Pilates Connections Discussion Board: Portal Home

I have a client with Parathyroid disease, which causes osoteoprosis. She recently saw her Doctors for a checkup and after a bone density test showed that she had lost 6% in a year which is significant and in light of her disease, the Doctor told her she cannot do any flexion at all, must give up Pilates, and work with a physical therapist.
I told her that if she works privately and does not do classes any longer there are many things we can do that will strengthen her spinal muscles and her abdominals that will not put her in flexion..but she is nervous and thinks that only strength training with weights will build bone mass.

I know there is research about the springs and bone density and that even the sound waves of the springs help to build the bones..but I cannot find anything...

Does anyone have valadated research information that they can link me to..so I can show her..she is terriffied now and is walking like a robot..I did show her ways to sit and stand from a chair that would eliminate flexion and how to bend at the hips, but I would like to show her more evidence not just my say-so.

(BTW I did mention to her that the PT should be the one who is showing her better and safer ways to move, but she said so far they put her on a machine and she just works out, but because her docs said no Pilates she wants to stay with the PT??)

So usually to observes a session it is customary to inform the teacher first, who then asks the client if it's okay, right? Even new dance teachers who watch to gauge the level of an open class are introduced by the ballet master.

I just started an apprenticeship at a Romana's Pilates training center. I went to observe a Level 5 instructor, not knowing that only teacher trainers (Level 4 and up) count toward hours. Well, instead of politely informing me of this policy, this teacher said I should always check with the client first. She even told me to introduce myself. She said it's just "standard" in New York (meaning TPNY) and is just politeness as if I had breached some class etiquette. I was a little surprised as I am from NY, and have always been introduced to an apprentice by the instructor (not always leveled trainers.) Okay, this could have been avoided had I known we could only observe instructor trainers.

I had told my teacher trainer I was going to take a group class, so this (same) instructor knew about me but we had never met before. The first thing she asked was whether or not I spoke German. In my experience, teachers always ask for the new student's name and then takes it from there. All the Americans who give workshops overseas make such an effort to learn every participant's name, no matter if it's dance, yoga, or some other form of bodywork. When I'm a new in a class, regardless of whether it's a guest or resident teacher, the first thing he does is tell me his name. This has also been my experience in the UK. So I am not sure if that was just a reflection of cultural differences, since it had also happened to me in other European countries.

Also, do clients get precedence over apprentices? As part of my apprentice program, I get to take all the mat classes, which are conducted on raised mats. There are only five, so I got asked to go on the Trapeze Table when we were six. I don't mind that it separates me from the group a little but I couldn't help but think, I am a client too. At some places, apprentices are billed as clients for their training. I know that Romana's Pilates has a hierarchical system, but I can't help but think: are apprentices at the bottom of the rung? I know it's different at TPNY as apprentices are constantly teaching on each other and stuff.

In the future should I always get permission from clients first? I don't want this to be a problem going forward as I will have to teach real people under supervision in the following stages. I'm sure it's not the case that I ask a client if I could please teach him/her, but that my trainer who gives me a client at a discounted rate but under her watchful eyes

During a day long reformer workshop with Lolita San Miguel (which was totally fabulous) she said that Joe's birthday has been recorded incorrectly and he was actually born in 1883. Has anyone else heard this? Apparently there is quite a bit of misinformation out there regarding Joe Pilates.

Hello everyone

I am sure everyone has had that type of client - the one with a million excuses who always finds a reason to cancel. I am dumbfounded as to why this is happening to me, for as I recall I was clearly speaking English and not Chinese when I enforced the 24 hour cancellation policy. I am so frustrated & angry with myself for making exceptions to the rule because now I am paying for it.Any and all of your experience with these types of clients and how you have handled similar situations would be helpful...

ps- I actually really just want to get rid of this client - I know this sounds horrible, but I can't help someone who is not willing to meet me half way.