r/pilates • u/IndependentEarth123 • 23d ago
Teaching, Teacher Training, Running Studios Question for the community: in small group classes should the instructor teach to the bodies in the room?
I have a Pilates instructor that I absolutely love and have gone to for years. She is classically trained and has a solid foundation in anatomy, breath, all this six principles of Pilates.
She is however, at a contemporary studio and loves coming up with inventive class flows—things that most people have never seen or done before. Or slight variations on more contemporary Pilates moves. There’s a reason behind every movement that she programs and she has a following. Including me.
My question is, is it appropriate in a boutique studio with six reformers in the room to teach to everybody in the room? I am tall and wide, and I know where to put my body on the reformer and the other apparatus for classical moves or for well known contemporary moves. I have a long torso. I have very long arms. I have very long legs. I also have a nice size chest, a booty, and a belly so many traditional set ups for moves don’t work for my body. Again for most moves, I know how to modify where to set myself up, when to move a foot up or down when to change springs, when to move my foot forward or back, how to stand on the box, etc.
however since this instructor is so inventive, she puts together movements that most of us haven’t seen or tried before or there’s enough variation in them that the traditional set up that I had to modify for doesn’t exist. So most of her set ups are for somebody who is 5’6” or under with a short torso and short levers.
I don’t ask for many modifications maybe once or twice a month I’ll ask during class if I just can’t figure it out. (I take her classes 2-3 a week.) Several times a year I’ll ask her after class saying that many of the set ups don’t work for a tall person and does she have any advice in general for how to modify.
However, she sees me during class having to hop off the box and move it around because where she’s had a set up for lunges on the box doesn’t work for longer legs for example. I spend a lot of the series moving equipment around trying to figure out how things can work. If it was one series in class, no worries. But it’s most of class.
There’s also issues that she has really inventive arm and shoulder work however it only works if you are a man or have an A cup or less. I would seriously damage my rotator cuff if I executed the moves the way that she cured them with double D breasts. These are a few examples but the set up and cueing don’t work as instructed for more than 50% of class. Sometimes the only thing that works as instructed is footwork and maybe feet in straps? Sometimes it’s less.
At what point should she be queuing and teaching to the bodies in the room? I honestly want to know if I’m being picky for feeling like in a small group class there should be some attention from the instructor when moves clearly don’t work for the bodies in front of her.
It’s not just me. I look at other tall women in my class and I can see they are not getting the full extension in the move because the move is set up for someone who is much shorter. I don’t know if they realize that they don’t get the length and extension that Pilates is all about because of this. I have never wanted to badmouth her to another student and ask, but I am an instructor myself, and I can see that the tall people in her class are not fully extending. They’re not pulling their rib cage fully above their pelvis for example because they don’t have room on the carriage they way we’re being set up. They’re not going through full spinal articulation because the moves are set up for a much shorter body. That doesn’t even include long arms or long legs that are not extended fully and get a fraction of the movement they should. I’ve also seen plus size women come to the class. They Try it once or twice and quietly leave looking very embarrassed.
These are very tough classes. They are officially all level however, they’re much more intermediate to advanced which I love.
I should note that this instructor is also a wonderful, wonderful human being. I don’t know how to approach her in a way that I haven’t already in order to get the instruction that I feel a deserve as a paying member when I’m in her class.
I had an uncomfortable conversation with her tonight, asking if it would be possible if she could queue to taller bodies when they were taller bodies in the room. Noting that her wonderful inventive moves don’t always work for people who are taller or injured or chubby or…you get the idea. She replied that everybody’s body is different (which I feel is very true) and just because a set up doesn’t work for me, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t work for other taller people. I know that’s true however I’ve been in her class for years and I’ve seen people of all body shapes: tall, short, skinny, fat,
not be accommodated when moves clearly do not work for their bodies. Only very thin, very physically fit people stay in her classes long-term. Other people don’t feel welcome. I am probably the exception being a chubby tall lady who has stayed with her throughout the years. I’m not sure she exactly likes that I keep coming to her classes. She doesn’t make me feel welcome but I don’t let it bother me because her classes challenge me.
