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Exercise Program Design

Pilates Transformations

?In the world at large, real transformation doesn’t happen every day. In the world of Pilates, transformation is all in a day’s work—or play. Ask instructors about clients who have made dramatic changes through Pilates, and the stories pour in.

Partner Pilates

Partner Pilates is an innovative way for you and your clients to harmonize those inner and outer connections. While you enjoy the physical benefits of a Pilates workout, you simultaneously develop communication skills and learn about yourself as a partner.

How Safe Are Pilates Programs?

As more people of all ages and fitness levels practice Pilates, and instruction becomes more diverse, concerns about safety have also become more prevalent. How safe are Pilates programs today? We asked instructors to tell us what they think are the most important safety challenges in the industry.

Successful Studio Owner, Close to Home

Leah Putnam, owner of Spring Training® in Mountain View, California, began her career in the 1980s as a fitness professional and a personal trainer, traveling to clubs and offering private trainings in homes. She began studying Pilates in 1991.

Pilates instructor teaching a class
A Career Path for Pilates Instructors

With 8.6 million participants, Pilates is the fastest-growing exercise activity in the United States, according to a recent report from the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (Rovell 2010). The 2010 IDEA Fitness Programs & Equipment Trends report found that 90% of facilities represented in the survey offer Pilates, up from 63% in 2002 (Schroeder 2010). What’s more, many facilities provide both group and private training, as well as fusion formats (e.g., Pilates-yoga). So it’s not surprising that Pilates instructors today have many career options.

Sample Sequence: Pilates for Golfers

If you’ve worked with golfers (or those who aspire to play), you know the game is not just for leisure seekers. Golf requires force, flexibility and control. In addition to the sheer physicality involved in carrying a heavy golf bag for 18 holes and leaning over dozens of putts each fairway outing, the actual swing is a delicate balance between freedom of movement and body control. Golfers can find great benefit from working with a Pilates professional who understands not only how the body works but how the right movements address specific needs on the green.

What Characteristics Define Good or Mediocre Pilates Instruction?

High-quality instruction may well be the deciding factor for maintaining excellence and integrity in the Pilates industry. But what defines quality instruction? In our last issue, we brought you some perspectives on the difference between good and mediocre Pilates teaching. Because so many of you responded to this topic, we are presenting part two.

Quality Shows in the Cues

Transition to Teaching a Group

There’s an art to teaching a fun, well-designed Pilates class. It doesn’t matter if it’s a mat class with or without small props or an equipment-based class—there are key points I always consider when teaching a group. If you’ve been working one-on-one with clients and want to teach groups, the following will assist you in making the transition as smoothly and successfully as possible.

Teach to the Beginner

Pilates for Teens; Video Evaluation for Instructors

I thoroughly enjoyed Zoey Trap’s article “Pilates: Tools for Teen Athletes” in IDEA Fitness Journal [Inner IDEA, November–December 2010]. I’ve always been an advocate of using the principles of Pilates not only literally, but figuratively, as metaphors for life. I applaud her for commencing with the teen market.

Cuing in Three Dimensions

Aware Pilates instructors know that mat class participants need a variety of cues—visual, auditory and kinesthetic—in order to master the repertoire. If they are primarily visual learners, they will learn best from visual cuing. But there may be auditory or kinesthetic learners in the group.

Honoring the Depths of Education

Anna Alvarez, owner and director of Pilates Miami Shores, Miami Shores, Florida, and continuing education specialist for the Pilates Method Alliance® (PMA), first experienced Pilates as a ballet dancer, enjoying occasional mat work and reformer sessions. She then left the dance world, earned an MBA degree, pursued a corporate job (“not my thing at all”) and engaged in recreational sports, including marathons.

International Pilates Training: Missionary of Movement

For more than 30 years, Michael King has been a passionate and perceptive ambassador for the Pilates method. Reminiscent of Billy Elliot in the acclaimed movie, King grew up in Scunthorpe, England, a Northern steel town, and was the first boy from the North Lincolnshire area to become a dancer.

Lessons Learned From a Master

On May 27, 2010, Kathy Stanford Grant passed away at the age of 89. A dancer, choreographer and protégé of Joseph Pilates, Grant taught the Pilates method for over 50 years. Her wisdom is the foundation of many programs and exercises being taught around the world today. Her lessons continue through the work of countless Pilates teachers. Here are a few lessons learned from Kathy Grant.

Does Creativity Dilute Pilates?

The success of Pilates has sparked an explosion of innovative programs and props, but does all that creativity dilute the essence of Pilates or enhance its appeal and accessibility for a broader audience? Here’s what several industry leaders have to say.

Fix Your Feet With Pilates, Part Two

In part two of “Fix Your Feet With Pilates,” Kathryn Ross-Nash, author and Pilates teacher, affirms that Pilates is excellent for helping to correct and prevent foot problems: “I believe we need to remind our clients regularly about the importance of taking care of their feet. We need to train the feet just as we do the rest of the body.

Pilates: Tools for Teen Athletes

High-school sports participation is at an all-time high, with a reported 55.2% of students (more than 7.5 million) taking part in high-school athletics in 2008–2009 (National Federation of State High…

Pilates Exercises for Breast Cancer: Rebuilding the Foundation, Part Three

As you begin this third part of our phase-one programming for breast cancer survivors, it’s critical to acknowledge the importance of parts one and two of the program; to adhere to the goals of each part; and to honor your client’s readiness to progress. There is no definite time frame allotted for each part—it truly depends on the client’s success and comfort level.

Can Pilates Thrive in a Fitness Setting?

How can Pilates teachers be creative and still stay true to their roots? And what are the essential tenets that define “true” Pilates anyway? We asked several prominent Pilates instructors, who told us that keeping it real is about a lot more than just the exercises you choose.

Question: In the fitness setting, how can Pilates programs stay “true” to Pilates principles?

Cuing Counts