CLICK HERE FOR NEW CLASS INFO!
I’d like to share a story about a client who kinda hated me before she loved me and with respect for her privacy, we will call her…Millie. While this isn’t her real name, she is def thoroughly modern ;) ← That’s a musical theater joke btw.
Now Millie has been doing Pilates since probably the year I was born. She’s worked with all of the greats and a lot of teachers I trained under. She’s smart as all get out, on the board of major NYC institutions, and doesn’t have time nor is she interested in screwing around. She operates with integrity and at a high level and tolerates nothing less.
If you wanted to, you could say she’s kind of…a pain in the you know what.
I wouldn’t say that though because I love people like this. Really.
Her usual teacher was sick so was given an appointment with me instead. She wasn’t happy. She told me not to correct her and to simply set up straps for her as necessary which she directed me through each time. Beyond the strap adjustments, I stood with my hands behind my back and watched her go through her reformer routine.
Anytime I spoke it was made VERY clear it was unwelcome.
Her usual teacher ended up switching her schedule so I was now teaching Millie once a week. So…once a week I stood and watched her routine, setting up straps as directed.
As I said, you could call her a pain in the you know what. But I won’t because I get it! She’s been doing Pilates forever and knows what she likes, how to do it, and how to modify for her body. I LOVE teaching clients who are this dedicated and unwavering in their training!
Plus, Pilates instructor and client relationships are intimate! It’s your BODY. And it’s weaknesses and imbalances and strengths. And sometimes people fart or queef! It’s INTIMATE! And she had her teacher she loved and I was just sort of placed into the mix. I GET IT!
Plus, her Pilates routine wasn’t broken so why fix it? She came in three times a week and whichever apparatus we started on, she had her routine and would do it. And she did it well! It was all fine. It worked.
But then she got injured. A shattered kneecap requiring surgery and a cage and many pins and it was horrible.
AND! Being the dedicated, consistent, determined rockstar she is, Millie came to Pilates every week. BUT! She couldn’t perform her usual routine anymore.
“Ok. You can teach me now.” ← This is a direct quote.
She had to change things up. She had to do new exercises, she had to adapt to what her current body could and couldn’t do, she needed new variations, spotting, she needed to be taught how to do Pilates in THIS body. She had to bring me into her practice. She had to let me teach her and she had to be open to being taught.
You know what happened right?
Not only did she fully recover from her injury, she started doing exercises she hadn’t done for decades! DECADES! She was able to build different, deeper strength by challenging her body in new ways which created the opportunity to revisit favorite exercises from the past that she thought she couldn't do anymore. But she can do them!
Her Pilates practices expanded and evolved and she opened up to the possibilities outside of her standard routine. Those exercises came back too, but she also realized they weren’t nearly as interesting, challenging, or satisfying as learning something new or riffing on the OG versions.
The old workout was fine. It worked. Sorta. It kept her going and living mostly pain free, but there was no progress. It was a steady, straight line of inertia. Until she had no choice but to rebuild her body and practice from the ground up.
So this is what made me think of you. What if you learned from Millie (not her real name)?
What if you didn’t wait until you shatter something to seek more than what “sorta works" and instead pursue something that truly moves the needle right now?
What if you tried something new or revisited something old and achieved more than you thought possible?
What if you didn’t wait until you were backed into a corner with no other choice???
This is the part of the email where I tell you about the next round of my online Pilates classes of course.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR CLASS!
In this four week series you will learn and use the principles of Pilates to deepen your existing practice, reconnect with your old practice, or introduce Pilates to your body to find a level of core strength and connection you didn’t know possible!
All via the pelvic floor of course!
This four week class starts a week from today!
Thursday, February 15th!
Each week on Thursday morning you will receive an email with a video of the week’s workout. Do it once, do it twice, do it chicken soup with rice! ← Can you tell I have small children?
So…HERE IS THE LINK AGAIN TO SIGN UP FOR THIS CLASS! And feel free to share with a friend! Sharing is caring after all!
As always, I’ve got your back. I’ve got your front. And I’ve got your undercarriage.
Xo, Alissa