The Student Blog

My daughters are in gymnastics. It’s a great sport and they work really hard at it, but as with all other sports, they need Pilates as well. They need concentration, control, centering, precision, flow… you get the picture. I asked the coach to do a Pilates class with one of the teams to teach them the importance of centerline and the critical connections.

They all had watched the Olympics, and were very impressed. I told them I had noticed the upper body stabilization on the Olympic gymnasts – Scapula and rib connection – especially on the beam.

PPS-II served as my focus for the Level 7 and 8 girls I worked with. My intro was short – I told them I wanted shapes in space from them so that when we went through the PPS-II mat series they could easily tell me when they used “Rolling like a Ball.”

In back and front tuck, the girls noticed how important the heel-seat connection was. I taught them how opposition stabilizes, and how to get all the critical connections. It was quite interesting. They did really well, but they thought it was hard! The Scapula rib connection was something they all needed, and they all had trouble with. Ribs popping everywhere. Surprisingly, they found leg pull back difficult, because most of them were tight in the chest area. They really needed that one, too.

I believe the team would benefit from doing Pilates once a week as a part of their strength and flexibility program. Even as an instructor, I learned a lot from the girls. I hope to do it again soon

Keep scooping!

- Torill Carroll

I recently went to a cocktail party and during the evening I noticed a woman who is all too familiar to people in the exercise world:  she was rake-thin, very ripped, too tanned, too blonde, and with dreadful posture. She looked older than her years and she was clutching her martini like an old crone. She told everyone that she spent at least two hours at the gym daily and that she was phenomenally fit! Looking at her I thought how pathetic it was that she had such a rounded, evidently stiff back with all those workouts. The words of Jo Pilates: “You are as old as your spine,” jumped to mind. Upon hearing that I was a Pilates instructor, she said disdainfully: “Oh, I tried Pilates…. did nothing for me!”  

The reason I mention this encounter is that this is a precise indication of a certain type of personality. Would one ever try and persuade this type to try Pilates? Of course not! This person may evolve with time, or may develop injuries which will force them to seek out Pilates, but until then it would be too exhausting to try and change their mind-set.

When it comes to clients with backache, it is important to identify the kind of personality and/or the presence of a certain mind set. This will largely affect your approach to this client in order to obtain full cooperation.

For those of you who are not experienced with teaching clients with backache, I will briefly mention the criteria which govern your decision to take on clients with backache:

• Has the pain been investigated medically?
• Were diagnostic procedures performed and has this client received a diagnosis?
• Has the client received physical therapy and/or had surgery?
• What else have they tried in the past and how did these alternatives work?
• Has the client received permission from the medical practitioner to exercise?
• What is the level of pain currently?
• What movements cause pain?
• Which movements, if any, bring relief?
• Have they done Pilates before?

If you, as an inexperienced instructor have any doubt at all, refer the client out to another Pilates teacher who specializes in backs. We all have to start somewhere, so watching the more experienced teacher would be a good beginning to gain knowledge and confidence.

Following the questions above, your ability to assess what type of back pain ‘personality’ you are dealing with, is of paramount importance. People with backache, real or imagined, sometimes require delicate handling. Emotional factors and stress are the major causes of flare-ups and it is important to understand where that particular client is coming from. Fortunately the majority of clients with backaches are just so desperate to lead a pain-free existence that often they make the most diligent clients. But then there are the exceptions and I am sure that experienced instructors have encountered precisely the following types of personalities and could add to these stereotypes.

The Complainer:

This is a client who will tell you that they are in constant pain and nothing has helped so far. Upon further questioning, you discover that the client has usually not had a formal medical investigation such as an MRI study or even an X-Ray. In some cases they may have consulted only a primary care physician many years ago. Most of them may have tried a chiropractor, a massage therapist, acupuncture, reflexology, Yoga, Pilates and every new exercise fad under the sun.