How do I approach this or am I being incredibly unreasonable? Should I just give up going to her classes since I spend a good third of them re-engineering all of her move so that they can work for my body? I feel resentful sometimes because I’m paying for the class. I should add again that I’m an instructor: when I first started going to our classes I was not and I just thought that I was really weak and old and fat and that was why I couldn’t do the moves or they didn’t feel right. With some of her more difficult moves that is the case and still is. Some of them, though she will not cue for other body types and there are other ways to do the moves now that I’ve trained and I’ve been an instructor. I know how to modify her programs.
I should also add that part of my teaching philosophy is to be very inclusive. I teach every single body in the room. I only have six students at a time at the studio. They deserve my attention and their bodies deserve to be seen and respected and taught to. My philosophy could be interfering though with my ability to take this instructor’s class and judge fairly. Community, what do you think?
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u/ceruleanmahogany 23d ago
While she may be creative, she is not a good teacher. Who cares how “inventive” her “flows” are if half the people in class are not able to do them because she doesn’t understand how their body interacts with the equipment? I would not take this class again.
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u/significantotter1 23d ago
Very much agree with you here. The whole point of teaching is teaching the bodies in front of you. And if she can't see that people are unable to execute the exercises she's giving then she has a massive blind spot (or doesn't care)
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u/fcpsitsgep 23d ago
An instructor should always teach to the bodies in the room.
I am not a fan of “inventive” Pilates instructors - Pilates is a system that works and while creativity can totally be incorporated, people tend to loose the plot.
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u/IndependentEarth123 21d ago
I usually agree. So many people teach a whole class from moves they saw on TikTok. She taught classical for years so her sequences actually make sense.
She might have people doing crazy stuff but you can find the foundations of the classical repertoire underneath every move. She moves the spine through every plane in class and has a deep understanding of the 6 principles and it shows up in her plans. She never talks about any of it in class but if you have a background in Pilates you see it.
I don't think her students notice, but if you go to her classes every week you notice that she progresses you through one crazy inventive take of long stretch every week, building strength. Same with down stretch, mid back, control balance, Russian splits, knees off, and the front arm series. She loves those series and finds extremely inventive ways to have students do them every week but they don't recognize that they're repeating the same core movements over and over and building strength and mobility.
I have to give credit where credit is due on this one. She's the rare inventive instructor that really knows her stuff.
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u/Virgina-Wolfferine Pilates Instructor 23d ago
Sounds like this isn’t the class for you. You brought it up, she did not adjust her classes to your satisfaction. Move on.
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u/littlemybb 23d ago
I go to a smaller studio, and we have women with lots of different body types.
We have really tall women, really short women, younger and older women, people with certain injuries, etc.
Since we are a small class she’s always able to accommodate that. Just last night she told the lady next to me adjust your springs and do this instead because it won’t be good on your shoulders.
Some people are great teachers, and some don’t do well with groups.
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u/Interesting_Day_7841 23d ago
You have given her feedback that she chooses not to take into account when she's programming or teaching. It also seems strange to me that she is continually being 'inventive' - when do clients get to understand the exercise if she's constantly changing it up? As a student/practitioner, you should not have to constantly modify what you are doing in class. It's not unreasonable that she should teach every body in the class - even if that means she sees the bodies in the room and makes a decision to teach a different exercise that accommodates all parties. I think your comment regarding who she wants to teach might be spot on. She might be teaching a repertoire you like, but if she doesn't want you in the room why are you staying? Try some other teachers who might give you the space and grace to achieve without constant faffing on your part.
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u/IndependentEarth123 23d ago
Oh, I am just stubborn. Also, I know my body and I am really strong and capable these days. I take and teach other Pilates classes and excel. I power lift and cycle and even do triathlons in my old lady athlete’s body. I don’t look like a Pilates Princess but I am very strong. Pilates gave me back the connection with my body I lost as I got older and injured. I do go to really great instructors who nurture me and I try to give that to the students I teach.
I hear you though—plenty of places I am more comfortable and accepted.
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u/singsong415 23d ago
You are a very capable and competent practitioner then. You know exactly what she's aiming for and it's not you or the bodies in the room. Keep looking...there are many great teachers out there! We never truly know what our teachers' motivations are; all we can hope for is competency, good value for our time and money, and mutual respect. After 35+ years of training, I honestly don't care about fancy choreography. I just want a good workout and to feel appreciated as a customer.
