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Unlocking Neuroplasticity Through Pilates

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By: Kate Strozak

Pilates instructors hold a unique position to positively impact clients not just through their bones, muscles, and fascia but also neurologically. This blog post dives into neuroplasticity, the brain’s remarkable ability to adapt and form new neural connections. Understanding neuroplasticity and how Pilates fosters it can elevate your practice, helping clients achieve holistic well-being.

What is Neuroplasticity?

Neuroplasticity, also known as brain plasticity, signifies the brain’s capacity to adapt and change throughout life. This adaptability is crucial for learning new skills, recovering from injuries, and improving cognitive function. If you’re looking to create long lasting or permanent impact for a client’s movement patterns, neuroplasticity is what you’re looking to promote. This involves two key processes:

  • Structural Plasticity: Refers to physical changes in the brain, such as the growth of new neurons (neurogenesis) and strengthening or awakening of synapses.
  • Functional Plasticity: Refers to the brain’s ability to shift functions from damaged areas to healthy ones, facilitating adaptability and recovery after injuries or strokes.

Many factors can influence neuroplasticity and when you understand these, you can optimize your Pilates sessions. Learning, physical exercise, mental challenges, and recovery are some factors influencing neuroplasticity. This is where Pilates shines.

How Pilates Could Enhance Neuroplasticity

Pilates, emphasizing quality movement and mindfulness, offers numerous benefits that directly contribute to neuroplasticity:

  • Improved Movement Efficiency: Pilates exercises require precise movements, engaging the brain in motor control. This focus could strengthen or refine neural connections, leading to better overall improved movement efficiency and control (Consider keyword phrases like “Pilates exercises for coordination” or “Pilates for balance”).
  • Enhanced Mind-Body Connection: One of Pilates’ core principles is mindful movement, requiring focus on breath and awareness. Diaphragmatic breathing stimulates the vagus nerve which helps people access the parasympathetic state, the state of rest and digest. Chronic stress can prevent neuroplasticity. By decreasing stress levels through accessing the parasympathetic nervous system, you could support neuroplasticity. Awareness or alertness is also a key component of supporting neuroplasticity.
  • Motor Learning: Learning new things, such as learning new exercises in Pilates, helps support neuroplasticity. When people learn something new, it sparks alertness and motivation. In this process, people will make mistakes, and the process queues the brain to be attentive to learn. This whole process is key in driving neuroplasticity. Repetition then solidifies new neural connections which could enhance both physical and cognitive abilities.

Physical Exercise Benefits of the Brain

As a form of physical exercise, Pilates:

  • Increases blood flow to the brain.
  • Reduces inflamation.
  • Releases neurotrophic factors (supporting neuron growth and survival).
  • Cognitive Challenges: The variety and progression of Pilates exercises require continuous mental engagement and problem-solving, further stimulating neuroplasticity and keeping the brain sharp and adaptable.

Practical Applications for Pilates Instructors

Understanding this connection can transform your approach:

  • Rehabilitation: Pilates can be an effective tool for stroke or brain injury rehabilitation. Learning new movements, being challenged and frustrated in that process, aids in retraining the brain and body for functional recovery. Pilates can be wonderfully tailored to an individual’s needs, can provide qualitative movement assessment and training, and support daily function.
  • Aging Populations: Pilates can help maintain and enhance cognitive and physical function in older adults, counteracting age-related declines in balance, coordination, conditioning and cognitive function.
  • Mental Health: Pilates has the potential to promote gratitude, mindfulness, and body appreciation. Research suggests that gratitude and mindfulness can decrease amygdala activity, a region of the brain that corresponds to aggression, anger, and stress.

Implement Neuroplasticity-Enhancing Techniques

  1. Vary Exercises Regularly: Introduce new movements and sequences to keep the brain engaged and challenged.
  2. Focus on Mindfulness: Encourage clients to concentrate on their breathing and sense of presence during exercises.
  3. Promote Coordination and Balance: Include exercises that require balance and precise movements to stimulate neural connections.
  4. Customize Programs: Tailor routines to the specific needs of clients, maximizing neuroplasticity benefits.
  5. Integrate… challenge, play, mindfulness, and sensation into sessions. I like integrating these four specific factor into every session to help foster neuroplasticity.

