Why Pilates instructors should touch their clients…

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IMG_6734As a Pilates instructor I use touch on a daily basis as a way to help clients move better, learn new movements and to just remind them what muscles to use or not use.  I do it so often that I usually don’t even think about it.

I had a moment the other day ago that reminded me how simply powerful touch can be.  Ironically this moment happened in the middle of an instructor training workshop day where I  had just been talking to new trainees about using touch as cueing in their Pilates teaching!

My moment started with an unexpected problem with a class that was supposed to be happening at the studio during the same time period I was teaching a workshop in our instructor training program.  We had clients waiting for class but no instructor.  As a studio owner I can tell you that sometimes this happens.  I can also tell you that the perfectionist in me hates it when my business comes across as unprofessional, and we don’t deliver to our clients the best experience possible.  As soon as I realized the problem I went to work on trying to solve it in the most appropriate way possible, checking in with another instructor to sub, apologizing to the clients and trying to make everything right.

Somewhere in the middle of that one of my clients who was taking the workshop came over and simply put her hand on my shoulder.  I obviously wasn’t hiding my frustration of the moment! For that 2 seconds that she did that I could feel my shoulders relax, I had an immediate sense of awareness of my stress level and was able to take a second or two and remind myself that it was really no big deal. Nobody was hurt, everyone was being very understanding and it was simply a mistake that we would get through.  All that from a simple touch.

CareyteachingWhen I’m teaching new Pilates instructors I see and feel their fear of touching someone that maybe they don’t know quite that well.  We spend a fair amount of time going over appropriate cues, asking permission and how to cue so it doesn’t feel awkward.  I encourage them to practice with their practice teaching clients so they get comfortable with touch because so many times it is the most effective cue and is far more effective than just using your words.  When done properly it can put someone at ease, help them engage the correct muscles and make the exercise more effective for them.

Click here to learn more about Pilates instructor training programs at Rivercity Pilates!

 

 

Dancing into a Pilates Practice

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tarynI just left my first staff meeting at Rivercity Pilates.   I’m not a pilates teacher (yet), but I am working in the office and beginning the teacher training program in a few weeks. Anyone that knows me as a dancer is probably like….what? I have never been much for any exercise save modern dance class.    When all my friends were diligently completed their pilates certifications at the Kane School, or yoga teacher training at Om, I was doing anything but those things.

I tended bar, taught knitting, filed, danced, baked and worked at Whole Foods.   My preferred warm up was modern dance class or smoking a few cigarettes.    that was about it.    This is NOT to say that I would not have benefited greatly from any number of other things.   It just wasn’t my thing, and I got by.

Fast forward to now.   I am the insanely proud mom of an amazing 3 year old, I am the equally insanely proud wife of an amazing choreographer.     I spent a few years working in a corporate setting to make it all “work”.    My husband stayed home, and I did that thing where you punch a clock 40+ hours a week.    Dancing took a back seat to being a mom, a wife, and an employee.   Last year my husband and I decided to make a big change.    He would attend grad school, and I would stay at home withour daughter.  Drastic changes, cuts and plans.

Best decision we ever made!

IMG_1952All of the things we realized could fill pages upon pages, but for the purpose of this post, the most personally revolutionary thing that I was able to realize was how much I missed moving, which really amounted to dedicated time to check in with my body.   So I went at it…….I rehearsed, I performed, I went to the gym, I rode my bike.    It was all great, but I was still missing something. It only did half the job.   I could find a physical fix, but not the brain space for the other half of being a mindful mover.    A dancer friend told me about Rivercity Pilates and the classical Pilates training he had received there.   This appealed to my dancer mentality.    We love tradition and lineage!   I made an appointment for a private session with Carey and I was hooked.   It was just what I had been looking for.   Time to check in, reflect, be mindful, aiming for a mastery of turning the simple into sublime.    I finally got it.

