Certification
Level I | Trapeze Table
Overview
The Cadillac — also known as the Trapeze Table — is the most versatile piece of Pilates apparatus Joseph Pilates ever designed. Its array of bars, springs, and straps creates a movement environment that spans the full range from deeply therapeutic to athletically demanding. No other apparatus in the studio offers quite the same range of possibility — which is precisely why Cadillac-certified instructors tend to develop the most devoted private client practices.
All Populations Cadillac I teaches you to work fluently with the full apparatus: the roll down bar, the push-thru bar, the arm springs, legs springs, the trapeze. Each attachment has its own vocabulary of exercises, its own population of ideal clients, and its own set of modifications that make it accessible across the fitness spectrum.
The Cadillac is also uniquely valuable in rehabilitation-adjacent settings. Its ability to support, decompress, and precisely load and isolate specific body regions makes it an exceptional tool for clients navigating injury recovery, post-surgical return to movement, or chronic pain — in collaboration with their healthcare team.
What You'll Learn
- Navigate the complete Cadillac apparatus with confidence — all bars, springs, and attachments
- Understand the unique safety considerations of the Cadillac
- Execute and instruct the exercises for all populations
- Apply Cadillac exercises therapeutically for special populations and post-rehabilitation clients
- Program private Cadillac sessions with clinical precision and clear programming logic
- Integrate Cadillac work into comprehensive multi-apparatus programming
Curriculum Modules
Equipment and Safety
A complete orientation: Cadillac anatomy, spring selection, bar heights, attachment options, and safety protocols for all populations.
The Classical Cadillac Repertoire
A thorough, exercise-by-exercise exploration of the full curriculum of Cadillac exercises — their purpose, their mechanics, and their place in the PAI five-tiered system.
Steppingstones in Practice
The PAI modification system applied to the Cadillac repertoire: how to regress intelligently, recognize readiness for progression, and ensure no client ever feels left behind.
Cueing and Correction for All Populations
Verbal, visual, and demonstrative instruction for the Cadillac, both in privates and group Pilates Tower sessions — developing the language and skills to communicate with precision and warmth.
Teaching Methodology and Programming
Session architecture for group Tower Classes and private Cadillac sessions: warm-up to cool-down structure, pacing, client management, and programming logic.Comprehensive Integration A complete understanding of how the Cadillac works with other Pilates equipment to both build strength and cultivate the necessary body awareness and neuromuscular connections to perform more advanced movements.
Special Conditions Protocol and Case Studies
Application of the Cadillac for special populations — decompression and post-rehabilitation work — including when to modify, when to refer, and how to keep every client moving safely within their own capacity.
Who This Course Is For
Cadillac I is designed for PAI-trained Mat I and Reformer I instructors who work primarily in private or semi-private settings, and for instructors interested in rehabilitation-adjacent or clinical Pilates work. It is also ideal for instructors who want to offer the most comprehensive and distinctive private session experience possible. We welcome bridging from many qualified programs for students who wish to have a certificate recognized by the ITTAP.
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