Conclusion

By understanding and leveraging neuroplasticity, Pilates instructors can create a transformative experience for their clients along with positive, permanent impact. Pilates is more than just physical exercise; it’s a powerful tool for enhancing neuroplasticity and promoting holistic well-being. Embrace the mind-body connection and unlock the full potential of your practice!

If you are interested in learning more, you can join me on my ‘Neuroanatomy in Motion’ course starting this October 5th! Use code ‘polestar’ to get $25 off and sign up to my mailing list to hear of future courses.

About the Author

Kate Strozak is a movement professional specialized in neuroscience as it relates to human movement. She has a Master’s in Applied Neuroscience from King’s College London and has dedicated her career to studying and applying neuroscience to movement training. Her movement education background includes Pilates, Oov, athletics, dance, yoga, Gyrotonic®, and functional strength training.

Kate has a deep passion and curiosity for her work which drives her to continue learning. Kate strives to find a balance between evidence and science supported along with real life application in her work.

She is committed to supporting students and other movement professionals in their educational endeavors through her work as a faculty member of Polestar Pilates, Oov Education, and The Center for Women’s Fitness. Her priority is to encourage critical reasoning, questioning, and curiosity in her professional education offerings.

Follow Kate on Instagram.

Pilates for Hip Osteoarthritis: A Guide for Instructors

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By: Beth Kaplanek

As a Pilates instructor, you play a pivotal role in helping clients manage various conditions through targeted exercise programs. One common condition you may encounter is osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip. Understanding how to tailor Pilates exercises to support clients with hip OA can make a significant difference in their quality of life. This blog post will provide you with valuable insights and practical tips for working with clients dealing with hip osteoarthritis.

Understanding Osteoarthritis of the Hip

The hip is a ball-and-socket joint bathed in synovial fluid. The hip is one of the largest weight-bearing joints in the body with a large degree of range of motion in all planes. It relies on congruency and alignment to maintain its architecture and nourish the articular cartilage; a smooth, slippery substance that protects and cushions the ends of the bones and enables them to move efficiently.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease affecting the articular cartilage of the joint. It is a form of arthritis that occurs in people over 50 years of age but can occur in younger people, too. One in four individuals may experience OA of the hip in their lifetime.

It is considered to be a wear and tear disorder whereby microscopic pits and fissures begin to affect the articular cartilage that overtime left untreated can create bone surface changes, cartilage thinning, joint space narrowing, leaving bone rubbing on bone and creating osteophytes (bone spur formations). The synovial fluid that bathes the joint becomes irritated and loses its consistency and ability to nourish the cartilage efficiently.

Osteoarthritis develops slowly and the pain it causes worsens over time. Factors such as aging, genetics, obesity, previous injuries and developmental dysplasia can contribute to hip OA development.

Symptoms to Watch For

  • Pain in the groin that can radiate to the buttocks or knee.
  • Difficulty navigating stairs.
  • Antalgic gait – abnormal walk that causes a limp to avoid loading the joint.
  • Decreased range of motion.
  • Morning stiffness that decreases after an hour of movement.
  • Difficulty with prolonged sitting, driving and painful squatting.
  • Pain that worsens at night.
  • Decreased activities of daily living: dressing, lifting and chores.

The Role of Pilates in Managing Hip OA

Pilates is a low-impact exercise that focuses on whole body movement that enhances adaptability and control. It provides strengthening, increases endurance, improves posture, flexibility and stability making it an excellent choice for clients with lower extremity OA. A growing body of research suggests Pilates can significantly improve pain, function, and quality of life in individuals with hip osteoarthritis.

Here’s how Pilates can benefit your clients:

  1. Strengthening Muscles: Pilates focuses on building core stability and control, which helps stabilize the hip joint and alleviate pain. Strong muscles around the hip can reduce the load on the joint itself.
  2. Improving Flexibility: Gentle stretching exercises in Pilates can increase the range of motion and reduce stiffness in the hip.
  3. Enhancing Balance: Improving overall balance through Pilates can help prevent falls and further injuries, which is crucial for clients with compromised hip joints.
  4. Reducing Pain: Low-impact movements in Pilates provide a safe way to manage pain and improve joint function without causing additional stress to the hip.
  5. Promoting Posture: Proper postural alignment alleviates unnecessary stress on the hip joint, contributing to pain relief and improved movement patterns.

