Comprehensive Course

Comprehensive Studio & Rehab Series

The Polestar Comprehensive course provides a unique environment for Fitness Leaders & Pilates enthusiasts to become a Pilates Studio teacher, and for licensed and certified Rehabilitation Professionals to receive in-depth instruction in Pilates rehabilitation principles, teaching techniques, self-mastery and practice.


Master over 130 Pilates exercises across a full spectrum of apparatuses, including Reformer, Trapeze Table, Chair, Ladder Barrel, Spine Corrector and props. By learning a comprehensive repertoire of movement techniques, you can continuously provide and refresh your clients with goal-oriented movement experiences.


Each student will receive comprehensive didactic and theoretical review and practical training using a clinical reasoning approach; instruction in teaching techniques, Pilates exercise benefits, self mastery and practice is all included.


The Polestar Pilates didactic curriculum has earned the reputation world wide as the most scientifically-based Pilates curriculum available, taking Pilates education to a new pinnacle, consisting of formal lecture, reading assignments, research literature review, and writing assignments.


Polestar Education is best known for its “critical thinking” model and original design of the Polestar Fitness Screening, Polestar Health Model and use of problem solving rehabilitation assessment tools.

Who is it for?

This course is intended for:

• Fitness instructors, rehabilitation practitioners and other movement teachers (eg yoga, dance) who wish to teach Pilates using all of the apparatus found in a typical equipment studio.




• The course has additional information for physical therapists and medical professionals who wish to incorporate Pilates into their clinical practice.

Prerequisites

• Completion of Polestar Principles Online (PO) – see below




• Licensed or certified health care professionals (e.g. MD, PT, OT, DO, DC,RN, and Bach. Sp Sc. / Hum Movt. and Bach Applies Science) or fitness/movement professional or have completed Polestar Gateway course. If you need to refresh your anatomy and physiology knowledge, please click here for details of how we can help.




• Participation in 25 hours of group or private Pilates classes

The Polestar Pilates Comprehensive Course consists of 6 two-day on-site courses which must be taken in the following order:
Polestar Principles Online (PO), SR-1, SR-2, SR-3, SR-4, SR-5, SR-6.

PO – Principles Online – in your own time

The first course to be completed prior to attending the first two-day on-site course SR-1 is the Principles Online (PO) course. This non-apparatus course applies current research in movement science, biomechanics, kinesiology and motor learning to instructional practice through six basic movement principles that are utilised throughout the Polestar curriculum.


The PO course also introduces Polestar Pilates Screening, which includes postural evaluation and functional testing, to prepare participants to properly design and implement Pilates exercises for patients and clients. This unique component
significantly enhances decisionmaking skills as a Pilates practitioner.


The online course is divided into 8 segments which take approx. 10 hours to complete. Please note that these segments can be completed in multiple sittings and watched several times for optimal learning:

• Introduction




• Principle 1: Breathing




• Principle 2: Axial Elongation & Core Control




• Principle 3: Spine Articulation




• Principle 4: Organization of the Head, Neck, and Shoulders




• Principle 5: Alignment & Weight Bearing of the Extremities




• Principle 6: Movement Integration




• Principles: Additional Resources

Short quizzes are offered throughout to identify the most important concepts and to help students organise their thoughts and study time.


Upon completion you will be able to:

• Deepen your knowledge in current evidence-based research pertaining to movement science, motor learning, bioenergetics and communication




• Understand the Polestar Principles of Movement




• Demonstrate the ability to correctly execute and teach over 130 exercises and their variations




• Be able to use the ICF Model or the Polestar Screening, specifically designed for the movement professional, which includes postural evaluation and functional testing to determine your clients’ strengths, weaknesses and goals

Please note that for those participants undertaking more than one Polestar Series course, it is only required to complete PO ONE time. So if for example, you want to complete the Polestar Comprehensive Series after you have completed the Mat Series, you do not have to redo PO.


Once payment has been received, access will be provided to the PO online resources.

SR1 thru SR6: Levels 1-6 (12 days i.e. 6x 2-day on-site courses)

After the Principles Online course (PO), the Comprehensive Series continue with six course modules scheduled approximately one month apart. The time between courses allows you to practice and become comfortable with the material before continuing to the next course. Each course is two days, usually Saturday and Sunday.


On the Sunday morning of each course (beginning with SR-2) there is a 90 minute self-mastery check-off session with your instructor where you show the course instructor the practice log book (given in the first course) and get passed off on your mastery of the exercises by demonstrating and teaching them.


For certification, you will be required to complete at your own expense, the required reading and writing assignments, 40 hours of observation, 100 hours of self mastery practice and 100 hours of apprentice teaching.


