Pilates Teacher

Meditation & Pilates

Polestar has been a major force in the introduction of Pilates to the medical and academic world. Through partnering with major universities, hospitals and institutions, we have successfully introduced Polestar’s Pilates curriculum to thousands of professionals in over 60 Universities throughout the world.

Polestar provides many services to the academic community, including free online and in-person lectures and masterclasses to heighten the awareness of the clinical applications of the Pilates Method. Our Pilates Immersion program allows for an in-depth experience for students who want to learn the fundamentals to incorporate Pilates into their profession. 

Polestar’s full Pilates comprehensive teacher training has become embedded and implemented in the dance department at Rutgers University for over 5 years in the Mason Gross School of Performing Arts.

One highlight of our collaboration with Rutgers is the “fingerprint project” introduced by Kim Gibilisco NCPT, MFA. This project empowers students in the teacher training to take ownership of their future by completing a research and development project that highlights their perspective of and goals for the application of Pilates through the lens of parallel modalities.

The following excerpt from “Meditation & Pilates” by Kelly Robertson was part of her “fingerprint project” required for the culmination of the Polestar Pilates comprehensive teacher training at the Mason Gross School of Performing Arts at Rutgers University.


FINGERPRINT PROJECT:

Excerpt from “Meditation & Pilates” by Kelly Robertson

Carol Davis in Patient Practitioner Interaction writes: “Newtonian physics taught us that the basic elements of nature were small, solid, indestructible objects. However, quantum physics taught us that atoms, the building blocks of all matter, actually consist of vast regions of space in which very small particles move.” She then writes: “Given this quantum interpretation, solid objects are no longer perceived as solid …. we are more like a mass of energy set in constant motion.” “Mind and body are united in a whole nurtured by the flow of vital energy, or chi” (pg.129).

This “mass of energy in constant motion” as Davis puts it is something that I think we can all feel as true. When I bring my awareness to my body, I experience this sense of “flow”. This flow is always increased for me after a positive movement experience. 

Risa Kaparo in Awakening Somatic Intelligence sites the “Old Paradigm” as:

1. We function as relatively fixed objects.

2. We are separate from everything else.

3. Gravity is a force that needs to be overcome by effort.

… and lists the “New Paradigm” as:

1. We function as self-sensing, self-organizing, self-renewing energy beings.

2. We are interconnected with all that is.

3. Gravity provides an opportunity to sense and liberate us from our patterns of habitual tension.

She goes on to write that if we move away from the “Old Paradigm” we can sense our bodies in a new way and “learn new ways of functioning that are congruent with non-self-limiting beliefs” (pages 30-31).

I also believe that the view of the body as a fixed, solid object is limiting and even arrests the possibility of change when we think that way. I will integrate this idea into my teaching for my final because I believe it is an important step to get students into the right frame of mind for change.

Chopra writes about how freeing it is to see our bodies as movement, capable of change and healing,

“If you could see that your physical body is an idea your mind is stubbornly holding on to, an enormous breakthrough would take place. You would no longer be imprisoned in a lump of matter. Best of all you would be free to adopt a much better idea of your body” (page 20).

He describes that our bodies are a cloud of energy and that changes in that energy can cause genuine physical effects. “You can bring healing to any aspect of your life by shifting an unhealthy energy state into a healthy one” (page 44). This goes back to Chopra’s explanation of how awareness creates positive change in the body. He believes that awareness changes the energy and that energy changes the body. Awareness-Energy-Body. 

Similarly, Brent Anderson PT, Ph.D., OCS, NCPT in his SRG Energy Medicine Lecture (Polestar Online) “As we heighten our awareness of what flows and doesn’t flow, where energy fills up or doesn’t fill up, that helps us as well to increase that flow and get a nice healthy flow of energy”. Anderson goes on to say “There is a wealth and plethora of energy and truth out there and our job in life is to balance ourselves so we can resonate with it”.

Anderson goes a step further and discusses how this knowledge directly applies to our work in Pilates or in other healing practices. He points out that as “healers” we need to be aware that the “healing process involves many kinds of communication” and “That is what energy does, transfers communication”. 

