Just like anyone who is at the top of their field, the Pilates in Holland team are deep learners. As a team, that inclination to learn, explore, and grow has been keeping us busy, and we wanted to let you know what we’ve been up to.
Jayne: I took the advanced Buff Bones class which layers onto the initial training I did a couple of years ago. It helps teachers gauge where clients are at and what their needs might be and then provides a plan or system for moving them forward into more challenges that are safe, including new weight sequences. I am excited to begin sharing this in some upcoming workshops, both at Pilates in Holland and Pilates in East. I am also finishing up a pelvic floor training with Carolyn Anthony and can’t wait to incorporate it into my classes.
Teresa: I recently taught a training for Pilates Method Alliance (PMA), an international professional membership association. The topic combined my two career interests: ergonomics and Pilates. Entitled Exploring Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs), the training looked at how MSDs (which affect about one-quarter of the global population and are a major occupational issue in the US) can be exacerbated by or the result of daily activities/hobbies. I taught other Pilates teachers about these types of injuries so they could understand the risk factors in exercise to ensure their clients stay safe and healthy. I am also continuing my education on scoliosis and how Pilates can help those who, like me, have it.
Photo from Haworth
Renee: I’ve been spending my spring learning about the nervous system and how to help regulate it for better day-to-day living. I started by taking a class on RMT (rhythmic movement therapy) where I learned about infant reflexes and how they can sometimes cause us problems when they aren’t fully integrated. Then Mandy and I have been taking Brain Gym classes, which study the brain’s organizing process using movements. It provides the tools that enable us to release accumulated stress & develop strategies for handling the daily stresses of life. I’m loving using this in my daily life and with my family, as well as teaching about it in blogs!
Debra: I completed the Buff Bones training last year. If you know me, you know I have a ton of questions about everything, and I was tired of bugging Jayne with them! I wanted the lowdown, to know for myself, how to keep my clients safe. For such a common diagnosis, osteoporosis patients are rarely well-educated on it. It’s also personal as there is a very high probability I will one day have osteoporosis, so I wanted to be able to educate my clients and myself.
Terree: I have been deepening my understanding of the fascial system to bring it into my classes and to enhance my Release Workshops. I worked with Meg Frens, a local athletic trainer specializing in myofascial release, who shared her expertise with me. I learned new ways to do releases I already knew and added to my release work toolkit. Through our collaboration, I created a new educational booklet for workshop participants that groups together body systems along fascial lines to show how different muscle groups affect each other, as well as showing releases for each.
Mandy: Most of you know I have been participating in Trent McEntire‘s year-long Neuro Leadership Program. Anyone in my classes has seen how it’s influenced my teaching with lots of eye movement and other brain work. It has been so rewarding to see the effect it’s had on client’s lives and it’s made me want to learn even more about a whole-body approach to living life to the fullest. When Renee started looking into taking classes, I knew I wanted to in. Brain Gym has been around for years, in fact, many teachers use it in their classrooms. We’re now learning how great it is for adults, as well as kids, and I am excited to bring that knowledge to the studio. This work has been so validating to things I sought for my own healing since I was in my 20s.