My advice is that you insist that they see a medical specialist who will decide whether this client needs further investigation. The reason why I stress this is as follows: it would stand to reason that anyone who is in so much pain would have made the effort to see a specialist. The fact that they make excuses, like they have no time, or they have accepted someone’s lay diagnosis, means that they are not in such severe pain. They avoid a formal medical investigation because it suits them to complain. They want sympathy and attention. Whatever you do will never be good enough.

As a Pilates instructor, you cannot work in the dark. If the medical investigation reveals nothing serious with no underlying pathology, you are effectively removing the enigma that the client has been using as an excuse. If the medical investigation exhibits some serious pathology, then you have done the client and yourself a huge favor. Faced with the medical revelation, this type of personality will be forced to rethink their approach to exercise. They may not like the fact that you have stripped them of the veneer which has defined them and that the onus is on now them to take responsibility for themselves. Some will try and move on from it, but many will just use the same old ruse with another teacher.

The Needy:

This is a client who wants you to ‘cure’ them all on your own. Typically they have had sessions with a physical therapist and nothing has helped their back pain since.

Upon questioning, this client will tell you that since they were given permission to exercise, they have tried one or more Pilates teachers without success. This raises a red flag immediately.

My first question is always: “Show me the exercises that your physical therapist and/or the Pilates instructor gave you to do.”
Invariably they will say that they cannot remember or that they stopped doing them because they didn’t help. This is a clear indication that they were not prepared to work on their own.

At this point it is wise to contact either the physical therapist or the previous Pilates teacher (or teachers) and hear what they have to say. I guarantee that either the client never persevered with the previous Pilates sessions or that the client was not prepared to apply themselves. Now that you have a clearer picture of the type of personality you are dealing with, you can make the decision whether you want to persevere with this client because it will take a tremendous amount of energy on your part.
First, the client has to understand that there you cannot ‘fix’ their back nor can you provide a cure. The onus is on the client to do the required exercises at home and be mindful of posture in their daily life.

I spend the entire first session with fundamentals and some introductory exercises but the emphasis will be on writing out and even drawing the exercises which they must do daily on their own. I keep it very simple and only give 3 exercises to start. We will discuss sleeping, sitting, working postures and I check several times that they understand their home tasks.

On the next visit, immediately ask them to show you their exercises. If they tell you that they did not have time or that they have lost the piece of paper with the exercises, you will know exactly with whom you are dealing.

These clients give Pilates and the instructor a bad reputation. Being forgiving and ultra- patient with this personality is ultimately a waste of time as it drains the teacher’s energy. This client wants everything on a plate and unless you can change that attitude, you will never succeed.

One client did make a concerted effort after I refused to continue with her. Another one made some progress after I gave her a very firm lecture. If one can convince this type of personality from day one that only hard work and dedication will provide relief, you may have a chance.

The Know-it-All:

This client will claim to know everything there is to know about their pathology. They will have diligently researched whatever their specialist told them and will regard themselves as an authority on their condition. They will tell you in great detail about their particular case using all the medical terms and then proceed to tell you exactly what YOU can and cannot do!
A more inexperienced Pilates instructor might very well be intimidated by this spouting of knowledge. As a physical therapist, this personality makes me want to smile inwardly.

First, they take themselves so seriously and half the time they mispronounce things and confuse the terminology! However one has to admire their dedication to researching their condition, even if it may be totally misunderstood! Secondly, they want to be in control and plan their own session, quoting all and sundry on what movements they should and should not be doing.
If one tries to proceed as one normally should with a lower back problem, you will find that they have pre-programmed themselves to resist certain movements before they have even made an attempt. They will be allowed to feel that they have the upper hand and you will be pandering to them forever.

So, how exactly does one deal with a ‘Know-it-All’? It is essential to go through the entire list of questions I mentioned earlier and establish that they have been given permission to exercise. Also check that there are no movements that are contraindicated by the medical practitioner.

I always allow the ‘Know-it-All’ to ramble on so they get everything off their chests and then I tell them that our combined job is to strengthen the core with whatever means we have, working within the pain-free range.  