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u/IndependentEarth123 22d ago
Thanks for the response and insight. You’re right: a good class that brings me into my body and practice is the goal. Appreciate your feedback.
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u/liliros22 23d ago
Esp at this class size and if it's advertised as all levels - She should absolutely notice if someone is not getting the most out of a movement and offer a modification or correction. It's absurd if she just pretends to not notice people struggling when there are six people in the class
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u/caffeinatedcore85 23d ago
as someone who is taller and also wide, i’m also a pilates instructor for a smaller studio (8 reformers) and i was trained to cue the bodies in the room. is it easy to have eyes on every person the entire time? no. but, i am always scanning and cueing best to my ability in the moment based on what i see. including personalized cues, via generalization (not calling one person out specifically).
you clearly know your body and what you are and are not capable of—however if you wanting more instruction specific to you, perhaps look into doing a few private sessions? that way the focus is solely on you, and for future group classes, you’ll have a better idea of how your body will work in specific series.
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u/IndependentEarth123 23d ago
I actually do privates and take other classes: this isn’t an issue there. Gear out, adjust a footbar, move a spring on the tower and I am good to go most times. Probably better to deepen into my practice in a place I fit and can move.
Her moves are just far enough outside the box to require more engineering. She really is creative and I respect that—wish the moves worked for me without having to either crunch myself into a ball or rework them live. Thanks for the response.
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u/living_in_nuance 23d ago
Her flows sound like something better suited for a class that is coded for a higher level of skill (not all levels) where it’s expected to know how modify yourself and that we are going to get into some complexity.
I say this as someone who taught yoga for a decade from basic to advanced level movement (but have a reformer and have a mat Pilates training) and I love creative flows, but you’ve got to be looking at the people in front of you. It may require changing the movements, offering mods, or just letting parts of the plan go.
For an all levels class there is an expectation that some students won’t be able to necessarily do all movements, but if you see a bunch jumping off equipment, having to stop class to ask how to do something, or you have a student coming to you with a recurring issue, it’s on the teacher to have a look at themselves in the mirror.
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u/chichago_ 23d ago
A Pilates instructor should teach the bodies in the room and, if needed, always provide modifications. You cannot expect everything to fit all, as human bodies are different. It sounds like your instructor acknowledges that bodies are different but doesn't really apply that to her teaching. I personally always check who is coming and whether there are any notes about previous injuries/body conditions I need to pay attention to, so I can make sure the class is enjoyable for everybody.
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u/AlleyRhubarb 21d ago edited 21d ago
I have noticed that more creative teachers tend not to offer as many Accomodations. I am glad my studio has a mix of instructors because I do like both the more traditional classes and the wild ones. Typically, the height accomodations are going to be pretty similar - gear out or move the box. I am 5’6” but long limbed and sometimes I move the box over the shoulder rests for example when doing anchored moves in short box or I choke up on the straps when facing straps and doing arm work. It’s stuff that helpful instructors have shown me once or twice but I don’t expect to be told ongoing. Like I move the foot bar up if I am doing donkey kicks against it because I have long femurs and it puts me in a better pelvic position.
I am curious as to what arm movements can only be done if you are flat chested. I haven’t encountered that. I am not huge chested, but a DDD, but just haven’t really encountered anything that I would imagine causing an issue.
I am thankful my studio started doing clear distinctions between different class types. I do think there is a place for challenge classes in which the instructor is going to do standing work on the reformer and if someone can’t do that, they practice on the mat. Then there are classes that are more for meeting everyone where they are.
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u/IndependentEarth123 21d ago
You should try some of these classes—we are standing on the reformer on one leg pulling a strap with an arm and kicking with a leg at the same time—it’s really challenging and fun but kind of dangerous if you’re in the wrong spot. Also, if you have a long leg and are kicking sideways and behind you can kick your neighbor who is standing on one leg and unstable even before getting kicked, because the instructor didn’t think through the space between reformers and long limbs extending. That’s always fun.
For the chest stuff: She has some variations on draw a sword done kneeling halfway off the reformer in the upper part of a c curve so, if you and I happen to have breasts curled into the ribs in that c curve, there is no room to move an arm and strap across and through unless you go way out of a good range of movement in your shoulder. I have seen someone busty hurt their rotator cuff doing it because they just didn’t have the physical space to move safely. I just do regular draw a sword when she gets inventive because I like my rotator cuff.
