This weekend, I completed my reformer 3 training. This weekend marks the official end of my Reformer Pilates Training with Balanced Body. This is a very exciting moment for me as I have worked extremely hard to complete all of these programs and reach the end of this journey. Though I still have some required teaching hours to complete it is an amazing feeling to be able to solely focus on what is needed to reach my final pieces of this process.
This weekend in my reformer 3 training, we focused on a broad range of exercises and anatomy which correlate with the core advanced processes and practices of pilates. Each of the steps within these processes(reformer 1, 2, and 3) all focus on developing an intense understanding of the body and the movements that it allows us to do. As future teachers, we are taught the in-depth knowledge of the process of each movement, how they should be taught, and how they should be performed. Reformer 3 entails the most intense and technical movements that you learn as a pilates instructor. Though the exercises within the reformer 1 and 2 programs are still very intense and advanced in their own ways, they are made to be more accommodating to the individuals who require or are interested in more foundational movement. Many of the exercises within reformer 3 are very familiar to aspiring teachers as they are often more advanced versions of foundational exercises which provide teachers with knowledge of how to intensify and challenge clients and classes.
Since many of the exercises in reformer 3 are made for a much more advanced and skilled individual, there are many safety concerns to be aware of. Within the reformer 3 curriculum, there is a very strict informational piece that is required, which is highly focused on anatomy. As we did in the following courses, there is a very intense focus on injury-prone individuals. We dive deeper into individuals who may struggle from health concerns, muscle or bone deficiencies, pre/post-natal individuals, and much more. These are all very important individuals to be aware of within your practice. The anatomy portion informs teachers of what to be watching for, how to modify movements to assist clients, and what movements should not be attempted by certain individuals. Having this knowledge as a future teacher can provide less of a chance of experiencing injuries, hazards, or concerns within your own practice and your client’s practice. Learning about anatomy not only allows us as teachers to be more cognizant of injuries, etc, but it also informs us of the pieces of the body which are being worked. We gain an understanding of the muscles, bones, and other aspects of the body that are allowing us to perform each movement. Gaining this perspective allows maximum execution of the strategic movements of the reformer 3 practice and provides teachers with an abundance of knowledge on how to explain/demonstrate safe practice to their students.
In conclusion, finishing my pilates training with reformer 3 was a great way to end my final training portion of the program. Through these in person courses I have learned an abundance of new information that I am now able to carry throughout my future teaching career.
