot be charged and they sign the supplied waiver. The full rules are on the assessments and apprentice hours page, and equipment questions are answered in Practical training and equipment.
Three ways to sequence it
Reformer Only, Mat First or the Double
There are three ways to do it. None of them needs Mat first.
| Reformer only | Mat first, then Reformer | Mat + Reformer Double | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you enrol in | The Reformer certification | The Mat certification, then the Reformer certification (or start with one and upgrade to the Double) | One enrolment covering Mat and Reformer |
| Hours | 250+ | 250+ for each certification | 365+ (shared theory completed once) |
| Fully Online price | AUD $2,350 | AUD $4,700 for Mat and Reformer bought separately | AUD $3,950. Save AUD $750 |
| In person (Hybrid), Australia | AUD $2,950 | Each certification at its own price | AUD $4,950 |
| Apprenticeship hours | 70, of which 30 are practice teaching | 70 per certification, 30 practice teaching each | Double: 28 practical hours and 140 apprenticeship hours in total (60 of them practice teaching) |
| Assessments | 2 written programming and 2 practical teaching | 2 written programming and 2 practical teaching for each | 4 written programming and 4 practical teaching, with one Final Theory Examination |
| Study time over 8 months | About 7 hours a week | About 7 hours a week for each certification, each with its own 8 months | About 10 to 11 hours a week |
| Access | 8 months from enrolment | 8 months from enrolment for each | 8 months from enrolment |
AUD prices include GST for Australian buyers. There is no GST outside Australia. Fully Online prices are pay in full, and payment plans cost more because they include a financing charge. Outside Australia, in person prices are set by location in local currency. Hours a week are about figures if you spread the course across the full 8 months, and many students finish between 4 and 6 months.
The Double
The Mat + Reformer Double Certification is one enrolment covering Mat and Reformer, 365+ hours in total. You complete the shared online theory and the Final Theory Examination once, then separate Mat and Reformer practical education, exercise libraries, apprentice hours and assessments.
Upgrade Later
You can start with one certification and upgrade to the Double. You do not restart: completed coursework and assessments for that discipline still count. You then complete the additional modules, apprenticeship hours and assessments for the second discipline. To upgrade, email the address you enrolled with and say whether you are doing Mat or Reformer, and Body Form® Education confirms the options and the applicable pricing.
See every price, the payment plans and what tuition includes on the pricing page.
A short checklist
Which Order Suits You?
Pick the line that sounds like you.
- You want to teach Reformer. Enrol in Reformer. Mat is not a prerequisite.
- You want both Mat and Reformer. The Double covers both in one enrolment.
- You are not sure yet. Start with one certification. You can upgrade to the Double later and you do not restart.
- You do not have a Reformer to practise on. Sort out access first, because you need a suitable Reformer for every Reformer assessment.
- You have about 7 hours a week. That fits one certification across the 8 months. The Double is about 10 to 11 hours a week over the same period.
- You already hold a Mat qualification. Enrol in Reformer directly.
For the difference between the two disciplines, read Mat vs Reformer. Not sure which? Ask yourself a few questions.
I cannot promise you a job, an income, a visa, insurance cover or professional registration, and the rules differ by country and employer, so check what applies where you plan to teach.
Questions
Do I need a Mat qualification before Reformer?
No. Reformer is a standalone entry-level qualification and Mat is not a prerequisite. No previous Pilates, anatomy, fitness or health-professional qualification is required for entry-level Mat or Reformer teacher training. You should expect professional study, physical practice, practice teaching and assessment.
Do I need to own a Reformer?
No. You need reliable access to a Reformer for practice teaching and assessments, and that can be through a studio, a workplace, a hire agreement or a home studio. Body Form® Education does not arrange or pay for equipment access.
Can I upgrade a single certification to the Mat + Reformer Double later?
Yes. A student enrolled in an individual Mat or Reformer certification can upgrade to the Double. You do not restart: completed coursework and assessments for that discipline still count. You complete the additional modules, apprenticeship hours and assessments for the second discipline. To upgrade, email the address you enrolled with and say whether you are doing Mat or Reformer. Body Form confirms the upgrade options and the applicable pricing.
How much does the Double cost compared with Mat and Reformer separately?
Fully Online, the Double saves AUD $750 compared with buying Mat and Reformer separately. In person the saving differs by location because prices differ by location, so check the price for your location on the pricing page. AUD prices include GST for Australian buyers. There is no GST outside Australia. Paying in full costs less than either payment plan.
How many hours is the Double, and how long does it take?
The Double is 365+ hours, and one certification is 250+ hours. You have 8 months of access from enrolment, and many students finish between 4 and 6 months. Spread across the 8 months, one certification is about 7 hours a week and the Double is about 10 to 11 hours a week.
I already hold a Mat qualification. Can I enrol in Reformer?
Yes. Reformer is a standalone qualification with no prerequisite, so you enrol in it directly. It has its own 70 apprenticeship hours and its own assessments.
Is the certificate different if I study Hybrid or Fully Online?
No. Both pathways use the same curriculum and assessment standards, and the certificate is the same. The certificate does not show which pathway you studied.
Accredited and Recognised
Body Form® Education teacher training is ITTAP accredited through the Pilates Method Alliance, mapped with AUSactive in Australia, and audited and verified by Pilates Aotearoa in New Zealand. This applies whether you complete Mat, Reformer or the full comprehensive pathway. Employment, insurance, visa and professional registration requirements vary by country and employer, so check the requirements where you plan to teach. CPD certifications are continuing education for qualified instructors.
Recognition and accreditation
