The Vertical Workshop’s Blog

Practicing what we preach is essential as a teacher.  Whether we teach Pilates or any other discipline, we must practice what we teach.  Of course, life is busy.  We all get incredibly busy, but to be great teachers, we have to practice what we teach.

It’s no surprise that this second blog is about responsibility.  The responsibilities of a teacher are vast.  We not only must instruct, but teach.  We must not only teach our clients, but live what it is that we teach. 

But how when there’s so much to juggle and life is so busy?  How?

           Start by practicing Pilates 3 times a week.  (Yes…I just wrote “3”.  Not 1, but 3.)  If we encourage our clients to do so, then we must, too.  Why?  Because it works. 

If we teach or practice Pilates, a workout that balances Stability, Strength, Stretch and Stamina, then perhaps we can attempt to bring that balance and those 4 points in to all parts of our lives.

Yes, you have a busy schedule.  Yes, you have children.  Yes, you have errands to run.  It can be done.  Your clients do it.  You can do it, too.

Schedule your Pilates sessions in to your week.  Schedule your own workouts around your clients.  Yes, it’s a well-known fact that I go a little beyond what I would expect another to do.  Every day that I teach Pilates, I do Pilates.  I don’t expect or encourage anyone else to do that.  That’s my practice, but doesn’t have to be yours, but I do encourage you to work yourself out 3 times a week, your full 55 minute session.  As a teacher, when you do your full workouts 3 times a week – 55 minutes each – then you will keep rediscovering what you thought you already knew…and that’s exciting!

Maybe I’m just simple-minded, but I prefer to think of myself as dedicated:  I find new and interesting things in each exercise every time I do it…and apparently I do it every day!  If I only taught the exercises and never or rarely practiced them, I wouldn’t make the discoveries that I make on a daily basis!  These discoveries I pass on to my clients and my apprentices.

Pilates is a physical workout.  It’s not an intellectual endeavor to be theorized.  It is to be physically practiced and physically discovered over and over again.

This is harsh, but you know it’s true:  When we get bored, it’s because we’re boring ourselves.  So…if you find yourself getting bored, then hop on the apparatus and give yourself a session.  Follow that up with a phone call to your favorite teacher and schedule yourself to take a session! 

And enjoy!  Enjoy what you teach!  Teaching is a large part of your life  If it’s not in weight of importance, then it is in hours…make something of it for yourself on a very personal level.  Practice what you teach!  It’s fun!