When you picture a Pilates teacher’s day, what comes to mind?

Many people assume because I teach Pilates, I am working out a LOT(like all day long with my clients)…  It often surprises people to know that I am not exercising and working out “with my clients”.  Like everyone else I get to schedule my workout time outside of my “work” time! When I’m training others I am focused on coaching and teaching them.

And while no two days in the studio look exactly the same, the heart of my work as a Pilates teacher comes down to two main responsibilities:
1️⃣ Helping you stay consistent with movement so you can get stronger, healthier, and more capable in everyday life.
2️⃣ Teaching you the Pilates Method (Contrology) in a way that works for your body, so you can use movement as a lifelong health tool.

Let me take you behind the scenes and show you what that really looks like.

A Pilates teacher is part coach, part movement scientist, and part accountability partner—and that mix might be exactly what you need. Let me share two of my biggest responsibilities as a Pilates teacher so you can decide if having one might help you on your movement journey.

1. Keep You Accountable to Moving Your Body

I put accountability first because without consistency, results are nearly impossible—no matter how skilled I am in the Pilates Method. My job is to create an environment where you want to keep showing up for yourself.  That means getting to know you—how you learn best, what you enjoy about movement, what motivates you, and what type of feedback clicks for you. Whether it’s Pilates or any other form of exercise, if you’re not practicing regularly, you won’t get the benefits.

A big part of being a good teacher is having the skills to connect with clients and motivate them to keep moving. Sometimes I’m your cheerleader, sometimes your coach, but always your accountability partner.

2. Teach Contrology

Contrology is what Joseph Pilates originally called his method. My “always role” is to help you learn and understand the Pilates Method in your body—and to keep you practicing it so you can see results.  This is the technical side of teaching: knowing each exercise inside and out, understanding why we do it, and how to adapt it to every body I work with. It’s about anticipating how you’ll learn a new movement best, giving you cues that make sense for your learning style, and ensuring you’re supported (literally and figuratively) through the process.

Every Session is Different—On Purpose

If you watched me teach all day, you’d probably be surprised by how different each session looks from the outside. But the essence is always the same:

• Teach Contrology in a way that’s appropriate for you
• Create an environment where you feel comfortable receiving feedback
• Challenge you just enough to spark growth
• Help you become more balanced, strong, and confident in your movements

Many clients keep coming back because they need that accountability, and I love that. But along the way, something deeper happens—they begin to truly understand Pilates. They learn to use movement as a tool to feel better, move better, and live better. They start to create habits in their life and even change their mindset toward exercise and movement in a way that enriches their life. My hope is that one day, they’ll feel confident enough to carry their practice into life without needing my guidance.

Whether we’ve worked together for an hour or for years, my goal is always the same: to empower you with the knowledge and skills to use movement as a lifelong health tool.

If you’re ready for a coach who will keep you showing up for yourself and teach you how to move in a way that supports your body for life, Pilates might be exactly what you need.

Whether you’re brand new, returning after a break, or wanting to build on the progress you’ve already made, your journey starts with a complimentary intro session at Rivercity Pilates. We’ll talk about your goals, explore movements that feel good in your body, and create a plan to help you stay consistent—so you can feel better, move better, and live better.

Schedule your complimentary intro session today—and let’s get started.    Email us or book online!

When it comes to your health, wellness and exercise time do you ever just ask yourself…..am I doing enough?

These days we are lucky enough to have access to a lot of science and research that is able to tell us what kind of things are going to help us feel our best, age well and live our best life….but sometimes that can be overwhelming!

As a movement professional I often see how the “what we should be doing list” simply overwhelms people and instead of adding a healthy habit or two to their life, they simply don’t do anything.

One of the favorite parts of my job is helping people realize that little habit changes go a long way in helping you prioritize your health.  Little changes are the key to my own health and well being and I want to remind you they can help you too.  These changes don’t need to feel like a lot of work!

The latest addition to my own routines has been adding a weighted vest to my morning dog walks. A morning walk with my dogs is a habit I created long ago and it is very rare for me to miss a day (mainly because my dogs are very good at reminding me how much they love it!).  In my attempts to add more weight bearing movement time to my life I decided I would just add in wearing a weighted vest while I walk.  So far this is an easy addition for me because this habit is already stacked with something I’m doing anyway.  All I have to do is put on the vest each time I walk.

Will this addition make a huge difference in my strength? Probably not huge….yet I know overtime adding in extra weight bearing movement time will help me maintain and improve my muscle strength and my bone density.

What little thing could you add into your routine to improve your health and wellness? Simple things like adding a weekly movement class, adding a daily walk, practicing extra sit to stands, adding simple stretches into your daily routine or adding a little extra resistance training to something you are already doing…will make a difference…and it is enough!