Then, you proceed with almost exaggerated caution. This type of personality reacts well to rules and regulations. They like perimeters. This immediately instills trust, and you, as the instructor, effectively take control and negate their preconceived ideas. Again, you will address the “do’s and don’ts” related to posture in their daily life in great detail and follow through conscientiously with each session.

One would be equally as thorough with every client, but with the “Know-it-All” one’s tone should be a tad more dictatorial. Because they were energetic about researching their particular pathology in such detail, you will draw on this same commitment to get them involved in managing their back issues.

I hope this will give new teachers some insight. I think it is important not to blame yourself or feel that you have failed certain clients with back issues, due to their personalities. There are many success stories out there and wonderful clients with back issues who progress and manage their back conditions admirably. But there are also those odd personalities which require quick recognition… and as always, knowledge is power!

- Sonjé Mayo

When I started PPS-I, the order seemed hard to remember. Some Pilates studios have the order posted on the wall. We don’t. I had to memorize it of course. I do not believe in cheat sheets.

Now, however, I am doing PPS-II and again the order has changed. This is how I did it. I hope you find it useful as well:

The foot work is the same. So is the Hundred. Short Spine Massage comes next. When the springs need to be changed I know that there are three new exercises after that. Coordination, easy to slide the straps of your feet into your hands, it flows. Then the two posture exercises: Shave the Head and Hug a Tree follow. L Long box, S Short box, L Long stretch and S Stomach massage.

The last exercise in the Stomach Massage is Twist, next "T" is Tendon Stretch. I can easily remember Semi-Circle and the next the exercises ending with Corkscrew. After Corkscrew I am HOME. The familiar Frog and Leg Circles feels so good. Knee stretches, Running Pelvic lift, still familiar moves we are still home, then the stretches, Shine like a Star in your Side Split. Finish with Front Split and Forward Lunge. As soon as I remember the series, I also remember the new exercises added to it.

So just remember: L,S,L,S in PPS-I and the opposite in PPS-I: S,L,S,L.

I will visit a gymnastic team this weekend teaching Mat II for Level 7 and 8 girls. I will write about that next time, so until then...

Keep scooping!

- Torill Carroll

NOTE: The following piece was written by Torill Carroll. Torill is a fitness instructor at Lifetime Fitness in Houston and is currently working toward her PPS-II certification. Peak Pilates has recently invited Torill to contribute a student/instructor blog to the Community. If you are interested in contributing a blog, please e-mail ali@peakpilates.com.

Driving home from work the other day I saw a little girl jumping on a trampoline. She was about two years old. I wish I had a camera at that moment. The joy in her face was indescribable. The joy of movement. That’s why I love the Peak PilateSystem so much, it’s a movement system.

I am certified PPS-I and just started PPS-II with Melody Morton at The Good Space in Houston. The first weekend we sure did move, Melody had us scooping from morning ’til night!

PPS-I is a great system, the way it builds on PPS-II, shapes in space, reasons for the order, the way some exercises turns into more complex moves, it all make so much sense.

Getting back to the trampoline, I see the same joy in my clients’ faces when I put them on the jump board… they can fly! It does not matter if you are a beginner or a novice, tall or small – this system works for everyone. All of my clients love the airborne feeling.

There are so many great exercises in PPS-II where you can feel the same way, Airplane (especially if you put the springs up high) Tower and Shoulder Roll Down. These exercises are advanced, but it gives you a great feeling of being lifted, getting the hip up, and being in control.

I look forward to sharing with you through this blog. Feel free to contact me if I can be of any help to you.

Keep Scooping!

- Torill Carroll

As I continue to deepen my understanding of classical Pilates, I am continually delighted and amazed at how applicable what is learned in the studio can be applied directly to our daily lives. There are obvious physical benefits such as being centered and focused during a reformer session that translate into becoming more centered and focused at work or initiating from the powerhouse during leg work on the chair and applying directly to digging in the garden. These are examples of the many physical benefits however as we progress in our Pilates practice we also become aware of the emotional, psychological and spiritual benefits as well.

