How do I find the best Pilates instructor for me?

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If you are new to Pilates, you may be a little overwhelmed when it comes to finding a Pilates instructor or maybe you didn’t even realize that it was important to make sure your instructor was qualified and a good fit for you!

When it comes to fitness many people think that a good trainer or instructor is simply someone who can push you to strengthen your body and do something you might not choose to do if left to yourself.

And yes, a good instructor will motivate you to do what you might not have thought you can do.  But more importantly, your instructor will teach you how to do it with the proper form and technique for your individual body so that you don’t get hurt and you get the maximum health results from your efforts!IMG_2526

There is a lot more to TEACHING movement and exercise than just calling out exercises.   A good instructor will be able to guide you through a movement while helping you adjust and fine tune your technique at the same time.  A good instructor will help you learn a movement in your own body and not just having you mimic what they are doing.

Whether you are taking a class at the local gym or a Pilates or Yoga studio- it is still important for you to research your instructor!

You may be surprised to know that many fitness centers and studios don’t require any sort of formal training or teaching experience for their Pilates teachers.

Often times it is assumed that if someone can teach a aerobics class or is a trained Yoga instructor that they are qualified to teach a Pilates class.  Many times these instructors have never even taken a Pilates class from a qualified instructor.   Often times these unqualified teachers have no Pilates teaching experience or training at all.

So what should I look for in an instructor?

1. Learn about where they did their training.  How many hours of training have they completed?  Was the training only mat work, or did it include equipment?  Were they trained to work with different populations, including those with injuries or special needs?

Most credible Pilates training programs start out with 100-150 hours of training, minimum for a basic Mat Instructor program.  To qualify to take the Pilates Method Alliance Professional Certifying Exam, instructors must have a minimum 450 hours of training on all Pilates apparatus and Pilates Mat work at all levels. Most fully trained instructors have 700 or more training hours logged in before they take their exam.

2.  Ask about their teaching experience.  How long have they been teaching?  Do they teach group classes only, private sessions or both?

3.  Ask to talk with them in person or maybe try out a class or session with them.  It’s important for you to feel comfortable with your instructor at all levels.  Not only do you want to make sure they are properly trained but you want to make sure you enjoy their teaching style.  Every teacher brings their own unique style to their teaching and it’s important to find an instructor that best fits you and your personality.

Want to learn more about how to find a Pilates instructor?  Go to http://www.pilatesmethodalliance.org and read more.    Founded in 2001, the Pilates Method Alliance is the professional association and certifying agency for Pilates teachers.  For the past decade, Pilates teachers from around the world have worked together to create a unified community, to share knowledge and information, and most importantly, to establish the practice of teaching Pilates as a profession.

 

Do I need to be at my ideal weight and fitness level to become a Pilates instructor?

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Do you ever wonder what the requirements are to become a Pilates instructor?   I get lots of questions and concerns about what it takes to be an instructor.  Here are two of the most common ones:

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What if I can’t do every exercise?

 Do I need to be at my ideal weight?

 

I challenge you to think about your favorite teacher throughout your life in any subject.  This could an English teacher, a coach, a Pilates or Yoga instructor, or just a parent, grandparent, or friend teaching you about life.

Did they do everything perfect?  Did they know absolutely everything there was to know about the subject they were teaching?  Of course not! 

But they did have more knowledge than you in a particular subject and they probably had more experience.  They probably had a love or passion for the subject they were teaching that was almost contagious!  I’m guessing they made you feel excited, successful and eager to continue learning!  I’m also guessing that they were just as much a student of the work they were teaching, as they were a teacher.

Pilates is a method of exercise that includes hundreds of exercises and variations of exercises.  The process of learning the method in your own body, just like the process of learning to teach the method to others,  is a continual, never ending process.   It is important for you to have a consistent Pilates practice before you start the program but it’s ok if you have not perfected every exercise.  As an instructor you will always be practicing and fine tuning the work in your own body and those experiences will continue to make you a great teacher!!

We all come in different shapes and sizes and there are no weight or size requirements to becoming a Pilates instructor!  Your weight and size definitely impact how you move your body but I consider this a gift.    By learning how to practice Pilates in your unique body you will get the skills to help others of varying shapes and sizes do the same!!

 

If you are contemplating a Pilates teacher training program, some more appropriate questions to ask yourself might be:

  • Does Pilates inspire me?
  • Do I enjoy helping others empower their bodies, just like my instructors have empowered me?
  • How could deepening my own Pilates practice inspire my life?

Click here to learn about the Body Precision Pilates Teacher training programs at Rivercity Pilates.  Module 1 of our Comprehensive program starts in this fall!!

“We teach best what we most need to learn.”        ~ Richard Bach

How do I know if I’m doing my Pilates exercises correctly?

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If you’ve ever taken a Pilates class you know there is a lot of attention to detail when it comes to the Pilates exercises.   Pull your belly in, keep your shoulders down, engage your inner thighs,….breathe!  Pilates instructors are notorious for giving lots of corrections and sometimes it can be confusing as a client.  You want to be doing it correctly right?

