Pilates apprenticeship is coming along. Here in the Bay I have 7 students who are willing to be practiced on. I have a suspicion my teachers are a bit stunned by that. Each of us was encouraged to try to find at least one potential client. The other apprentices live in Nelson and have access to a fully fitted out studio for teaching practice and apparently still struggle to attract clients.
I can explain that easily - no competing interests out here - no other Pilates studios, no yoga classes, no tennis club, no wine bars, no art tours, no... well you name it we probably don't have it, so Pilates classes really are the only show in town.
Eight students if you count Mr B who generously volunteered to be a guinea pig and provide constructive feed back as one who has never before practiced Pilates and never seen it in practice. I do recall how confusing it all was when I started learning 15 years ago - 'up' and 'down' have different meanings depending on whether you are standing or lying for example - words like, over or away similarly mean diddly squat if your perspective has been tipped 90 degrees. He meanwhile has had to address direct and irrefutable evidence of loss of strength; the man who used to climb yacht masts on arm strength alone now struggles with push-ups/press-ups and some of the arm exercises with the weights that I use daily.
Shock to me too. He is always trying to relieve me of heaving lifting....
Something they don't teach at Pilates teacher school is how to deliver such a program without deflating male egos. Humour works with Mr B because it is Mr B. Possibly not every guy thinks it is funny to collapse in the middle of his first press-up. Women don't expect to do a press-up and don't much mind failing an attempt; you just tell them to start with their knees down but that's an insult to a bloke.
Generalization... but fewer than 10% of people practicing Pilates are male. It's good postural and movement stuff for all of us.
Some random photos taken recently...
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| Nice colour (undoubtedly not original) |
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| Mushroom season - they are popping up in the boat trailer park |
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| Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness |
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| ...and some weird clouds |
I suppose that anything going on would be Blenheim or Nelson..but well done you.
ReplyDeleteGet that going and it could be the spark that lights the way for other people starting different activities...
There is quite a community spirit - glue provided almost entirely by women however. Wild Foods Gathering next weekend.
DeleteIt is a lovely blue though....and of course, the rego 😎😄
ReplyDeleteThere was a vintage car rally through Nelson last time we were there (late March) - 100s of gorgeous old automobilez
DeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteThat last cloud almost looks like a smoke signal!
Pilates is a fabulous method when used well, and knowing you as I do, I'm sure you will be thorough in your supervision. In my Sydney practice, I had a number of folk seeking remedial therapies for muscle strains and joint 'disturbances' from poor practice (to be fair, that can apply to yoga as well) and who had clearly not been well supervised. Something called Reformer Pilates has been hitting the headlines here due to an increase in injuries, some quite serious. Be gentle with Mr B - and I wish him well in his perseverance! YAM xx
I'm learning only mat Pilates as it is all I have ever done. Own body resistance, no crazy poses like yoga tends to encourage in people not yet ready for that level.
DeleteWishing you lots of work and great students. My brother in Australia, of a certain age, does pilates with my sis in law. Both say they feel much fitter and stronger. They certainly had no trouble climbing like goats over ancient ruins last year.
ReplyDeleteGood on your brother. My plan is free classes twice a week in the bay here - beginner and intermediate level to start with. I doubt it will ever attract guys however - the image of leggings and little hand weights isn't bloke-ish enough.
DeleteI get the Male thing, as in when I was putting the lawnmower together, he was hurt that I could do it by myself, I just had to think a minute on how to get it out of the box without lifting it out. I ended up cutting the end of the box open and rolling it out. I had watched the unboxing/put together video TWICE the day before. when I would stop to check the video he would yell, I have put together lawn mowers my entire life I KNOW HOW TO DO IT , how many have you done. I would Yell NONE but how many battery powered new better best have you put togehter with a computer to start it? he can't stand that I have been firguring out how I can do things... of course if I had my way he would be walking and I would not have to do this, but since that is not going to happen, I need to figure out how.. He argues with the PT because the excericse she gives him, he tried to do them other ways like he used to and they don't help. he can figure out easy and slow is better than hard and fast..... a grand party. congrats on your new class and have fun with all eight of them
ReplyDeleteI admire your problem solving - who wver decided that boxes have to open at the top? Internet videos are great aren't they... I used one to assemble this cabin. Lots of things are possible one step at a time.
DeleteThat cloud is a giant smoke ring! About Pilates and men -- I wouldn't worry about it! As you say, most practitioners seem to be women anyway, and a man might not even sign up for a woman instructor. It might be self solving.
ReplyDeleteAgreed but sometimes men wake up with a realization they are letting their bodies fail them and age suddenly seems a scary place. Managed exercise suddenly seems like a good idea.
DeleteMiddle daughter has been a devotee of Pilates for many years and has just started training to teach it. She's going to practise on her father and me - that'll test her!
ReplyDeleteI love the misty photograph - very romantic.
Good on middle daughter. And good on her for being prepared to adapt to teaching (dare I say it) older bodies. And good on you for offering to be practice students. I hope you get ro feel some benefits too.
DeletePilates here is expensive, I suppose one could go to you tube for free ...and hurt themselves. Your body will carry you into the next thousand years very well. You built a cabin , for godsake!! Utterly remarkable! After building a cabin and making a garden and a fence , in. the afternoon you row across a large body of water ...you are super woman, indeed!
ReplyDeleteAgreeing with Jabblog- the misty photo is gorgeous.
Loving the old vintage car, beautiful colour too. Your scenery with the fog looks like it's similar to what we are starting to see here now. I don't do nor have I ever tried pilates but I do enjoy yoga.
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