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Teaching a Group Pilates Mat class
Posted by Body thinker on August 2, 2008
by Lesley Powell
Teaching a group class is a totally different experience than teaching privates. It can be very exhilarating, but frustrating with teaching a multi-level students. Coming up with a structure is very important to keep the flow.
A beginning teacher’s mistakes is trying to give too much information and stopping the flow of the class for too much perfection. Remember everyone has different learning curves. For some, just learning the choreography of the exercise is hard enough.
I am going to teach how to teach breath into an exercise as an example.
- Establish first the exercise and the rhythm of the exercise.
Inhale for 5 counts, exhale for 5 counts
Repeat the set 3-4 times before adding another cue. - Place your hands on your belly.
Inhale and widen your back ribs, exhale and narrow your lower abs towards your navel.
Repeat the set 3-4 times before adding another cue. - Inhale and widen your back ribs, exhale and narrow & SINK your lower abs towards your navel.
Repeat the set 3-4 times before adding another cue. - Inhale and widen your back ribs, exhale, narrow, sink & LENGTHEN your lower abs towards your HEAD.
Repeat the set 3-4 times before adding another cue. - Add this breath rhythm to thigh lift. Repeat the set 3-4 times before adding another cue.
Add this breath rhythm to single leg stretch. Here in the picture are 3 levels of single leg stretch.
Now that you establish the principle of breath and the use of the abdominals. Pick up the speed and related it to other exercises. When someone is not getting an exercise, I either let it go to the next time or …
This is your homework to practice.
For real change to happen, a student must take responsibility about their bodies.
Lynda Lippin said
Great article! I teach at least one mat class 6 days a week at Parrot Cay and I never know who will come. I have taught entire classes in neutral/extension when guests with osteoporosis are present. Sometimes guests will come consistently for 2 or 3 weks and sometimes only once. Add to that the fact that some people have never done Pilates before and some people are highly experienced, and many don’t speak english–it’s a challenge every single time! My favorite class is on the beach–the sand is soft enough to mold people’s spines yet hard enough to offer support, and the water is just beautiful!
Beth Begelman said
I teach mat only once a week but do find that every class presents different challenges based on who attends. I also teach in a resort so I really never know who will show up and how experienced or inexperienced they may be in Pilates. I totally agree that for any student to make progress, they must take responsibility for listening and learning the exercises correctly. I love some of the cueing that Lesley uses in the article, thanks for the tips!
melissa said
: )
I feel frustrated at the aerobics-type mat class experience where everyone is doing the same work, and no one is really ‘doing’ the Pilates Method. Eve Gentry said you can know every Pilates exercise and still not know Pilates. I agree completely.
In my mat classes I educate. My students are not in my class for a ‘work out’ they are there to learn how to do and deepen the Pilates Method on their own. My goal is always helping my students be able to understand the Method well enough in their own unique bodies that they can go to any class and have a good experience, or do it on their own.
I sometimes have students grouch at me that they want to go faster in the work, but I politely point out this is a practice, something to cultivate over a life time, and not to rush into, as they are best off creating good movement patterns from the beginning, and not have to reset poor patterns later.
Cheers : )