Pilates in the Park

Many Pilates in the Park events are held on Pilates day each year.  Why not make it a regular class?  There are groups that meet in public parks in New York, LA and Chicago on a weekly schedule during the summer, sometimes drawing hundreds of people!  If you’ve ever had a hard time going to your studio because you wanted to be outside…this could be perfect for you.

Considerations:

• Permits & Pricing: Check with the local Parks & Recreation department to find out if you need a permit, and whether or not you can charge a fee for the class.
• Organization: Make sure you specify in your advertising what you will provide and what the students are expected to bring, where in the park you’re meeting, and the start and end times.  There will be no clock, so expect late comers and people leaving early.
• Sound and Safety: Teach modifications for everything, and talk about common concerns.  As your group grows, enlist other teachers to assist in “crowd control.”    You may need to invest in a portable sound system to be sure everyone can hear you.

Schools

Schools present a plethora of Pilates opportunities.  Pilates for Kids is a hot new trend in the industry, and what you teach to the kids they will teach to their parents.   Offer to come in and teach a class during P.E., or do a workshop on stretching and cross training for a sports team.

Some schools have a community room where you could teach a class to parents the hour before they have to pick up their kids.

Finally, many schools and colleges offer community education programs as a way to both connect with the local community and raise funds for the school.  Tap into one of these already established networks and let the school handle the advertising and payment for you.

Considerations:

• Plan ahead: You will need to make arrangements through the school, which will likely include a background check.  Approvals may need to be obtained at both the local and district level and may take some time.
• Enlist parent-helpers: Kids and teens like to be silly.  It’s totally fine to have fun, just make sure they are being safe.
• Check out the equipment before you go: even if the school says they have mats, go ahead of time to make sure what they have will work.  Some schools refer to carpet squares as mats.
• Payment: If you are getting paid, it’s likely going to be less than what you make at your studio.  Remember that this is a community service but that some of these students may likely become students at your studio.

Now that we have covered the ideas to get out of your studio, and hopefully get some new faces to come into your studio, the following are ways to give back to the community:

Local Prison/Jail, Homeless Shelters and Half-way Houses

Many facilities offer a fitness center, and the people there are in the process of learning to make better, healthier decisions.  Learning Pilates can help them on their journey.

Senior Living Centers

Senior Centers are always open to new programming and volunteers, and this will be a great way to get your creativity going.  Can you plan a class for a group of folks with osteoporosis who can’t get on and off the floor?  It will be hard, but incredibly rewarding.

Community Groups

From Weight Watchers to Meet Ups to Running Clubs, there are many opportunities to tap into a clientele who may not otherwise try Pilates on their own.  A quick search on Google and MeetUp.com along with a stop in to your local running store should give you plenty of options.  Contact the group leaders and offer to come teach a class or give a talk on how Pilates can help with flexibility, weight loss, or overall fitness.

Considerations:

• Plan ahead.  It may take several months to implement a program after the first time you contact the organization, and you may have to complete a background check.
• Be prepared mentally: Have a positive attitude.  You may meet people in very depressing conditions, but they don’t need your pity.  They need your respect and help.
• Bring your equipment: You will likely need to supply all equipment and supplies you want to use.
• Know who you will be speaking to:  Review the group demographic with the leader before you prepare- a group of elite athletes is not going to benefit from hearing how Pilates can get them off the couch.
• Be prepared for questions.  You are there to impart knowledge.  If you get through a whole class, fantastic, but be prepared to be interrupted.
• Know your schedule: Bring cards and studio information, but also be ready to give options if they ask for you to be a regular weekly or monthly group leader.  Have an idea of what you would charge or if you would be willing to do it for free.
• Be committed.  Just because you may not be getting paid doesn’t mean they will be depending on you any less.  Treat it as any other paying appointment.

Hope these ideas give you a reason to spread the word of Pilates outside of your studio!


After working with thousands of clients from all walks of life, I’ve developed a unique teaching style that serves both the short-term client and the ongoing client. It uses a system of A-B-C vocabulary that is easy to remember and quite empowering for teachers and clients alike.