Key Pilates Exercises for Hip OA

Incorporating the right exercises is essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of your Pilates sessions. Below you will find some exercises particularly beneficial for clients with hip OA.

  • Pelvic Clock
  • Bent Knee Fall Opening
  • Bent Knee Internal Rotation
  • Bridges
  • Side Kick Series – Short Lever and Long Lever
  • Hip Capsule Guides
  • Single Leg Circles Modified

Contraindications & Modifications

Not all exercises are suitable for everyone. It’s crucial to avoid exercises that may aggravate a client’s hip pain. Always try to create a movement experience with no pain.

Modifications are key. Each of the key exercises can be modified to cater to different pain levels and client abilities. Work within a range of motion applicable for the client and creates a positive movement experience.

Tips for Working with Clients

  • Consultation: Always ensure clients have consulted with their healthcare provider before starting a Pilates program.
  • Proper Alignment: Emphasize correct alignment and hip disassociation as tolerated with all movements.
  • Gradual Progression: Start with basic exercises and gradually increase intensity based on the client’s comfort and ability.
  • Use of Props: Incorporate props like resistance bands, balls, towels, soft rollers and Pilates rings to assist and modify exercises for added support as needed.

Conclusion

As a Pilates Practitioner, your expertise can significantly improve the lives of clients with osteoarthritis of the hip. By incorporating tailored exercises and focusing on strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, and proper alignment, you can help your clients manage their condition effectively and enhance their overall well-being. Remember, the goal is to create a supportive and adaptable Pilates program that addresses the unique needs of each individual by giving a positive movement experience while promoting long-term health and mobility.

Learn more about hip osteoarthritis by joining us on a 3-hour online workshop with Beth Kaplanek where you can earn 3 NCPC Credits.

About the Author

Beth A. Kaplanek, RN, BSN, NCPT is a Practitioner of Pilates for Rehabilitation. She is a post-rehabilitation specialist at the Polestar Pilates headquarters in Miami and works as an educator for Polestar Education. She is serving on the education committee for Bone Health Osteoporosis Foundation. Previously, Kaplanek served for more than 20 years as a registered nurse working in various capacities within emergency room care, operating room care, intensive care, drug counseling, rehabilitation and hospice care.

After undergoing her first hip replacement in 2001, Kaplanek began using Pilates as a form of low impact exercise for strength and flexibility training. She has been teaching Pilates for 23 years and has had the opportunity to see and demonstrate the positive impact that the Method can have on individuals in both the pre-habilitation and post-operative rehabilitation stages.

Beth teaches, shares, and showcases her techniques and work in her course,” The Pilates Teacher’s Perspective of Lower Extremity Pathologies and Joint Replacements.”

Follow Beth on Instagram @bethkaplanek and join her on her online workshop to better understand hip osteoarthritis!

Watch Beth on the Pilates Hour here!

How To Maximize Neuroplastic Processes: Keep Your Clients Focused!

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Watch #PilatesHour Episode 120 “Neuro-Concepts And Pilates” with Brent Anderson and special guest Kate Strozak MSc Applied Neuroscience, LMT, NCPT. New to Neuro-Concepts? Check out the blog “Fascinating Neuro-Concepts You Need To Know As A Pilates Instructor”.

BA:  As Pilates teachers, how do we make what we do in one or two hours a week potentially influence a positive neuroplastic change? We know that one or two hours a week may not be enough to influence this. What else needs to happen, and what needs to be influenced in that one or two hours a week? 

KS:  Giving people good appropriate challenges is really important for this process.  Also, I try to stimulate them in multiple ways.  The use of imagery is incredibly impactful and profound for people to help them embody these new experiences. Imagery helps them build different relationships between a movement and their perception of that movement or their relationship to that movement.