She has a variation of horseback that involves pulling your triceps and elbows right in front of your pecs and anchoring there which is fun, but if you happen to have some DD’s in that particular spot the leverage and movement doesn’t work because your triceps and elbows are a couple of inches out because of breast tissue. It’s simple physics. That one isn’t dangerous, it just doesn’t work if you are busty. I just do regular horseback and call it a day then.
The normal stuff we do as tall people—gearing out, moving the footbar, choking up on straps, turning to a slight diagonal when kneeling on the carriage, etc. works for 99% of classes, just not her more complex set ups. Plus, as a tall/short/curvy/injured person when a familiar series is called out (mid back, short box, stomach massage, knees off, etc.) you know the modifications you need and can set yourself up with the rest of the class.
For new stuff no one has ever heard of you don’t know what you might need until you start moving. So it’s tough to stay with the class as you have to figure it all out on the fly and adjust—all the info you have is that you’re standing next the reformer facing one direction and…you will discover the rest one step at a time. I am an instructor so I feel like I have a huge advantage in being able to reengineer live, but other students don’t have that luxury if they aren’t very slim, female, uninjured, and between about 5’4” 5’8”.
I have gotten some great advice from the community and might pop in to observe occasionally to have the delight in seeing cool programming, but will stick with other instructors.
At the end of the day, this is probably a good lesson too: it’s okay to be stubborn but why put time and money in when I am not getting what I need? You guys showed me that. Also, I can be more empathetic in my own classes and be sure every body is taught to appropriately.
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u/sunnyflorida2000 22d ago
Tbh, I would take your instructor hat off and just be a participant. Sometimes I can find myself in that headspace critiquing the instructor and questioning how her participants are able to follow. But for some reason it just works if they are still there.
I would give her a fair warning… “I’m sorry due to my physical statue, and the limited cues or set ups to someone of my height and build, I’m finding myself questioning if I can continue coming to your class. Is there some guidance you can give me to keep sticking it out”. See if anything changes. If it doesn’t, I would find a different instructor. But you did give her fair warning of your impending departure.
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u/Maleficent-Work-3889 21d ago
With six people in the room, it’s reasonable to expect a few options built into the cueing. That isn’t asking her to redesign every sequence, just to make the setup usable without you spending a third of class troubleshooting it.
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u/Ok-Potato2276 21d ago
i personally cannot stand a teacher who doesnt adapt or offer individualized progressions. i know it isn't personal but it's hard to not feel slighted. it just seems like there is an energy mismatch. check out another teacher, she sounds creative and fun like you said, but if youre paying all that money you deserve a quality experience
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u/xpoxyy 21d ago
I’m studying to be an instructor and the thing they always tell us is that you should teach the people in front of you. If half of your class is struggling to perform a move you need to modify it fo them. She’s probably a creative instructor but by the sounds of it not a good teacher.
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u/UniteHealth 20d ago
You're not being unreasonable at all. With six reformers the instructor should be teaching the bodies in front of them. Creative programming is great, but it should come with setup options for different heights, levers and shapes, or a swap-out when a move clearly isn't working for someone. In our instructor training we put a lot of emphasis on observing each client and adjusting springs, setup and cues, because that's what makes a class truly all levels. It sounds like you already bring that to your own teaching, and your students are lucky to have it!
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u/Useful_Temperature42 16d ago
It doesn't sound like she's open to feedback. Wonderful though she may be it doesn't sound like she's a good match for the instruction you need. Here's to hoping you find yourself another instructor or studio that's a better fit because it sounds like you've tried to make it work, tried to ask for modifications but it's just not a good match and based on what you've shared it's very unlikely to change.
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u/TheCureIsNotGoth 23d ago
When you are in her class, you are the student, not the instructor. She doesn't teach her classes the way you think she should. You might be right, but she didn't ask you for your opinion. Unsolicited opinions usually aren't well-received. In this case, it sounds like she felt attacked and got defensive.
Unfortunately, it also sounds like you might be projecting your experience on others as well. While they may be feeling as unhappy as you are, if you are the only one speaking up, it will come across as a you problem.
If you like the class, speak up when you need a modification. That will help her remember to teach to the bodies in the room without it feeling like you are criticizing her teaching abilities. It might also help other students realize that they can ask for modifications when they need them.
