well done everyone! the power of the hundred comes together for a worthy cause!

It was not the power of the hundred that changed anything, more like the sound of one hand clapping ......check out the post on AASI for the real low down on this topic and in Ms Mcghan's own words, how small a role the PMA actually played in this decision.

LA, could you please be more specific as to what AASI is, who Ms. Mcghan is, and how I can read about it? All I get in google is snow boarding.

oops, sorry LA. I know what site you refer to. No need to explain.

This legislation is under a broad umbrella of consumer protection. I started my career as a fitness professional in 1984 at the beginning of the fitness boom, when the industry was involved in some shady stuff. . In the late-80's The Pa Health Club Act was introduced that mandated that Health Clubs had to post a$50,000 bond if they sold memberships for longer than 6 months because at that time there were many instinces of "Health Clubs" selling pre opening memberships, keeping the money and never opening.
So now here we are 30 years later and this bill comes under the ageis of protecting the consumers against injury from untrained people working in the fitness industry.
If we as a group are to be considered exempt from this law due to the specialized nature of what we do, then we need to move away from the short-term/ weekend training programs that are being promopted by the eqipment manufactures and who are spear-heading the movement of Pilates into the arena of group fitness and "gym pilates"

A lobby is, by definition, any group of people seeking to influence politicians or public officials on a particular issue. It's nice to know that there are people like LA who are in the know. At this point in the development of our profession, in my opinion, every pilates teacher should be aware of pertinent legislative issues.

The fact that the PMA is so desperate that it needs to spin tall-tales about the effect of its efforts on the NJ Bill speaks worlds. This is an example of a "pilatical" game for self gain (it needs to recoup the $$$ used to develop a dubious exam). In reality, the PMA has no more legislative influence than the rest of us. I even doubt if it knows as much, but how would anyone really know (?), since many of its operations are behind closed doors.

To PMA members who joined for the insurance or the conference, who are allowing themselves to be led blindly on what could be important legislative issues someday: Be certain that you understand the implications of the agenda you are supporting.

What would be so terrible about a state test to licence pilates instructors (like massage therapists) if it were overseen by and devised by a group of "elected" Pilates instructors who could determine what the scope and knowledge base of our profession and practice should be.
I'll tell you what is wrong with it in the eyes of the PMA, it would eliminate the need of the PMA and it's test.(at least in the state of NJ.)
As long as we buy into the idea that this profession will not survive without a PMA, (rather than by uniting as Pilates collectives around the country)..,The PMA will continue to flourish and perpetuate the myth that they are doing constructive work for our community. It's no coincidence that they endorse the big equipment mfg's who sponsor and support them and yet claim that the reason to fear a state test is because it will reduce our standing as an elite specialized profession yet it's the Mfg's who promote and have created these unscrupulpus training programs and weekend certifications that blur the boundry between our profession and the poorly trained fitness instructors/personal trainers, who are the focus of this legislation.

LA - The NJ legislation was not about a 'state test'. Come on. Read. The bill is posted on this website.

'• To be eligible for licensure, applicants must:
— Be of good moral character
— Have successfully completed high school or its equivalent
— Have successfully completed an approved course of study of not less than 300 in-person classroom hours, as prescribed by the board, which shall include not less than 50 hours of an unpaid internship in the presence of and under the direct supervision of a licensed fitness professional and have passed an examination administered or approved by the board; or possess an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree in physical education, exercise science, exercise physiology or adult fitness.'

Personally, it would be inappropriate for that to be required of me as a fully trained Pilates teacher. But don't confuse everyone - this is not about a 'state test'. It's about professional Pilates teachers having to do 300 in-person classroom hours and 50 hours of unpaid internship learning about PERSONAL TRAINING to be able to teach Pilates in New Jersey.

I was not at all confused by LA's comment.

So, now I am curious as to how many pilates teachers have actually read up on the fact that some states require an examination for massage licensure as LA mentioned. If you have, you would know which specific psychometric organization has developed some of those state exams, not only for massage but for other professions as well including psychoanalysis. Then you might investigate which organization the PMA chose.

And then, perhaps, you would get LA's drift, or mine, which might lead you to question the PMA about its behind-closed-doors operations and why it chooses to ignore the concerns of some of its (now former) long standing members.

Personally, at the moment, as a pilates teacher, I do not want the PMA speaking for me or the many others in the greater pilates community who are not PMA members, if the PMA thinks that its Cert Exam is "the ultimate way to establish (the pilates profession)" and/or if it caters to PTs or equipment companies with a largely fitness-based outlooks. There are other options available.

Pia, sorry if I was not clear in my post,
AS a former fitness professional, I am well aware of all the legislation concerning that field, as well as what is going on in the Pilates industry as well.
What I was saying is that I fear that the same lack of standards is happening in Pilates as the PMA test is similar in nature to those that certifify Personal trainers because there is no practical test for either and the amount of training prior to taking the test is questionable.

The reason for legislation that mandates 300 classroom hours and/or apprenticship is because you can obtain a Personal Training certification without any training what so ever, and the certifying organizations perpetuate that because they are only interested in making money, not the safety of the consumer.

The fitness industry is rife with untrained,unqualified so called" certified professionals".
Over the years there have been many lawsuits from injuries sustained by persons working with this type of untrained individual and
the subject of training and certification of various fitness professionals has been the object of examination for many years.

The Nat'l Board of Fitness Examiners (NBFE)was founded to develop nationally based and uniform standards of practice for fitness trainers, but unfortunatly and obviously that has not happened which is why legislation was in the works to enforce more and better training for that industry.
If we are going to hail ourselves as unique and separate from fitness, then we need a national test that enforces a mandated amount of training hours and a practical application of our skills.