A no judgement approach to Pilates
How about we start with a bold statement…Teachers are NOT teaching Pilates. We are teaching PEOPLE.
Anyone can pop on YouTube or pop in a DVD or get on an app and “do Pilates”. When people come to us (teachers), they want something other than just ‘the exercises’. They want to be seen, and they need someone to support them on their journey. We are here to listen and give them what they need.
We do this by teaching the person in front of us; wherever they are in their movement practice. Listening and observing our clients during their practice and giving them emotional and body support without pressuring them.
This might sound surprising but I don’t give “homework” unless my client asks me how they can improve (or work on) something. When a client asks, I say something like “if you want to explore [X], try [exercise or movement] a couple of times while focusing on [Y] to help you do [Z].
Example: If you want to explore using your legs more during your Roll Up, try placing your feet against the wall and focus on actively pushing the heels into the wall as you roll down and roll up. If they come off the wall, scoot forward, and try again. This will help you create connection and strength in the legs for this exercise and others.
In my experience, things that take less than three minutes twice a week can change someone’s practice in either a functional or connected way.
It's also important that you know who you are teaching and how they learn best. Knowing the difference between a visual learner vs an auditory learner vs a tactile learner can help you engage with your clients in a very special way. With a few simple adjustments to your teaching, you can make your sessions more specialised and people will feel seen.
For a visual learner, you’ll notice they’ll be looking at you for help to know what to do next -they may pause and have to look at those around them. If you see a client looking around for what to do next, it will benefit them to see you get into the start position and talk through the movements. Watch that they can do one on their own and move on.
For clients who may have trouble processing auditory cues, using the same simple cue(s) can make a huge difference in their practice. You may think it’s stale to use those same cues or simple cues, but when you do it can help clients process what you are saying quicker and it will help them learn to be autonomous long term. It’s also a great way to ensure you are helping clients who are neurodivergent or who have a processing disorder. As teachers, you may not be able to recognise someone who is in need unless they tell you, but if you make it a natural part of your teaching style you don’t have to overthink anything and it will help more people in general. The bonus is that auditory learners typically pick up quickly when straightforward, simple cues are used.
With tactile learners they need to feel the work in their body and can start in the right place but waver out of position. They will highly benefit from a teacher’s tactile cue (*ask before adjusting) or a prop to help them with body awareness.
Keep in mind there is no wrong way to learn Pilates; there are only different ways.
It’s important for all teachers to understand what accessibility is and that it can mean or be something different for each client. Understanding what the options are for each exercise is a great start. Props are extremely helpful for the mat work, but knowing why and when to give them to clients comes with personal exploration and getting client feedback. You need both personal exploration and client feedback to increase your knowledge. Not all props are created equal, especially when it comes to body shape and size. It’s another instance where one size does not fit all.
Some things to think about as a teacher using props:
- Resistance Bands are an excellent prop to support the body. However, sometimes these are too light to support clients. Even if the band seems heavy and is wider, it might not be enough for a person in a larger body. The heavier the body is the more support it may need, especially at the beginning of their Pilates practice. I recommend a heavy, wide band that is 10ft long, so it can be doubled, or 2 - 5ft long bands used together.
- Exercises like Roll Up/Half Roll Backs and Single Leg Circle may need more support while clients are building strength.
- Small Ball - a larger bodied person may worry that the small ball won’t hold their weight. As a teacher, if you are using a small ball in class be VERY aware of how you are using it. The last thing someone wants is to put too much weight on a small ball and have it pop in front of the whole class.
- Foam Rollers are a fun prop to use and can support the upper body and lower body in various exercises. However, in some cases it may be harder for certain clients to get their hips on top of the roller (same with a barrel, especially if it’s a slicker one). Smaller diameter foam rollers or half rollers are more accessible while clients are building strength. Half rollers won’t roll away, either! Also be mindful of the density of the rollers you are using. Harder rollers may be more uncomfortable for larger bodied clients because in some positions the pressure will be more intense.
I always have multiple prop options available in sessions and I decide what to use based on the class participants. When you give clients options, they see there are multiple ways the movements can be done and that there is no right or wrong way to practice Pilates. All options are good options - because the goal is to move your body, not to perfect an exercise.
Pro Tip: ALWAYS give the variation that you know EVERYONE in the room can do first and then add complexity as you go, and when appropriate. Make sure you build your clients into the challenging aspects of the exercises at a pace they feel safe, secure, and empowered. By creating options, not requirements, you allow your clients to reflect on their personal practice instead of comparing themselves to others. You allow them to build their own journey.
