Blogs
May 8th, 2019
When Choosing A Pilates Teacher Training Program, Consider Your Long-term Goals
How to choose a training program and why it matters - the reality of being a Pilates teacher.
You should choose to study a comprehensive Pilates teacher training program where you master Mat and apparatus simultaneously level by level and here is why:
Fit and injured have different needs. The training program you choose should prepare you to handle both with the same high-level skill. A client deserves to be looked at as a whole and be guided through a session according to their needs. A teacher should be prepared to teach various body types, at any fitness level with any restrictions, offering not only a wide array of exercises to the client, but most of all, a cohesive and logical link system of choices to address all fitness skills and limitations.
To understand and become proficient in the skill of “reading” the bodies and develop a keen eye that can tell “where the movement” originates from and how to cue a correct muscle action takes at least 12-18 months of theory and practice. There is no substitute for learning and mastering the craft other than investing time and effort in many practical hours (apprenticeship) spent at a Pilates studio.
Learning only one aspect of the method (i.e. a piece of equipment or mat one at a time) does not support the opportunity to understand logical connections that exists within the method very well. It limits the student’s development into well versed teacher. And there lies the startling disconnection between some of the training programs currently offered and the reality of being a Pilates teacher.
May 10, 2019
Rasing the bar on Pilates education
Teaching Pilates is a profession, one that still struggles to be recognized.
Instead of contributing to elevating the status of a Pilates teacher as a profession, Teacher Training programs dumb down the training to appeal to a wider audience, making prospective teachers believe that spending minimum time and paying a competitive price will give them the desired education. Shouldn’t we be raising the bar on Pilates education, taking care of new generation of teachers who will contribute to further developing our profession?
The first obvious fact is that today’s Pilates hype distorts the reality of teaching Pilates, presenting a misleading picture to prospective Pilates teachers. Students get excited at the possibility of learning a new and popular method of movement, not realizing that they should seek out a program that will teach them the many layers that Pilates is made of and not just prepare them to teach one aspect of this method (i.e. Mat or equipment type) to one type of client.
When the training program decides to deliver a specific curriculum, the training program decides what the student is going to learn, rather than offering the student all that there is to learn about Pilates. The training programs should not make that choice for the student with enticing marketing slogans and attractive pricing.
The flaw lies not only in structuring training programs as modules and teaching Mat and apparatus separately, but also in number of hours offered. Just the fact that training programs offer various number of hours to choose from should be a reason to wonder. Why such discrepancy? Is 900 hours of training better than 600 simply because it consists of more hours? Is 450 hours good enough? A prospective student needs to ask themselves the reason they want to become a Pilates teacher and what kind of teacher do they want to be? Teaching Pilates is a profession, one that still struggles to be recognized. Why educate professionals who are only partially trained in the Pilates method, who’s fragmented knowledge puts them and their clients at a disadvantage from the start?
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Pilates Method Alliance Pre-conference Workshop
October 24th, 2018
Our staff participated in the Pilates Method Aliance pre-conference workshop lead by the team of specialists from Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City ,entitled "The Art of Overcoming Pain". The discussion included: importance of focusing on welness and prevention, improving function versus resolution of pain, finding solutions for coping with pain through movement in a safe environment. The participants agreed that the collaboration of medical professionals and Pilates teachers is proven to bring positive results in helping our clients/patients overcome chronic pain.
We as Pilates teachers are a part of a "Beautiful transition - Pilates in the rehabilitation continuum"
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October 2017
Abstract of Our Research Publication In How We Utilize Pilates After Knee Reconstruction Surgery to Restore Full Rom In the Knee Joint
USING PILATES EXERCISES AFTER RECONSTRUCTIVE KNEE SURGERY TO RESTORE FULL ROM IN THE KNEE JOINT IN WEEK 6 – 12 POST OP.
AUTHORS: Joanna Telacka, MS PMA-CPT, Wojciech Telacki, MSPT; Harmonious Pilates, Inc. Roslyn,
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to show that apparatus based Pilates exercises are an effective method of rehabilitation in restoring full ROM in the knee joint post surgery; week 6-12
SUBJECT: 1 subject: 49 year old female. Knee reconstruction surgery due to a skiing accident– medial meniscus repaired, lateral meniscus debridement, ACL replaced with allograft customized to the subject’s particular knee anatomy. The complexity of the surgery resulted in conservative recovery protocol to ensure that the initial healing process would not be compromised. Non weight bearing during week 1-4,
knee brace week 1-6, knee joint ROM restricted to 90 ° flexion week 1 – 6.
ASSESEMENT: knee joint ROM measured with goniometer, knee flexors, knee extensors, and plantar flexors strength measured by manual muscle test.
Reformer, Chair, Mat, stationary bike, passive ROM, heat, ice.
METHODS: 3 to 5 times per week for 6 weeks; heat 15 min, Reformer, Chair, Mat protocol: Selected intermediate level Reformer and Chair closed kinetic chain exercises as a preferred method of post surgery rehabilitation. These exercises promote sequential movement in mobilizing the ankle, knee and hip joints. Every exercise is a compound movement where more muscle groups are recruited and used per exercise than in open kinetic chain exercises that promote more shearing forces. Selected intermediate level Reformer and Mat exercises as isometric exercises are used to strengthen thigh and lower leg. Passive stretching in weeks 6 – 10, stationary bike - gradually lowering the seat to increase ROM in knee joint, low RPM, gradually increasing duration from 2 min to 10 min. Ice for 15-30 min.
RESULTS: Increase in passive ROM from 90° to 140 ° flexion within first 3 weeks. Week 4 and 5 ROM increased to 148°. The strength of knee flexors, knee extensors and plantar flexors increased from 3/ 5 to 4/5.
CONCLUSION: The Pilates method is an effective tool in restoring knee joint ROM. Using springs and various configurations of the footbar on the Reformer, as well as springs on the Chair, allows one to perform closed kinetic chain exercises with precision by flexing and extending the knee joint as much as possible, in a controlled environment. In addition, using isometric exercises within the Pilates repertoire strengthens knee flexors, extensors and plantar flexors. This improves knee joint congruity and prepares the subject for the next phase of the rehabilitation –dynamic strength training and proprioception.
KEY WORDS: Pilates for ACL reconstruction, Pilates and rehabilitation, Pilates and knee reconstruction, ACL replacement, closed kinetic chain exercises.
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Good Morning Pilates
A short instructional video on how to wake up your muscles and joints every morning:
Do you ever wake up full of energy for the new day only to realize that your body is stiff, your back is achy or you can barely move your neck?
Unless you suffer from chronic condition, most often than not simple movements that stretch the muscles and mobilize the joints is all you need.
Pilates fundamentals are mini-exercises that address the above so before you try to get out of bed try doing them first.
Think about what you did last night. Did you sit to watch TV, read a book or browse the Internet? Did you walk a lot? Where you talking on the phone while making dinner, holding the phone between your ear and shoulder to not let it fall into the soup?
All these activities and plenty of others can contribute to how we feel when we wake up. So go ahead, start your day right. Ask your Pilates teacher to review the Fundamentals with you. If you are not doing Pilates at present look for a studio near you. The skills you learn there will help to keep your body obeying your will for a very long time.
"Good Morning Pilates" video:
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