Pilates Training: Are you faithful or adulterous?
Is being faithful to your Pilates system for life a good thing or not? I think this is an interesting question, but why am I asking it today?
Let me rewind a little. I was checking my emails on Sunday evening after the end of another successful Wellness Retreat here in Barcelona. My inbox was full of the usual spam emails that none of us like getting, but I accept that if we put ourselves out there in the virtual world of social media, websites, blogs etc, then we can hardly complain too loudly when someone picks up our details and contacts us can we? On the contrary, it means that our advertising is working! When it happens to me (and it does around 100 times everyday), I really do not let it spoil my day, in the same way I do not let junk post spoil my day, or TV adverts spoil my day, or phone calls trying to sell me something I do not want or need spoil my day, or leaflets that fall out of the magazines I buy spoil my day… Spamming (did you know the phrase “spam” comes from the Monty Python sketch first published in 1970? If you haven’t seen it then CLICK HERE to watch it. English sense of humour is required!) has been going on for ever just in different forms. I reply if think it’s worthy, or I simply lift my finger and press the delete button. My blood pressure doesn’t change and neither does my mood.
Ok, I digress, let me get back to the title of my blog, Pilates Training. But the purpose for this foray into cyberland etiquette is that in my inbox (amoung the spam) was a message from one of my PilatesEVO master-trainers from Europe. Whilst promoting a PilatesEVO© education, she was in contact with a Pilates teacher in London. I decided to write this article not so much because the Pilates teacher in question wrote back to a perfectly polite email in an incredibly rude and disingenuous way (and they did not even use salutation which is really just either lazy or bad form, or both), it was more about what she said. Her words were that didn’t my colleague realise who she was, and that she had been affiliated to the same school of Pilates for more than 15 years and she would never ever even think about learning any other form of Pilates.
Whilst I wonder how any one who can write such an email can possibly be a good, professional teacher, we all know there are many systems of Pilates, and no doubt we have our favourite which is probably the one we studied first. But the purpose of my article today is to ask the question is being totally faithful to your Pilates system for life a good thing or not?
My opinion is that it absolutely is not. Whether you like my PilatesEVO© system or any other system that is not your “usual” system, I totally respect your opinion. This article is not about the rights or wrongs of different systems. But to never try anything else is like saying that Ford is the best manufacturer of cars when all you have owned is a Ford. How can you even have an opinion? Even if you do not buy another car, at least take a few test drives!
I believe that diversity in training and experience is what makes the best teachers, and those who have an insular attitude are missing out on potentially interesting and informative ideas that could complement or even add to their favourite way of teaching. I know Pilates schools that actively discourage their pupils from going over to the “dark side” and trying another school. What exactly are they afraid of? Are they so insecure about their method, or just afraid that one of their disciples might find a different system a revelation? I cannot see any negative reason for not being open minded about how and what other people teach. At the very least it might confirm to you that your system is the best one for you, but there is also a very high chance that you might just learn something new that will make you a better teacher.
I always try to keep an open mind. I always except that I do not know everything (you should avoid at all costs anyone who ever tells you that they do because they are fools) and there is always room for new experiences and knowledge. But what’s your opinion? Have you always only practised one form of Pilates training? Who out there can speak of positive experiences from trying other types? I’d love you opinions and thoughts.
As for me, I’ll have spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, egg and chips please. 🙂
Chris Hunt is a Pilates and functional training presenter and educator based in London and Barcelona, Spain. He is the creator of Pilates EVO©, bodyFUNC©, and CEO of Pilates Rehab Limited and Sport Core Strength. He also created Pilates Carnival and Fitness Carnival, conventions where all profits go to local children’s charities. He organises Pilates events, retreats, fitness holidays and sports holidays in Barcelona and Ibiza. For more information about training with Chris in Barcelona, please click on Barcelona Bienestar. To learn more about Chris Hunt, please read Just who is Chris Hunt anyway? You can also subscribe by completing the form on the this BLOG to receive articles and special offers straight to your inbox.
Chris Hunt pays all profits made from this BLOG to his charity partners. More details can be found by clicking on www.chrishuntwellness.com and selecting the “charity partners” tab.
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