Be All You Can Be

TEACHING TUESDAYS: giving our best to our clients

One of my favorite new Sunday activities is going to the Korean spa and indulging in a traditional body scrub. This Sunday I upgraded to the milk scrub and oil massage and experienced an epiphany as I lay on the massage table.  With my body in complete surrender to the vigorous and thorough treatment, I felt so grateful to my practitioner for providing total relaxation.  Relaxation is a rare occurrence in my life and I don't think she realized the extent of the gift she gave me.  I wanted to hug her and tip her all of the money in my purse.  I felt completely cared for in the capable hands of someone who was obviously committed to her work.  Who knows?  Maybe it was just pure routine for her.  But for me, that level of surrender almost induced tears.  I mean, what's taken me so long to take care of myself?

Okay, so Pilates is far from a relaxing massage experience. I hope we're not lulling our clients to sleep on the reformer.  But what I was reminded of on the massage table was that we we should never take for granted our opportunity to effect peoples lives through Pilates.  When we're committed to the art of teaching Pilates, we're helping people attain health, fitness and freedom of movement in their bodies.  That's an incredible gift!

After practicing Pilates for a long time, we sometimes forget how empowering it was to develop our own Pilates body.  Do you even remember you first experiences with Pilates?   Remember when doing the roll-up on the mat seemed like the impossible dream?  And now you're doing full teaser on the reformer.  Or, remember what it was like to live with chronic pain?  And now, after restoring your posture and creating muscular symmetry, you're pain-free.  Or, remember how you felt when you led a completely sedentary life?  And now you're strong and full of energy. The list of ways in which Pilates transforms lives is endless. 

Every hour we spend teaching our clients makes an impact on their progress.  On both our best and worst of days, we owe it to them to provide the best of what we have to offer.  We've been entrusted with something of great value (Joe's work) and have accepted the responsibility to pass it on to others.  I want my clients feel that their time training with me is specifically tailored to them, their needs and their fitness goals.  I want them to experience all of the benefits of Pilates; body, mind and spirit.  Let's collectively continue the legacy that Joe (Joseph Pilates) started by being the best possible teachers we can be.

Rock Your Powerhouse!

Kira