For me, one of the many benefits that set the classical approach apart from others was the attention given to transitions - the movement between the movement. This concept had a profound impact on me immediately because I saw how relevant it was to live a happier and less stressful life. In my view, it's not the daily routine that can cause stress so much as the transitions we are constantly making in between our daily routine. Although it is difficult to move through transitions 'with grace and control' it is certainly an invaluable skill. It can also translate into the bigger transitions we all face whether it be a new job, new partner, new location, etc.

For many of us in the Pilates community, a rather challenging transition is the one from instructor to studio owner which entails a whole new set of additional skills which all small business owners face. And for many of us who are just starting out, we are switching between teaching, receptionist, marketer, janitor and then back to teaching - not to mention the transition at the end of the day when family and household responsibilities become a priority.

Just as the transitions between the mat routine and a reformer workout create greater elegance and flow, it's this same ability to seamlessly transition through each of the movements we perform throughout our day that determines the overall quality and enjoyment of that day. Transitions become the unifying thread that ties the seemingly disconnected into a more organized series of experiences that we flow through.

Embracing transitions is just one more example of how to apply the seamless flow within our Pilates repertoire into all the movements of our daily lives.

- Allison McPherson

NOTE: The following piece was written by Mary Lyon. Mary is currently a PPS-I based in LaGrange, Illinois and is on her way to beginning her PPS-II. Peak Pilates has recently invited Mary to contribute a student/instructor blog to the Community. If you are interested in contributing a blog, please e-mail ali@peakpilates.com.

Gee, where do I start?! About seven years ago my sister asked me to try this exercise thing with her called Pilates. I asked her what kind of exercise it was and she didn't know anymore than I did. I do remember her saying “Oh come on, let's just try it and we can go for breakfast afterwards.”  Well, that was all I needed to hear. 

We went to the class (which was still quite a new thing in 2001) and we were kind of giggling while we did the Hundred, flapping our arms around like a penguin and then the rolling moves. We thought this was so much more fun than traditional exercise. I fell in love instantly. It soon became an addiction.

I started looking for more places to take the mat class not knowing about any of the equipment. About a year later I found a studio that had everything. So, I continued as much as I could afford and I later found a program that would certify me in mat. Afterwards I had to try to get a second job to pay for my lessons at the studio.

My trainer was kind enough to give me the confidence and training I needed to teach at my local Park District and Bally's – all while still working full-time at my office job. I started finding more and more programs offering classical Pilates in mat and apparatus. I started getting one certification after another. My library of Pilates books and video was increasing more and more. It wasn't until last year that I started looking into the education programs at Peak Pilates. It put everything in perspective. All of the different programs and styles of teaching were a great foundation for me but they weren’t as structured as the Peak’s programs. 

I asked my trainer (who was still taking lessons from Romana and Jay Grimes) what she thought of Peak Pilates. She thought it was a great program. She had worked with Ana Caban and subbed for her. Knowing PPS-I requires at least 6-8 interested students to get the PPS-I started so I began to recruit people and convince them of what an opportunity this could be for them.  Where there's a will there's a way.

I eventually persuaded five people who had very little experience. Turns out they all passed. Me, on the other hand, missed part of my test. I had too many programs under my hat. Sadly at the time I did not pass. Me – the one with the most experience! It did humanize me and after a few tears and swearing never to do Pilates again, I realized that it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I studied and practiced so much I was saying things in my sleep like "scoop that powerhouse, use those three anchors God gave you.” I was a maniac!!!!!! This journey just keeps getting better and better. I did re-assess and passed with flying colors. I am in my late 50’s and was told I have the body, flexibility and the drive of a 35 year old. You can't get that with a pill, cream or scalpel!
 
Peak Pilates has changed my life and the lives of many of my clients. I have recently taught 14 little Girl Scouts. They loved Pilates and even said that when they grow up they want to be Pilates instructors, too… even if their mommies and daddies want them to become doctors and lawyers!
 
My story proves how important it is to keep on following your passion. If the desire is there, the resources will follow.

- Mary Lyon

NOTE: The following piece was written by Francis Carty. Francis chose to write about the emotions and struggles she experienced throughout her PPS-I trainings. Peak Pilates has recently invited Francis to contribute a student/instructor blog to the Community. If you are interested in contributing a student blog, please e-mail ali@peakpilates.com.

