When I am teaching, I try to feel out the room and the difficulty level that needs to be maintained throughout the workout. If I can sense the class is ready to take it to the next level, I will throw in some standing exercises on the Reformer. For anyone that does not know (although you can probably imagine), standing or even kneeling on the Reformer provides a significant challenge for balance and stability. If you follow the cues and engage the proper muscles, you will be fine. However, there is always the possibility of falling.
FORTUNATLEY, there IS a proper way to fall. As the instructor, I try to teach the way to fall first. Then, if and when it happens, you can do so without hurting yourself. Knowing where the ground is and that there is a plan in place, you gain confidence for when you lose control.
This idea can also be brought to the real world. Life is uncertain and it is going to try and knock you down. But hopefully, you have an “instructor(s)” that can give you cues and guidance so that even if you fail, you know how to get back up.
But first you (and when I say “you” I mean “we” because this applies to me too) have to do a few things…
1) Give up your pride.
No one is perfect, so there will always be challenges that come your way. You will NOT always win or do the right thing and that is something everyone has to accept. So, swallow your ego, get over yourself, and know that you are human just like everyone else.
2) LISTEN.
I love to listen to people. Except when I am in the wrong. Then I like to get defensive because it feels like everyone is against me. I then proceed to present every excuse under the sun as to why I am acting the way that I am. However, when I can actually stop and open my ears to people that are just trying to help me….it is a shockingly successful experience.
3) Allow your past to change in your presence so it positively affects your future.
I know there are a lot of sayings like, “don’t look back” or the “let the past stay in the past.” But the truth is the past is a very important part of our future. If we can’t look back at how life has played out before, there would be no lesson plan for how it can be. I think we should accept our past for what it was and learn from it. Don’t be ashamed or let it control you, but let it STRENGTHEN you for the road ahead.
This is a bit of tough love I know, but sometimes we all need it. Falling and failing are parts of all of our lives whether we like it or not. We will all experience both at one point or another regardless to how advanced you get in Pilates, or how polished you get as a person. Have confidence in knowing that there IS ground underneath you. You don’t have to be perfect and there are people around you that want to help you stay up, so let them.
I hope to see you all in the studio soon! I promise I will do my best to not allow you to fall, but if you do, I will be there…and in the event you are not hurt, I will also laugh.
See you soon!
– Jennie