Teaching Back-to-Back Reformer Classes Won’t Build the Career You Think It Will
When you’re a new Pilates instructor — freshly qualified, full of passion, energy and ambition — the natural instinct is to say yes to everything. You fill your schedule. Back-to-back Reformer classes become the norm. You chase momentum, experience and income.
And for a while, it works…
But here’s the hard truth. More classes might mean more income right now, but it also means burnout later. And burnout doesn’t just cost you your energy. It costs you your joy, your longevity in the industry, and the business you’re trying to build.
So, let’s talk about it!
Burnout Is Not a Badge of Honour
If you’re always in the studio, when are you building your business?
Teaching 6, 7, even 8 classes a day might look impressive from the outside. It might even feel productive. But being constantly booked doesn’t always mean you’re building something sustainable. It might just mean you’re stuck in a cycle of trading time for money.
Yes, you’re skilled. You’re in demand. But you’re also human
You can’t pour into your clients if your own cup is bone dry.
Your Time Is Valuable, But Your Knowledge Is Priceless
It’s time to shift your mindset from technician to entrepreneur. If you’re fully booked, that’s not just a sign that you’re successful. It’s a sign that your pricing and business model might be overdue for an upgrade.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
- Raise your rates. If you’re turning people away or squeezing people in, it’s time.
- Start packaging your knowledge. Think beyond the one-to-one or group class:
- Teach workshops on specific skills or equipment
- Create digital content: short-form, long-form, or on-demand programmes
- Offer mentorship to newer teachers; you’ve learnt a lot, and others need it
- Charge for your expertise, not just your presence. You don’t need to be in the room to create value.
This isn’t about doing less. It’s about doing better, more sustainably, and with intention.
Build Income That Doesn’t Burn You Out
- What would happen to my income if I took two weeks off?
- What if I couldn’t teach for a month?
- What am I building beyond this week’s schedule?
If your answer makes you uncomfortable, that’s your starting point. Don’t panic — just get intentional.
Teaching Is Your Skill. Monetising It Is Your Next One.
You became a teacher because you love Pilates. You love helping people feel stronger, more connected, more alive.
But staying in this career long term means learning how to protect your energy, price your services with confidence, and turn your skills into a business model that works for you, not just your clients.
You don’t have to teach 30+ classes a week to be successful.
You don’t have to grind yourself into the ground to prove your worth.
- Clarity on your value
- Confidence to evolve your pricing
- Creativity to package your knowledge
- Boundaries to protect your time and energy
Protect Your Energy. It’s Your Most Valuable Asset.
The overwhelming response to a recent post I shared — where I talked about burnout in Reformer Pilates teaching — confirmed what I suspected:
Final Thought: Build the Career You Actually Want
The hustle won’t build the career you think it will. Strategy will. Sustainability will. Self-respect will. So let’s stop normalising burnout.
- Energised, not exhausted
- Paid well, not just busy
- Respected for their expertise, not just their availability
Your career is too important — and your impact too valuable — to burn out before you really build what you’re capable of.