Here’s how it works. Begin cueing with A, then move to B, then move to C.

A = Anchor Point

These help us manage body mechanics. We anchor each movement to make it more efficient and effective. Example: arm movements need to be anchored at the armpit, so that the movement originates from the torso. Anatomically, this means the shoulder girdle sits in place, rather than shifting around, but it’s much easier to simply think, “What can I anchor with?”

Cue your clients on what body parts to use as an anchor for their movements, and you’ll notice them self-correcting when movements start to go amiss. Point out to them that in every exercise, the anchor points get stronger, as well as the working muscles, and you’ll see the light bulbs going off in their heads.

B = Body Geometry

This gives your clients clear pictures for creating proper body alignment. Everyone knows their shapes, like square and triangle; and basic directional prompts like, parallel and diagonal.

Use words like these to tell your clients how to orient their bodies, and they’ll quickly gain confidence in assessing how an exercise should feel . This new confidence often seeps into daily life as better body mechanics.

C = Comfort Options

These are the key to avoiding compensation patterns. We’ve all seen what happens to the clients who tough out holding their head up through a sequence of The Hundred before they’re ready – hello, Stiff Neck City.

Make comfort options a normal part of your teaching pattern – like offering a magic circle to support the weight of the head — and you’ll notice clients become willing to let go of the no pain/no gain mantra. The beauty of Comfort Options is that they encourage clients to work smarter, not harder.

Let’s put the ABC’s into action in three commonly-used Pilates Reformer exercises.

Knee Stretch Round

Assume a kneeling position with hands on the footbar, hips shifted behind the knees, back arched.

Knee stretch correct

Anchor Point Cues
• Scoop up the belly
• Draw your armpits toward your hips

When these two key areas stay engaged – the scoop and the dropped armpits – the work of Knee Stretch Round stays focused in the core, while strengthening the serratus. Let these anchor points go, and you’ll see the armpits open, throwing energy into the legs or shoulders, instead of the powerhouse.

Body Geometry Cues
• Focus on your Diagonal Line; that is what’s moving in this exercise
• One body part moves, everything else stays stable

The hips begin farther back than the knees, so you’re creating a diagonal line which will swing back and forth from the hip. Without this diagonal, clients can easily feel confused about how to make the carriage move, often mistakenly shifting the movement pattern into opening and closing the shoulder joint.

Comfort Option Cues
• While maintaining your upper body position, sit your hips back as far as you comfortably can.

Many clients have hip or knee limitations, yet they can still perform Knee Stretch Round. They can monitor and manage the position on their own, which empowers them to do the same in daily life. Nine times out of ten, it’s far better to modify a movement pattern than to eliminate it entirely.

Low Front Split

From Knee Stretch Round position, bring the right foot forward onto the footplate. Slide the left knee back, so that you’re in a runners lunge position. The hands stay on the footbar.

Low front split correct

Anchor Point Cues
• Scoop up the belly
• Allow your back leg to stay in a low diagonal

The action of pressing the front leg out is meant to be a hamstring stretch. To facilitate this, the quads of the front leg should engage, so clients need to power from quads. Avoid powering with the back leg; that’s an inefficient use of energy and it won’t stretch the hamstrings on the front leg.

Body Geometry Cues
• The hips stay parallel to the footbar.

The goal of Low Front Splits is to fully extend the front leg, to stretch the hamstrings. When the hamstrings are tight, the body may compensate by hiking a hip up to allow the leg to straighten. This is a sign of a compensating hip and can lead to SI joint issues. Use the Body Geometry cue to tell them when to manage their range of motion.

Comfort Option Cues
• Extend your front leg as far as it goes without losing your Body Geometry. If it doesn’t straighten today, simply be consistent with your practice. It will straighten in the future.

Comfort Options can also tell clients when their range of motion may differ from session to session.

Shaving

Sit cross-legged; bring your hands to the base of your skull. Keeping the spine straight, hinge at the hip to about 60 degrees.

