Community & Growth: Inside Jetset Pilates’ Training Academy

Jetset Pilates is redefining consistency and connection through an instructor development program that keeps its energy pumping across every studio

Jetset Pilates wastes no time jumping out with its sleek, minimalist visuals and vibrant-sounding music. However, what really separates the brand from the pack can’t be seen or heard, but felt. 

“It’s not just about the Pilates class,” said Alex Lyons, Jetset’s VP of Product and Talent. “Anyone can take a Pilates class anywhere. We’re focused on helping people actually feel that community and connection. That’s our culture.” 

That Jetset ethos, centered around comfort, consistency and confidence, is taken seriously within the organization from top to bottom. It’s why the brand made it a central part of its Training Academy experience, an instructor-education and professional-development program.

“We’re constantly reinforcing what it takes to have the ‘Jetset vibe’ in the studio,” said Lyons, who created the program. “The experience goes from the moment someone opens the door to the moment they leave. It has that taste and feel of a Jetset class while playing with the local flair and spice of your community.” 

As the brand grows, it’s also prioritizing keeping that vibe up in all its new studios, maintaining soul while scaling and delivering a wide range of health benefits. 

Commitment to Comfort 

Jetset’s Training Academy curriculum starts with a memory jog, reminding instructors who’s ultimately at the center of their business and how to best support them. 

“People are our core,” Lyons said. “We’re a service business, first and foremost. So, we focus on how instructors are making people feel that human connection.” 

Training Academy graduates know to apply different touchpoints that establish a welcoming environment, like showing up before any members to set the studio tone, extending personal greetings to every attendee and taking extra special care of new members, who often need it due to Pilates’ sometimes daunting nature. 

“Our instructors are trained to make sure they’re breaking the ice early with language, eye contact and accessibility in their training styles to make sure that everyone feels comfortable,” Lyons said. “There are some people who have never stepped foot on a reformer, and that can be really scary. It’s an intimidating machine and you can definitely see that when people enter the space. So, we engage with them from the get-go, also giving them a specific introduction to the instructor and a personalized reformer demo.”

Instructors are also taught to check in with members after sessions, reassuring them that things will get easier with time and motivating them to continue their journey. 

Different Applications 

While the Training Academy enforces certain foundations and philosophies universally, it also leaves room for instructors to develop offshoots, breeding different types of instructors. 

In training, Jetset points to different personas for instructors to identify with. For example, three include the commander, who hosts high-intensity classes, the Zen master, who prioritizes relaxed environments, and the cheerleader, who keeps things light and cheerful. Once instructors match with a persona, they’re encouraged to lean into it as they host sessions.

“We want our instructors to already start thinking about how they want their community to feel and then use those personas to step into a role when they get on the mic,” Lyons said. “If they already feel like a drill sergeant, they can take the commander route and create a persona that’s still positive and supportive, but brings in clients who want a tough experience or to be challenged. On the other hand, someone who’s more of the cheerleader might come in and lean into how they’re supporting and encouraging clients in a bubbly way.”

Lyons added that Jetset looks to help instructors deploy these personas as soon as possible.  Doing so not only makes instruction a more enjoyable experience but also helps cultivate community. 

“You have to keep the guardrails tight, but you want to make sure that instructors feel like they can let their personality shine, and that will help build out more community too,” Lyons added. “If instructors sound the same everywhere, they’re probably not hitting every part of the community. You need to have some instructors that are only going to appeal to a certain type of person, and then others that appeal to others.” 

Extra Layers of Education

Training and learning with Jetset doesn’t end after the academy’s five days of coursework either. The brand makes existing instructor support available through a comprehensive Learning Management System called “The Collective” that keeps instructors sharp and new ideas omnipresent. 

“We have a lot of continued education,” said Lyons. “That’s at the forefront of our development for instructors. We’re constantly thinking about instructor development beyond just learning the class. We want people who are hungry to constantly be learning, improving and taking the next step within their instruction.”

As Jetset continues to scale, the brand will make sure its education loop includes general managers and owners as well by adding their own immersive training programs. Doing so won’t just help the brand provide a high-end service, but keep it consistent, and energized, as new parties fill in to the network. 

“As we grow, we’re dialing in on what it takes to maintain our culture, whether that’s the sales training or instructor training,” Lyons said. “But that’s also how GMs and owners take ownership of their instructor development. How are they ensuring that their instructors continue education through our continued learning? How are they ensuring that their instructors get to the studio before class begins to make sure the room is set up? How are they ensuring that the lighting is correct? All of these little touch points make such a huge difference as we scale.”