As a Peak Pilates Master Trainer, one of the great opportunities I’ve had has been presenting at conventions. Teaching at conventions really gives me a sense of what it going on out there in the industry and a chance to make a difference.
I've just returned from ECA New York where I had the opportunity to teach some workshops. One of the workshops I presented was “Peak Pilates Spotting Techniques.” The workshop covered information on how to touch and also eight different types of touch that can be used with students. The workshop was successful and effective and the attendees walked away with a great deal of applicable knowledge while I walked away with some incredible observations based on the feedback I had received afterwards.
Many of the attendees thanked me for “giving them permission to touch” and I was very surprised. It seemed like the majority of them have not been using touch techniques in their practices. It makes me wonder if this is true across the map. Another attendee came up to me, a bit emotional, and said that she had not been comfortable with receiving touch and hadn’t realized that it was the reason she had not been using touch techniques with her clients. She shared with me that the workshop had changed her level of comfort with touch!
These comments inspired me to take this opportunity to remind all instructors of importance of developing good touch technique skills. This is vital to any Pilates instructor, as usually instructors are not using a touch technique because they do not have the skills and do not understand how to touch so I would like to provide you with a couple of questions that will help you to develop your skills. First understand that improving your touch techniques will be a process of discovery, observation and practical application. To develop a better sense of touching and how it is used in Pilates consider the following:
When you take or observe a lesson, and ask yourself these questions:
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What kinds of touches were used?
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What was the purpose of the touch?
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How was touch delivered?
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Was it helpful or distracting?
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How did the teacher use biomechanics and positioning to protect their own body?
When you give your lessons, examine your own use of touch with your students:
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How do I feel about touching? Am I comfortable or uncomfortable with it? Why?
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Do I touch with purpose and intent—to achieve a specific goal? What is an example of this?
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What is the pressure of my touch?
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Do my touch techniques create the desired result?
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Which technique do I feel most comfortable using?
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Which technique am I least comfortable with using? (Focus on this technique for a few sessions.)
With thoughtful practice, you will grow in your ability to use touch techniques to enhance your teaching abilities. So, make a commitment to yourself and your students and practice your touch! And remember: “Every day we touch lives and lives touch us.”
- Sonia Rodriguez, Peak Pilates Master Trainer