You will learn the practical skills needed to become proficient with the assessment techniques, movement sequences and the application of principles learned in PO. The movement selections focus on early intervention and beginning through intermediate exercises on Pilates equipment, including Trapeze Table, Reformer, Chair, Ladder Barrel, mat and small props. Additionally, you will learn:

• Cueing and movement facilitation




• Adjustment of equipment for patient safety and instructor efficiency




• Movement sequences for treatment of specific lesions




• Progression of movement following an injury




• Indications and contraindications for exercise selection




• Integration of manual mobilization skills and Pilates movement (appropriate to your scope of practice)




• To create treatment plans through use of case studies

Comprehensive Certification

Certification involves completing the series, completion of assignments and short quizzes, as well as a number of hours of observations, self-mastery, assistant teaching, and practical teaching (as outlined below). Full certification is given once the final written and practical exam is passed – pass mark is 80%.

Text Books

As part of the training students will be required to purchase the following course textbooks (additional to course fees):

• Anatomy of Movement , Blandine Calais-Germain: Eastland Press 1993




• The Complete Writings of Joseph H Pilates (Return To Life & Your Health) , Joseph Pilates: Bain Bridge Books




• Dynamic Alignment through Imagery, Eric Franklin : Human Kinetics 1996




• Energy Medicine, The Scientific Basis, James L. Oschman: Churchill Livingstone, 2000 Chapters 1-4, 15

Polestar may have copies of these books available from head office in Auckland – please enquire by clicking here

Mentoring

As shown above students will be required to complete practice hours (self-mastery), which are in addition to course fees. Polestar have a national network of New Zealand mentors that can offer assistance with practice and teaching hours: click here for the list of names and locations.


Further information will be given out on the first day of the course.

Course Dates

Course Fees

Course fees include attendance at lectures, student manuals and handouts, morning and afternoon teas, as well as GST. Students are responsible for all personal extras, such as travel and accommodation and personal supplies and lunch during the course dates.



Please note that an automatic credit card surcharge of 1.8% gets added when you pay via Visa or Mastercard. This fee will be added to your invoice & receipt.



If you have completed either Gateway Reformer or Gateway Matwork with Polestar New Zealand, you are entitled to an additional discount. Ask us about the details.

• * Normal Package Price – post Early Bird date




• ** Early Bird Price – Auckland – if registered and paid in full by 1 March 2021

• Should you require a payment option other than credit card, please contact us by clicking here




• Exam Fees are not included in the Course Fees

Payment Plan

Polestar Pilates NZ has a Payment Plan available which enables you to pay for your enrolment over a period of time, rather than in one go. The Payment Plan is available on Normal Package Prices only and incurs a one-time non-refundable handling fee of $100.



You have the option therefore to pay for the course fees in one go, or spread it out over a number of months. If you want to use the Payment Plan, you can choose this option at the time you register via the MindBody Online system.


Payments are required on the 1st of each of the months outlined below. Late payment penalty or credit card decline penalty of $50 will apply.

For the Comprehensive Series, the following applies:

• * Deposit of $1,000 is required at the time of registration

Please note that an automatic credit card surcharge of 1.8% gets added when you pay via Visa or Mastercard.

Exam

The Comprehensive Certification exam consists of three parts:

• A written exam consisting of 50 multiple choice questions (50 points)




• A case study with written problem solving (50 points)




• A practical one-on-one demonstration of theoretical knowledge, exercise mastery, movement teaching skills and problem solving skills with an oral defence (50 points)

The written portion of the exam (parts 1 and 2) lasts approximately two hours in total, and part 3 lasts approximately one hour. The entire exam is worth a total of 150 points.


The candidate will need to achieve an 80% pass mark on both written and theory sections of the exam.


The Comprehensive examination tests depth of knowledge, skills and ability to facilitate movement in the Pilates-evolved environment. It is designed to establish an essential level of skill, with emphasis on safety and competence, and evaluates cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains as they pertain to movement analysis, problem solving and treatment planning.


The oral defence addresses theory, adaptations to pathology, contraindications and precautions associated with treatment planning in the Pilates-evolved environment.



Exam Fees of $495 (incl. GST) are not included in the Course Fees. Click here to register for your Rehab Exam, click here for your Studio Exam.

Registration Policies

Please ensure to familiarise yourself with our Registration Policies (incl. Cancellations and Transfers) on this page before you register.

If you DO NOT want to make use of the PAYMENT PLAN – click on one of the yellow buttons below called “CLICK HERE TO REGISTER”

If you want to make use of the PAYMENT PLAN – click on one of the yellow buttons below called “CLICK HERE TO REGISTER”

Help with MINDBODY ONLINE registration system

If you need help with our online registration system, please CLICK HERE.