Bio-Energetics is a subject included throughout the Polestar Principles of Movement manual. In each chapter, there is a Bio-Energetics section addressing how each principle affects our energy systems. For example in Chapter 4, Organization of the Head, Neck & Shoulders, the Bio-Energetics section reads: “Balanced strength and flexibility on all sides of the shoulder enable a balanced flow of energetic pathways”. A combination of Pilates and meditation is a great way to not only achieve the alignment of the body but also to heighten awareness of the energy changes that come with correct alignment. 


Interested in bringing Polestar Pilates education to your University or Institution? Click here!

Polestar Mentor Highlight: Meech Aspden

The spirit of Polestar is about finding the discipline and passion within to continually practice Pilates and empower others to practice Pilates. It’s not about finding perfection but about sharing and encouraging that passion.

Polestar Mentor Meech Aspden

Describe Polestar Pilates in 3 Words:

Authentic – Polestar is authentic to its brand and to Pilates’ guiding principles.

Educational – Polestar encourages the path of learning and self-development.

Applicable – What you learn with Polestar makes you a better instructor, trainer, coach, physio, and practitioner.

What do you love about teaching Pilates?

MA: What I love about teaching Pilates is that it embodies both being disciplined as well as the freedom to be creative. This might seem like a bit of a dichotomy but the two complement each other. One stays disciplined and grounded in the principles of classical pilates whilst being creative to explore the execution of the exercises or the sequencing and flow of the exercises.

Where did you take your training and who was the educator?

MA: I took my training with Polestar Pilates in Hong Kong with Polestar Asia at Isofit. Dawnna Wayburne, Samantha Robinson, Mirko Turla and Yvonne Hsi were the educators and mentors who influenced my Polestar education journey.

What are your current Inspirations?

MA: My inspiration has always been seeing new people experience Pilates for the first time. I love being able to draw from their energy, inspiration, and enthusiasm in grasping something new. It challenges me to be a better mentor, trainer, and coach – finding different ways to communicate and motivate them to assist in their learning process and to excel in their Pilates practice.

New students to the Pilates world often come with fresh ideas and ‘out of the box’ thinking.

I am also an avid reader and I love reading about the biomechanics, anatomy, and physiology of the human body. It’s fascinating and inspires me to want to know more.

Why Pilates? How did you find the practice?

MA: My foray into Pilates was rather unorthodox. I was managing a large team of group fitness instructors at the time (2013). There was a member who sent in a written complaint about one of my instructors not teaching true to Pilates in what was advertised as a Pilates class. I found it difficult to assess the validity of the complaint due to my lack of knowledge and understanding of Pilates. At the time, we also only had 3 in-house Pilates instructors who I could seek advice from. I vowed never to feel so uneducated and ignorant again. This drove me to learn Pilates so I joined a Polestar mat Pilates course in 2013 (and at the same time encouraged 6 other instructors from my team to take the training with me). I was so impressed with the mat Pilates course content that the following year I signed up for the Polestar reformer course and the 6 instructors who were with me for mat also joined me and signed up for the reformer training.

In the beginning, I found Pilates challenging. I had always prided myself on being physically fit as I taught a number of different group fitness classes as well as having been a competitive sports gymnast. When I first started on my Pilates journey, I could not execute the roll-up or teaser particularly well which frustrated me but fueled my determination to keep going.

I don’t believe you can ever perfect Pilates but you can definitely see incremental improvements the more you practice the exercises.

What do you hope to convey in your teaching?

MA: In my teaching, I try to combine three key elements: Forging a connection with my students, making it fun, and challenging them so that they never plateau.

Connection is what instills the trust they have in you as a coach so that you can take them far beyond what they thought they were capable of. Fun, so that they keep coming back time and time again. And challenging so that they see progress in themselves and what they are able to achieve. Teachers are there as a conduit to facilitate learning and to restore confidence in a student’s physical capabilities. As children we were fearless on the jungle gym, climbing trees or riding bikes. As we grow older, we can start to lose confidence in ourselves and what our bodies are capable of.

If we can conquer our fears, half the battle is won.

