Ready to Rock Your Pilates Workout?

If you are a pilates teacher, then you might use props from time to time in your class. There is no shortage of balls, rings, and other small items to help you and your client change their workouts slightly. Hopefully you don't rely on the props for all of the pilates exercises, but sometimes doing a ball workout or a foam roller workout is a fun way to shake things up.

I've found a great tool that I use in my own workouts (pilates, but also in my circuit training). There are a ton of pilates exercises you can do and your clients will get stronger and might want a pair for home!

The Valslides are 2 sliding oblong discs. That's it. You place them under your feet or under your hands. They increase core work when doing stability exercises like plank, mountain climber, and some variations that will feel very familiar to you if you work on the reformer.

Some Tips on Using the Valslides in a Pilates Workout:

1. Only use them if it will enhance the exercise you are trying to teach the client. Keep in mind this is a variation prop - not a modification prop. The exercises performed on the Valslides makes most moves more difficult. Start with the original pilates exercise and then add 1 or 2 valslides.

2. Use the Valslide if you can't get to a reformer or don't have room to cart your other balls, weights, etc. to your client.

3. Instruct your client (or yourself) to move from the center at all times. The pilates principles are even more important when using the Valslides. Breath, Control, Stability and Neutral Spine are really important things to cue and remind.

4. I typically do straight classical pilates exercises and then will do a series of 3-4 valslide exercises...then go right back to the classic, basic exercises. This helps the client get right back into the mindset that they are taking pilates not just getting a personal training session.

5. Don't be afraid to experiment!

6. Email Valerie Waters for additional exercise ideas. She is always there to help out and provide additional support to her valslide devotees!

Once you get the hang of using Valslides in your private sessions, try bringing them out in your small group classes. It's fun to jump off the reformer or wunda chair or from the mat and do a few challenging core exercises. Your clients will thank you for the change...and so will your body if you are doing them at home!

Also, let me know if you try them out! I love to know how people are using the valslide in their pilates classes. I think fusing traditional work with new fitness strategies really keeps in line with Joseph Pilates own spirit of invention. I could be wrong, but I do think he was open minded enough to discover new ways to get the work done and challenge the body. Are you?

For more articles that talk about how I started using Valslides, check out my main blog:

Anne Samoilov Blog
Pilates for Weight Loss ?

Teaching Group Classes vs. Teach Private Sessions

I've been teaching a lot of group reformer classes lately...and I have to say, they are really growing on me! I love the energy of my students and the excitement when we do slightly varied/modified exercises...it's really so much fun. I know that private sessions are supposed to be where the money is, but if I could teach just group classes, I would! Here are the reasons why:

1. Like I said before, if you have a great group of students, the class can be as much fun for you as it is for them. Even when the mood is serious, you feel compelled to deliver a really challenging class.

2. You get to help a bunch of people at once reach their goals.

3. You have to think on your feet and multi-task when dealing with a group of different bodies. When I multi-task - you can't sit and analyze, you must stay in tuned with all the different issues that might exist in the different bodies. It's a challenge I love!!

4. You are more concerned with giving people a stand-alone workout as opposed to a private client who you might be progressing slowly through the exercises from beginner to intermediate.

5. I really feel that the future of pilates could be in creative group programming. The economy is calling for the change and they can get the same thing elsewhere -- like gyms and other fitness clubs. Don't you want people to learn pilates the right way -- instead of from someone who might not have a ton of experience at a larger gym? Think about offering more group classes and see what happens...

I know this was a super general post, but I just had to share that teaching group pilates classes is so fulfilling when you look at it as a training ground for the future. I love it!