7 things I’d like other movement teachers to understand about working with people:
Your power lies in teaching people, not talking through exercises.
If you don’t have a personal practice, you should make time for one.
Your personal practice can be as simple as 15 - 20 minutes a few times a week.
Aim for consistency and make your practice partially exploratory. Allow yourself the opportunity to learn, focus, reflect, and be creative. You can use all of this in your teaching.
After you practice - think about these questions: what felt strong? What felt more challenging today than the last time I practiced? What should I take from this and talk to my teacher/mentor about? **Teachers benefit from working with other teachers!
It’s a scientific fact that it takes more energy to move a larger object. Therefore, larger bodied clients may be working harder than regular size bodies during the same exercises. Ensure you are creating an accessible, yet challenging workout for everyone in the room.
Know your props and how all the exercises relate to each other, so you can give substitutions and variations.
Standard spring settings are bullshit!
Variations are valuable. Variations and props can help clients gain access to more muscles to connect quicker - thereby helping them become stronger. Remember, reducing range of motion is considered a variation and may help a client stabilise and work harder. Variations can be as simple as that.
Do not assume people are exercising for weight loss and don’t use fatphobic cues or terms related to shrinking body parts or getting your body “ready” for something.
As I said above, variations are valuable and when we leave them out we’re leaving someone behind thus creating inaccessibility. People need options to be able to build strength in their bodies and positive thoughts in their minds. We need to build inclusive and accessible workouts. Start with the fundamentals, move on to the basics, relate the movements to each other as you go and give a similar “routine” to the same set of clients. It’s harder to become autonomous when you are always learning something new and jumping around. Knowing how to relate the exercises between the mat and equipment will reduce boredom while keeping the basics at the forefront.
We want people to learn something new in their bodies within the same exercises, so we can build on those ideas for the future.
Here’s another myth I want to bust: Everyone should use the spring settings listed in their manual.
I call Bullshit! Standard spring settings are complete bullshit. There is a misconception that everyone should either start or "eventually" be able to use the prescribed spring settings that they learned in their teacher training manual. False. It all comes down to the body and equipment in front of you.
Using the Reformer as an example:
If you gear in or out, it changes the tension.
If you have ropes instead of leather straps, it changes how the equipment feels.
Where your handles or loops line up with your shoulder blocks changes the tension.
If your straps are coming from below the frame or above the frame, it changes how the equipment feels.
I could go on, but the main point here is that no two reformers are 100% identical or set up 100% the same. Even the parts that go into the same set of reformers being manufactured will have +/- specifications on the parts. AND no two bodies are identical.
Ergo, standard spring settings are complete bullshit.
Two key things to remember about springs:
1 - People know their bodies. People should be able to experiment with the exercises and springs to find different connections and challenges in their practices.
It's also a fact that some bodies will need heavier springs for support while other bodies will need lighter springs to keep them from injury (and vice versa).
2 - Mr. Pilates didn't list the number of springs or the weight of the springs for people that I know of and if he did - the springs of "today" are not the same as they were back then.
I've chatted with no less than two practitioners that have visited studios who either told them they had to skip an exercise if they couldn't do it according to the manual, or they were told they'd have to stay at a certain "class level" until they could use the spring setting they were given. This is a critical gap in understanding the equipment, the purpose of the exercises, and the human body.
Remember our goal is to empower clients while making them more autonomous. How are you giving your clients the tools they need to be empowered?
Rachel has been teaching Pilates for 4.5 years and has been a trainer in the Biotech industry for over 20 years. She owns her own virtual studio @sizediversepilates, teaches at a local studio Rivercity Pilates in Iowa, and teaches at OnlinePilatesClasses.com. She offers Mat, Mat + Reformer, and Comprehensive Pilates Teacher Training Programs which are classical Pilates infused with accessibility and creativity.
Rachel always looks to create spaces for people who might not think they have a place in Pilates whether it's because of gender identity, race, size or shape, physical state, or being neurodiverse. She is also an advocate for those who may need additional learning support. She uses a visual, auditory, reading, and tactile/kinesthetic approach to her training methods and has incorporated it into her self-published Pilates Teacher Training Manuals. Rachel is also the author of Size Diverse Pilates Mat Book - available at Barnes & Noble (and Amazon later this year).