It’s so true what Joseph Pilates espoused: “Contrology is gaining the mastery of your mind over the complete control of your body”.

What is your favorite Quote?

MA: Benjamin Franklin said “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”

This is the ethos that I try to embody when I am involved in any form of mentoring, education, training and team management.

What is your Favorite Apparatus or favorite way to move?

MA: I love all mat Pilates exercises because it caters to all ages, all levels, all fitness goals and can be performed anywhere. You don’t need to be inside a gym or studio and you don’t need any special equipment. The exercises can be applied for rehab and recovery or for improving strength and mobility. It provides a great sense of accomplishment to see the gains that people make in Pilates.

Meech Aspden, Polestar Pilates Mentor

Discover Polestar Pilates Asia, and Meech on Social Media @meechaspden

Polestar Pilates Highlight: Jess Ellmer – Polestar Pilates UK

Meet Polestar Pilates mentor, Personal Trainer and Wellness Coach Jess Ellmer of Birmingham, London, UK!


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

JE: Polestar allows you to find the teacher you are deep inside, without judgement. It gently pulls out the best parts of you and encourages you to connect mind, body and soul.

What three words come to mind when you think of “Polestar Pilates”

JE:

International

Connected

Spiritual


What do you love about teaching Pilates?

JE: I love that I get to pass my Polestar knowledge on to my clients — and allow them to make amazing changes in not only their body, but their thinking too.

Where did you take your Training and who was the educator?

JE: I trained at Moss Pilates in London, under the watchful eyes of Liz Bussey and Diane Nye.

What are your current Inspirations? 

JE: Carl & Julia Moss – the family atmosphere they have created among the London team and the beautiful studios that they keep immaculate.

Why Pilates? How did you find the practice?

JE: I used to be a professional dancer and found that Pilates prevented injury. Upon training as a personal trainer I stumbled across the reformer, loved the benefits and never looked back. Top fan!

What do you hope to convey in your teaching?

JE: Passion, Energy, Enthusiasm, Life and Wellness

What is your favorite Quote? How do you apply this?

JE: ‘Do as much as you need to do, and as little as you don’t!’
I use this in all aspects of my life to keep a watchful eye on the energy I expend on exercise, business, home life, my body and on whom I spend it.

What is your Favorite Apparatus or favorite way to move?

JE: I love to hang upside down on the Trapeze Table. My body feels weightless and I get to let go of all stress and tension. When I stand back on to my feet after this, I feel well balanced and rejuvenated.


Follow Jess’ movement journey on social media @Jessellmer

Polestar Educator Highlight : Audrey Ng

Audrey is the Director and Principal of Performance Pilates & Physiotherapy, established in 2003 and located in Leederville, Western Australia. She received her B Sc (Physiotherapy) degree from Curtin University of Technology in 1992. Previously an Australian international rhythmic gymnast, she commenced her study in the Pilates Method of exercise while working as a physiotherapist in Los Angeles, USA. Audrey has been incorporating Pilates in her physiotherapy treatments since 1998.

Audrey specializes in posture and movement assessment and has an interest in teaching her clients to improve their functional ability and efficiency of movement through understanding the effect of gravity and load on posture and core stability with a holistic emphasis. This approach has been useful for many clients including elite athletes, office workers or clients with a sedentary lifestyle, with chronic or persisting pain or injury, women and pelvic health, pre and post-natal care and the aging population.


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

The possibility, knowledge and responsibility to experience and share movement, inspiration and quality of life with our loved ones, colleagues and community.

Polestar Pilates to me is:

Freedom

Purpose

Opportunity

What do you love about teaching Pilates and owning a Studio? 

I opened my clinic & studio, Performance Pilates & Physiotherapy in 2003 with a vision to deliver comprehensive and holistic movement rehabilitation. What I love most about being an integrated health practitioner is that as a Pilates teacher is that I have an opportunity to empower people to regain confidence and improve the quality of their lives. Movement in particular is essential for an aging population so what better time to start than now!

Where did you take your Training and who was the educator?

I first undertook Pilates training in Los Angeles in 1998 with The Physical Mind Institute, joining the Polestar family in 2003 under the tutelage of Dav Cohen.

