Instructor Spotlight: Jade Moore
We speak with Pilates Instructor Jade Moore about her Pilates career to date.
1. Tell us a little about yourself and your Pilates background
My name is Jade! I live in the South Eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia and I am OBSESSED with Pilates. I've been teaching for almost 3 years now at KX Pilates in Berwick, but have lived and breathed KX Pilates ever since I started as a client back in 2018. I was the client who was there every day, sometimes multiple times a day, and after many "suggestions" (read: nagging) from my beautiful studio owner Nikki, I finally decided to complete my Pilates Instructor qualifications in 2021. It was the best thing I ever could have done for myself and I haven't looked back. Prior to teaching, I was working a full-time role in Human Resources for a global manufacturing organisation. I had absolutely no background in movement, exercise or fitness, but I did have a passion for Pilates bigger than anyone I know, and that's what has taken me from where I was to where I am now. I think my friends would describe me as loyal, trustworthy, supportive and often a bit of a perfectionist, which as we all know, can sometimes be to our detriment even as teachers!
2. How did you discover Pilates?
A friend dragged me, fairly unwillingly, to my first class at her local KX studio. She told me that she knew I would love it, but I distinctly remember saying to her "I'm not going to like it, I don’t like Pilates". I still recall not being able to walk across the road at the end of the class because my legs wouldn't stop shaking! I had never felt like I did when I finished that class, and it was the start of what has become an absolute dream, and I'm so grateful I went. I signed up the very next day to the KX Berwick studio, and the rest is history!
3. How do you keep learning?
I am constantly inspired and learning from other instructors. It doesn't matter how many classes you've done or taught, there is always something to learn from others. A little goal I've set myself this year is to do at least one class a fortnight outside of my usual network - it's a great way to pick up fresh ideas, cues, and tips, as well as meet new people in the industry!
4. The best advice you were ever given as a teacher…
BE YOURSELF. As a new instructor, it can be incredibly intimidating to walk into a studio where other instructors have years of experience and a huge base of regular clients, and you might feel like you have to "be like them" to fill your classes. But teaching like someone else will never get you anywhere – make sure you find your own style, your own vibe, and your people will find you. You will never please every person, or be liked by every client, and that is absolutely o.k. - there is room for everyone!
5. Is there something you try and instil in each of your clients?
The magic happens OUTSIDE your comfort zone.
6. The best Pilates course you ever did was…
All the courses I have done have been great - but honestly, the biggest growth for me came from shadowing other trainers, asking the right questions, LISTENING to their real-life experiences and taking onboard feedback that they so generously shared with me.
7. What’s your favourite piece of equipment to use with clients in studio and why?
I teach reformer, so absolutely the reformer! There's no other piece of equipment like it, and even after 1000+ classes as a client, I've never once been bored or felt not challenged by it.
8. How do you stay motivated?
This sounds extremely cliché, but my motivation is driven by my passion, and that's something I will never lose. KX Berwick completely and utterly changed my life as a client all those years ago, I am so grateful for every instructor I crossed paths with who made me a stronger, more confident and genuinely better person. I don't think I could ever repay them for the way my life improved. All I ever wanted when I finally became an instructor was to give back the experience that I had as a client - and if I could make even one person feel half the way I did, my heart would be full. Being able to give that experience to others is my biggest motivation.
I’m also proud to say that I won the KX Pilates Instructor of the Year in 2023.
Winning this award has just felt like the most incredible dream, I cried happy tears for many days, and still get emotional thinking about it! Anyone who knows me knows that I completely live and breathe Pilates (I even have a Pilates-themed number plate on my car), and to be loved right back by the studio that I love so much, was the highlight of not just this career - but any job I have ever had. There's a huge amount of exceptionally talented and deserving instructors in the KX network (many of whom I look up to and have been mentored by), so although I won the award and am forever grateful for it, it really is a reflection on those around me who have provided the opportunities for me to be my best self.
9. What makes you laugh the most?
1The creative names people have called me mid-way through a class!
10. What’s your favourite way to spend a day off?
Movement - whether it's Pilates, gym, or something else, a walk with my husband and doggy, good coffee, good food and a book!
11. How many pairs of grip socks do you own?
Far too many to count. My leggings collection is even worse.
12. Does your family ‘really know’ what’s involved in your job?
Absolutely not. I think some of them still think it's like yoga!
Jade teaches at KX Pilates in Berwick, Victoria, Australia and is the KX Pilates Professional of the Year for 2023.