Shaving on box

Anchor Point Cues
• Scoop up the belly
• Corset the ribcage; knit your ribs inward
• Draw your armpits toward your hips

The first two cues stabilize the torso. Drawing the armpit toward the hip stabilizes the arm movement. Cue this often, and your ‘ears by the shoulders ‘clients may find relief from neck tension.

Body Geometry Cues
• Extend your arm from elbow to finger tips; everything else stays stable
• Maintain your diagonal line; the torso should stay still as the arms move

The diagonal line from hip to shoulder to extended finger tips requires the deep abdominals to work to maintain stability. Lose your diagonal line in Shaving, and you’ll put un-do stress on the low back, while diluting the work that should be happening in the triceps.

Comfort Option Cues
• Sit tall when cross-legged, before beginning your diagonal hinge. If your waistband drops backward, that’s a sign of tight hips or hamstrings. Please use the long box, so that you can sit tall.

The hinge at the hips is a must, otherwise the body will compensate by rounding forward.

• If you’re 6 foot+, it isn’t necessary for your knees to come up by your armpits. Try adding a folded mat on top of the box, so your thighs can be parallel to the floor.

When we get the lower body situated comfortably, you’ll notice the movement pattern of Shaving improve dramatically.

The beauty of this teaching style is that it’s simple and easy to remember: A-B-C. For longtime teachers, you’ll find that you’re using the same cues you’ve always used, but you’re now categorizing them to create a logic pattern for your clients. For newer teachers, the system will help you remember what to communicate to your clients so that they have all the tools they need to progress in any exercise.

Christine Binnendyk was personally certified by Romana Kryzanowska, and is a master Pilates trainer at the Nike World Headquarters in Portland, OR. Her book, Ageless Pilates, features the ABC system and covers beginning and intermediate matwork. Find it at www.Ageless-Pilates.com and on Amazon.

One of the options in our industry is called TheShu. TheShu is a lightweight and comfortable slipper-like foot covering that is made in the Philippines. It is geared toward indoor sports to help with performance while maintaining a barefoot feeling. Their Athletic design, made of Lycra® or other similar fabrics, has a skid resistant sole. They also have an eco-friendly option, which uses Bamboo or Cotton and Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) for the non skid sole.

There are two styles, Athletic or Ballet. The Athletic is higher cut with a tapered sole, while the Ballet style has a lower neck and full-cut sole. For those who like more than basic black, both styles come in a fun, designer line featuring several different designs and colors.

TheShu is priced from $26 to $36. They are certainly worth a try if you are looking for something to cover your feet during Pilates or Yoga. Definitely check out the many options www.anabelfitness.com.

Most triathletes do not find their strength in swimming. In fact, most of these athletes started competitive swimming when they trained for their first triathlon. Learning to swim properly as an adult is more challenging than when learning as a child. Thus, there are some technique and form issues associated with the adult swimmer that regular Pilates training can benefit.

On a muscular level, core strength is essential to any swimming stroke. During freestyle, the stroke of choice for distance swimming, it important for the swimmer to have a generally strong trunk area. This will allow the swimmer to hold him or herself up along the surface of the water. Commonly, swim coaches find that inexperienced swimmers tend to drag their legs, causing the legs to sink during a swim workout.  “Swimmers need strong gluts and thighs to help with their kicking,” says Coach Ian O’Neil, head coach for TBay Swim Club in Clearwater, FL. “This gives them the strength they need to propel themselves. Most triathletes need work on their glutes.” Appropriate Pilates exercises for this issue would include any exercise that extends the hip with a straight leg (swimming, swan, prone hip extensions). Also, swimmers need to pay attention to the shoulder girdle. “Lats and shoulders are essential for the swimmer, this is where their power comes from”, says Coach O’Neil.  Because of the use of the upper body in the freestyle stroke, the latissimus dorsi is a largely recruited muscle for extension of the shoulder, the movement that propels the body through the water. Working scapular stability exercises as well as large “pulling exercises will greatly help benefit the swimmer. Also, teaching proper movement through the shoulder and its flexibility are very important. Some Pilates exercises for this issue include reverse knee stretch, long stretch, breathing, arm circles and chest expansion.

