Exercise choice doesn't REALLY matter ➣ Here's what DOES matter when teaching pre and postnatal women...
Dear Pilates Teacher,
When teaching Pilates exercises pre and postnatal clients, there are a few main things to make sure of.
1. Is the exercise moderately challenging for her? Does she feel her body working?
2. Is she able to move through the exercise WITHOUT straining? If she is holding her breath, grunting, etc., it MIGHT be too much!
➣ Feeling moderately challenged without straining USUALLY requires modification of traditional Pilates exercises to accommodate ✅ the physical changes during pregnancy, ✅ and healing postpartum.
There ARE some Pilates exercises that I would leave out during pregnancy and early postpartum like Climb a Tree, Front & Russian Splits, and Push-Ups Front & Back on the Reformer.
More beneficial exercises for this special population are Footwork, Downstretch and Upstretch modified, and Chest Expansion.
The general rule is to ask:
🟣 ? "What is the benefit of this exercise for my pregnant/postpartum client at THIS stage of her pregnancy or postpartum healing journey?"
and
🟣 ? "How can I modify this exercise and emphasize the benefit for this client?
(Just like you do with ANY client.)
For Example:
- If mom-to-be has been doing Pilates consistently for years,
- she is advanced in her practice,
- AND she WANTS to continue her current level of practice,
she MIGHT be able to, until it's no longer possible to do the more advanced exercises- usually when the baby grows and the uterus expands into the abdominal cavity, hindering the ability to perform certain exercises.
Here's another example:
- If you have a client in her 2nd trimester who is NEW to Pilates,
you'll want to stick to the basic exercises, and appropriately modify them as baby -in-the-womb grows.
➣ If you do nothing else, make sure your client is AWARE of what she is doing - that she can feel her body working.
- Ask her where she feels the exercise.
- Be EXTRA vigilant to cue breathing, exhaling on the most difficult part (most of the time.)
Your Turn:
With your next client, ask them where they are feeling the exercise, and cue breathing more than you normally would.
I would love to hear from you! Send me a message on Instagram @pregnancy.pilates.impact
Thank you for your dedication to teaching this very special population!
To Your Perinatal Teaching Success,
Alison Marsh
Founder of Pregnancy Pilates Impact
Helping Pilates teachers to become CONFIDENT, QUALIFIED Perinatal Pilates Specialists.
Click Here for My Bio and CV
Click Here to Follow Me on Instagram @pregnancy.pilates.impact
P.S.
If you're interested in learning how to confidently teach pre and postnatal clients, get on the interest list for my NEW training:
Pilates Teaching Confidence Quick-Start Program.
Click the link below to get on the interest list. ⬇️
http://www.pregnancypilatesimpact.com/quickstart