Fitness Vs Rehab

When I first became a Fitness Trainer about a decade ago, my main focus was to make my male clients as muscular as possible and my female client as lean toned as I can.
Getting male clients to perform the exercise with maximum load in maximum range of motion while my female clients to endure hundreds of countless crazy repetitions till they could barely move.

So focused was I on that particular muscle group we were working on till I failed to realize how the rest of the client’s body was compensating to perform the exercise.
So please to see the machine/body moved from point A to B that I was totally unaware if the pelvis/scapular/spine is properly stabilized/supported with the quadrants to achieve that range of motion.
Forget about if the client was even breathing, as long as they complete the repetitions, they can breath later.

Meeting Ron and learning his work changes my life.

The first thing we learnt was Breath.
Breath?! I’d been breathing all my life, why must still learn how to Breath….???
Only then I realized I’d been breathing from a wrong place causing more tension and immobility.
We learn to use breath to initiate movement.
We use breath to lengthen and articulate spine/movement.
Breath is key the Fletcher technique.

How were we to know that simply finding Foot Centers will help us realigned our knees and hips, which will prevent/strengthen our knees/hips from injuries.
Wait till you hear about the Magnets and Bolts.
Ron’s life changing techniques allow us to use the body as a whole/team to execute a movement.
Focusing on full body commitment to stabilize the skeletal structure/spine/scapular/pelvis to cause movement.
Maximum range of motion are achieved without losing the integrity of skeletal alignment.

Pilates is a concept of movement that gives anyone the skill of being more aware of their body alignment and how they are moving.
We can use the concept of our Fletcher Pilates technique virtually in any forms sports or movements.
Instead of feeling tighter or heavier after a gym training, one will feel stronger but lighter & lengthened.
The 7 Standing & Centering cues will help runners/triathletes maintain correct posture and alignment, allowing them to run faster and lighter.
Ron’s Towelwork works miracles on swimmers who require a significant amount of shoulder stabilization yet not losing their mobility.

Many have viewed Pilates as a form of rehab.
Fletcher Pilates makes it more about movement. Functional movements!!!
☺

Fitness vs. Rehab

When I think about this topic and what it means to me, I remember something that I heard Ron say more than once...

"Teach what you know and not what you don't know".

For me, it comes down to this simple statement. As Fletcher teachers we are trained to teach movement, not to "fix" injuries or diagnose. We are not physical therapists nor should we pretend to be. When I get frustrated because I cannot figure out why my client is having pain or isn't improving despite their hard work and dedication, I go to a physical therapist and ask questions or send my client to the therapist to have a screening. It is a wonderful thing to have a pt in your circle of go-to people so that you can get professional, medical answers. I strongly suggest building a good repore with a pt in your community. A lot of times they will want to take sessions with you so that they understand Pilates and have a better idea of what it is you are doing with your client. It will also only help you grow as a teacher and Pilates student. I believe we must all be ok with looking in the eyes of a client and saying, "I am not a physical therapist so I cannot diagnose, but I know someone great who can.

Having said that, I feel there is a natural, rehabilitative quality that is the very foundation of the Fletcher work. I know we have all felt this time and time again. It is that "something" that attracts us to the work. It is nourishment for our mind, body, and soul. It is what keeps us in the work and differentiates Fletcher Pilates from various other styles. We have all walked into a Fletcher class feeling stressed from the day and the moment we begin to breathe, we feel centered and connected. This feeling is priceless and by no means an accident. Let us not forget the positive and powerful effect Pilates can have on us, our clients, and our community.

Teasers - marketing ideas

I've just returned from Body Mind Spirit Conference and must say that my body, mind and spirit are a bit tired!  That said, I am preparing to teach a Towelwork Teaser this coming weekend as continuing education for Pilates Instructors at a healthclub.    I think that this is an inexpensive, simple opportunity for Pilates instructors to get a taste of Fletcher Pilates. 

