The Value of the Entire Method of Pilates

I’m writing on the flight back to LA from Zagreb, Croatia.  I went there to present  at the 3^rd International Pilates & Bodymind Convention.  It was wonderful!  Such inquisitive minds!  That’s what I love about conventions:   people who go to conventions are passionate about learning more about what they do!  They choose to go.  They don’t have to make themselves students again, but they do!   It’s great!

Pilates is gaining in popularity in Croatia, but there were people there from all over Eastern Europe.  Hungary, Slovenia, Romania, Bosnia it was quite diverse.   Most of the participants do only mat.  Here is where the limitations began. 

These wonderful instructors with inquisitive minds are limited to the mat.  The mat portion of Pilates is just that…a portion of Pilates.  Perhaps it’s only 1/8 of the Pilates method.  Is it valuable?  Yes, of course!  Precious!  But it is not everything.  It’s only part of it!  So, I was disappointed at the need for more and more exercises.  Sure, they need more exercises because they have only be exposed to part of Pilates!

I spent a considerable amount of time discussing the need for the entire Method of Pilates.  Of course the instructors are getting bored.  They don’t have enough material to work with and the wrong tools.  And they’re getting frustrated because they are working hard to create classes working outside of The Method.  Not always even using the Classical Order. 

It kind of broke my heart.  Here are these wonderful women and men!  Wonderful!  And they have only part of what they are passionate about. 

So, what to do?  Offer more!  So, I hope that I will have that opportunity!  Yes, it’s expensive to have apparatus and it’s expensive for clients to take, but the value of it is beyond the monetary expense.

What else did I note?  There are plenty of exercises and new tools being taught, but not enough cueing and teaching.  I see it here in the states, too.  The technique of the exercise is important, but it’s only one part.  It’s the first repetition!  Then we must cue for Stability and Precision!  And not all stabilizer cues at once!  No!  Just one per session…thematically…for 5-10 sessions on that theme alone!  This was a foreign concept I was pleased to share.

Which makes me write this:  Are you remembering to teach thematically to your Intermediate classes and sessions?  Humans learn by repetition.  Repeat and don’t be afraid to do so!  It’s important that your clients get to practice these new actions over and over again in many different scenarios so that they can apply them without hesitation in the future and use these stabilizing actions in the rest of their lives!

All in all, it was a great week in Zagreb.  The people were great!  The city is wonderful!  The Adriatic coast is very special!  Perhaps if I’m invited again, you will join me, too!

***As always, if you have a subject you would like me to Blog on, please let me know.  You can ask by commenting on this piece or e-mail me at info@TheVerticalWorkshop.com  ****

Enjoy!!!!