STOTT PILATES® Teacher Training in Korea

I arrived in South Korea on Friday April 25th, and jumped into teaching the STOTT PILATES Intensive Cadillac, Chair and Barrel course the next day. Of course, I was still jet lagged, not to mention stiff as a board after sitting in a plane for 16 hours, but since I had woken up at 4 am, I had plenty of time to stretch out! I was staying in a hotel for that first night as the “guesthouse” was still occupied by the Instructor Trainer from Toronto, Karen Sullivan. I was lucky to find that my hotel room included a large whirlpool tub which definitely helped un-kink my spine!

I got to meet Karen briefly and we went over to the pilates studio to assess a student who was having some re-occurring injuries from an auto accident a few years ago. We did some basic stabilization exercises with her and determined that she could take the course if she sat out and observed the more challenging exercises. I met Min, my translator, and started teaching the 12 students in the ICCB course. Learning names is always one of the challenges of meeting a large group for the first time and becomes even more difficult when the names are not familiar to you. Trying to remember who Ji-Sun was and getting her mixed up with Ji-Eun or Eun Jung was one of the difficulties that first week!

Teaching with a translator is also very challenging as you need to get through all the material in the set amount of time, but everything you say takes twice as long since it needs to be translated. This is the 5th course I have taught with a translator and Min has been doing a very good job. The group is doing great too and we got through all of the STOTT PILATES Cadillac section of the course with plenty of time for some practice teaching. I took a very artistic video of the student’s practice teaching, but somehow I was only on preview mode, not record mode, so a photograph will have to do…

They were all very hard workers, but also had a good sense of humor. When we took our lunch break, the studio always provided a lunch for all the students. It was usually a roll of gimbap, which is like a Korean sushi filled with vegetables, egg and ham. Today’s lunch was rice cakes in a spicy chile sauce.

I finished the ICCB course on May 4th and then we jumped right into the Advanced Repertoire and finished with the STOTT PILATES Injuries and Special Populations Course by the end of May. Some of these students had already taken the IMP and IR courses before I arrived, so they literally were in intensive pilates training for over three months!

Ji-Eun doing a great handstand!

That is a lot of information to take in especially when the manuals are written in english. Most Koreans have at least some english skills, but I’m sure it is still challenging for most of them to read the training manuals, especially the Injuries and Special Populations manual! Here we all are at the end of the ISP course ready to go out for a little wild Korean karaoke!

Last day of ISP course

Everyone was so sweet to me during all the courses and really made me feel welcome in their beautiful country. I hope to go back one day…

My career in pilates

This question was sent and responded to through email, but we thought others might be interested!

Hello:

I am considering a career in pilates. I am wondering if I could get some advice about what it’s like to teach pilates on a regular basis? What can I expect? What are the rewards? What are the limitations or disadvantages? I look forward to hearing from you!

Hi,

I have taught as a full-time STOTT PILATES® Instructor since 1999, and I have enjoyed it immensely. I began teaching pilates after a long career in dance, and I have loved being able to share my knowledge and love of movement with others; My STOTT PILATES training has provided me with great tools for communicating and teaching others how to move better and enjoy their own bodies.
I think there are numerous benefits to teaching Pilates. First, I am glad that my pilates profession has a positive impact on others, and I believe this is one of the biggest rewards of teaching. Nothing makes me feel better than when a student tells me that they feel better, have less pain or that they can move more easily. It makes my day when a student has a breakthrough in their learning; they experience a big “ahaa” moment, and, all of a sudden, something that they have never understood makes perfect, crystal- clear sense and their body moves more efficiently!

I also prefer that I can set me own work schedule and earn enough money to teach only part-time hours. I am currently working on a bachelors degree, and I don’t think I would have had the time to do this if I were working a full-time, standard forty hours per week. Teaching pilates gives me more flexibility, not only in my limbs, but also in my schedule to do other things (running a business is a different story!) Likewise, I guess some people may find it difficult to be self-employed or concerning that they may have low points in their work schedules, but I prefer the variety and independence that pilates teaching provides.

Finally, I never get bored with Pilates. It seems like there is always something new to learn. Whether it’s learning a new exercise or discovering how to work more effectively with a student, I think that the human organism is endlessly complicated and, therefore, so is teaching an exercise system such as Pilates.

Thanks for asking your question. Just writing about it has made me appreciate my career even more! I look forward to reading other people say.

Leslie

Flat abs without back pain

This question was sent and responded to through email, but we thought others might be interested!

Melanie:

What are some good ab exercises that I can do without hurting my back? Do you have research to support these ideas?

Hello,

The most beneficial way to strengthen your abs, flatten your stomach and not hurt your back is to do abdominal exercises that encourage proper recruitment of the spinal and pelvis stabilizing muscles: the pelvic floor and transversus abdominis muscles. To do this, you need to understand how to “recruit” these muscles (in lieu of using other muscles, which is common) and how to tell if they are staying “on” (instead of using those other muscles) while you complete abdominal exercises.
The transversus abdominis is the deepest layer of abdominals. It does not, by design, create movement. Instead, it creates stability for the spine and flattens the abdominals. It is important to make sure that while exercising the transversus abdominis, it is pulling in and flattening sideways (the fibers run horizontally around the trunk like a corset).
These muscles work best when the pelvis and lumbar spine are placed with the natural curve in the lumbar spine (i.e. when the back is not flattened into the mat) and the back muscles are not gripping.

There are several basic exercises one can practice to find the pelvic floor muscles. Since the pelvic floor muscles attach to the underneath side of the pelvis (these are the same muscles that control urination) they are felt easiest by sitting on a ball and gently bouncing up and down or by folding up a small wash cloth and sitting on it. These devices give some feedback for the individual.