On a proprioceptive level, Pilates has huge benefits for the swimmer. First of all, it benefits breathing. As we all know, Pilates reinforces rhythmic breathing. While swimming, the athlete must be relaxed and allow his/herself to breathe on a pattern. Secondly, body awareness and focus. The swimmer needs to allow his/herself to connect arm movements to the core. This will enhance the hydrodynamics of their body. Awareness will help the swimmer to get extra distance for each stroke. During freestyle, it is essential for the athlete to support their body while reaching and rolling the body in the water. This takes a lot of trust in one’s body and ability. Thirdly, in terms of positioning, it is very important for the swimmer to release the neck and spine, and eliminate any muscle tension. This tension affects the entire body because the slightest mis-position of the head can cause the body to change it’s position in the water causing a tougher swim and a possible injury. The challenge is to remember the proper alignment one learns in Pilates training, and move it to the pool.

Proper swimming requires many of the same principles found in Pilates: breathing, grace, concentration, and flow. Participating in Pilates training can enhance the muscular and proprioceptive skills of the triathlete and take them to the next level in their competitions.

I arrived 4 days early prior to my “lessons” starting as a way to scope out the scene. That’s when I took a day trip to the nearby beach of Playa Hermosa just 5K away. I had heard about its beauty and uniqueness. I had no idea where to tell the cab driver to drop me off—so he picked a spot on the beach right near a smoothie bar that looked more like a Balinese hippie shack. Perfect! I took in a delicious “Energizer” smoothie full of ginger, orange, limes, carrot juice and apples.

As I lay on the beach, not having a clue of where I was, it felt surreal. There was something magical about this place. The waves looked intense and a little intimidating I must say and the black volcanic sand was super hot. There weren’t many people around, just a lot of beauty. Taking in the geography of the place, I noticed that there is beach on one side of the only road that goes through town populated with little beach cabin hotels and restaurants (no taller than 3 stories) and tropical rainforest met with a tall mountain on the other side of the road. When the intense sun got to be too much, I searched for some “shelter” and of course another smoothie. I found an internet cafe at the top of one of the tallest buildings in the 350 person population town, and decided to check out the view and cool off a bit. It was there that I spent another 3 hours, just mesmerized by the beauty of the beach, the power of the crashing waves and the tranquil vibe that can send anyone into an immediate “Pura Vida” attitude. It was here that I knew I found something special…

Well you know how the rest goes, once you stick around long enough, skip your return flight home and decide to make the big move and sell all your belongings from abroad on Craigslist (Yes, I will miss my beloved high ladder barrel, but I think I made some people really happy in Minnesota), the stars have to align just right and provide you with something that makes it all worthwhile.

I found that opportunity at Las Olas Hotel in Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica. They were not using the 2nd floor deck of their restaurant which overlooked the beach. It’s an open air rancho that receives terrific breeze and shade built out of the most beautiful wood in the world, Almond. The deck is large enough to host an 8 person class with room for the Cadillac I had hand built here. We host 3 classes everyday, offer chair massage and are really striving to educate the local and visiting surfers on how to better warm up their bodies and develop in-home Pilates routines for their own self study.

As soon as I approached the owners about the opportunity to rent their space, they had a group of 3 visiting Wave Hunter girls from California ready to take classes that next day. I had a deck, the beautiful environment, but no mats, no props- nothing. I ran all over the nearby towns in search of some mats and ended up finding bath mats! Yes, we did our first week of classes on small clips of “magic carpet”. We’ve since then imported (via two or more visiting trips back to the US through checked luggage) foam rollers, exercise balls, nice thick workout mats, springs, my Pilates Stick and a massage chair. We’re all suited up and professional now.

The target market, as I mentioned are surfers from all over the world. Their bodies are almost the exact opposite of a typical client accustomed to a desk, driving a car and many other positions that put your body in a slouched forward flexion. So it’s been interesting and positively challenging to create routines for these bodies used to so much extension in their lumbar and cervical spines.