What are your current Inspirations? What do You love about them?

On a personal note, I wish to live with greater intention, each moment of every day. I found myself thinking that this past year flew by so quickly and I realized that I wasn’t present to so many moments along the way.

I am inspired by the resilience and the sense of community, the true “spirit of Australia” that our people have demonstrated in the past few weeks as a result of the catastrophic bushfires that have taken lives, destroyed homes, burned over 12 million acres and killed 1 billion native Australian animals.

Coming from a place of gratitude and stewardship for our beautiful land, we have a responsibility to take action against climate change – everyone here on the planet can play a part in conscious sustainability.

Why Pilates? How did you find the practice?

As a child I played and enjoyed a variety of sports – swimming, cricket, hockey, I also performed calisthenics and fell in love with gymnastics. In high school I had the opportunity to try Rhythmic Gymnastics which is floor based and involves handling apparatus – ribbon, hoop, ball, clubs and rope and went on to compete at an international level for Australia.

I found that through movement I felt my happiest and developed my confidence to perform on stage and the courage and determination to face competition and do the training to reach my goals.

Through movement I found my vocation as a Physical Therapist, and when I experienced Pilates, I found my dharma, the way to my purpose and calling.

Pilates is accessible to everyone and such a complimentary medicine to the knowledge I acquired as a rehab professional.

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

I first heard about Polestar Pilates while working in Los Angeles in the late 1990s, so in 2003 I was excited to hear that Polestar was coming to Perth! With a 5 week old baby, I attended my first Principles course and the rest was history. Within a few weeks, I met Polestar’s founder, Brent Anderson, Shelly Power and the rest of the Polestar Australia crew headed by Cat Giannitto. It was like coming home … I had found my pilates family of like-minded individuals, on a mission to share, educate and deliver the message of intelligent movement.

What do you hope to convey in your teaching?

That each and every person is able to do pilates, is able to move, with freedom, joy and purpose. That movement is connected to spirit and is essential for maximizing our quality of life! To instill confidence, love and respect of our whole body, of what it is capable of achieving when we re-establish the relationship of body, mind and spirit.

What is your favorite Quote? How do you embody this?

So many favorites!

Applied to Pilates:

“the science and soul of movement”

Pilates truly encompasses body, mind and spirit. There are physical, mental and energetic reasons as to why we should move! There is increasing evidence, both empirical and anecdotal that support this philosophy and as a physical therapist and integrated health practitioner, I choose Pilates for a neuro/bio/psycho/social approach to rehabilitation.

What is your Favorite Apparatus or favorite way to move? What do you love about it?

The Trapeze Table is my favorite apparatus as there are so many options for movement! I begin a workout using the assistance of springs, increase proprioception and neuro-motor learning with the tower bar, then build the intensity adding the challenge of resistance, while moving through different planes and orientations to gravity. My favorite movement sequences involve spine extension and inversion…something I look forward to on the Trapeze Table daily!


Polestar Pilates Graduate Highlight : Lily Hodgson

Introducing Polestar Graduate Lily Hodgson of Polestar Pilates Australia: Central Coast, Australia

I love being able to spread the awareness & importance of health through movement to my clients.

Lily Hodgson, Polestar Pilates Graduate

Where did you take your Training and who was the educator?

LH: I study with Polestar Pilates Australia in Sydney, and have been educated by Cat Gianitto, Lissie Fields, Joanne Bezzina & Liz Trezies- just to make a few!

How did you choose Polestar Pilates to be your training school?

LH: Training with Polestar was an easy choice to make as I knew they are an internationally accredited & positively known education body. I was lucky enough to know & attend classes run by a few Polestar trained instructors prior to commencing my education; after my experience during these sessions I was ready to sign up for my course.

Why Pilates? How did you find the practice?

LH: A long list of personal health issues ultimately lead me on my path to becoming a Pilates Instructor. Without it, I would be in a VERY bad state. Pilates has not only saved my physical health but my mental health as well. I am grateful to have found my calling to teach & support others in a similar way to what I was able to receive in my time of need.

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

LH: In short, Family! Connecting through movement and inspiring positive & healthy life from all over the world!

