Pilates is about taking responsibility for your own body, mind and spirit. Pilates can also be deep and complicated. This is why it takes a lot of time and money to be certified as a Pilates Instructor. Having a teacher help you break down the exercises for your own body makes a big difference in understanding them. A certified Pilates Instructor can help you find how to move so the exercises are challenging in the right way for you and your needs. You as a student should also take responsibility for your workout. A Pilates session or class should be your opportunity to explore the work in your body. My students don’t do everything the same because they have different bodies and different needs. It is important to take responsibility for yourself. Here are five ways you can take responsibility for your Pilates practice. If you are new to Pilates just keep in mind this process takes time and you aren’t expected to know all of this at once. 

1. Count. Within the classical Pilates exercises there are a certain number of repetitions for each exercise. They are not all the same and you don’t have to remember it all but you should count your repetitions. Some teachers count for their students and that’s ok. However, it is important that you the student count your repetitions if you can. You want to count so you know how many you’ve done. You want to do quality repetitions rather low quality and high volume. When you the student count, this helps your teacher assess your movement and give you cues to make the movement better quality. When the teacher can focus on your movement rather than your movement, assessment and cueing, they can give you a better quality session. Teachers can and do lose count because they are trying to do multiple things at once. Chances are you want the most for your money. Even though many of us do it, myself included, it really does help us give you more for your money when you count. If you don’t know how many to do, that’s ok. I try to tell my students how many I expect them to do at the beginning of the exercise.  

2. Communicate with your Instructor. Communicating with your teacher means sharing with them, at the appropriate time, how your body is feeling within the movement. You do not have to have a running dialogue throughout the session. If you feel pain you should absolutely tell your teacher so the movement can be modified if needed. If your teacher asks you where you feel an exercise or what it feels like, do your best to let them know. If you don’t have the words you can show them with your hands or think about something to help you describe it. This is important because Pilates is different for everyone. What feels great for one person might feel awful for another. If you do not share this information with your Instructor they most likely will not know to change it. This is also true if it feels too easy. Maybe you need to adjust the movement to work better for your body or need to add challenge. 

3. Make your own choices. Pilates is different for everyone. Your teacher might have specific choices for you based on your own needs. You also have to make choices for yourself and decide if those things work for you. I teach from a place of guidance. I like to offer different choices for exercises so you the student get to make your own choice. Just because the person on the mat next to you is doing something one way, does not mean you need to do it that way too. Be educated about the exercises and what is available to you within your movement. If you need to make a different choice and are not sure what to choose, ask your Instructor. This is especially important within a group class. 

4. Know your modifications and advancements. If you know what works best for your body, try to do it that way rather than wait for the teacher to tell you. You don’t have to remember everything all the time. If you are a new student, be patient and give yourself time to learn. But do pay attention to what works best in your body and aim to do that. If you forget, make sure to ask your teacher. But this is one of the most important things in Pilates, is to keep track of your own modifications and advancements.

5. Be consistent. Consistency is key with Pilates! Especially if you can only come once a week, you want to do your best to keep your session. When you keep coming back consistently you get better results. The more often you come, the more you remember. The more you remember, the better it stays in your body. The better it stays in your body, the better results you get. I think we all want to achieve the goals we are working toward with Pilates. 

Pilates is a process. This is not something you learn overnight or you are always good at right away. That is ok! Often the challenge is what keeps you coming back. Taking responsibility for your workout helps you to learn better and get the work in your body. When you understand the movement better you can do it better. When you keep the lines of communication open with your Instructor you help them to make the workout better for you. The more we know as teachers the better we can help you progress. I personally love questions. When students ask me questions it helps me think about the movement in a different way. I understand better where my students are coming from with the movement. I can help them break down the exercises so they understand them better and they ultimately get more out of their workout. Pilates is an investment, through money and time, in yourself and your well being. When you take responsibility for that investment by counting, communicating, making your own choices, knowing your modifications and advancements and staying consistent, you get better returns on that investment. Take your time implementing these strategies and do not judge your process. But do take responsibility for your workout!