I've taught Pilates for over 20 years now. I've always taught one-on-one as I believe that that is where the client can get the optimum benefit of what Pilates has to offer. However, life has guided me to offering group classes as well, and while I resisted for a long time, I now love teaching them. It is for this reason that I am putting my thoughts into this article.
Group Pilates classes are fantastic from the perspective that there is community feeling, it's always good doing something in a group, there is laughter shared, and friendships can form. It is also usually much kinder on the budget than private pilates sessions are. Where the problem comes in with a group class is where a client presents with an issue that should really be approached in one-on-one sessions. Pilates is highly respected and recognized as being the go to exercise modality for back pain, neck pain, stiffness, injury rehabilitation etcetera etcetera. But this could present a problem where a client does an exercise in a group class that could be detrimental to his or her particular symptoms or posture. Not all clients disclose that they have a niggle, or a neck or shoulder problem and this can pose a problem for the instructor who is doing an exercise which could help in strengthening that particular physical issue but could equally aggravate a weakness that has been longstanding. Many good Pilates instructors are trained in adapting an exercise to suit a client - so for example if a client in class has a frozen shoulder or a rotator cuff injury, she is obviously going to be directed to not do that exercise and a stabilizing exercise would be suggested instead. It is human nature though to want to work through pain and discomfort so very often participants in a class will be brave and they will push through discomfort. The upshot of this is that after the session very often they will be in pain and then the Pilates session or even worse, the instructor is to blame. But – some Pilates moves are just not good for certain backs, hips or spinal conditions and this is always best addressed in a private session.
I have had classes where there has been a frozen shoulder, a sciatic nerve impingement, and a case of plantar fasciitis all in one group. That entails a tremendous amount of awareness on my part and modifying exercises for the clients because my first and foremost motto in Pilates is – first do not harm!
Where I am meandering with this topic is to the point that before embarking on a group Pilates session, rather consider doing a minimum of 4 private classes with your instructor. She will point out poor movement patterns and areas of weakness that you may not be aware of and teach you how to work with these so that you get maximum benefit from your Pilates classes. And, I would even venture to suggest that every few months perhaps, you schedule another couple of private classes with her because bad habits can creep in even with all the best intentions. Learning to breath the “Pilates way” is also so important as our breathing patterns can have an enormous impact on how we perform our exercises but also on the health of our bodies and posture. The diaphragm is after all one of the main players in stabilizing the back. But more on that in another article.
When should you do private sessions? When you have been seeing a physiotherapist or chiropractor for a serious pain, when a diagnosis of a postural anomaly has been given, and where suboptimal breathing and postural patterns exist. Trust your physio to direct you appropriately. Where are group classes acceptable? In instances where there is no pain or degeneration in the spine that you are aware of, where a physical therapist or doctor has given
to go ahead, and when you are aware of how you move your body and have a relatively good postural awareness.
Dial-a-Physio physiotherapists are the go-to guys for rehab, recovery, and strengthening post-surgery or injury and they will advise you as to when it is time to begin a journey into the wonderful world of Pilates. And I as an instructor with more than 20 years’ experience am excited and happy to guide you on your Pilates adventure.
