Welcome!  Get started by watching the video below for a general overview, and then review all of the information on this page.

We’d like to begin by giving you an overview of some of the materials and features of this course.

YOUR COURSE PACKET 

Your Course Packet is a PDF document that you will need to print before you start your Fusion Online Mat Apprentice Course. You will use the Course Packet to log your hours, to gain insight into the InstaStudio Popup Videos through the Video Trail Guides (more on this later), and to answer questions about the Mentor’s Cut Commentary videos that you will be viewing.

You can download and print this entire document out on three-hole paper, place it in a three-ring binder, and fill it in by hand. This makes it easier to take notes as you watch the videos.

Tip: Want to save your printer ink? Send the PDF to FedEx Office and have them print on three-holed paper for you.  

Please download the PDF file below. Depending on your browser and computer, you may need to right-click and then save to your desktop.

Fusion Mat Apprentice Module Course Packet

MASTER LOG

The Master Log is located in your Course Packet and is designed to help you keep track of where you are in the course. It is where you will log your required hours. There are detailed instructions on when and what you need to do with your Master Log within the appropriate sessions. Look for those details once you start the course.

INSTASTUDIO POPUP™ VIDEOS

These videos make up part of the Observation hours required by most major Pilates training programs. These are real classes or sessions taught in a working studio by real instructors. But we add a special PopUp feature to give you insight on the work as you watch it happen.

VIDEO TRAIL GUIDES

For each InstaStudio PopUp Video, there is a corresponding Video Trail Guide section in your Course Packet. Please read through these carefully before, during, and after watching these videos. The goal is to focus your attention on aspects of the session that we feel will be most helpful to you. Use the space provided to take notes and to jot down questions that you might have, which you can then ask the Master Instructor during one of your Skype or phone conferences.

MENTOR’S CUT™ COMMENTARY VIDEOS

This is another video that counts toward your Observation Hours. This will be the same class or session, but now with a commentary by a Master Instructor explaining the why of the work. These videos allow you to climb into the minds of our Master Instructors to get a valuable look into a their strategies and problem solving techniques.

MENTOR’S CUT™ — LET’S DISCUSS QUESTIONS

You will find a Let’s Discuss section in your course packet that corresponds to each Mentor’s Cut Commentary Video. These are meant to tap into your curiosity, help facilitate creativity, and challenge your thought processes. The more effort you put into them, the more you will get out of the course.

LET’S DISCUSS SESSIONS

These are short videos where our instructors go over the Let’s Discuss questions.

VIRTUAL MENTORING™ & VIDEO SEND-INS

During the course, there are two opportunities to send a video of yourself teaching so that our Master Instructors can see how you’re doing and offer supportive feedback. You will also have two Skype or phone meetings with our Master Instructors so that you can ask specific questions and be provided with support. There is no need to stress about these. There are specific instructions on how this works once you get to these sessions.

OTHER SITE RESOURCES

The features above are all exclusive to this course, but please take advantage of the other areas of our site. There is plenty of information that will tie into the work you are doing in the Fusion Mat Apprentice Course.

• Visit our Forum for support in this process. Ask all of your Pilates questions there. This is a wonderful tool for problem solving and initiating ideas.
• Visit the Blog & Video section often as well. There are articles and videos here that will compliment the work in this course.

DEFINITIONS

Different programs use different terms, but let’s take a quick look at some standard definitions of the various required hours.

Observation Hours: These are the hours that you spend observing an approved instructor teaching mat work.

Personal Sessions: These are the hours that you do in a private session, in a class, or by yourself.

Student Teaching Hours: These are the sessions that you teach to family, friends, or other teachers. They can be done at your home, in a studio, or anywhere you’d like. If you’re already teaching in a studio, all sessions taught to clients count, too!

HOW MANY HOURS DOES YOUR PROGRAM REQUIRE?

All programs are different, but our Mat Apprentice Course will help you meet the requirements for most major Pilates training programs. The required logged hours are usually listed in your manual. If they are not, contact your program to find out exactly what the requirements are.

If you follow our program, you will log approximately 19 Mat Observation Hours, 20 Personal Mat Sessions, and 35 Student Teaching Hours.

Since we are a Balanced Body™ host studio, we follow their requirements—but you can easily modify the program to suit your needs by either skipping sessions or assignments (not recommended!) or by doing sessions or assignments more than once (highly recommended!).

The more you practice, the better you’ll be—so you always have the option to repeat any of our sessions. Here are some typical requirements from some of the major Pilates training programs.

Balanced Body:
15 Mat Observation Hours / 20 Personal Mat Sessions / 35 Student Teaching Hours

Peak:
10 Observation Hours / 10 Personal Practice / 10 Student Teaching Hours

Polestar:
25 Observation Hours / 50 Hours of Self-Mastery Practice / 50 Hours of Apprentice Teaching

(Fusion has no affiliation with Peak or Polestar.  This information is listed for your convenience only.  Please check with your program to confirm required hours.)

HOW YOU WILL LOG YOUR HOURS 

Complete each session in order. We will give detailed instructions and will assign you Student and Personal Hours as appropriate. We also provide a Master Log to keep track of everything you do. Everything in the Course Packet references each Session number, so it’s easy to stay on track!

HOW TO PACE YOURSELF

We have designed this course for a duration of 17 weeks, or 119 days. If you would like to finish in this amount of time (or sooner), just pay attention to the week markers in the sidebar. Make this course a part of your schedule. Set aside a certain number of hours per week to put into it and stick to it.

But you can also take the course at your own pace, up to a point. You have a total of five months or 150 days to complete this course from the day you sign up. So please, take the course at a pace that is comfortable for you—but use your time wisely so that you finish before this cut off.

If—for whatever reason—you would like to take more time and extend your subscription to this course, you can do so by purchasing an extension in the Need More Time session at the end of the course.

REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPLETION

You must meet the following requirements in order to receive a Certificate of Completion for the Fusion Mat Apprentice Course.

• Complete all sessions.
• Complete all assignments.
• Send in your two Video Send-Ins (optional for those without the proper equipment).
• Complete your two Master Instructor Skype or phone meetings.
• Send in your log sheet.

GET STARTED!

That’s enough of the boring administration stuff. Let’s get started with Session 1!