Many of these things are built into the Polestar curriculum actually!  Utilizing imagery, utilizing tactile cueing in order to tie in sensory nerves and proprioception thus integrating the brain on another level.

Kate Strozak

Now more than ever I talk to my clients about their sleep habits. I remind them it’s out of the scope of my practice, and that I am not a professional sleep consultant. I encourage them if they feel like their sleep could be better quality than it is right now to reach out to a sleep professional and get some help in that arena. It’s when we are in our deep states of sleep that a lot of these neuroplastic changes occur in our brain.  

Being “Chatty” With Clients

Another important thing is mindfulness. Prior to studying neuroscience, I was inclined to be chit chatty and casual with my clients. In part, thanks to Alexander Bohlander and my experience with him in his meditation workshop at the Polestar experience I dove deep into studying mindfulness and meditation. It’s fascinating the effects of these on the brain and profound in terms of stress reduction and sleep quality.  If you are doing something that supports the quality of your sleep you are, therefore, hopefully then supporting the process of neuroplasticity.  So it’s a very long-winded answer to say there is a lot!

BA: That is excellent Kate!  I just learned this year from an Andrew Huberman podcast about the idea of neuroplasticity occurring typically when we’re sleeping.  We challenge the body and challenge the nervous system during the day, challenging ourselves to learn.  I’ve been using this with the students at the university as well. Especially the ones who are struggling with retaining information or integrating and synthesizing information.  It’s so interesting that it’s the sleep that is going to allow you to synthesize this information.  This leads into the “interleaved” learning where we’re stressing you a little bit to recall information to make it challenging and difficult.  At first, you can’t remember what it is, but when you go back and look at it again after the stress of trying to remember it (and a good night’s sleep), it is amazing the amount of synthesis that happens on the following day or two of processing that information.  

Creating Demand And “Struggle”

The same thing is true with movement of course and some of the things you mentioned.  If I could get my client to remember what we did last week, “do you remember where your body was when we had that really good experience? “Can you show that to me again?”, and maybe they fail, that’s ok.  They are trying to figure it out and recall it, but that’s the internal feedback and the mindfulness that we’re talking about that allows information to be synthesized.  They need this demand and the struggle of the recall. And don’t just give it to them and show them, let them struggle with it, we don’t want to make it so easy.  We want them to understand that struggle is good, that failure is good, and that these are learning processes that will help them in the long run. If we don’t challenge them with that struggle we don’t challenge the nervous system to change.  

KS: Absolutely, there is no incentive to change if you are not being challenged or having that moment where you have those slight releases of cortisol and adrenaline. Your palms start sweating and we have to have those moments, it’s part of the human experience.  

I don’t know about all of you but I was very prone to just having casual conversations with my clients. When the client has done footwork a million times with me, which in and of itself presents another problem, but if I’m talking with them about something, I’m taking them out of their experience and out of their body, so I limit that.  I’m not cold or stoic and not available to them but I really get them to focus on what they’re doing and to really be present and attentive to their movement. 

If I’m talking with them about what they are doing this weekend, they start thinking about it and they are not aware of what their body is doing at the present moment in time. 

Kate Strozak

BA: I really appreciate you saying that.  Our friend Polestar Educator Juan Nieto calls it “being the butler”, and I call it “gum holding”. The point is that we get into a chatty, chummy kind of relationship with them and were really not challenging the nervous system. We become a “paid friend” in that situation.  If they are doing the same thing they always do with you, you are not challenging any improvement or any change other than maybe being a listening ear.  Even worse when we bring our own problems to our clients.  

Supporting Neuroplastic Processes

In group classes when there is flow and purpose, there is more internal reflection going on and feedback that is more likely to create change than in a chatty one-on-one session.  We can create incredible challenges and demands on the nervous system when we’re working with a group of ten people.  If we’re not having that same intensity with our clients one-on-one they are not going to have the same neuroplastic challenges.  

KS: And if you’re not supporting these neuroplastic processes then what are you doing? The neuroplastic process is just a really fancy way of saying that you’re helping to create a repatterning, working on movement efficiency, or working on a tissue adaptation.  If you’re not really supporting those processes you’re not really supporting the longevity of the Pilates work you are doing with them.  So maybe Brent, you, and I are suggesting to everyone that our challenge to you is to try to support more quiet and focus in your pilates sessions.  If your client` is really keen on talking and carrying on a conversation, you might not be challenging them enough!  There is a time and place for all of it as you know!  

