Pilates Workshops Outside Pilates

Once I finished my first comprehensive Pilates training I knew that I had so much more continuing education in front of me. I had learned 600+ hours of Pilates but my teaching and eyes were still young.  At the time there was not much (if any) online Pilates education. So, whenever I saw a workshop in my area I was there. About a year into my teaching,  two conferences, and five workshops later I took a pause on small workshops and signed up for a master’s training program. Then after that, I was accepted into another master’s program with a student of Joseph Pilates Jay Grimes.

I will admit I took a lot of continuing education. And, possibly a little too much. But, after I switched to the master’s programs I became pickier about all of my continuing education and funneled it towards what I love to teach and now it helps me for what I am known for as a teacher.

As I mentioned above, when I first started taking continuing education workshops I took whatever was in town. Then I realized I needed to understand what I already knew better. My first master’s program at The Pilates Center helped me do that. A couple of years later and post a broken leg I wanted to learn Pilates for my body more. This has helped my teaching tremendously.

When I talk to new instructors I encourage them to take continuing Pilates education. You don’t always or even have to know what your niche or interests are from the get-go. The clients you attract will help you figure out what you need to know more as a new teacher. Then as a more experienced teacher, you may find yourself searching for specific workshops, maybe even Pilates workshops outside Pilates!

Pilates Education

5 Benefits of continuing your Pilates education

1. Inspiration: it’s easy to get stuck in a “walk-of-the-same” and forget ALL the options we have as Pilates instructors. Plus, after teaching clients re-learning some of the basic exercises can be eye-opening and make you want to dive back into them with more zest!
2. Networking: Growing your Pilates teacher friendships is key to growing as a teacher. Even if these friends become virtual friends and live distances away. The friendships I have made from my two master’s programs have given me some of my best friends in life. And, it’s easy to feel alone in your studio, like you’re the only one going through what you are going through. But, then you reach out to your Pilates buddies, and wah-lah you are supported and encouraged.
3. Nicheing out: You don’t have to be the master of all the things Pilates. You can become the best Pilates teacher for one type of client or get super known for a specific group of humans. And while niching out may feel like you’re saying no to future clients it actually allows you to attract your ideal client and become super known for that. Still, worried? Check out my Becoming Known and Attracting New Clients courses.
4. Ah-ha Moments: ever wonder why an exercise exists? Or, maybe you just never “got it” during your training. So you find yourself avoiding teaching it and doing it. A workshop can break it down for you and you get to enjoy ah-ha moment after ah-ha moment!
5. Find a mentor: I have had a couple of mentors in my Pilates career now. All came from taking a workshop from them that lead to me taking regular sessions with them. You will never know all there is to know and that should feel good! But, that doesn’t mean you stop learning. By having regular sessions with an instructor that inspires you your education will grow even more and you don’t have to wait for a workshop to be scheduled to do that! I know, I spoke about the importance of having a teacher already this month but had to remind you!

Your Checklist

Before you run out and sign up for more continuing education let’s have a checklist for you. Recently in an episode of Pilates Unfiltered with Jenna Zaffino, she mentioned that you might wait on signing up for the workshop about the “big toe” if you haven’t spent the time to learn and use what you already know. And, I completely agree with her. I don’t want you to overdo it and then feel broke and confused.

1. Will this workshop help deepen what you already know?
2. Is this course going to help you teach the clients you have?
3. Do you already have (or have access to) the equipment this workshop is on?
4. Have you used the information from your past education yet?
5. What’s your why? Have you taken the time to ask WHY you want and need to take this workshop? Does the answer pass questions 1-3?

Now that you are ready to take some continuing Pilates education where should you take it? And with whom? Well, the beauty of continuing education today is that you can go to a conference like the Pilates Method Alliance in October, Momentum Fest in June, workshops in your area, or even online! Pilates Anytime has great online workshops and I’ll be streaming a webinar this week on elevating your Pilates business. Plus, there are courses that are on my website here for whenever you are ready.

Not sure who to take from? Check out PilatesAnytime’s classes. If you like how a teacher teaches look them up and see when they are teaching a workshop next. Maybe you make a Pilates vacation out of it.

And finally, as I mentioned above you can also challenge yourself and continue your education outside of Pilates. I take Khmer, Spanish, and Comedy classes. All have helped me in my Pilates teaching (even though that wasn’t the original goal). The point is that teaching Pilates is amazing, how it affects each body is unique and how you see Pilates in a body is unique to you. Continue to expand your mind and your abilities and you’ll enjoy teaching Pilates for years to come and you’ll be able to continue to grow and challenge your clients for years.

xx~LL

PS

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