Member to Instructor Progression in Skill Development: Designing a Level Guide for Pilates Training

Abstract

The rapid growth of the Pilates industry in China has led to a lack of standardized practice and clear skill progression. These inconsistencies pose challenges in hiring qualified instructors, and maintaining consistent service quality to members. To address these issues, the objective of this development project was to develop a Level Guide in Pilates, aiming to establish clear lev els in skill development and streamline the progression of members and instructors. The company commissioning this project is a Pilates start-up brand, Body Light, with an extensive back- ground in the fitness industry in China through its parent company, Morefun Fitness. By integrating personalization and standardization, the Level Guide not only aimed to increase the number of quality instructors, but to also enhance service quality to members.

To gain relevant understanding of the dynamics related to skill development and progression in the fitness industry, three theoretical areas were perceived as vital by the author: customer engagement, skill development and motivation. Studies on service quality, specifically the Scale for Fitness-Club Services, examined the integration of a personalized standardized service approach, where service quality was perceived as influencing loyalty formation. Nonlinear pedagogy and Constraints-Led Approach were examined frameworks in skill development and mastery, to understand skill development specific to exercise and integrate flexible learning into practice. Lastly, two motivational theories, Achievement-Goal Theory and Self-Determination Theory, were examined to gain insights on customers’ motivations to exercise and the impact on loyalty.

This development project used a qualitative constructive research method, where the focus is on creating a new reality in the form of a construct – in this case, a guide. Process benchmarking was conducted on four relevant level systems in the sports and recreation fields, to gain understanding into effective level design. Co-creation with the target user was implemented through a focus group comprising of five relevant Pilates members and instructors, providing valuable insights into practitioners’ motivations and importance of skill progression. A further pi- lot test of three assessment classes was implemented, employing observation and probe method, to gain further insights and test the validity of teaching approaches. The diverse data collection methods ensured comprehensive insights in the development of the Level Guide, resulting in triangulation of data collection methods.

The theoretical framework and research findings of this development project resulted in two constructs: the Body Light Level Guide and Level Structure. Working in unison, the two con- structs not only facilitate clear progression in Pilates, but they enable a standardized, personalized approach to progressive pathways, level components and teaching. Although designed for the commissioning company Body Light, the Level Guide is applicable to the broader industry, aiming to standardize practice and integrate progression of members and instructors across the industry.