Recently, I made the choice to become a Pilates instructor. The path that I chose was not easy on any level. It is a large educational commitment that is very time consuming, physically challenging, and more than a little bit expensive. Yet, it is absolutely the right thing for my career at this point in time. Past graduates of the program told me the expression, “you have to break down (i.e. cry) in order to break through (i.e. gain skills)” was used frequently in this teaching methodology. What on earth had I gotten myself into?! Despite the fact that my personal philosophy was to make “a commitment to constant self improvement,” I was challenged.

I arrived to the training with a strong resolve to do my best and not to give into emotional drama. The first day, I was full of enthusiasm, eager to soak up tons of knowledge. Our day was busy. We practiced the hour-long mat routine four times. Interspersed into those practice sessions were hours of lectures and we were taught a new vocabulary and unfamiliar movement patterns. We were also required to teach each other the material that we had not yet mastered. Introverts, like me, do not like verbalizing what they have not finished internalizing at all. Still, the first day ended without incident. My husband’s sympathetic description of my summarized day is that we were drinking from a fire hose.

The second day entailed only a quick refresher of the first day’s information and then more new information. It quickly took the wind out of my sails. At the 15th hour of this 32-hour weekend, my eyes started to leak quietly from the stress. Every muscle in my body was aching and my brain was saturated. I never intended to look soft. It was embarrassing to be the first one to cry. Worse still, the idea of being the object of sympathy from my fellow classmates was unappealing. But what really pushed me over the edge, was the Silent Drill. In it, we were required to demonstrate our knowledge of the material without any help in front of our instructor and classmates. This is especially difficult in Pilates as the student is typically lying down, has limited visibility and relies almost entirely on verbal clues from the teacher. Additionally, the student’s concentration should be hyper-focused on bodily alignment. The Silent Drill required us to do each of the 24 exercises in the proper order, at the correct tempo, while maintaining physical control of infrequently used small muscles.
 
Now, I was openly crying in front of what must have surely been the entire world. Intense humiliation is a mild description of the fear that gripped me. Truly, I would have preferred jumping from the window rather than endure torture of this kind. I mentally tossed around the idea of acting like an indignant consumer and insisting that I didn’t pay to be humiliated in this fashion. This drill also posed an enormous challenge to my other personal belief in blending to the point of invisibility. I felt exposed and vulnerable.
 
Aside from the non-refundable tuition cost, quitting appeared to have no grave consequences. Still, in my heart of hearts, I knew that the cliché was true and this was my moment to shine. Perseverance became the virtue of the hour. Begrudgingly, I meditated on my husband’s mantra of, “I can do anything for a day.” I decided it was time for the rubber to meet the road, for my true character to emerge. My excuses of embarrassment and insecurity simply weren’t good enough anymore. So, I pushed aside the all of my fears and just powered though the Silent Drill. The decision to keep going became something that I could share with my children and clients in the future. It was one heck of a teachable moment. Be fully present in the present, use your powerhouse and believe that change is difficult, but without it there is no growth. Understand the universal truth that everyone has reasons for not wanting to do things that they ought to do. But, real change only occurs when you find the strength to push yourself through that resistance.

The goal of this teaching style is to develop inner strength through immersion and it worked. Muscle memory pulled me through the Silent Drill. When it was over, I felt stronger than I ever have in the past. It helped when I realized that everyone else was just as nervous as I was. No one gave a flawless performance, but everyone did a really good job and that’s what counts. We all left that night with a deepened friendship and a new definition of tired. 

Physically, Pilates requires that one uses the muscles of the core and the seat to cause the limbs to move. It also requires use of concentration, will, and desire, to power one’s self though obstacles in our path. The powerhouse inside each and every one of us is not something to be taken lightly or ignored. It is a powerful tool. 