BA:  Let’s see how chatty they are when it’s time for jackknife…time for hip circles!

KS: Yes! Can you juggle while doing feet in straps?  

Watch #PilatesHour Episode 120 “Neuro-Concepts And Pilates” with Brent Anderson and special guest Kate Strozak.

The Influence Of Imagery On Neurobiology is Powerful

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Watch the full Pilates Hour Episode #108 “Does Ideal Alignment Really Matter” with Brent Anderson PhD, PT, OCS, NCPT, and special guest Eric Franklin, Franklin Method.

Imagery Influencing Neurobiology

BA: What is your gut feeling about imagery influencing neurobiology?

EF:  It must be happening. We know the influence of imagery on a variety of psychological states and obviously, we know its influence on movement. For any of that to happen, you are changing things in your neurobiology, from neurotransmitters to hormone release. But we haven’t looked at it directly yet at the cellular level, which is where we want to go next!

BA: One of the interesting things about the idea of neuroplasticity is how our experiences modify our neural pathways. The synapses change and some of the neuromodulators change because of our experiences. Something I am reading about is the belief that neuroplasticity happens at night time when we are in our sleep. We have these experiences during the day and when we are in deep sleep the nervous system processes them. It actually moves through that neuroplastic part, the hard part of changing biology. 

It is interesting to use that knowledge to see if people in their sleep are in conjunction with their imagery and movement experiences. To see if those who have a good night’s sleep have better neuroplastic, bio cellular, and neuro-cellular change than those with poor sleep and the same interventions.

“the fastest way to change your movement is to change your mind”

Eric Franklin

EF:  I would be pretty sure about that because I always say “the fastest way to change your movement is to change your mind”. That’s because synaptic waiting and synaptic change happen so fast. You change your mind about the movement and the movement changes. That’s a very fast approach. Changing muscles takes longer, and changing the fascia takes even longer.

It doesn’t mean those are things you shouldn’t do. If you want something that works fast then images are a great way to create relatively rapid neuroplasticity. It is not just to brag about imagery and say it’s so cool because it’s also about motivation. 

People get stuck in end goals like “I have to work out and train until I get my six-pack or until this or that releases”. Or “I have to get some more collagen laid down in that area…”. Instead, give them some motivational things. Give them some imagery so they can immediately feel a change. Of course, that is not going to change the fascia immediately. It will need a lot more repetition, but it’s very motivational. 

BA: You are the pioneer on a lot of this, and especially for making it known. Back when I met you 25 years ago at IADMS our thinking was more about “hard-wired”, suggesting everything was structural.  People thought “my plie is limited structurally, I have tight heels”. Then we play the bone rhythm game and all of a sudden they can move into another 10 to 15 degrees of ankle dorsiflexion. Releasing the hips just with the image of the sitting bones widening.

We love your work and have supported it from the beginning, and that was a big breakthrough for us. That experience led to part of my dissertation looking at the idea of creating successful movement experiences for people in chronic pain.  Having that successful movement experience shifted their paradigm and we created that by using imagery they could process.  This is key as a lot of times doctors use imagery that the client can’t process and is thus unsuccessful.

EF: It’s very nice of you to say all these things. To this day, we first look at the kinds of functions that are built into you structurally. Then we add functional exercise on top of that. If you are told that your bone structure won’t allow certain movement, that’s already negative imagery. This alone could be part of why it is difficult. You hear “oh my bone structure doesn’t allow…”, and if you think this, why even bother?

If you are told that your bone structure won’t allow certain movement, that’s already negative imagery. This alone could be part of why it is difficult. You hear “oh my bone structure doesn’t allow…”, and if you think this, why even bother?

BA:  “I’m built this way…”

EF:  If you tell someone “you’re not built to do that very efficiently”, they may think “ok, I won’t even do it in the first place”. 

