Teach The Body Not JUST The System
During this strange time of quarantine and virtual teaching I have had a lot of time to reflect on why I am so grateful for Pilates. When this pandemic first hit, and I realized I needed to close my studio for a while, I was panicked, I am not going to lie. What could I do to maintain the relationship with my clients, and still have an income?! Virtual teaching has saved my business, and I am so grateful that Pilates is not only able to be practiced virtually, but that clients are LOVING their sessions.
In the beginning, I was just so relieved that clients wanted to keep their sessions, do mat, and were happy with this option. At week two, they were still pleased. During week three, I realized I needed to figure out how to teach the body in front of me and not just the standard Pilates mat system.
The mat order and routine can get old quickly. Not only that, not all of the exercises are what my clients truly need. A lot of them need more extension and lateral flexion and less general flexion of their spine. So what to do? It was time to put on my creative cap and think about how I could “recreate” exercises on the mat from the reformer, baby chair, ladder barrel etc.
By first breaking down the weaknesses and imbalances for each of my clients I was able to categorize what each client needed to work on. Then I wrote out what I call the “key elements” of each exercise, and worked on a plan for deconstructing the elements where my clients show weaknesses. I teach this way in the studio by incorporating a mix of equipment and exercises to address individual client issues. As virtual sessions have restricted most clients to mat work only, I’ve had to shift my perspective. Specifically, I have to look deeper within the exercises to find common “key elements” and structure this into a workout that makes sense for each client to ensure a routine that is both balanced and individualized. While this takes more planning and analysis, I can honestly say it’s been a game changer.
Going through this process for all of my clients has made me a better teacher already. Here’s what I’ve noticed. I am making connections between exercises on the mat and the equipment that I never thought of before, and I’m thinking of the different motor abilities needed to execute each one precisely. I can’t wait to see how all of this detailed, hard work elevates my clients’ performance of exercises on the apparatus when the studio is open again. I challenge you to challenge yourself to play around with the “system.” That doesn’t mean you need to abandon all that you have learned. Instead, take this challenge as an opportunity to fill in pieces that feel incomplete, both in your teaching and your clients’ workout. See where you can increase their mind-body connection by teaching the body in front of you, not just the Pilates system.