The second part of this intensive training program is still on the horizon. But this time I know that I will succeed. I am very grateful for all of the support has so generously been shared. Family, friends, classmates, clients and countless other mentors have given me a new sense of confidence. This isn’t the arrogance of assuming that I will easily glide thought the next stage, but rather the contentment that comes from looking forward to future challenges. 

- Frances Carty

NOTE: The following piece was written by Allison McPherson, owner of Corvallis Pilates in Oregon. Allison received her Peak Pilates Comprehensive Certification in June 2006. Peak Pilates has recently invited Allison to contribute a student/instructor blog to the Community. If you are interested in contributing a blog, please e-mail ali@peakpilates.com.

For those of us who have continued on the journey with the Peak Pilates training program, the rewards and the challenges never end.

My journey with Peak Pilates began in January 2005. I remember being so excited, but little did I know that life as I knew it would cease to exist and I am not just saying that metaphorically! Like all who embark on a life-altering journey, it's probably best that we don't fully realize what we're getting into or we'd probably think twice (childbirth comes to mind!).
So there I was, with seven other students, somewhat in awe – since our teacher was Ana Caban. After the first day, I realized that this would be one of the most physically and mentally challenging things I would ever do (I also realized that I was going to need a bigger fire hose). I also remember the last day of that training – test day. It was almost surreal for me because the changes that I was making internally through the intense level of training had now been reflected in my external world culminating in my partner leaving me unexpectedly and having to move out of the home we shared just days before the test. Basically, I was a complete emotional basket case and just wanted the journey to end.

Weeks later, finding out that I hadn't passed part of the exam came as no surprise but was another serious blow – talk about drinking from a fire hose. From that point on, however, my resolve to get back on the horse and ride became stronger than ever. I flew down to Houston several months later for a retake, meeting a great bunch of people while there, and after being notified that I passed, I went right on to take PPS-II and beyond to a Comprehensive Certification in June 2006.

As it turned out, this was only another part of the journey. Feeling enormously relieved that the “training portion” of my Pilates career was over, I decided to start my own studio. I purchased my first Total Workout System and after a short spell with my reformer in my living room, I found an affordable space about 350 square feet in downtown Corvallis, OR.

Wow, I made it! Clients were actually coming and even paying for sessions. I bought another TWS, a chair and a ladder barrel and started doing duo sessions which allowed me to bring in additional clients as well as double my hourly income. This was really great. Soon, I had a full book and was in need of more space. After months of looking for just the right balance of space versus cost, I found a great new studio location, added a full Cadillac and finally have enough room to teach mat classes.

Again, that was just another part of the journey. I now have three students taking the PPS-I trainings. I am now at a place along my journey where I want and need others for the studio to grow and, quite frankly, to help others who have the same passion that I have in sharing the transformational power that Pilates has to truly change people’s lives. It was not very long ago that I, like them, was so excited about the new world I was entering. My hope is that I can provide them with the tools they need to “survive” the journey they have now embarked upon, remembering so vividly all the challenges that I faced along the way.

For those of us who choose Pilates as part of our life's adventure, the journey will never end. It will be a continual journey into the limitless potential of who we are and what we are to become. I am so grateful that I decided to take that journey. Both the rewards and the challenges are never ending and it's truly a wonderful ride – I do however recommend bringing along a fire hose!

- Allison McPherson

NOTE: The following piece was written by Sonjé Mayo. Sonjé is currently a Professionally Certified Instructor based in Nashville, Tennessee and is on her way to completing her Comprehensive Certification. Peak Pilates has recently invited Sonjé to contribute a student/instructor blog to the Community. If you are interested in contributing a blog, please e-mail ali@peakpilates.com.

As a young aspiring ballerina, I felt invincible. I danced with great ease and natural ability and, in retrospect, with no intelligent application whatsoever. In the 1950’s, classical ballet was taught by rote and repetition. You were seen and definitely not heard. If you had the required physical assets, you could succeed; if not, you would fall by the wayside at an early stage. It was all about being aesthetically pleasing on stage and competing with the best. I have a picture of myself, posing with my leg around my tonsil (for which I received great critical acclaim), but my hips and spine were totally distorted. It is no wonder that so many professional ballerinas of my era ended up with hip replacements and spinal pathology in their forties. During my training as a physical therapist, I did question many aspects of the classical technique, but by then I had developed so many compensatory patterns to execute what was required that they were impossible to correct.