Your instructor’s corrections and cues are really meant to help you fine tune your own practice, stay safe and get the most out of each exercise.  Sometimes, especially if you are just starting off,  all of the helpful advice can be a little overwhelming.

A very common question I hear is:    Am I doing it right?   
Unless you are doing a movement that is causing your body pain or is unsafe- the answer is almost always: Yes, you are doing it correctly! 

I think the real question people want to ask is: am I doing it like you do it or is this what it looks like when Madonna does it?
That answer would be no and should be no! You see, as long as you are paying attention to your body and doing your best to follow the instructions your instructor is giving you- you are doing it perfectly in your body(no matter what the exercise “looks like” in your body).

It is more important how the movement feels in your body rather than how it looks.RCP-37
The next time you do the same exercise, it may feel totally different.  You may feel something you’ve never felt before, move differently than last week, or have a different range of motion.  That’s OK and to be expected.  As you start to fine tune your paying attention to your body skills, you will find yourself self-correcting to create more balance in your body and fine tuning to maximize that benefits of each exercise in your body.

In fact, the real “magic” of Pilates starts to happen when you start increasing your own body awareness and ability to just be present in your body and notice what is going on.  You start to be your own teacher in many ways.
The doing part of the exercise, the paying attention to your body and noticing how it feels part is sooo much more important than what it looks like on the outside.

The next time you find yourself wondering if you are doing it correctly-just focus on what’s going on in your body and trust that your efforts at that moment in that exercise are perfect!    Of course if you have questions on the exercise technique itself be sure to ask your instructor and they can give you a more detailed explanation that can aid in your understanding!  

How can I keep improving my Pilates practice so I continue to see results?

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Most classes at Rivercity Pilates are designed to be all level classes.  Since we do not have really big class sizes, our instructors are able to teach classes that are a great workout for everyone while keeping everyone safe and not injuring themselves.  If classes are all levels you may wonder how do I keep progressing, making progress toward my goals of increasing strength, balance, and flexibility.IMG_2873

There are lots of little ways to increase the difficulty of any given exercise and challenge different bodies at the same time.

 

Here’s a few concepts we use as teachers( and you can focus on individually) to keep you progressing in your Pilates practice, even in a class or group setting:

1. Combining  strength,balance, and flexibility into every exercise and focusing on the components you need to create balance in your body and in each exercise.  Ever body is different and creating a balance of flexibility and strength in your body will be very unique to you in each exercise.  If you are extremely tight, flexibility may be your individual focus on a particular exercise.  If flexibility is not an issue for you, you may be working on how to maintain stability or increasing overall strength.  Pinpointing particular areas you need to work on can help you fine tune each exercise and get the most out of every movement.  If you are unsure, ask your instructor to give you some feedback on areas that would be good for you to focus on.

2. Working level can be described as how big of a range of motion you can do on each exercise and still execute the exercise as perfectly as possible using the appropriate muscle groups.  Working level is your challenge point of an exercise.  As you get stronger and create more balance in your body this working level will increase and you will be able to do larger movements that continue to challenge your body.

3. Flow– By flowing one exercise into the next one we can increase the difficulty of individual exercises.  Flow also requires the coordination of your breath into these movements.  As your strength,flexibility and balance increase, you will find it easier to transition from one exercise to the next.  By taking less “breaks” in between exercises you will continue to progress in your improving your strength, flexibility and balance.

4. Coordinating Breath with each movement.  The thought process of coordinating the choreography of the exercise with a specific breath pattern can really take the exercise to the next level.  The mere act of concentrating completely on what you are trying to move, how your body is aligned and how you are breathing can increase the “work” of the exercise tenfold!

The wonderful thing about these four tips, is that they work for any type of movement or exercise- not just Pilates!  So try them out in your next workout and let us know if they helped you challenge yourself safely and effectively!

 

 

 

 

 

What are the benefits of doing both Pilates and Yoga?

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Check out this short video and learn why Yoga instructor Nicole Morford has added Pilates into her mind body workouts and how it has positively impacted her Yoga practice!

The Pilates method of exercise is similiar to Yoga in the sense that both exercise methods focus on strength, balance and control. They are different enough though that many clients find it beneficial to add both practices into their fitness routine to help them best work toward their fitness goals.

To learn more about the benefits of combining Pilates and Yoga contact Rivercity Pilates and set up your complimentary private pilates session today!

Can Pilates help me gain flexibility?

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“True flexibility can be achieved only when all muscles are uniformly developed.” – Joseph Pilates

The Pilates Method focuses on balancing out your muscles around each joint in the body (we refer to it as uniform development). By creating balance we naturally become more flexible, stronger, and our bodies move with ease, just like when we were kids. It is truly a combination of stretching and strengthening various muscle groups that allows the body to create this balance.

Pilates instructors are trained to look at individual bodies and movements and fine tune each individual’s movements to create balance in each body. If you have ever wondered why there are so many variations and modifications to Pilates exercises – this is why! Every body is unique and its needs change from day to day.

As instructors it’s our job to help clients tune in to their bodies and learn how to adjust their movements in Pilates, fitness, and life.

Learn more about the Pilates Method of exercise by exploring our website!