Pilates Teachers' Manual

The difficulty of every Pilates exercise can be adjusted in three dimensions: strength, flexibility, and coordination. As teachers, we can manipulate the variables of lever length, base of support, equipment settings, exercise complexity, and range of motion to make exercises more or less challenging to meet our clients' needs. I was just chatting with my British friend about this, so every t...

Tabatha Russell, owner of Tab Pilates studio in Chicago and master educator for Balanced Body, joins me on the podcast. She shares her the winding road of her Pilates teaching career, what she's learned from leading teacher trainings, the importance of mentorship, and her advice for new instructors. Tune in! I want to hear from you! Share your thoughts and follow the podcast on Instagram and...

As a Pilates teacher, what do you think is the goal of Pilates? Is it to perfectly execute the choreography? Is it to rehab an injury? To get stronger, more flexible, or more coordinated? To rejuvenate mind, body, and spirit? Is the goal of doing Pilates to meet physical activity guidelines, or is there another goal? There's no right or wrong answer, but your answer will shape how you teach,...

Being evaluated as a teacher can be a big source of stress, but it doesn't have to be! Tune in to today's episode the learn about what to keep in mind going into a teaching evaluation, how to shine during your teaching evaluation, and why receiving periodic feedback from another teacher is an important part of growing in your teaching career. I want to hear from you! Share your thoughts...

Today's episode explore my favorite ways to make students feel seen, safe, and challenged in group classes. Group classes are a popular way to exercise in every fitness modality, Pilates included, and you'll likely teach lots group classes over the course of your Pilates teaching career. The price point, accountability, community, and availability make group classes a staple, but what se...

There might be periods of time teaching Pilates that can feel stale or even boring, but don't worry! This episode explores some of my favorite tips for finding inspiration, staying connected to your Pilates practice, and keeping things fresh for yourself and your clients. Tune in! I want to hear from you! Share your thoughts and follow the podcast on Instagram and Facebook @pilatesteachersman...

Stephanie Neal of Pilates HQ joins me on the podcast today. She shares her Pilates journey, her experience learning and integrating Pilates as a physical therapist, finding balance between running a studio and making time for herself, and some incredibly relevant advice for new teachers. Tune in!  I want to hear from you! Share your thoughts and follow the podcast on Instagram and Facebook @pilate...

If you're nervous to start practice teaching, you're not alone! It's scary to put yourself out there and dive in the deep end of teaching another person Pilates, but I've got some tips and tricks to help you along on your journey, as well as some advice and stories from when I first began teaching movement. Tune in! I want to hear from you! Share your thoughts and follow the po...

Do you want to teach in a more positive way, but aren't sure where to start? This episode is all about framing our cues, thoughts, and expectations more positively while we teach a Pilates class. We outline three categories of Pilates students who aren't doing what you asked in class, and offer actionable strategies for working with each of them. The impact our words have on our clients...

Today we look at the way our words impact our clients' experience in a Pilates class. Our language can prime our clients to expect a positive or negative outcome, and can influence how our clients feel about themselves and movement. We explore how fear-based cuing about alignment or subjects like neck flexion can have an unintended nocebic effect on our clients. Tune in! I want to hear from y...

Curious about the National Pilates Certification Program (NPCP) exam? This exam used to be known as the PMA exam, but now the NPCP is a separate entity offering a third-party stamp of approval that Pilates teachers meet industry specific competency standards. Regardless of your training program, taking the NPCP exam can offer significant benefits when it comes to getting your foot in the door at a...

Today's episode describes the shift you can make from jack of all trades Pilates teacher to a specialist in one area. Benefits of specializing in one population of clientele include protecting your energy by working with people you enjoy, setting yourself apart from other Pilates teachers as an expert in the field, and creating a positive impact in a population you care deeply and are extreme...

