I have always felt that Pilates has empowered me both physically and mentally and I hope to transmit that to my clients and students. It doesn’t have to be all depth all the time and a session should obviously not be psychoanalysis, but the truth is that sometimes, a session may lead to a heart-to-heart conversation that brings up important questions about our lives and practice.
And we may come to understand that we’re actually avoiding a
particular exercise out of fear. If we don’t talk about our fears, how can we
ever overcome them?
For some time now, I’ve worked with a wonderful client (and a
fellow Pilates instructor) who has issues going into extension due to an old
injury to her lower back. She hesitates and freezes as we head into one, and
the tension that builds in the room could be cut with a knife. It blocks her
body and nervous system completely. It challenges our sessions and both of us.
Me, because I have to gain her trust, even more than I would a normal client. I
have to be extremely clear when we’re going into an exercise that involves
extension – and can ́t give her any surprises. I have to invent as we go and
think, which piece of equipment will make this less scary? What cueing does she
needs? Am I babying her too much, being too cautious and making her feel silly?
When is the right moment to push – and when do I leave it for next week?
When we first started working together, I had to stop pushing
before we reached a 100% to avoid overwhelming her, whereas with other clients
and especially other instructors, I would normally push further. It challenges
her, but she has to understand why this is so scary and question whether there
may be a reason other than the past injury. Then with that answer, she has to
decide whether we work towards overcoming the fear or not. To master it, or
simply avoid it.
Almost 10 years ago, when I was recovering from a long-term injury
and surgery to my foot, I fell into darkness when I understood I had to say
goodbye to my career as a dancer. For a moment, I saw everything coming to an
end, and the effort without its prize. I questioned who I was without dance,
and I was in pain. But somewhere in the feeling of having lost my ability to
move, I became bored and tired of my negative self – and with my foot in a
cast, I lay down on my mat. In a moment of stillness and peace, I found the source
to change energy and something shifted inside me. I started to move. I went
through a lot of the Pilates mat repertoire right there – and for the first
time in months, I felt that all was not lost. I could move, not like before,
but I could move. That grey and rainy afternoon in Germany a seed was planted
and a dream started to grow thanks to movement. I decided that I was going to
work to help other people have that same feeling on the mat – that movement
heals.
I think it takes time to reach a point in your teaching when you
truly understand how to use the private and personal. But it’s crucial for me
as a teacher to bring that energy to my teaching, and I’ve made the decision to
share my experiences in classes. To teach closer to the heart. Through that
decision, I’ve been able to accept my own journey as a retired dancer at the
age of 25, because it has led me to where I am now. It has given me the tools
to work with young athletes, and the strength to witness them crying through
their injuries. I tell them my story and say there’s light somewhere. I tell
them this sucks – because there’s no better word for it – but we will power
through it together.
I want all my clients
to achieve the impossible things they have in their head. I want us to tick
things off the “hate list” together and go for the scary. If you say I can ́t,
I say, “let ́s try.” You tell me you’re scared, and I tell you, “I’ve been
scared too.” I say, trust your own ability – I have you and always will.