Everybody has their reasons for enrolling in a 6-month Pilates teacher training program. One of our most memorable and talented apprentices (who just successfully GRADUATED!!) writes HER top 5 reasons why she loves her decision to learn to teach Pilates. Read on!
THE PEOPLE
From the CPNYC Faculty who run the Core Pilates Teacher Training Program here in NYC, to the amazing men and women you will learn beside to your future clients. I AM A PEOPLE PERSON! Nothing makes me more happy than being with an talking to people. To be able to share my passion for Pilates by leaning from, learning with and teaching other bodies Pilates I am more fulfilled each day! As a woman in NYC in my early 30’s, I was in a tough spot as many friends were slowly fleeing the city for greener suburbs.
Throughout my time in the Core Pilates NYC Pilates Teacher Training Program, I made 15 new best friends in my fellow apprentices who I know share common interests (400 hours observing Pilates classes, anyone!?) and I think will be a part of my life for a very, very long time to come.
THE BODY YOU GET
I have ALWAYS been #teamaniston! When I found out that Jen gives all the credit to the Pilates method for her Pilates Body, I KNEW I wanted in. I’m kidding (kinda). Throughout the Apprentice Program here at Core Pilates NYC we are required to take more than 25 classes at the studio.
The truth of the matter is, you get so addicted to the way it feels to do Pilates, 25 isn’t nearly enough and you find yourself going through the system 2-3 times in a day several days. I never knew how strong I could possibly be until I mastered the Intermediate system (still working on Advanced, it’s hard, y’all!) My upcoming beach body is not disappointed and none of my Tinder dates have been either 😉
CERTIFICATION AND THE THRILL OF ACCOMPLISHMENT
I LOVE goals. I LOVE education. I also remember on day one of my Mat Training Course leaving 100% overwhelmed by the day and crying to my parents about how I didn’t know how I would ever be able to know 1/4 of the knowledge I would need to know to teach The Hundred because there was SO MUCH!
Now, at the end of my Comprehensive Program, I am comfortable teaching SO MUCH MORE that just The Hundred. I am comfortable taking control of a room full of clients on reformers and getting them to listen to my words and move with me. I can adapt to special cases and challenging clients and a variety of working conditions. I often look back and think about the first day and how far I’ve come. THAT is something to be damn proud of, and I am!
THE ABILITY TO CREATE CHANGE
Joseph Pilates said: “You will feel better in 10 sessions, look better in 20 sessions and have a completely new body in 30 sessions.” And he’s right! For you, doing Pilates and as a gift from you to your clients – as a Pilates instructor you can be a creator of change! How cool is that? Do you know what else Pilates helps to change, in addition to your body? Your mind! One of the principles of Contrology is Concentration.
Joe designed the Pilates Method as a mind/body movement system before we were all living in the 2018 Mind/Body Wellness Age. He was quite ahead of his time. He believed that you could do things with your body by simply asking your body to do it (“curl up more”… use your mind to tell your abdominals and thoracic spine to move beyond where you *think* you can go.). He also created exercises like: breathing and running which allow the central nervous system to begin to regulate as you warm up or cool down within the system.
Do you know how important your CNS is?? (Another Blog for another time…). This is AWESOME! For anyone who suffers from ADD or Anxiety, which, hello this is NYC…, Without even realizing it, I promise if you are coming into your sessions ready to be present in the studio, before you know it your mind will have changed! What are you waiting for?
YOUR DATING LIFE (… but all your life)
I know I mentioned my Pilates Body and my Tinder dates before… but this has nothing to do with anything sexy time. This has everything to do with communication, conversation and even small talk. I used to go on dates and go to parties where I would be sucked into a vortex where I shared the same 5 talking points ad nauseam, eventually resorting to the weather, the Astros (H-town, baby!) or thinking to myself, ‘Good thing this date sucks, now I can leave early and go grocery shopping, score!’ Now, I have the ability to Pilates Nerd out and share my love of Pilates with everyone I know and meet.
The most common question you’ll get used to answering is “What is the difference between Pilates and Yoga?” But that’s just the gateway question to being able to share your wealth of knowledge and love of this method with everyone in your life (anyone who will keep listening, hehe). It has made me a more well rounded person and given me a new passion to delve deeper and deeper into on a daily basis. I am obsessed! A full on #pilatesnerd.
I am NEVER bored at a cocktail party now, because I’m likely the only Pilates instructor in the room and people love to learn new things. Some possible outcomes from your new Pilates knowledge could be: You finally connect with your spouse’s Boss’ wife, you are the most interesting person in the room at the cocktail hour at the wedding of your gay best friend’s friend where you previously knew no one, you convince someone to give Pilates a try for the first time (hello, convert!!), you ALWAYS have something interesting to talk about at Sunday brunch while all your friends are discussing their favorite breastfeeding pumps.
Finally, maybe you have dazzling conversation and sparks fly on your first day with your soulmate and future husband (still patiently waiting for that one…) but hey, it can’t hurt! 😉