BA: Or, they might try to do it in a way that can potentially injure tissue. I love this idea of these two areas in particular that you’re focusing on right now. The idea of understanding biology in conjunction with imagery and the behavior, belief, or perception of how we mix the two. This connecting of behavioral science with the physiology and biology of things we’ve suspected for a long time because we see the change.  A lot of times the change is immediate, and when we think about the long-term acquisition of it it’s like you said, the tissue adapts with practice and repetition.

When someone can implement an image that helps them on a regular basis in their movement practice, you will start to see the shift in their motor control. We know the neuromuscular system shifts and is always seeking efficiency with the task, so we will often see that. 

The most exciting part of this is working with fascial gurus to understand the mass of science coming out about the communication system that exists inside of our fascia. In one study they removed fascial tissue from a living animal, put it in a dark room, and it continued emitting light photons for minutes after it was removed from the living organism. Just think about these tubulars that are talking to all the cells. The cells are very dynamic in their synapses, at least we know that –  really, really exciting!

EF: A lot of the research in motor imagery supports that if you rehearse the movement before you do it, afterward it’s better.  That is very interesting, but what about going further back even into the emotional aspect? What about working with the limbic system and how it affects all that movement and working directly at the endocrine and cellular level and doing imagery there.  So instead of just looking at the results and then trying to find explanations, go directly into the tissue with imagery and see if that’s measurable. No one has ever done that, why not?  

Maybe not measuring the amygdala and stress response on the cellular level. Maybe that’s a bit complicated, but there are other things that we’re going to look at -and to go further back, not looking so much at the result, but at the much earlier stage where these results are being created. Look at the imagery – what is it doing there?  That’s the next step.

BA: The neuromodulators can also be measured, like the serotonin type 2a and dopamine. Those things are tied to motivation and satisfaction.  I would find it really interesting to learn how a successful movement experience with imagery that they’ve embedded changes the whole neuro response. Specifically with the serotonin type 2a, which is thought to correspond to contentment or satisfaction, and dopamine, the motivation modulator.

EF:  Dopamine only gets released when you’re planning or thinking about what you want to achieve. As soon as you achieve it, the dopamine is gone. The serotonin for the contentment part, to give one answer – movement is good if it feels comfortable to you. If you enjoy doing the movement, then there must be efficiency on some level. There are several perspectives on efficiency and good movement. The inner perspective is:

“What is your experience of this movement?” and the external perspective is “What is the experience of the beholder?”. 

For example, you go to this incredible ballet performance or Cirque du Solei and they’re doing these incredible things. You say, “That was so amazing, so beautiful”, but meanwhile on the stage they are wrecking their bodies. 

There you have the conflict full on. A lot of things they were doing were dysfunctional, pushing their bodies way beyond what they should be doing. They were hurting badly on every level, but the audience thought it was beautiful and incredible movement.  They are basically ending their career right out there on stage.

Looks Good / Feels Good

BA: That’s a great topic, that “external versus internal”. Where is the feedback coming from? Who is giving the feedback that it was amazing? The observer or the mover? It’s the “looks good versus feels good”. When we teach, we provide external feedback “Move the pelvis in this direction”, “Allow this to happen”, or “Reach there”. The internal feedback is the question “How does that movement feel?”, “What do you observe with that?”, “What happens when you use this imagery versus that imagery?”.

EF: Starting way back, my experience in exercise classes and dance classes was all about positional alignment. You were told about the shoulders and ankles. Shoulder blades down, endless stuff like that, “Lift pelvis”, on and on until I felt immobilized, literally!  Is this correct now? Am I supposed to move from here? Well, I can’t really move because I’m going to wreck this great posture.

I was thinking that it feels very conflicted and it eventually donned on me that you can’t teach movement through a position. They contradict each other. Movement is movement, and a position is a position. We are not a statue on a wall.  That’s where it kind of started for me. If you want to align onto a wall, stacking the body like bricks, I think that works pretty well for a wall… but I’m not made for not moving.

