One-to-One Training

Often my profession as a Private Pilates Instructor and Corrective Exercise Specialist can be similar to other jobs that also work in private settings with a client or patient. I am a therapist, I am a counselor, I am a movement therapist, and I am a friend. I hold all these roles in different ways for different clients, depending on what they need from me. Each session is tailored to the individual based on their physical and mental state of the day, issues they are dealing with, previous or current injuries, and current fitness or wellness goals.

I take great pride in these different roles, finding the best way to be there for each individual client. If a client is in pain when they come into the studio, I want them to leave with lessened stimuli. If a client is stressed when they come in, I want them to leave more centered and calm. The best part of teaching is looking at the client after their session when they sigh and say how much better they feel. I can visibly see the stress or the pain release from their face and bodies.

Since that aspect of helping my clients means so much to me, often I have to take a step back and realize that their shit is still their shit, and it isn't about me. As a perfectionist and a sensitive person, I tend to take others' issues and absorb their feelings and place myself in their situation. However, as a teacher, as a guide, it's not about me. I need to be there for the other person, without inserting myself into their stuff. A movement practitioner needs to be fully present, fully centered with their client, but also needs to create a protective barrier, not one to be separated from the client, but one to protect herself in case it's too much for that particular moment.

This is one of the most important issues that I have learned over my time teaching privates, and it's not something that can be taught in teacher training programs. It takes time, maturity, and self-reflection to be able to separate ourselves, and not take our clients' issues personally. I still struggle with feelings of failure if the client still isn't motivated to do their home exercises, if they still haven't been able to improve their golf game or their pirouette, if they still haven't increased their strength and stability, and especially if their pain hasn't been mitigated.

The hardest part of private sessions is taking on the unique responsibility to try to help this person feel better. And the best part of private sessions is seeing this person improve in so many different ways. After a month of sessions, they don't have as much pain, they can walk farther before needing to sit down, a half-year later they can do a movement that seemed impossible before, and a year goes by and they suddenly realize they go through most days without even thinking about their injury. Quality of life improves, confidence improves, self-efficacy improves!

So what is the value in private sessions?

In a one-on-one session, the client is receiving tailored corrections in their exercises, the nuances that an automated class on an app or a group class won't necessarily be able to provide. As a private instructor I know my clients' habits, where they tend to tense, or where they will lose concentration, I know their goals, I know their injury history, so I can guide them while avoiding injury and to continuing to improve.

In private sessions, the client is receiving access to my education and specializations, understanding of the human body in movement, injury prevention, injury rehabilitation, and sport-specific training.

In comparison to all the amazing new home-technology in fitness and wellness that is emerging, private sessions give a human connection. We build rapport and connection, and the client knows they are in good hands, that we will take care of their individual needs. We take care of our client, customer, or patient. We remember what they like and don't like, we remember their families, and stories about their kids and pets. This connection, personalization, and private access occur both in person and through TeleFit sessions such as virtual meetings.

What is the value of a gym or studio space?

The benefit of going to a space to train with a personal trainer changes the mindset and gets the person motivated and ready to train. It is easy to get distracted at home, continuing to take care of chores and responsibilities. At the studio, it automatically creates an environment of concentration and presence for the session.

During this current time of physical distancing for COVID, we aren't able to access our normal gyms and studios, so we are teaching and working out and training from home. The option to be able to continue to do this from home is immensely beneficial to both the practitioner to continue teaching clients, and to the clients to continue their fitness or corrective exercise routines.

While we are stuck at home, we can create this space within our homes. Pick a room, or a corner of a room where you keep your sneakers, yoga mat, or weights. When you go into that corner you know you are going to work out or do your physical therapy exercises, creating that movement mindset. When you're in your corner, you don't have to pick up phone calls, you don't have to clean the floor, and you don't have to do chores. Designate the amount of time you will be there whether it's 10 minutes, 30 minutes, or an hour, and tell the people you live with that it's time you need to be undisturbed. It might still be complicated with little kids, and setting up your space to workout, but you're already there. There isn't any traffic to use as an excuse, so use that extra time that would be normally used for traffic and parking to get into your workout corner.

Let your teacher guide you, and take the time in your space for you.

Do what moves you!