A Message To Reformer Pilates Instructors
Confidence, passion and kindness with a big smile are the pathways to clients heart. We as trainers have to believe in ourselves! Being nervous is normal for human beings and new reformer pilates instructors. It often means you care and want to deliver not just a good but a great class.
Sometimes anxiety, a worry or fear, keeps you occupied. Your head space is flooded with worst case scenarios about your class. Often those scenarios are leaning towards negative outcomes and focus on what other people think about us. Could we change the narrative and overcome at least some of the worry and fear? Instead of worrying about what other people think about us could we see what we think about ourselves ?
What I think about me is that I have worked and studied hard to become a reformer pilates instructor. And I want to keep learning. I am passionate about teaching physical movement to make my clients happier and healthier. I want everyone to understand the physical and mental benefits of moving the body. To help my clients reach their goals and potential. I aspire to be a kind, genuine and caring instructor.
Sometimes I mumble, talk or walk too fast. I have an accent and I am not sure how to pronounce some words. When I am tired I speak two languages as one. I sometimes mix the left and right. Sometimes my counting sucks. I have forgotten to do an exercise on the second side more than once. But that does not matter to me too much because I know that it is a part of being a human. All that I do I do with my best knowledge and effort at a given moment and that is pretty bloody awesome and enough to me.
Trust The Journey
I hope saying nice things about yourself will help you to shift your thought process from anxious to more confident and positive. Hopefully you can see that if you are doing your best you are winning and on the right path!
None can please everyone. A client with resting bitch face has nothing to do with you. I have finally stopped taking peoples looks, stares or gestures too personally. It is very freeing. Your reformer pilates teaching skills are not who you are as a person. The coaching skills as well as wealth of profession specific knowledge can be learnt over time. The verbal cues or developing eye for common mistakes etc. – all of it. I believe that teaching reformer pilates is a journey not a destination. The journey has its ups and downs. Some level of stress, blood, sweat and tears are necessary to reach your potential.
Cliches are cliches because they are true. I have learnt the most from my mistakes. Aiming to new highs means leaving your comfort zone and it indeed feels a little uncomfortable. Remember why you started, why you are a trainer in the first place and be true to yourself! In all honesty if you are not having fun or enjoying the process of being and becoming a great pilates instructor the endless sleepless nights are not worth it. If you feel like anxiety is taking over and you would like to find more information to overcome it you can start here!
Half Way There – Well Planned and Practiced Sessions Go Long Way
Write down your session plan manually or use the notes on your phone. Include some details of the layers, props and modification options you can offer. This works wonders for some of us who learn by writing or memorizing things visually when seen on the written form. Keep things simple to avoid extra stress when you are new to teaching. But challenge yourself with a few new things consistently to keep learning and moving forward!
If you are allowed create your own playlist you love for the day to boost your mood! This may sound silly but ensure you are well hydrated and have some snacks available before or during your teaching hours. Lack of energy and dehydration lead easily to clouded judgement & memory, moodiness and headaches. Use your time in the traffic wisely and talk your verbal cues out loud in the car on the way to the studio. This might help you feel more confident in order to get our words out. If you use public transport imagine your flow in your head visually to become more familiar with it.
Arrive early to the studio and check that everything you need works fine. Like speakers, lights, air condition & fans and that the space is clean and tidy. You will feel more calm knowing everything is in order and if not you have time to try to fix the issues. Practice your plan and move your body – by physically doing the exercises and going through your flow on the reformer will leave a memory print in your brain before the clients arrive. This is fantastic way for those who learn and remember best by doing! On moving your body gets blood flowing and makes you feel energized!
Create Your Own Rituals and Be Prepared To Be Adaptive
Being prepared is the key to stress less and avoid anxiety especially if you are new to teaching reformer pilates. We are all individual human beings and therefore we cope with stress and nerves differently. You may feel stressed about memorizing your plan and spring options or perhaps you may feel a little nervous about public speaking. Creating a habit or routine you do just before the class might help you to relax and bring the focus back to present. For example deep breaths and silent words of encouragement to yourself like “you are awesome, ” you got this” or “lets go kick some goals” may do the trick. And remember that we teach group pilates – it is meant to be fun not too serious!
There is nothing wrong with having a cheat sheet of your plan close by you can glance every now and then. Or writing the springs or things you tend to forgot on the palm of your hand. It is also important to realize that just like in life things do not always go according to the plan or the way we want them to go. Being prepared mentally to adjust to change of situation and to modify your class plan slightly on the spot will help you feel at ease. Taking every session as a time well spend having fun, helping people to move their bodies and as a great learning experience or lesson learnt has changed the way I respond when things do not go as well as planned.
Learning Never Stops
We have to start somewhere and we have all been there teaching our very first classes. As a new Reformer Pilates Instructor you cannot and you do not have to know everything. The important part is the hunger to learn and develop your skills. I believe you can stand tall and confident in front of the clients as a new trainer if your attitude says “learning never stops”. You can reflect back to your class and go ” Today I did not know what to do in xyz situation. But when I go home I am gonna figure it out and ask for help from another trainer”. Reflecting back with good intensions will be a huge help to gauge where you are at in your teaching journey. Give yourself a praise for things you did particularly well and understand where you can do better!
Understanding your strengths and areas of improvement is a vital skill in order to grow as a reformer pilates instructor. Be humble and open minded towards clients feedback. Ask your clients what they liked and what they did not like and most importantly why. Ask how they found the class, ask if they understood your cues? Did they feel challenged and being in good hands? Did they have fun
I encourage you to attend workshops and further education courses that align with your style and desires. Read, listen to podcasts and ask questions from other trainers and health and fitness professionals. Knowing that you are doing your best to learn boosts your confidence and reduces anxiety. If you are doing the best you can and are eager to learn that is what matters!
Make Up Your Audience
My last tip is a very personal trick. I was a dancer in my younger years and remember being a little nervous every now and then before stepping up on the stage. I recall imagining that there is none else than my mom in the audience and she would always cheer on me no matter what. This helped me to overcome the nerves. I forgot the audience and was just expressing and enjoying myself to the fullest.
I believe you can also imagine having your best friends in the room as your clients. Eventually they may become your friends and long gone are the days you felt nervous and stressed. More you teach and gain experience more at ease you will feel.
If you want to read more about all things reformer pilates check out our latest articles here! Happy reading!
