any advice for teaching the first pilates private lesson?
I usually work with groups. I┬┤d would like to hear suggestions for the first private class to a new client
Have you met and assessed this client? And if so, do you have an idea of their imbalances, strengths and weaknesses? What about their goals for why they are working with you privately for this hour?
I’m in a similar situation that 80% of what I do is small-group. For the 20% of the time when I’m doing one-on-one with my small-group clients, I will start with a similar warm-up to my small-group class, during which time we’ll discuss their goals, their energy level today, their aches and pains, and any concerns.
I follow a format that’s loosely similar to my small group class, but with each exercise I explain why that exercise meets that client’s larger goals. Also, I will tailor that hours exercises to that client’s goals. For example, a person with medial knee cave-in might get extra work for their external rotators, and focussed attention on whether they’re firing properly.
In order to justify the expense (it’s about five times as much to train with me one on one than in small-group) of a private session, I want my clients to feel that I worked them out well, that I catered to their specific needs, and that I taught them something new about themselves or reinforced something they were learning.