After that session, all the hype made sense.  At some point during that first private session on the cadillac I was working on prone II and it just clicked.   I wouldn’t be able to or want to change my last 17 years, but I am thankful for the ability to discover what works for me now.    I look forward to incorporating what  learn into the practice I will develop and share going forward.

Taryn Griggs

photo credit C. Cummings-Peterson

No Cookie Cutter Private Pilates Sessions Here!

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IMG_7104As a professional Pilates instructor I see a variety of clients with a variety of needs concerning their movement programs. Here’s a short list of why clients come to see me:

  1. Learn to move better
  2. Create a regular Pilates practice
  3. Stress Relief
  4. Overall Better Health
  5. Finding exercises suitable for their bodies even when they have injuries
  6. Accountability to exercise on a regular basis
  7. Core Strength
  8. Variety in their exercise program
  9. Positive body image
  10. Create balance in their body

As a someone who might be considering taking private sessions with a Pilates instructor we want you to know that your sessions will be tailored to what your body can do and to your “why” for coming to see us.  As an example, I have a client who is a busy mom and has a hard time fitting cardio in so we always start her sessions with a 15-30 minute walk and then spend the rest of the session doing a Pilates workout.  Rivercity Pilates is conveniently located right near the North Liberty biking and walking path and we love to use it when we can!  I have another client who is the caretaker for her husband and we spend a lot of her session time focusing on strengthening and stretching in alignment, and also practicing functional movements (like how to lift something properly or how to push a wheelchair with proper body mechanics).

 

During your first complimentary private session at Rivercity Pilates we’ll have you fill out a health intake form where we also include some questions about your health and fitness goals.  We include this as a way to start the conversation with you about what you want to get out of your experience with us and how we can best help you.  Please don’t skip this question!!   We know that having a regular workout program that you actually enjoy and is meeting your goals can make all the difference in the world and we’re excited to have the chance to work with you and help you find that!

Click here to learn more about our instructors!  Sign up for a complimentary session today and let us help you with your health and fitness goals!!

 

My Back Hurts…..

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What does a Pilates instructor do when her back hurts?

I have to admit I have not ever had to deal with chronic back pain, but like many people I have an occasional day when my low back aches or hurts.  Many times it is after I have been driving in the car longer than normal or sitting at the computer too long.   Some days I couldn’t tell you exactly why it happens.  So what do I do?  Pilates!

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My go to treatment for a tight achy low back is to move and stretch and use some traditional Pilates exercises.  I turn to the same wonderful work that I use with my clients day in and day out!  I generally focus on stretching and lengthening the backs of my legs and my hips.

[tweetthis remove_hidden_hashtags=”true”]Help! I teach #Pilates and I have #BackPain[/tweetthis]

Some of my favorite exercises are Single Leg Circle followed by stretches for my hamstrings and inner and outer thighs, Shoulder Bridge followed by a supported bridge stretch (with a yoga block under my hips), a slow straight leg lower with a foam brick under my hips to lengthen my psoas and just hanging out in child’s pose.

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For me the movement helps almost immediately and I continue to play around with finding movements that help my body feel good.  Often times a sore low back is a reminder that I need to incorporate more mindful movement into my day,  be a little more aware of how I’m moving my body and how much I’m sitting throughout my day.

One of my favorite lessons learned from my Pilates practice is that we are much more powerful and capable than we think when it comes to healing and taking care of our bodies.  So if you’re feeling a little achy or tight don’t be afraid to try out some movements at home.  Listen to your body and trust that your mindful movement practice can change how your body feels!

 

 

Shelly’s Story: 12 months of Pilates Teacher Training

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IMG_1933Today, as I finished another tally sheet for my teacher training log book, I realized that I have been on the road to becoming a Pilates instructor for just over a year. Wow, how the time has flown! Knowing that I have let other things in my life take priority over Pilates in the past month, I decided to take this opportunity for some self-reflection. So, I set aside my long, ever-present to-do list, and reflected on what I have accomplished in my first year in the Body Precision Comprehensive Teacher Training Program, and where I want to focus my energy in the upcoming months.

