Teaching Pilates to Beginners: A Rewarding Journey!

Pilates is more popular than ever, and there are more people wanting to experience it than ever before. This is fantastic for a Pilates teacher like me who loves helping beginners! Teaching Pilates to beginners is an exciting opportunity—a chance to really improve someone’s life! Especially for someone who isn’t feeling good in their own body. I often get clients coming to me as they experience aches, pains, and stiffness that frustrate them in their daily lives. Once they begin Pilates practice with me, it can quickly start to make a big difference to them!

In this blog, we’ll explore the journey of beginners when they take up Pilates.

First step: Learning about you

Most beginners arrive with some sort of problem they hope Pilates can help them with, or a clear thing their current training programme lacks, a gap they need to fill in their exercise routine. Some may have never exercised before; others might be seasoned athletes looking to enhance their core strength. Some may have injuries, chronic conditions, or body image concerns.

Before we dive into a lesson, I get to know you:

I ask about any previous injuries or health issues.
I like to understand your goals for practising Pilates (e.g., flexibility, strength, stress relief). What problem can I solve for you?
I like to get an understanding of your general fitness level, so I can meet you where you are just now.

This information allows me to modify exercises appropriately and create a welcoming, supportive environment where you’ll feel confident and able to work on your body in the best possible way.

Teaching Pilates to Beginners – Core Principles of Pilates

Beginners often don’t know much about Pilates, and it can seem like there is a lot of detail and information to absorb.

I like to introduce the Pilates principles bit by bit, so you don’t feel overwhelmed. The important thing for any beginner starting Pilates is that you move! Even if it’s not perfect, as long as you’re doing the exercises in a safe manner, then that’s amazing!

The principles of Pilates I’ll gradually introduce you to are: –

Concentration: encouraging you to switch off your busy mind and focus on your movement.
Control: Starting to move your body in a controlled and mindful way.
Centring: I confess, centring isn’t a real word! But it’s a concept of being mindful of what your core/trunk is doing while you exercise
Precision: Small adjustments can make a big difference!
Breath: I introduce beginners to the breathing technique, and gradually, over time, they will feel how this enhances their movement.
Flow: Once you become a little more experienced, you can start to enjoy the flow of movement in Pilates. Transitioning from 1 exercise to the next, it really makes for an amazing mind/body workout.

Don’t let all this put you off! I would never expect you to learn these things right away. Enjoy your practice and it will gradually weave its way into your routine in time.

Keeping It Simple

When I teach you Pilates as a beginner, rest assured, I shall keep it simple at first!

I usually choose a small set of foundational exercises and teach you those first, rather than rushing through an exhaustive routine. Classics like the Hundred (possibly a modified version), Single-Leg Stretch, Pelvic Curl, and Spine Stretch Forward are excellent starting points.

I use clear, simple cues to help you understand the movements and discover the feelings in your own body. One of the first things to focus on is the controlled movement of your spine. Once you get this concept, you’ll soon be thriving.

Focus on Alignment and Form

We do like to move with good form in Pilates! Rest assured, as a beginner, this will come in time. Most of us don’t really have great body awareness at first. This is actually one of the amazing benefits of Pilates—you get to know your body!

With each lesson, I’ll make observations and adjustments that will help you learn better body awareness. You’ll start to notice things in your body you’d never have known.

To help with movement and body awareness, I use visual cues (“imagine a string pulling the crown of your head upward”) and tactile cues (if appropriate and with consent) to guide you. I always keep my corrections kind and supportive. Rest assured, none of us moves with perfection! I frequently have lessons with my own Pilates teacher to help make sure I’m getting the most out of my practice.

Teach the Power of Breath

For many beginners, the Pilates breathing pattern initially feels awkward or unnecessary. The last thing I want is for you to stress about “getting it right.” In your lessons, I’ll just encourage you to try the breathing by referring to it now and again.

Things like saying to you to “breathe into your ribcage”.
I’ll encourage you to exhale at specific points (e.g., during the most challenging part of a movement).
I use simple phrases like “breathe in to prepare, breathe out as you move.”

Regular breathing reminders help beginners like you find a natural rhythm over time.

I offer Modifications and Props.

This is one of the reasons why, especially if you have injuries, you want a small group Pilates class. While there are many Pilates classes in leisure centres nowadays with large numbers to 1 teacher, this is not ideal if you need additional support in class. I keep my class numbers capped at 12 so that I am able to help modify for those in the room when needed.

Here are a few examples of ways I can modify for you when needed.

For instance:

Resistance bands or balls can be used to support your body in certain exercises.
Modifying your position, like doing an exercise with bent knees rather than straight.
Using the support of a wall for balance exercises!

Props like resistance bands, Pilates rings, yoga blocks, and stability balls can make exercises more accessible and fun! I’ll gradually introduce these into your lessons.

I always strive to keep it Positive!

Everyone progresses at their own pace. Being a Pilates beginner should be a really enjoyable and rewarding experience! And I’ll always keep it positive. Some people pick it up slower than others, and that’s absolutely fine! You’re there to move and build strength and flexibility, and you’ll pick up all the other details in your own time.

Ways I help are: –

I’ll celebrate your small wins! Like being able to roll down and touch the floor for the first time.
I also offer reassurance and love a bit of humour in class. Not too serious!
I won’t overload you with corrections! I’ll offer suggestions now and again to help you improve.
Rest assured I shall compliment your good work! We all love a bit of praise.

I have a community of supportive members to help you, too!

I totally appreciate that starting Pilates can be so daunting for many beginners! Not for everyone, of course, but some people are incredibly hesitant to join a Pilates class, even when they know it would be good for them! The other members of my Pilates community and I totally get this. We make any beginner feel welcome!

You can expect

A cheery welcome from us!
A bit of laughter and banter in between the hard work.
You’ll get chatting to some lovely folk before and after class!

I love introducing beginners to the fold! Once you’ve been to one class, you’ll wonder what you worried about.

Having 1:1 lessons

While Pilates classes are fantastic, these don’t work for everyone. Some prefer private lessons with me, where we can work on their needs. This also allows me to use the Pilates apparatus (equipment) like the Pilates reformer and Cadillac to help you build strength and flexibility safely.

You may decide you love private lessons so much that they are how you continue your practice. Or maybe you’ll have a few private lessons to feel confident and join a class! Some of my seasoned class attendees have private lessons with me now and again to keep them getting the most out of their practice.

Generally, having some 1:1s first will help you progress faster as a beginner, so this is a great option to consider.

Why teaching pilates to beginners is rewarding

Teaching Pilates to beginners is a rewarding journey for both me and the beginner. I love introducing people to Pilates’s truly amazing exercise method and seeing how it can transform their body and life. With consistent practice, Pilates can bring you more than you ever thought! You’ll be stronger, walk taller, develop a natural grace in your movement, move freely, and feel great!

If you’re looking to embark on your Pilates beginner journey, contact me and I’ll help you get started. You won’t regret it! You just need a body; Pilates will do the rest.