We shared another article on the FB page that admittedly was likely going to cause a bit of a controversy. It offered opinions related to a Pilates instructors fitness level. It also for some suggested that preconceived notions were determined based on that instructors appearance.
Here are some excerpts from that piece beginning with the title.
Why are so many Pilates teachers out of shape?
From there the follow was written.
This subject is an important one to cover and a sensitive one as well so I’ll try to be as delicate as possible in dealing with this material.
I have noticed in my years of doing Pilates that many teachers are out of shape. Some of them would be considered clinically obese. Is this a problem? Let’s first examine some details.
Additional commentary included…
My experience has let me to witness that many Pilates teachers have a wide range of body types. A popular online Pilates website which offers great content, host many teachers from around the world and is formatted in a really easy to use way, has allowed me to observe this phenomenon of the out of shape Pilates instructor. These teachers are often super well prepared and amazing in their knowledge of the body. I have learned a lot from watching them and I don’t discredit their skills. They have often been teachers for many years if not decades but they are simply not in good physical shape. How does physicality play a role in the continuing preservation of the Pilates method?
And..
I understand that there are many reasons why people do Pilates, some just to feel good, others to recover from injuries or chronic pain, others to get fit. So within the scope of clients, of course I am not biased in any way regarding who wants to do Pilates, for me it's an open door. But in a way, when I see a teacher that is overweight, weak, stiff and generally out of shape I feel like that person doesn't truly embody the spirit of Pilates.
Looking back to the archival footage, You’ll notice that while Joe walked around all the time bare chested and muscled up, Clara on the other hand was always dressed in basically a nurses gown. She was always covered up and had a body type that was within healthy standards but was not “fit”. She was an amazing teacher supposedly but I have never seen one picture or video of her working out. This is what I believe to be the root of the division between two factions of Pilates teachers. The teachers who practice the method themselves and the ones who teach theoretically. The ones who are “Joes” and the ones who are “Claras.” As a Pilates teacher, who do you associate yourself with more?
Hopefully this can lead to a dialogue that can benefit us all.
The article can be read in its entirety here https://medium.com/@JonathanMedros/why-are-so-many-pilates-teachers-out-of-shape-6f40952208c#.vhwi6mzxu.
We wanted to share the article on the FB page in an effort to assist in creating the dialogue referred to by the writer. Our wonderful Pilates Pals did not disappoint. Here are some of the comments that were provided below as part of that effort.
Ada Wells - Body image is not equal to movement ability. What is the focus of Pilates? Everyone has different goals, but it comes down to optimizing movement, and this can be achieved by all shapes and sizes.
I see extremely "fit looking" people who are terrible movers (just watch cross fit games) and then there are my 70- year old grandmas who are soft looking but have amazing self-awareness and can nail the form with greater ease than the "fit looking" one.
I agree that Pilates teachers can start neglecting themselves, particularly if they are studio owners or other time challenges. However, that isn't obvious just on taking a cursory scan around the room.
Lindsay Hanner - Mary Bowen has covered this extensively in her workshops. Speaking for myself - my clients begin at 4:45 am some mornings and often continue back to back until 8 pm. Their workouts do not belong to me - they belong to them, and I would not have it any other way. Watching their form and cueing correctly is far too important than providing them with a workout buddy.
At the end of the day, I've given everything I had to my clients and not myself. From Mary's perspective, this is a psychological trait that has long dominated the female demographic. We are givers, often to our own detriment. Pair that with the profession we have chosen, and we are very much at risk of allowing ourselves and our own bodies to come last while putting everyone else first. Then combine that with the responsibilities we have outside of the studio - children, T-Ball practice, relationships, family, community involvement, heck - just doing laundry is an all day activity at times in my house!
I've noticed that certain times of the year produce a flurry of new clients - such as January - keeping me very busy providing for them and not busy enough providing for me. These times are my "out of shape" times. Other times in the year, I'm working with other instructors or advanced clients more, providing me with more opportunity to work out. These are my "in shape" times.
I'm not advocating for that approach at all - I'm consistently seeking balance in my own practice and life. I'm working on it now by participating in additional training for myself and by training other instructors so I can have more time for myself. But I think it's important to note that I LOVE the fact that Pilates is not one size fits all. Having a perfect body is not the goal in my studio - having a balanced, healthy, strong, pain-free body with longevity and good posture is the goal. And that looks different for everyone.
I also honestly believe that I attract more individuals to Pilates by embracing my own imperfections than I ever would by being perfect 365 days a year. In the end, it's wonderful that we have so many different body types representing our art - I love this dialogue, and thank you for sharing!
Risa Mathews (www.boditreepilates.com) - Fascinating yet entirely unscientific, undocumented, and an op piece. It doesn't take into consideration the breastfeeding teacher, the injured teacher, the teacher in cancer treatment, or the teacher recovering from emotional trauma. The difference is between performers and educators, and to judge a teacher by his or her physique is rather stereotypical, base, and low brow. There are my 2 cents. Everyone has a story, but not all super buff beauty queens can teach well! This is a good dialogue to have, thanks for sharing!
Screen shot Image courtesy of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2rDq9gljKc
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