In fact, we are very bad at not moving – that’s basically the crisis we have right now. We are more sedentary than our ancestors.  We are very adapted to a lot of moderate movement for hours daily. That’s what we’re adapted to and that’s why I was wondering about this postural teaching. If you try to move while you try to keep a position, you are going to create conflict and it expresses itself in tension. As we know, tension is the enemy of movement. If the movement from the beholder looks tense, and there are different ways it can be expressed, like discomfort, the suspicion should be high that this movement is not efficient. 

Watch the Full Replay of Pilates Hour Episode #108 “Does Ideal Alignment Really Matter” with Brent Anderson and Eric Franklin. For more on Neuroscience and Pilates check out the blog “Neuro-Concepts and Pilates”.

The Best Teachers Teach in the Moment

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How would you describe your presence in the Pilates Studio? Cheerful, affectionate, grounded, powerful, indulgent? How is it that two Pilates teachers can lead the same exercise, using similar cues, yet one of them leaves you feeling great and the other falls flat. This is the nuance that presence brings to a session. As a teacher trainer, one of my biggest goals is to equip students with the tools necessary to teach a safe and thoughtful class as well as to cultivate their presence.

How do we do that? Is this even measurable? Below I offer some tips and suggestions for cultivating presence in your teaching. – Nichole Anderson, NCPT, Director of Curriculum

Practice Teaching a Simple Task Authentically 

For new teachers, finding your authentic voice can be a daunting task. You are busy remembering the basics of each exercise, attempting to follow the sequence you planned out. On top of that, trying to keep everyone safe. There is also the added pressure of being seen and having a feeling of performing in front of others. 

What is the simplest way to find your voice and style as a teacher? Practice teaching something simple to a friend. The goal is to teach a rote task, one where you don’t have to think about the steps or language involved. For me, it’s teaching someone how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Because of the simplicity of this, your personality and uniqueness are able to shine through.

Take the time to notice the feeling of teaching this small task. What kind of language comes naturally to you? Do you make jokes? Are you more straight forward? Try recording yourself teaching this task and go with your gut instinct on if it feels authentic to you. Practice bringing this authenticity into your classes. 


Gain Perspective: Record yourself teaching 

As an expansion from the idea above, record yourself teaching Pilates. This can be as simple as recording your screen when teaching a virtual class. With permission, you could leave your smartphone set up in the studio while you teach a client. During your initial review of the session, practice moving to your own instructions. Notice how your language makes you feel as a mover. Do you feel that the teaching is clear, inspiring, and thoughtful?  

Next, watch the video without sound. Your physical presence in the space of the Pilates studio is as important if not more important than the words you say. Notice how you move throughout the space. Do you gravitate to one area of the studio? Are you spending approximately equal time in the space of each of your clients? What does your body language suggest? 

Finally, listen to the audio of the recording. Listen to the words you use and the tone and timbre of your voice. Does your voice match the intensity of the movement? Is it supportive? Do you sound interested? This is a practice that can be done indefinitely and will always give you opportunities for growth. 

Show Up Early and Grounded  

We all know the feeling of being late for an appointment. Even worse is the feeling of being late to teach a Pilates class! When we are under stress our body creates the stress hormone cortisol. This causes our heart rate to increase and our blood pressure to spike. If you want to show up for your clients authentically and be fully present with your calm and centered self – show up early!

When you come prepared to teach your Pilates class early you will have time to ground yourself with a centering practice. This will support you in feeling fully ready to be present with your clients. We all have lives outside of the studio. I find that leaving the stressors of your personal life at the studio door allows you to be fully present with your clients. 

Make The Shift To Teaching Mode

It’s always ideal to have ample time to shift into teaching mode. What happens if you end up running late to teach? A brief grounding practice will help you be present in the studio. When you arrive a grounding practice can help you focus on what is happening in the moment. Grounding practices vary greatly, and I encourage you to find something that works for you. Some teachers like washing their hands and others like to tidy up the studio space. Both are calming, organizing, and refreshing.

My favorite way to ground myself before teaching Pilates is to do Pilates! Showing up early to the studio will give you time to jump on a piece of apparatus or the mat. Ground yourself in your body and with your breath in preparation to assist your clients in doing the same!  