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

Family

Educated

Support

What do you love about teaching Pilates?

LH: I love being able to spread the awareness & importance of health through movement to my clients.

What are your current Inspirations? What do you love about them?

LH: All things holistic health and learning – Creating and enjoying the journey of study. I love being able to expand my knowledge by being open to new concepts and adapting old ones.

What do you hope to convey in your teaching?

LH: My goal is to instill positivity into at least one persons life in the short hour I have them for. If they leave with a smile, I know I have achieved something great.

What is your favorite Quote? How do you live and apply this?

“Change happens through movement & movement heals.”

Joseph Pilates

LH: I live this quote day in and day out, and embody it through my positivity towards a healthier life.

What is your Favorite Apparatus or favorite way to move?

LH: I couldn’t pick a favorite so I’ll say my favorite is the human body! I love how through determination and learning we can apply ourselves to move better and grow stronger, no matter what exercise or device we use.

What do you like about your teachers Cat Gianitto, Lissie Fields, Joanne Bezzina, Liz Trezies and Audrey Morrison

LH: I am grateful that they & everyone else at Polestar are supportive & encouraging towards the collective aspiring goal of graduating at a highly competent level, and are always reinforcing the Polestar Principles of Movement in an enriching & hands-on experience.

What is the Pilates community like in Central Coast, Australia?

LH: The Pilates community here on the Central Coast is on the rise as people are made aware of the health benefits of movement; another few years and I’m thinking it’ll be booming as much as Sydney!

What are your aspirations or goals for your creative professional life and career?

LH: A personal goal of mine is to have the ability to connect with clients on as many levels as possible, as I strongly believe that whole-body health is exactly that; body, mind & spirit. It’s also important to me that I am able to have access to and continue learning throughout my career to improve not only my own understanding of Pilates but give the best experience to my clients.

What has been the hardest part of your training?

LH: Not losing mojo or getting burnt out at the workload and logbook hours. Everyone has to get it done in order to be their best version of a Pilates instructor (and of course to graduate), but at some point like anything (and most students that I have spoken to feel the same) an overwhelming sense settles in at the amount of work that needs to be done.

Nothing worth doing in life comes or happens easy though and the overwhelming feeling doesn’t last long; as soon as you get back in that Polestar studio and continue to learn, another signature gets logged along with the next “lightbulb moment”, and before you know it you’ve done your exam.

It’s a bittersweet moment knowing all the hard work has well & truly paid off, but you’re no longer a student. No more weekends to attend, no more signatures to collect. After having already completed Mat & Reformer with Polestar, I’ve learned to savor the journey. Because once its ended, its ended. And trust me, when it does, you’ll wish you were going back next month!


Students, Mentors, Grads and Educators:

Get ALL the Highlights and Interviews here

Polestar Graduate – Now What?

Now that you’ve completed your Pilates teacher training program, it’s time to consider in which environment or context you want to teach. There are many different ways to use your education. We’ll mention a few of the most common paths forward for a Polestar graduate. Mara Sievers, NCPT


Teach at an Established Pilates Studio.

 You’ve already got a head start. The Polestar training is highly regarded in the Pilates world. Begin by sending the studio owner an official job application with a resume. Being a Polestar graduate will already give you an advantage and respect in their eyes. Most studio owners will want to see you teach a class or a private lesson.  If you’ve practiced at the studio before, then you’ll already be familiar with the environment and the studio’s typical clientele, and you’ll have an idea of what the owner is looking for.

Are they working with mostly young, fit people, or is the majority of their students among the older population, probably with movement restrictions or limitations? Knowing this will help you teach a session that matches the focus of the studio.  

If you apply at a studio that’s new to you, I would recommend inquiring beforehand about the fitness level of their student base and the type of classes they teach (mat, reformer, circuit, or other).

Plan on arriving an hour to 30-min early to familiarize yourself with the equipment, for instance:

  • How does the reformer foot bar work?
  • Do the springs have colors or are they all the same?
  • Do the colors represent the same tension as on the equipment you learned?
  • Look at the website and find out if they teach mostly group (reformer/mat) classes or teach mostly privates.

