contrology apprentice program

"Classical Pilates" is more than a stagnant list of exercises memorialized in black and white photos from a century ago. Rather, Joe Pilates' Contrology system is a brilliant, living, fluid way of problem solving. Discover the "zest and pleasure" of teaching and in your own practice and learn how to think in this focused journey designed for disciplined, committed students ready to approach Pilates at a professional level.

This is a physically demanding, experiential-based program designed to get Contrology into your body and mind. As Jay Grimes says, we don't really "teach" Pilates; rather, we are guides to help others discover. We cannot guide others to places we haven't been.

While the workshops and apprentice meetings have specific schedules, the other components are self-scheduled and will require focus and consistency to successfully build the strength and skills needed to pass the performance assessments and the eyes and hands needed to pass the teaching assessments. Despite the flexibility in some of the requirements, it is expected that you are in the studio actively 10-15 hours per week, mostly with me, to make satisfactory progress. This is not a self-led independent study but rather an immersive participation in the studio.

Admission Requirements

Completion of an application and interview
Ownership over the entry Reformer and Mat exercises as demonstrated in a practical assessment
Demonstrated maturity and physical ability to commit to an intensive, 750-hour program

Became a confident, skilled teacher

You deserve a program that supports you from your first class to your final assesment. Your clients deserve a teacher prepared to meet their individual abilities, challenges, and aspirations.

Program Goals

Learn a common language
Develop a framework in which to make sense of exercises, including the ones we know and the ones we have yet to meet
Consider how the history of the Pilates industry shapes what we have been taught today
Develop programming and problem solve in real time
Preserve the despth of Joe Pilates' life's work
Apply our intuition and creativity in meaningful rather than gratuitous ways
Fine tune the efficacy of our teaching
Get ripped

The 750-Hour Structure

Private Lessons & Classes

Get the work in your own body so you can choose the right exercises for your clients and guide through experience

Independent Practice

Self-directed exploration in the studio practicing what you've seen and learned in your lessons and observation

Observation

Watch our experienced teachers apply the Pilates system to a diverse range of bodies

Practice Teaching

Apply what you're learning by getting in there and doing it- from volunteer friends to real clients thoughtfully matched to your current stage of training

Workshops

Focused dives into specific exercises, themes, and skills

Dedicated Mentorship

Apprentice Labs, co-teaching, and assistant teaching, working with Lindsey to confidently and progressively gain independence

Anatomy

Musculoskeletal anatomy and biomechanics to personalize system application

Flexible Hours

Room to learn in the way you do best as an individual and spend time where you find value and growth

Timeline: 12-18 Months
All-inclusive, Complete Program Cost: $10,000

About Lindsey

Studio Owner & CAP Mentor

After leaving my first certification program- a "hybrid" curriculum theoretically offering both classical and contemporary study- with more questions than I began with and knowledge that seemed random and sometimes conflicting, I began investigating the classical work more to see if there were answers in Pilates' origins. And there were. It was all built into the way Joe designed it originally. And in that framework I discovered countless options for me to use my intuition and experience and treat every body I encountered as an individual.

I invite you to join me in studying this often misunderstood approach of the authentic method. At Voltage, dogmatism is out and contrology is in. I train regularly with teachers from both Jay Grimes' and Romana Kryzanowska's lineages to get the fullest view possible of what Joe was thinking and doing.

I founded Voltage in 2017 as Indy's first classical Pilates studio. I'm not a dancer or an athlete. I'm just a normal person with a history of debilitating pain, and I am humbled to be able to share this work that has changed my life.

With 16 years of Pilates teaching experience, I am excited to offer an apprenticeship based on what I needed when I first certified- a personalized mentorship. Because of the unique nature of this program, I strictly limit how many certificate-seeking apprentices I take at a time to ensure you are getting everything you need. This is not a casual hobby with fragmented modules or a weekend playdate; this is a professional immersion into a rich practice with 100 years of history. I promise to offer you the same level of commitment I require so we can do this work, our bodies, and our students justice.