If you are a Pilates Instructor or Pilates Enthusiast that would like to know more about Fletcher Pilates, the Teaser is a perfect introduction to the Towelwork, Barrework, Floorwork, Spine Corrector and Matwork.  Contact info@fletcherpilates.com to find out when and where Teaser courses are happening in your area or to suggest a location in which to host a course.

If you are a Fletcher Pilates Facilitator or Faculty Member, this post is geared towards helping you market your Teasers. 

In booking this Teaser, I learned that most healthclubs have a budget for continuing education, however, most of this budget is used for the personal training department, simply because there are more simple options of continuing ed for personal trainers.  The budgets purpose is for employee retention and the manager I spoke with expressed a need to have courses gaged towards their Pilates Staff as well as their trainers.  

The Teaser is remarkably easy to teach, inexpensive and gives you an audience that you may not be exposed to otherwise.  Best of all - it's non comital.  What I mean is, the instructors just get an experience, which enables them to form an opinion of whether or not they want more information. I recently read that people are afraid of commitment to community because they feel that they may get caught in something that adds pressure to their life. Right now, time and money seem to be scarce for most people and we are all making decisions based on what will put the least amount of pressure on our schedule and our wallet.  The Teaser is simple and inexpensive - no pressure! 

The next time you teach a Teaser or speak to someone about the benefits of hosting a course, think of the Teaser as an "appetizer" to the "main course" - the licensing course!  Whet their appetites with 90 minutes of fun movement and leave them curious and wanting more info!  

We always say that a physical experience of this work is the best way to get others involved - so tease away!  

Looking for more detail? Contact me at jenna@heliosmovement.com.  Have a Teaser story you'd like to share? BLOG BLOG BLOG away!!

Teasers

I would love to hear how the Fletcher Teasers are proceeding around the country and around the world. Please tell the good, the bad, and the ugly. What has worked for you and what hasn't? What you would recommend and why?

Also, I wanted to throw this idea out there... If you do not already have something planned for Pilates Day on Saturday May 2nd, why not teach a Teaser? Pilates Day is meant to be a grassroots event. What better time to share Ron's root with others?

What inspires your clients to learn?

And how do they learn? Do you have clients who love to move very slowly with intent? Maybe they prefer a private so they can go deep inside and feel each movement. I am wondering if he or she is a kinesthetic learner.

How about the client who wants notes written for each movement...the person who wants to think the piece before they feel it... how would you describe that type of learning style?

Do your clients like to see a reformer piece demonstrated or would they prefer to hear you describe the breath pattern and movement?

And what style gives you the most joy? My favorite class is the one where keeping the flow is the thing. I want to see a fine teacher demonstrate a few pieces, as it is artful and inspiring to watch, yet keep the flow. Your thoughts?

Teaching....a challenging transition

I love talking to new teachers about that awkward moment when they had to get up in front of the class and actually lead a roomful of people through movement for the first time. Everyone has a different experience it seems, but one thing that holds true for all---it was an "out of body/mind" experience for at least some portion of teaching the class. We wonder if we cued the right things, called our right hand our left mistakenly, or even remembered to get in all the spinal mechanics during the class. In our program, we challenge each student to first get the work in their own bodies, (as Ron says, "into our bones"), memorize the material, and begin the transition of learning how to actually teach others this expansive body of work. Teaching is much more than just calling out "exercises" with a few helpful tips. We strive to go much further down that path. We have specific "teaching labs" in our program and a process in which we lead the student to become a teacher, but first, let's talk about what it means to teach. I would love to hear some short definitions of what it means to be a Fletcher Pilates teacher...anyone?

Program Overview

The Fletcher Program Overview is a "Prep School" if you will, to prepare you the student for entrance into the Ron Fletcher Program of Study. 

 You may wonder is it important and do you need it.  Well.......while we are not yet teaching teachers to teach, we are laying the foundation needed to become one.

The  Overview is just that, a 30 hour look and feel of the Level l syllabus, however, we are now asking the student to become a partner in the learning process. To become aware of your body,  its'  learning style,  to be self disciplined and to ask intelligent questions. In short............ an Overview of things to come.