Before moving forward, I took a few minutes to look back at why I decided to go through the Body Precision Comprehensive Teacher Training Program….
I decided to go through the program for both personal and professional reasons.  On a personal level, I wanted to learn the method in more depth and refine my own practice.  I enjoy learning on my own, but do best when I am part of a structured program, so the Body Precision Comprehensive Teacher Training Program seemed like the best way for me to take my practice to the next level.

On a professional level, I wanted to learn the method so I could incorporate Pilates principles and exercises in to my work as a physical therapist. Pilates incorporates many principles that are familiar to me as a physical therapist and I think the method will be a good addition to my practice. It was important to me to learn the method in more detail before incorporating it in to my professional practice.

Then I thought about what I have accomplished in the past year…
I completed all of the workshop hours and a little less than half of the observation hours, practice teaching, and lessons required for the comprehensive program. More importantly, I gained a deeper understanding of the Pilates method and learned what most of the exercises feel like in my body, or at least what they feel like right now.   And, most surprisingly, despite adding more “requirements” to my life, I found better balance. Better balance between work and personal life. Better balance in my emotions. Better balance in my body.

What has been my biggest challenge in the past year?…
Time!   When I contemplated starting the teacher training program, I was concerned about the amount of time I would need to dedicate to the program. I have a full-time job, and then some. I had just finished a 4 year graduate program, had a paper to revise, and had a fall class to teach. Did I really have time for Pilates? Maybe I needed to slow down and take a break. Was I really ready to jump in to another commitment? Well, I decided to take the plunge and I am glad I did. Finding time to dedicate to Pilates has been a challenge, however. I try to combat the challenge by scheduling time each week for observation, practice teaching, and my own practice. And when all else fails, I remind myself that even if I get in as many hours as I would like each week, I am still making progress.

Where I want to focus my energy in the upcoming months…
Getting back to scheduling time for me! Fall is a busy time of year for me, much like it is for other people…. It is back-to-school time (I teach a physical therapy class in the fall semester), football season (Go Hawks!), and a busy time of year for work-related conferences. Amidst all of the other demands on my time, I want to get back to making Pilates a priority on my schedule. I always feel great when I walk in the studio… the hard part is putting it on my schedule.  So, for the next few months, I am going to focus on getting Pilates on my schedule at least three days a week!

Shelly
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Keeping Pilates Fresh

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IMG_6149I’ve been teaching Pilates for 15 plus years and the whole journey has been filled with learning and growing (which is part of what I love so much about the profession).   People often ask me how I remain passionate about Pilates or if Pilates gets monotonous for me.

I’ve taken endless hours of continuing education, workshops, conferences and online training.  I’ve taken lessons and classes with a variety of instructors and master instructors.   As much as I love all of those learning opportunities I think the most important teaching tool I use in my teaching is what I like to call “playtime”.

Playtime for me is what some might call my own personal workout time, yet I see it a little differently.  Playtime is where I get to experience the work I teach day in and day out in my own body on any given day.  It’s a time when I get to explore the exercises deeper.  I get to try a variety of different adjustments to the exercise and find which one feels best in my body.

If a client has struggled with an exercise, my playtime is a time where I put myself into my client’s body and imagine what an exercise might feel like in their body.  I call it playtime because its fun and just like a kid playing times flies by and I barely realize that I’m actually “working my body”.

[tweetthis hidden_urls=”http://pic.twitter.com/nXPprcm21N” remove_hidden_hashtags=”true”]#Pilates #workouts should be #FUN! Love what you do! [/tweetthis]

For me having daily “playtime” is essential to my teaching.  It keeps my own body healthy, its refreshes my spirit and inspires my teaching!!  I often start my day with my movement practice but you’ll also catch me playing if I have some time between clients or classes at the studio.