Sho Pettaway joins me on the podcast today! She shares the winding road of her career in the fitness industry, what inspires her, her advice for new teachers embarking on their own journey, and her experience making her own way and starting her on fitness business. Tune in!   I want to hear from you! Share your thoughts and follow the podcast on Instagram and Facebook @pilatesteachersmanual . Full...

The attendance ebbs and flows in the Pilates industry can really impact your bottom line when your pay is tied to attendance and how many classes you teach. Today we look at some of the factors that influence the attendance in your classes, how to make up for lost income in slower seasons, and how to budget more conservatively to manage the variability. Tune in! I want to hear from you! Share your...

Dan Baker joins me on the podcast today! He shares his Pilates journey, from a cancer diagnosis, back surgery, and trying a Pilates class on a whim, to running his own studio, writing a book, and beyond. He shares what he's learned in over 15 years of teaching Pilates. his advice for new teachers, and the true genius of Joseph Pilates' method. Tune in!  I want to hear from you! Share you...

There are several skill sets involved in teaching Pilates. Today we explore the art of knowing what to teach and how you might go about programming your classes towards a peak exercise, by body part, and by piece of equipment. I also give you a little sneak peek into how I programmed my Monday night classes at Club Pilates this week. Tune in! I want to hear from you! Share your thoughts and follow...

Joy Puleo joins me on the podcast today! She is the Director of Education at Balanced Body, opened her own studio, Bodywise Pilates, and has over 25 years of experience in the Pilates industry. She shares her insights into the magic of the Pilates method, the importance of meeting clients where they are, and how teacher training programs have and continue to evolve to meet the needs of new generat...

One way of teaching Pilates teaching shapes as the building blocks for Pilates exercises. That's a useful strategy for teaching, but do our clients care about making shapes? This episode dives into some different reasons people come to a Pilates studio, and how making shapes can help clients meet their goals. Tune in! I want to hear from you! Share your thoughts and follow the podcast on Inst...

Teaching Pilates doesn't need to be more complicated than it already is. From streamlining your teaching schedule, getting to the good stuff in your programming, and saying less when you cue, here are my top three ways to simplify your Pilates teaching. Tune in! I want to hear from you! Share your thoughts and follow the podcast on Instagram and Facebook @pilatesteachersmanual . Full show not...

Whether you are in the midst of Pilates Teacher Training or you're taking a weekend workshop for continuing education credits, we are constantly learning in the Pilates teachers. If you're wondering what the most effective strategies for learning new information, this episode is for you! We dive into the two proven strategies of distributed practice and self-testing and see how they can...

Pilates teachers need a break too! Piggybacking on the last episode, this episode explores everything you need to do to take some time off. We look at how to secure coverage for your group classes and private sessions, the best practices for informing and rescheduling your personal private clients, and some tips and tricks to make the most of your time off. Tune in! I want to hear from you! Share...

If you teach Pilates for any length of time, there will be a point when you need a sub and/or you are a sub. Today we dive into the world of covering classes, the etiquette of getting coverage for your classes, some considerations to keep in mind so your aren't spreading yourself too thin covering other teachers' classes, and some tips and tricks for making the classes you cover an excel...

On occasion, you may find yourself teaching a one time class, either through a studio you work at or as an independent teacher. This class may be a one time private event like a birthday party, corporate wellness event, hosted by a community center or something else. This week we explore some considerations for teaching one off classes, how to prepare for them, and the benefits these one off class...

We are in the midst of another marvelous year of March MATness on social! Tune in to learn more about the history of March MATness, how it has evolved, how it brings the Pilates community together, and how it has the potential to elevate the Pilates and expand the Pilates narrative in the future. I want to hear from you! Share your thoughts and follow the podcast on Instagram and Facebook @pilates...

AlyMarie Moniz joins me on the podcast today. She shares her Pilates journey, how multiple movement modalities and Pilates schools of thought have shaped her as a teacher, her advice for making Pilates a full-time career, and how she empowers her clients to feel good, get stronger, and make their Pilates practice their own. Tune in!    I want to hear from you! Share your thoughts and follow the po...