My first introduction to contemporary dance came in 1966 when I was dragged to a class at the Graham school in NYC. By then I was an established ballerina in a prestigious company and I reluctantly went to the class with the superior attitude that as a ballerina, I could master any dance technique. What a rude awakening that first class was. It soon became very apparent that with all my physical assets, strength and flexibility, I had very poor body awareness, no mental application and no core strength. Martha Graham astounded me with her intelligent approach to dance. She actually encouraged communication between the dancer and the teacher, which was completely unheard of in my classical ballet training.  
 
I was extremely depressed after that first class. I was forced to face the fact that I had been wasting a lot of time and energy and I was frustrated by the realization that it would be futile to continue the way I had been dancing. After an agonizing period and much soul searching, I made the decision to leave the ballet company and dedicate myself to the contemporary dance technique. In making this decision, I changed the course of my life.

As part of the Graham training, we were given one Pilates mat class a week. I do not think that any of us fully appreciated the great privilege when Joseph Pilates himself came to teach us a few classes. None of us had any idea at that stage just how much he would impact our lives. Of the ten people in my year, eight of them would eventually become Pilates instructors. I clearly remember Joe as this dapper individual walking into the studio. He was a striking figure even in his old age. He was a real taskmaster and I remember struggling and thinking that this exercise form was surely designed for HIS body only! As if he was reading my mind, he said: “You have very long legs and a short body. You must develop the strength to control that leverage or you will never last!” Almost 35 years later, when I was struggling with the Open Leg Rocker in PPS-II, my teacher Nancy Hurd, would say almost the same thing. Her line was: “You’re all legs….now deal with it!” 
 
Between those precious Pilates classes and Martha Graham’s relentless teaching, my mind and body grew from strength to strength. There is no doubt that the influence of two such powerful pioneers inspired me to greater things. I never looked back and for 32 years I enjoyed a successful career as a contemporary dancer and choreographer. Most of all, I had developed great humility and respect for other movement forms.

The pressure of performing does unfortunately take its toll on the body. Finally at the age of 55, my scoliosis caught up with me. I developed a herniated disc at T12 (where the thoracic spine meets the lumbar spine), the most vulnerable part of the lateral curvature, and my existing spondylolisthesis (the anterior sliding of the fifth lumbar vertebral body over the first sacral vertebra) deteriorated tremendously. I was put on bed rest and heavy doses of steroids and I knew that my performing days were definitely over. The journey to recovery was slow and frustrating because I was impatient with myself, the physical therapist and the medical fraternity. I felt the need to be more pro-active and heal myself.
 
Out of the blue, I received an e-mail from one of the original women in my Graham class. She had retired from dance ten years earlier and she was now a Pilates instructor. The fact that she contacted me at that precise moment was an omen. On listening to my predicament her first words were: “You have to get to a good Pilates instructor.” I had always incorporated the Pilates principles in my teaching of dance, but it then dawned on me that Pilates could be the rehabilitative tool that I, and so many others like me, desperately needed.

I set out to find an experienced Pilates teacher and after my first session, I knew I had come home. I gained strength rapidly and learnt to be kind to my body. I was so inspired that for the third time in my life, I changed course and embraced a new physical discipline. Pilates would be my destiny after all….I had come full circle.

Note: Teaching dancers, and particularly injured dancers, is a psychological challenge! Keep in mind that they are impatient to heal and tend to think that they are superior. (I speak from experience!) As their Pilates teacher, the key factor is to find the flaw in their body alignment or limb alignment immediately, which is usually the cause of the injury. Once that is clear to them, they will approach the Pilates technique with enthusiasm and respect. (Again, I speak from experience.) Fortunately, classical ballet is taught very differently today. Almost all the professional ballet companies now incorporate Pilates mat and reformer workouts into their training programs.

- Sonjé Mayo