Surfers, and especially our local population, often times think they can receive all the training they need from just being in the water. Because their lifestyle totally depends on the timing of the tides, to even begin to accommodate their schedules and convince them that they need additional training to be stronger in the water is a challenge. Our marketing and promotion in this case really needs to be focused on the tourists. The studio offers 3 ($80) and 5 ($130) day packages consisting of a combination of classes, massage and private training. But the question becomes how do you teach to a new body and give them an energizing workout in just one session?

We have found that quickly being able to assess the client’s coordination skills and what their body may need based on their previous activity can determine how to run the session. With each session, I want my clients to feel like they’ve been able to move their spine in all planes of motion, like they’ve been able to “turn off” their larger muscles and be challenged by smaller more deeply seeded movements and experience the spirit of the work by achieving a rhythm. We always start with asking how their bodies are feeling that day. We give the client an explanation of what Pilates means to us and what we want to accomplish in the session and then go into a few fundamentals from there. If they can take one or two things away from each session as a learning tool to better improve their quality of life (i.e. how they breathe, how they move their neck) then I know I’ve completed my responsibilities as an educator.

A private and a class are almost the same thing when you have spur of the moment scheduling, so we charge the tourists $15 per class or $30 per week/unlimited to encourage repeat business. The locals pay $50/month unlimited and their package also includes a postural assessment. This allows us to have one on one time with them to speak to their bodies strengths and weaknesses before entering a group class. If a local wants to try a class, the second one is free, the first and a la carte from there is $8 each. These prices, as you are probably thinking, are below market price, but with the achievement of getting them up on the deck to experience the work, we are able to cross sell our massages easily and those are $1/minute, much like a typical Pilates market price.

Word of mouth is and continues to be the greatest marketing asset. I try to walk around and visit with the hotel and restaurant owners and set up a time for them to individually experience our services. Another referral partner is our local surf camps. Often times, they are looking to add an extra activity onto their client’s camp schedule and also partner up with services that would complement their surfing.

I try to keep the studio bustling as often during the day as possible, offering surfers who are hanging out near the studio to try this or that stretch or allow them some time to play with the “toys” . . . foam roll those IT bands!!! This makes it attractive and less intimidating for those wanting to express their curiosity.

Many have been exposed to the idea that Yoga is the complementary workout to surfing, but Pilates also does a fantastic job of dynamically preparing the motor neuron connection and coordination for the speed in which they have to react when in the water. Many of our Pro surfing clients prefer to do the Pilates workout prior to surfing session.

If you are considering the idea of starting your own studio or program inside an existing space, I’d love to hear from you. I’ve done it several times in many different scenarios. The opportunities are abundant; all you have to do is access the will and desire to begin to launch your “dream.” I’m so glad I took the risk and I go home so satisfied knowing that every day’s small accomplishments are a big step in the direction for living my life in the way I want. With a small business, you have more of the control, less management obstacles and the ability to keep things simple. I stick to what I know and I sure have found that it’s lead me to amazing places and spaces. You can do the same!

I’m hosting a How to Start up Your Own Pilates Program Workshop in Playa Hermosa at the studio to train other instructors on how to strategize for their own implementations March 5th-10th 2010. Email me at bodyworkswell@yahoo.com if you are interested and I’d be happy to send you details about the all inclusive packages, starting at just $70/day. If March 5-10th doesn’t work for you, then we will arrange a few days that better suit your schedule. Pura Vida!

This video illustrates the Pilates Spine Twist exercise. This exercise is great for spinal rotation.

The Spine Twist exercise targets the transversus abdominis, pelvic floor, obliques and scapular stabilizers. Focus on maintaining abdominal contraction to prevent extension of the lumbar and thoracic spine. Maintain scapular stabilization and avoid ballistic movement. Modify this exercise by sitting on a towel or pad to assist with tight low back, hip flexors and/or hamstrings.

As a reminder, always consult your doctor for medical advice and treatment before starting any exercise program. If you should experience any pain or discomfort, please discontinue the exercise and consult your doctor immediately.