Back when I did my Pilates training to become a teacher, it was true that almost all of us were dancers. It was natural for a population with so much movement experience – and so many injuries- to have a drive and interest in pursuing careers in Pilates. But over the years what I have seen is that as Pilates training has become more mainstream and available to a wider population it is important to have trainers who also come from diverse backgrounds.

Often a client will look at a dancer and say “sure, that’s easy for you to do, you’re a dancer!”, but if the trainer is a 60-something non-dancer who simply followed a passion for moving and feeling good, that trainer can be a great inspiration to clients who may otherwise be intimidated by Pilates training.

Another group of people who do really well transitioning to careers teaching Pilates are moms. The flexibility of scheduling and the ability to make a nice bit of money in just a few hours a day, a few times a week, can be very appealing to a former stay at home mom, or a mom wanting to transition to a career that allows more time for family. I’ve seen women set up studios in their homes, work part-time at established studios or gyms, or get really creative in working teaching Pilates into their lives.

Of course dancers still make great teachers and tend to take very naturally to the work. Teaching Pilates can be a great way to support a career in dance, or to keep involved in movement after a dance career.

In fact anyone, male or female, who has an interest in the movement, a good work ethic, and who craves the independence and flexibility of teaching private sessions or group classes would be a great candidate for teacher training.

The STOTT PILATES Instructor Training program is a great way to start off a career in movement. Recognized and highly regarded internationally, a certification in STOTT PILATES opens broad opportunities for teaching.

As an Instructor Trainer I have great confidence that the STOTT training program equips new teachers with the ability to program safe and effective workouts for different populations and postures, select or create modifications for various body types or limitations, and to teach an inspiring and fun class from which participants will really benefit.

Interested in becoming a Pilates teacher?  The Movement Center is hosting the STOTT PILATES  Intensive Mat-Plus and Intensive Reformer certification training programs this summer. I’m looking forward to training a new group of Pilates instructors and invite you to contact me directly if you have any questions.

Having had my little baby turn two years old in February reminded me of how quickly the years pass and how important it is to rejuvenate through my own seasonal rituals. How you mark the change of the seasons is personal to you and your needs but I’d like to share with you how I’ll be marking the beginning of spring.

 1. REGROUP: Looking at what’s bugging me or getting in the way of my great life.

I’ll start by taking a look at how I’m spending my time and if that’s giving me what I need. Am I getting enough time with my family? Am I able to get in ample exercise each day? Does my day allow me to take time in the morning for even just five minutes of meditation, time in the evening to prepare healthy meals (and no, hummus eaten out of the container while tidying the house doesn’t actually count as a proper meal). Are my mornings calm and organized, setting a positive tone for the day?

2. REFRESH: Spring cleaning my house and my mind.

Spare moments are few and far between in my life, but I’ll be taking 10 or 20 minutes here or there over the course of a week to clear out the hall closet, take my son’s outgrown clothes to the basement so they don’t burst out of his dresser when opened, and to sketch out my daily and weekly schedule and slash out anything that doesn’t serve the needs I reestablished in my “regrouping”.

This will allow me to make sure my workouts, cooking time, and playtime with my son are blocked off on my calendar and that an avalanche of summer sun hats and dog leashes falling from the closet doesn’t eat up my meditation time in the morning. Maybe for you this would be a great time to schedule classes or private sessions so that they’re on your schedule for the coming season, reinflate that fitness ball that’s gathering dust, and clear out you drawer of any workout clothes that pinch, ride up, or just don’t make you feel enthusiastic about gearing up for your sessions.

 3. REVITALIZE: Giving my body a well deserved tune up!

I’ll designate a three week stretch to do some physical rejuvenation, which has the effect of also revitalizing and calming m mind. During this time I’ll do daily body “scrubbing”, which is a form of dry brushing Juliu Horvath, creator of the Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis work, teaches. It’s also a great time for a dietary “cleanse”. I don’t eat a lot of the foods that are generally restricted on most cleanse programs anyway, but in addition to my regular avoidance of sugar, dairy, gluten, grains other than brown rice, and of soy, I additionally will cut out rice, caffeine (yes, you read that right), and my weekly glass of wine. And I’ll tighten up on the sugar, which does tend to sneak into my regular diet here and there. (please note: if you’re thinking of doing any type of cleanse please work with a clinical or holistic nutritionist to find what’s right for you- it is out of the scope of my practice to give nutritional advice!). During this time I’ll also track my water intake and meditation time, to make sure I’m getting what I need.

How will YOU choose to regroup, refresh or revitalize this spring?  Let us know in the comments below or over on our Facebook page so that we can support each other.

If you choose to implement some seasonal rituals this spring I think you’ll see, as I do, some great lasting habits that carry through the months. And just when you start to slip back into old patterns it’ll be just about time for your summer welcoming rituals!

The pilates and Gyrotonic® equipment have great appeal and are excellent tools for finding deeper understanding, more challenge, and variety in your pilates or Gyrotonic® workout, but too often I’m seeing that the allure of the equipment overshadows the importance of finding connections within the body and of developing true understanding of the leverage, control, and focus that can best be found when working unassisted and unsupported by any apparatus.

People new to pilates or Gyrotonic® are often in such a rush to get to the equipment because, after all, isn’t that what they’re paying for? Well, no.

The value in movement classes is the expertise of the trainer, who can guide you through a series of movements selected for your particular needs and modified for you particular body. These may or may not be on equipment, but a well-balanced mind body movement program will spend at least a good bit of time working without the equipment.

Reformer springs and Gyrotonic® pulleys can not only challenge you, but also help you out by supporting the limbs and to some extent the torso as well. Wouldn’t it make sense that stepping away from the equipment regularly to work on true support and stabilization of your body weight and limbs-unassisted- would increase your awareness and round out your program? Then when you return to the equipment you do so with greater connection and understanding, which brings you further toward the results you want to see and feel.

For me personally the Gyrokinesis® work, which is done with no more than a stool and a mat, and sometimes without even a stool at all, is where I feel the most intense realization of the connections and effects we strive to create in the body through the Gyrotonic® work.

I remember years ago when I first began in a Gyrokinesis® class, I found that working without the support of the equipment challenged me physically and intellectually much more so than I had imagined.

Where the equipment would have served as a guide for many movements the Gyrokinesis® work challenged me to find the pathways, support, and realization of those movements entirely through my own understanding and capacity. Then, upon returning to the equipment, the connections I was able to find were much deeper than I’d been able to find previously.

The same is true for the Reformer, Cadillac, and Chair. The spring tension provides resistance, feedback, and support which can create more challenge, but can also serve as a crutch when not balanced with a good, regular dose of matwork training.

You can think of it in terms of the other aspects of health and wellness, such as healthy eating. Yes, you need some protein, but you still need your green leafy veggies. There’s not ever a point where you “graduate” from eating green leafies to eating just protein, you always need a regular intake of both.

Similarly, the goal is not to “graduate” from matwork to apparatus work, or from Gyrokinesis® classes to Gyrotonic® work. As in all matters of a healthy life, it is about continual balance.

So take a moment and sign up for that pilates mat or Gyrokinesis® class today. Make it a regular weekly date and you’ll soon feel the increased benefits of your well-rounded practice!