Thoughts After My Last Pilates Conference

I just travelled to Spain and Portugal for a holiday, but while I was there, I managed to attend a three day Pilates conference in Vigo. If you know me, you know that I am always learning! But what (and how) I learn now is very different than when I first discovered Pilates. 

My First Conference

In my first years of teaching I went to a conference and randomly selected workshops and classes that sounded interesting. I didn’t know what classical versus contemporary Pilates was, and just getting on any reformer was exciting to me. I had no idea of who was who in the world of Pilates, though I knew some of the history and who the “elders” of Pilates were, but didn’t know much about their descendants.

I quickly figured out my path. I really enjoyed learning from teachers who were descendants of Romana, as well as those who had learned, researched, and worked with multiple elders. As the years went on, I really loved what Jay Grimes was sharing with his teachers. I dove deep into learning more from teachers he has trained, many of whom have also learned from Romana or teachers who learned from her.  

20 Years Later

What I took away from Pilates events 20 years ago is completely different from what I take away from them today. What I see and hear is deeper. What I feel is deeper. What I have to share with my clients, teachers, and trainees is deeper. It was interesting in Spain, as I only knew 3 people personally, though I’ve followed and fanned over a couple of the presenters for years. It was a classical conference but there were classical and contemporary teachers.  Some had 5 years or less experience and some 20 years and up. What was very cool to see was how serious everyone was to learn; there was so much focus that there was little chit chat and very few questions.

Without talking to people I could see who had more or less experience. This is not a judgmental observation! This is the truth of what Pilates is. It’s a system and it takes time, repetition, patience, and practice to keep getting better at it. Some time ago, a random person on social media sent me a few private messages about how and what I was doing (apparently incorrectly) with my Pilates. It was out of line and inappropriate to do. 

Looking back, I’ve come a long way with my Pilates since then. Would I have had the same comments as the person who messaged me? Maybe, maybe not. I now see teachers online where I could give constructive criticism to, but I’d never reach out to tell them. Their form and technique will improve with time and practice, just like a dancer, runner, or any other physical activity. 

What I Learned This Time

Before I head off to a conference or workshop, people often ask if I’m going to learn new exercises or something else new. I used to find it hard to explain, because I came from a group fitness background. Those types of conferences often taught new choreography and even new exercises. But Pilates is different. 

Rather, I learn new techniques to cue clients, how to help clients see and feel their progress, how to approach exercises in new ways, and I sometimes get to practice advanced exercises that we don’t often get to do or teach. I also get to nerd out with other Pilates lovers! 

I’m excited to get back into the studio to share what I experienced at the conference in Vigo. One thing is that I’m going to trust myself more, in many ways!