- Cueing, you must be able to adapt to the learning style of the person in front. They may need more hands on, perhaps visual or more auditory descriptions.
- Programming should be exciting and hassle free for clients. I try to alter the foot-bar only once in a 60 minute semi-private. That way the client has more chances of tissue change with chunking.
- Tempo, rhythm and speed are everything. Doing an exercise fast or slow will have different effects and focus on the body.
- Use of voice, pitch and pace can inspire and energise your clients, or the opposite effect and leave them depleted.
- Being able to adapt repertoire for the body in front is a skill, everyone is different, and our body is a reflection of everything in our life.
- Group programming for pre/post-natal clients is another string in your bow. You could specialize in something you are interested in, e.g pelvic health, menopause, dancers, horse riding, runners, and the list goes on.
- Knowing what to do with injured clients and working in harmony with other specialists like physiotherapists and osteopaths creates community.
- Knowing how to make money is the true skill. The majority of teachers that I know are running what is called a lifestyle business, which means their net profit (money left after tax, VAT and all expenses) is virtually non-existent. I have learnt the hard way, to take the emotion out of the business. Everything happens FOR ME in life, not TO ME!
- Do you as a teacher understand the apparatus set up, the start and finishing move of the lesson? If you have a person who is 5 ft 2 or 6ft 2, what will be the setting on the reformer bed?
- Do you understand whether this exercise is going to build strength and power, or strain and re incur the faulty movement pattern to the body in-front?
- Being a better listener is something I am always working on. We all want to be heard; we have two ears and one mouth. The timing is important, so we are communicating from a place of reflection rather than reaction.
- Constantly learning and looking at other perspectives is key. There is a wealth of knowledge and inspiration out there for free on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and podcasts.
- Appearance – As a teacher you need to be walking the walk and talking the talk. Your relationship with yourself will reflect in your behaviour to others and to yourself. I always lead by example but am myself. So hair tied back, smart appearance, wearing suitable training clothing not jeans, clear skin, no heavy scents or make up.
- Punctuality – Arriving to teach and set up at least 15 minutes before your session and greeting every customer with a smile or comment. I am able to do this because we only offer semi privates. It would obviously be harder with classes of 30 plus.
- Boundaries- Setting your boundaries on cancellation policy, pricing and timing are important. I often teach 9 hours some days, so lesson start time and finish are set . If the client is late they miss those minutes of the lesson. I also stick to the 24 hour cancellation policy as something will always come up in life and this is nothing personal to the client. It is strictly business.
- Complaints – My experience after 30 years plus of running business’s and being a life coach. Is that complaints are rarely about the business, it is usually on how the person is feeling and dealing with life. When we are not happy in life, we will complain about everyone and everything.
- Acceptance – I have learnt that I will never please everyone. I know what my studio niche client is and stick to it. Trying to accommodate everyone never works including instructors!
- FEAR – (false evidence appearing real). The majority of our thoughts come from a place of fight or flight. We often think the worse and make up crazy stories in our head. It is only us that holds us back in life
- Stardom- Regardless of what you think, we are not the star of anyones else’s show. You have to be tough enough to step outside the box and expect criticism and praise. You can only be hurt by the words of others if you let yourself be.
- Love- Everything starts with love for the self. We would never talk to others the way we criticise ourselves. When you learn that life revolves around love and that it cannot be scientifically measured, you will learn to go with your intuition (third eye).
- No one ever leaves their hand baggage at the studio door. Everyone’s body is reflection of every experience that has ever happened to them in life. As above so is below.
- Empathy and compassion are two amazing attributes. We all think that we are right, but having the ability to be non biased and look at both sides of the arguments is important.
- Non judgemental – As soon as we judge we create separation and segregation from each other. Remember, divided we fall but united we stand. Over the years I have many requests for either specific gender only (due to religious beliefs) or medical status only (vaccinated/unvaccinated). I always say I only see people and not religions, colour, status, medical status or job.
- Connect before you correct – Marshall Rosenberg’s non violent communication shows us beautiful ways in which we can communicate with each other. It usually starts with a question, so we have a better understanding of the belief system.
- Respect – Respecting each other level of training or training school. We are all trying to earn a living post lockdown and we all need each other. There are many varieties of schooling that suit different people.
- You cannot give to others until you have given to yourself. Looking after your own health is a must this includes getting to bed on time, eating a varied diet, staying hydrating, practicing breath work, using mindset techniques plus handling stress and problems are all part of teaching and coaching.
- When there is a problem don’t look at who to blame. All problems are opportunities for growth. You either give up or persevere on.
- Gossip – as soon as we enter into gossip about others we are going to our lowest common denominator. There is no such thing as negativity, just we all have different traits that when they do not match our belief system we tend to put that person down by either putting them in a pit or on a pedestal.
- Patience – Training to be a fully comprehensive teacher can be costly and time consuming. The same for recruiting clients and getting studio placements. Rome was not built in a day and if we look at junior doctors and their salary after five years. Pilates teachers can do pretty well in the long term.
- Risk – Running any sort of business is a risk, there are no short cuts in life. The business owner makes the investment and makes the financial commitment.
The above are just a few things I have learnt over the years. If you have any additional ones, do comment below.