Create A Routine

Create your own grounding routine and ritual by testing out what practices help you feel calm and centered when you arrive at the studio. Some teachers swear by saying hello to every person they pass on their way to the studio. This can help even if that is only one person at the front desk. The practice allows you to practice engagement, eye contact and using your voice before you begin teaching. All of which are things you will want to do with your clients.

Pre-teaching rituals to support grounding: 

  • Listen to a familiar playlist to get in the mood to teach 
  • Take a class before the class you are leading 
  • Get enough rest, food, and water before teaching 
  • Arrive early to ensure time to shift from your personal life into your professional life 
     

Check-In: Connect with Your Students

What separates a mediocre teacher from an incredible teacher? It’s the ability of the incredible teacher to make everyone in their classes feel seen. How do we do this? Greet your clients! In a group setting, this can sometimes feel awkward. There is nothing worse than a teacher who is on their phone or standing around not making eye contact as the students roll in. 

Ask questions before the class to determine how students are feeling. What are their goals for the session? Use this time to acknowledge that you see the students individually. “Hi Kevin, did you end up going skiing this weekend? How did that feel?” Acknowledging the students facilitates connection and camaraderie with you as the teacher as well as with each other. In a virtual setting, this can help them feel connected even if they are not in the same space. This will help develop a rapport which is a good indicator of if a client will return.

Learn your client’s names! When teaching group classes, I try to always greet people by name and ask new students their names so that I can refer to them personally throughout the class. Teach from a standpoint of allowing clients autonomy. Let them know you are supporting them in their exploration of moving their bodies. If you see clients struggling, give options that let you know you see them struggling. You are there to help them move successfully!

Be Yourself!

I hope these tips serve as a reminder of the value of presence while teaching. Bring your full self to your teaching practice and remember – being distracted will always come through in your teaching. We have the opportunity as Pilates instructors to help people feel amazing every time they enter our classes. Give them your full attention and notice how your client list grows.

Become a Pilates Instructor with Polestar! Explore our Comprehensive Program and check out Nichole on #PilatesHour episode 80 “Sharpening Your Teaching Skills”.

Community Highlight: Polestar Practitioner Peter Clerkin

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In your own words – describe “the Spirit of Polestar”:

PC: Using Pilates as a tool to create a positive movement experience.

What Three Words come to mind when you think of “Polestar Pilates”?

Holistic

Evolved

Legacy

What do you love about teaching Pilates?

PC: I love teaching because I can express and articulate what is good about Pilates as people do it – I know that a class or an individual person will feel better than they did before at the end of the session and I love to be present to see that change occur. I took my teacher training in London and my educators were Liz Bussey and Diane Nye.

What are your current Inspirations?  

PC: My current inspirations are researchers and physiotherapists trying to understand pain science so that it can be applied to Pilates, or movement practices in general, as a way to build resiliency in our clients. Polestar Educator Juan Nieto does a lot of good work in condensing this research and making it applicable to Pilates

Why Pilates?  How did you find the practice?

PC: I have been a Pilates teacher for almost 10 years – before that, I coached youth sports and earned an undergraduate degree in Sport and Exercise Science. Movement fascinates me and Pilates is a wonderful way of moving and making shapes that is in the moment, fun, and rewarding. Afterward, you feel improved emotional and mental health, and the physical, mental and emotional benefits continue the more you practice.

Pilates takes me into flow more than any other activity.

Why Polestar Pilates?  How did you come to join the Polestar Community?

PC: I felt that it was the gold standard regarding teacher training and I love that across the world we can all find common ground with the training and methods we use.

What do you hope to convey in your teaching?

PC: Moving is vital to being healthy and living a varied and fulfilling life. Also, that it can be fun, explorative, collaborative, and a way to understand your own unique body.

What is your favorite Quote? 

PC:

“The only constant is change”

Simple but powerful, I interpret it as trying to embrace what may come next and adapt to that rather than expecting things to be a certain way.

What is your Favorite Apparatus or favorite way to move?

PC: I love the ladder barrel – I think because a lot of the other apparatus are similar to each other. I like that the ladder barrel is a wonderful way of moving through many directions with your spine and also as a way to perform movements with a greater range of motion around the major joints.

You can find Peter on social media @peterdoespilates and discover teacher training opportunities here.