Knowing this before your demo will mentally prepare you and make sure that you teach in a way that’s a good fit for the studio and its students. 

If you get hired by a studio, you will either be paid as an employee – in which case the studio pays your taxes, but you might receive a lower hourly fee – or as an independent contractor, in which case you might earn a bit more, but have to put aside roughly 15-20% percent of your pay towards taxes.  (On “Selecting a Studio“)

Open a Private Practice or Home Studio

 If you have an unused room at home, you could turn it into a Pilates studio, as long as you don’t mind strangers coming to your house. If most of your students come to see you twice per week, you will only need fifteen people to fill your schedule. I wouldn’t recommend teaching more than six hours per day five days per week to avoid burnout. Since you don’t need a large student base, word of mouth might be all you need to fill your schedule. If you decide to put up a website, make sure not to display your home address, just as a level of safety. Having a home studio saves you the time of traveling to a studio. You will be your own boss and have to pay your own taxes.   

Rent Space By The Hour or Month

 If you don’t have enough room at home, you could begin by renting space by the hour in a dance or yoga studio. In this case, you won’t be able to keep your equipment there, but you can teach group mat classes, just ask your students to bring their own mats. Over time, you could purchase inflatable balls, foam rollers, therabands or magic circles and bring those with you to the class each time. If you are able to rent space month-by-month from a physical therapy or massage therapy office, you might be able to keep a reformer, reformer/tower, or a chair there. That obviously depends on the size of the space you rent, but it might work wonderfully for private lessons.  The benefits of renting by the hour is your low overhead, low commitment level, and cross referrals between the two businesses.

Open Your Own Studio

 The difference between having a private practice and opening a studio is the goal of immediately or eventually hiring other teachers.  If this is your dream you must be aware that you will be having two different jobs, Pilates teacher and studio manager, unless you have the means of hiring a manager from the start. You can outsource a lot of tasks that you might not be comfortable with, such as bookkeeping, marketing, cleaning, or admin work, but this means you’ll have to teach more hours to afford to pay those contractors. Teaming up with another teacher might be a great way to open a studio and share the overhead of rent, internet, website, etc. (Consider a Polestar Franchise!)

Work for a Clinic, Physical Therapist’s Office, Hospital, Senior Center or Similar Environment

 Many health care institutions are recognizing the benefit of Pilates training. You might be able to convince them to work with their patients. Each company will handle the collaboration differently, some might be able to put you on their payroll, some might offer you their space for free, but you might have to handle payment yourself. If you are passionate about a certain group of people, i.e. the elderly, people with certain conditions, such as Parkinson’s, or multiple sclerosis, don’t be shy. Approach the hiring staff at the place you would like to contribute to and inquire about the possibility of a collaboration.

Being proactive will always pay off. You will want to consider getting specific training or continuing education in the field where you want to work.  While we’re on the subject of cross-referrals: we Pilates devotees know firsthand about the power of the method, but many health care professionals who haven’t experienced high-quality Pilates yet might be cautious about referring their patients to you. I would recommend you invite practitioners of related fields to you for a free private lesson so they can experience the power of Pilates in their own body. They won’t doubt you anymore once they “get it.” 

Unemployment – What’s That?

I asked myself recently “has anyone ever heard of an unemployed Pilates teacher?” To be honest, my experience has been quite the opposite. If you are an empathetic, compassionate, skilled, and passionate Pilates teacher, you will soon find out that instead of worrying about too little work you’ll worry about not being able to keep up with the amount of interest. 

Pilates is here to stay. The more people discover Pilates, the more likely they will continue practicing, especially into their later years.

Even for you as a teacher, Pilates is not a career with a deadline. You’re never too old to teach Pilates. On the contrary, just like wine gets better with age, the more you teach, the better you are prepared for whoever comes along, and you’ll be able to help them see lasting results from their practice more quickly.  I would go as far as to say: instead of investing tens of thousands of dollars in a college degree with the dire prospect of unemployment due to an oversaturated market, invest a fraction of that money in a good Pilates training and you’ll have a job for life.


Mara Sievers NCPT, is a Polestar practitioner and the creator of Pilates Encyclopedia