The Power of Pre-Pilates on the Reformer

This workshop will focus on pre-Pilates exercises that lay the groundwork for a beginner reformer. We will discuss the five fitness principles—overload, FITT, use or lose it, specificity, and progression—to help design an effective Pilates program for beginners. Additionally, we will cover the principle of Pilates, which is primarily movement.

Shoulder Joints: The Upper Powerhouse

In this workshop, participants will learn the importance of scapula mobility and exercises that help stretch and strengthen muscles around the shoulder joint. The cue “shoulders down” creates too much simplicity of the complex workings of the shoulder. Students will discover how to create a balanced muscle structure in the joint, especially in exercises where the end point is the hands. This understanding will facilitate the connection of your “upper powerhouse.”

Infinite Possibilities on the Mat

In this workshop we will review the 34 exercises Joesph Pilates created and teach the logical reason for specific movement instructions. The student will effortlessly flow through the “Return to Life” exercises by queuing the breath.

Using the principles of resistance training (progression, overload, specificity, FITT, reversibility, and variety), students will be introduced to Romana Kryzanowska’s variations of movement. They will then experience a Pilates movement and how classical work has evolved through the decades.

Progressions for Popular Exercises 

Pilates naturally facilitates a systematic progression in training. As an instructor, it is crucial to understand how to effectively advance exercises without repeating the same routine. 

This workshop uses the “principle of Progression” to develop proper movement. We will break down exercises into their simplest form by exploring training progression on various apparatus to perfect many Pilates exercises. We will discuss moves like the teaser, swan, corkscrew, step-up, balance control, and twist.