The Upstate Instructor Intensive is a fast-tracked, in-person training designed to equip new instructors with the practical skills, confidence, and energy required to teach in the signature Upstate style. Run over four days (20 contact hours), this immersive course covers four class formats within the Reformer Pilates modality: Power, Strength, Jump, and Burn.

Prior to the in-person training, participants complete essential online pre-learning, including full-length Upstate classes, breakdown videos, and a short quiz to ensure they arrive prepared and ready to teach.

Each training day focuses on one of the four Reformer formats, blending practical participation, movement breakdowns, class planning, and round-robin style teaching assessments. Trainees learn how to cue actively (without pre-cueing), use a mic and timer, deliver high-energy classes, and manage large groups safely and confidently—all without tactile cueing.

Participants are assessed through written class plans and live teaching assessments, with daily feedback and guidance provided by Upstate educators. The intensive concludes with a group debrief and an introduction to Upstate’s mentoring and onboarding structure.

Designed for instructors who already hold a base Pilates certification, this intensive serves as an advanced practical training and onboarding pathway into teaching Reformer Pilates at Upstate.