Helpful Hints on Choosing a Pilates Instructor
Pilates is not a type of exercise regiment that just anyone can learn over the course of a weekend or even a month. It takes extensive study and understanding not only of the human body, but also how it acts with certain movements. It can be rather scientific and definitely detailed and is not a matter of memorizing a few moves or routines. In fact, many Pilates certification programs requires hundreds of hours of instruction and study!
The first thing you should do is shop around for a few Pilates classes and see if any offer a free class so you can evaluate it. After all, you are investing time, energy and your efforts into bettering your health and body. You want to ensure your experience will make it all worth it. Before you take your first class, find out if the instructor is certified in Pilates. Keep in mind that a person can say they are certified but they might not have gone through the hundreds of hours of instruction. Ask the instructor for their credentials and see if they did indeed take a full program in Pilates. Find out where they earned certification and do you own research to ensure the entity indeed offers the full certification program rather than short quickie classes that you could earn over a few weekends.
When you attend your first class, observe the instructor. Do they take the time to welcome you and recognize that you are a new student or do they just clap their hands together and start the class? Does the instructor talk with you about your exercise and health goals? Do they ask you about any physical limitations or health issues that may require modification of movement? If they ask no questions of you and do not take the time to acknowledge you and your goals, perhaps you need to find someone else.
During your first class, can you understand what the instructor is trying to relay? Being confused the first few classes in Pilates is quite normal and the instructor should recognize this and provide good demonstrations of the moves as well as verbal instructions that are easy to follow. Pilates is rather unique and does not provide the same experience to all people. The instructor should make a point to be with each student in the class at least once during the exercise program. If they do not, perhaps you need to seek a slightly smaller class or an instructor that is more personable and caring of their participant’s experiences.
Does your instructor seem like they know what they are doing? Do they hesitate at any time while giving instructions or physically illustrating them? You want an instructor that appears confident, professional and knows what he or she is doing. This is especially true if you have any limitations that require movement modifications.
If you are new to the class, your instructor should take the time to visit with you afterward to ensure you enjoyed the class. They should be accessible for you to air any concerns or ask questions. In addition, you should not be in pain after the class but rather feel tired but good. If this does not happen, you may be doing something wrong. Your instructor should be able to guide you in this area.
Above all, your Pilates instructor should know their stuff. They should be very knowledgeable in modifying movement for special needs. Next, they need good customer service skills to ensure each participant is fully getting what they need out of the experience. If they cannot do this, you need to continue to shop around.