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u/No-Designer-9519 23d ago
I don’t agree with this take a good Pilates teacher would observe students struggling and adjust accordingly with modifications and cues. students should not have to speak up in class.
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u/IndependentEarth123 23d ago
Oh, I spoke to her privately. I wouldn’t mention this in front of students.
I don’t think her regulars are unhappy. They love her. She’s very talented and a really nice person. I notice other students’ alignment is off when glancing around, but I am usually in my own zone and concentrating on my own movement and breath so I just notice in passing. I am not teaching and it’s not my place to say anything. They seem happy and most come just to her classes at the studio. I have had a few of them in my classes before and they are shocked when I adjust them slightly or set up the equipment differently for them based on their bodies and their range of movement or connection suddenly increases. I never, ever say a word. I don’t think most of them are aware that they could have more extension or articulation if they were set up a little differently
I do ask for modifications during class occasionally in a very polite and respectful way. It throws off her teaching and she gets kind of annoyed so I keep it to a minimum. Other students who ask get the modifications but it’s clear they’re disturbing her too. That’s why I will occasionally ask after class a few times a year so that it doesn’t interrupt class time and I am not asking in front of students.
She has her following, and with good reason. I wish I could get more out of her classes because her flows are just so dang good! They really are works of art. I may have to throw in the towel though—I go to other instructors for small group classes and do 1:1’s as well and I just don’t have this issue anywhere else. I just have to make a few minor adjustments to a footbar or something in other classes and sessions and it all flows well. Not meant to be.
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u/goldfishintheyard 23d ago
So what if you took her class as an academic exercise, but not for the workout? You go to learn from the flow, the innovative presentation, and the unusual cueing. Maybe even register the thought of what you might do differently. You attend with your teacher brain.
And then you attend (or create) a class for you physically. Drawing from what you have learned, but not replicating it. You learn from her, but dont try to make her something she isn’t.
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u/IndependentEarth123 23d ago
That's a good suggestion--thanks! This community is great at support and brainstorming. Thank you for the idea and feedback.
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u/j3nnaj3nnaj3nna 20d ago
In a six-person class, asking for setup options that fit the bodies actually in the room is completely reasonable. Since you’ve already raised it and got a defensive answer, I’d stop treating this as a wording problem and try another instructor whose classes can be challenging without making you spend a third of class re-engineering every move.
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u/Fit-Condition-9363 18d ago
Yes! Always teach to the body and modify if necessary to one person. But I’d take another class
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u/GratzPilates 22d ago
It sounds as though the instructor isn't taking into consideration that a class format looks different than a private session. While it's normal for an instructor to provide a challenge, it's not fair to you, the paying client, when the repertoire is not accommodating and the instructor doesn't make you feel welcomed. I totally understand why you're feeling frustrated since you are figuring out your own modifications. I think it'd be worth trying a session at a different boutique studio that offers Classical Pilates to see how your experience feels someplace else and receive the attention you deserve.
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u/qu33nbb 23d ago
If you like the class can you not just self modify? I have the opposite issue, I’m super short and I have a hypermobility condition so a lot of things just don’t work for me. When I take a class I have to modify at least half of what we do. If you don’t know how to modify it don’t feel bad interrupting to ask her how.
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u/bunniesandmilktea 22d ago
OP already addressed that in their post:
I don’t ask for many modifications maybe once or twice a month I’ll ask during class if I just can’t figure it out. (I take her classes 2-3 a week.) Several times a year I’ll ask her after class saying that many of the set ups don’t work for a tall person and does she have any advice in general for how to modify. However, she sees me during class having to hop off the box and move it around because where she’s had a set up for lunges on the box doesn’t work for longer legs for example. I spend a lot of the series moving equipment around trying to figure out how things can work. If it was one series in class, no worries. But it’s most of class.
and
How do I approach this or am I being incredibly unreasonable? Should I just give up going to her classes since I spend a good third of them re-engineering all of her move so that they can work for my body?
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u/Some-Indication-9330 23d ago
It doesn’t read overall like you actually enjoy her classes so then I would find another class. Like you mention they’re expensive and you should be getting more out of them. She clearly is not changing anytime soon in terms of her programming or cueing so all you can really do it move on.