How to Improve Your Verbal Cueing in Pilates | The Three Phases from Beginner to Mastery

[@anandakal]

thank you so much for taking the time to share this! Immense help (:

[@PilatesEncyclopedia]

Hi Claire! I'm so glad you found these tips helpful! Cheers!

[@MissyP166]

thanks very helpful, when would ypu talk about muscles? before you start the setup. thanks

[@PilatesEncyclopedia]

With the latest research about internal vs external cueing, I'm talking less and less about muscles. Muscles are not actors, they are reactors. If you can get your clients' bones to move or not move (stabilize) the right way, the muscles responsible for this job will work. Thinking about muscles working doesn't actually help. The only time I talk about muscles is to confirm that we're on the right track. I would ask "are you feeling ... muscle? AFTER I've instructed the exercise, just to know that we're achieving the desired result. If my client is a physical therapist or in the medical profession then I might use anatomical terms (including muscles) but it mostly serves as a demonstration of my expertise which helps gain their trust but it doesn't really help them move better. Cheers!

[@MissyP166]

​Thank you ! So what would you say when teaching a large mix level ​reformer class, without overwhelming everyone? Set up, execution,breath and then add in postural cues? How would you get them to feel their muscles if you don't say for example, engage your glutes as you resist the springs @@PilatesEncyclopediathank you again! Xx

[@PilatesEncyclopedia]

@@MissyP166 Yes, that's a great start. Also remember, you can't say everything in one class. There just isn't enough time to say everything about each exercise. So you need to say one thing this week and another postural cue next week. In terms of how to get them to engage their muscles, that's a bit subject that's hard to answer in a quick comment. I teach that in detail in the cueing cure course as well as the membership. You can check both of those out on my website. Cheers!

[@PilatesEncyclopedia]

@@MissyP166 I would cue exactly what you did and trust that they feel the right muscles. There is really no need to mention the muscles because the muscle HAS to work when the alignment and load are appropriate. I might ask my clients on occasion which muscles they feel? This is more of a feedback so that I'm sure they are using and feeling the target muscle instead of compensations, but I've often been surprised that people feel different muscles than I do in the same exercise. We're all different. That doesn't mean they are doing it wrong. When they tell me which muscles they feel (they don't have to know the name, they can just point to the area), then I can use my anatomy knowledge if those muscles are involved. Another thought: sometimes people feel the antagonists stretching more than they feel the agonists working. Hope this all helps.

[@deblynn82]

Staci! Thank you! I continue to learn valuable information from you!

[@PilatesEncyclopedia]

Yay! I'm so glad the video was helpful!

[@annacsukly9765]

Thanks for the post! Very beneficial. I made notes :)

[@PilatesEncyclopedia]

Yay! I'm so glad it was helpful!

[@karinakosykh1824]

Thank you so much! Very helpful

[@PilatesEncyclopedia]

My pleasure! Glad it's helpful!

[@valeriaa7527]

Does it include modifications?

[@PilatesEncyclopedia]

Too many to count. :) Regressions, progressions, modifications, common mistakes and challenges, and on and on and on. :)

[@lorrenep]

where do we find this library on the current website layout?

[@PilatesEncyclopedia]

Thanks for your question. When you log in, simply choose the apparatus of your choice (i.e. Mat, Reformer, Chair, etc). Then navigate to the exercise you're trying to teach and then scroll down below the video to "Starting Position" and "Movement Pattern". I hope this helps.