ADAPT OR DIE: how are you coping with the ever-changing Pilates industry?

Let’s start by stating the obvious. The Pilates landscape has changed enormously in the last 5 years. Amidst what feels like a worldwide-wellness-revolution, we’ve seen a rise in both training providers and accessibility to Pilates Teacher Training - yay! To be honest about my bias, I’ve never known the industry to be any different. I completed my first teacher training in early 2020 and started my teaching journey through the online world of COVID-19 (remember that???) Whether you like it or not, and I know a lot of people do not, Pilates as a practice is evolving. We are living in the liminal space between the history of Pilates and the future of it. In 50 years, I wonder how many new styles of exercises will be credited to Pilates foundations? There can be discomfort in this moment of time because we’re yet to fully evolve, we’re starting to experiment with new styles of movement but are still calling it Pilates. In a lot of ways it is, in some ways it isn’t, but in every way we’re building these practices on the life changing foundations that Joe developed. Couldn’t one argue... that’s the point? 

With all this conversation swirling around our studios and Instagram DMs, it’s no wonder so many of us teachers can be left feeling like we need to bring the hustle energy to learn more every day. Our industry is becoming deeply divided by attitudes of superiority and judgement.  

“How dare someone do a 6 month online qualification to pursue their passion in an affordable and accessible way????” 

It might seem premature to assume that these attitudes stem from judgement. Couldn’t they simply come from people passionate about the integrity of the Pilates method? I’m inclined to agree with you, but at the end of the day, how we treat people is the biggest indicator of how we feel about them. I know plenty of experienced and exceptionally qualified teachers who worry about the integrity of the method... but their response is to share knowledge and opportunities to those who are seeking to know more, not to declare people un-employable and in-authentic.

They way forward can’t be to push instructors out of the industry with intense standards, you need us! The future of Pilates needs every passionate group reformer teacher who rushes from their 9-5 to spend 45 minutes of their day doing something that brings them immense joy. I absolutely believe we need a more regulated way of ensuring teachers have the minimum knowledge required to keep a class safe, but to assume every Pilates teacher without a 500 hour qualification is injuring their clients is honestly, silly. We’re the future of the Pilates method, and if the choice is made to gate keep the best of Pilates learnings in long, extensive and expensive courses then I can all but guarantee we’ll lose the Pilates the Joe so diligently designed to bring us Back to Life. 

Charles Darwin famously said “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, not the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” 

The Pilates that Joe designed is the very beginning of the Pilates journey, and for a long moment in history, the method was only taught in his exact order. Some of the most in depth and respected training providers in the world don’t teach this today. We’ve already evolved... we’re just about to take another step.  

How then can we learn, adapt and develop our teaching practice in a way that remains authentic to who we are? I think it’s two fold: for every piece of knowledge you share, receive two. To be open to learning twice as much as you’re open to teaching. Better yet? Be willing to learn from people with less training and experience than you. This doesn’t mean you always will, but it will help kick any hidden attitude of superiority in the butt.  

Personal experience is the underlying magic of every teacher who steps foot in a studio, a zoom call, gym or a community hall. The way in which you’ve experienced life up to this point has shaped your love, gratitude and understanding of Pilates. Consider the fact that we’ve all found Pilates life changing enough to want to teach it to others. That comes with our own bias as to the best and most effective element of it. 

I often wish I had experienced life as a Pilates professional pre-internet. Maybe even just pre-social media. If felt like overnight, we were expected to show up online and prove to the world we’re creative and smart and fun and thoughtful and safe and know our stuff. Imagine a time when the only people who would’ve know about your teaching skills were your clients? No song and dance for an audience of millions required. Don’t get me wrong, social media is a game-changing way to engage with your clients and community outside of the studio and it should involve your own unique blend of inspiration, marketing and community elements. It has the power to set you apart from any other studio in your town or city. 

If you engage in Pilates content online then I’m sure you’ve noticed the shift in social trends. What used to be sharing ideas and exercises that inspire us, has turned into what feels like a competition to prove you know as much as then next person about muscles and engagement and creative flows and proprioception and class planning and cueing. The list goes on. I initially enjoyed this content when it first started to float around my algorithm. I now find it exhausting to consume. I understand that most creators of this content don’t intend for this, but I find the constant stream of people telling me how to teach only makes me less inspired to listen. It’s the classroom version of learning... “I speak, you listen,” often with an unspoken follow up phrase of “because I’ve done more training then you.” Teaching clients in a small group and private setting to so vastly different to teaching group classes. The training is supposed to be different. Larger group Pilates classes are relatively new in the landscape of Pilates studios around Australia and the world. To me, it only makes sense to have teacher trainings that specialize in maximizing this experience for clients. I’m lost to understand why we’re trying to transfer small group teaching skills to large group classes, and then making group class teachers feel less than. Maybe they actually have no interest in teaching a clinical style of one on one Pilates across multiple pieces of equipment. Maybe they’re perfectly happy where they are? 

Remember, you are your own magic. I’d encourage you, when you’re feeling the urge to learn more and develop you teaching skills (and do this, it’s fun and important) start with a process of enquiry-based learning. What are you drawn to? What do you want to know more about? Try to avoid looking to other teachers to tell you what you don’t know. If you’d find it helpful, you can keep a master notes app list titled Things I Don’t Know that you can refer to whenever you’d like to learn a little more.  

Lastly, never allow someone to make you feel less than because of your experience, personality, training background or style preferences. These things are what make us unique. These things are what develop loyal clients. These things are what make up our personal teaching DNA. Love them, embrace them, develop them and remember... we’re all just doing the best we can with the tools we have. 

This can be a hot topic for some people, and I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences. Leave a comment if you have anything you'd like to share <3

Alexa x