To strengthen these muscles, gently connect these muscles by thinking of lifting them upward slightly. (It should feel like the same muscles that work to keep you from urninating.) It is important to be able to gently lift them for a count of 5, hold them on for a count of 5 and release them for a count of 5. They should not be working at 100% but closer to a 25% level.

Transversus should become active just prior to incorporating other muscles. When the transversus abdominis is recruited properly, you see a flattening or drawing in of the lower abdomen without any noticeable movement of the spine or hips.
To get the look of a flat, strong abdomen, you need a variety of different exercises in your routine. Some include:
1) Challenging the spine in neutral (plank, head and shoulders on the ground) ensuring the spine remains as it starts throughout the exercise
a. Toe taps
b. Dead bug series
c. Scissors with head down
d. One leg circle
e. Push ups
f. Leg pull front
2) Flexion routine- ensure that lower abdominals are set prior to and throughout the motion
a. Roll up
b. Obliques with single leg stretch
3) Extension based exercises- keep abdominals lifting up
a. Swan dive
b. Swimming
More info about the transversus abdominis:
1) acts as a corset, drawing in circumferentially as it protects the spine
2) stabilizer of the lumbar spine by virtue of:
- insertion into the thoraco-lumbar fascia, which inserts into the vertebrae,
- its neurological firing pattern (fires before movement begins so that the spine is protected and prepared
- coordinated work with the other stabilizers including the pelvic floor muscles, diaphragm, deep psoas, and multifidus
3) creates motion around the proper axis of motion, and prevents unwanted shearing or translation of the vertebra which can lead to irritation and degeneration of the discs and facet joints
4) provides compression (in a good way) so that the larger muscles have a stable base to pull from
REFERENCES:
1. Lee, Diane: The pelvic Girdle, Third Ed. Edinburgh, Churchill Livingstone, 2004
2. Richardson C, Hodges P, Hides J: Therapeutic Exercise For Lumbopelvic Stabilization: Motor Control Approach to the Treatment and Prevention of Low Back Pain, 2nd edition, Edinburgh, Churchill Livingstone, 2004
3. Vleeming A et al: Movement, Stability and Low Back Pain- The Essential Role of the Pelvis 2nd edition, at press, 2006
Articles
3. Lee, Diane (1998) Stress Urinary Incontinence: A consequence of Failed Load Transfer Through the Pelvis? Proceedings from the Third Interdisciplinary World Congress on low Back and Pelvic Pain. Vienna, Austria www.dianelee.ca <http://www.dianelee.ca>
4. Lee, Diane (2005) Recent Advances in the Assessment and Treatment of the Sacroiliac Joint- Stability & the Role of Motor Control. www.dianelee.ca <http://www.dianelee.ca>
5. Richardson C A, Snijders C J, Hides J A, Pas M S (2002) The Relationship between the Transversely Oriented Abdominal Muscles, SIJ Mechanics and Low Back Pain. Spine 27(4): 399-405
7. Vleeming,A Stoeckart, R, Volkers A C W, Snijders CJ (1990a) Relation between Form and Function in the Sacroiliac Joint, 1: Clinical Anatomical Aspects. Spine 15(2): 130-132
8. Vleeming,A Stoeckart, R, Volkers A C W, Snijders CJ (1990b) Relation between Form and Function in the Sacroiliac Joint, 2:Biomechanical Aspects. Spine 15(2): 133-136

Scoliosis and scapula

My name is Brigitte and I’m a certified STOTT PILATES instructor and massage therapist in Montreal. I have watched you over many hours while editing the rehab DVD series that you did (I edit from English to French). I find you very knowledgeable, inspiring and motivating and if I could, would love to just spend a few months with you to learn even more (something that right now is not possible but who knows what the future holds!). I’m writing to you because I’d like to have your opinion on someone I’m working with. I realize that you cannot make any diagnosis or give me the absolute answer regarding this client, however perhaps you could shed some light.

I’ve been working with a woman for over a year now, she has spondilolithesis (so she’s obviously quite kyphotic in thoracic and hyperextended in cervical), fused lumbar, with a slight scoliosis, winging right scapula. She has a lot less stability in right shoulder and scapula. I have been focusing on spinal extension and scapular stabilization. I also work her in seated, kneeling and standing positions to encourage recruitment of the spinal and pelvic stabilizers in a neutral position. My one issue that I have is this terribly winging right scapula. I make her do lots of rotator cuff work, I also do lots of protractions against resistance to work her serratus anterior. I work on the cadillac, doing mid, lower and upper trap work, often unilaterally. The upper fibers of her rhomboids and mid traps seem to be firing well. However her mid to lower area of her scapula is always winging at a certain degree, usually when her elbows are bent (ex: when they’re bent and at elbow height, or while side-lying and doing ext. rotations with ball – although this has improved greatly). I make her do certain things and think, wow, her scapula is flush and moving smoothly. Then I make her do something else and it totally pops right off. I’ve been trying to help by placing her against a wall, with elbows bent at 90 degrees, in line with her shoulders. I then get her to do external rotations, bringing her forearms to the wall. She has a much smaller range with her right side and sometimes cringes while attempting this (she has improved but still not to full range).

Is there anything else I could do, it’s just boggling my mind and I really want to help this woman. I know I already have but I’m stumped. I started to think that she has quite a few active trigger points which may be preventing her from getting that full range. Either way, anything insight you could give would be much appreciated. I hope to one day attend one of your workshops, perhaps when you’re a little closer to Montreal!

Thanks so much and have a great day!

Sincerely,
Brigitte

From Brigitte to Pacific NW Pilates