Forum / Let's Discuss! / Therapeutic%20v.%20Athletic%20Teaching
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| On: July 20, 2012 00:38 AM |
I have a very different style than the other teachers in my studio. They are very athletic in their teaching where I am kind of more therapeutic. I feel like because I teach a little differently that some clients think i don't know what i'm doing. Any tips? |
| Jennifer G On: July 24, 2012 00:32 AM |
I understand and empathize with your predicament! The first thing I would like to say is fear not. Just because everyone else in the studio has a different style of teaching than yourself, does not mean you should change or second guess your choices. I am a firm believer in the fact that the clients that need you the most will seek you out, and value your expertise. Not everyone is born with the same likes, interests, or tastes. So why should we believe that everyone should teach the exact same way? I have found that the most powerful teachers are the ones that follow what excites and interests them in the work. That genuine passion comes from being true to yourself, and what comes from your heart. The upside of being a unique teacher is that your work stands out in the crowd of the many people that do the same thing. Keep investigating what interests you, and find some like minded colleagues that you can share with. Stay focused on your passion for the more therapeutic work, and see how the demand for your specialty is sought out. Your uniqueness is your strength, use it. |
| On: April 30, 2013 14:17 PM |
Hi I completely understand your dilemma, and have experienced the same phenomena at my studio. Add I completely agree with what Casey said so eloquently, completely; which is why I struggled. I don't know if this is supplemental income for you, or if you are trying to make a living teaching Pilates. If you are, like me, hoping to make this your means of supporting yourself, this can pose a very real problem. I wrestled with how to preserve my integrity in teaching what I believed in, without jeopardizing my ability to maintain and grow my client base. I have found that a balance of giving the client what they want and what they need, has proven to serve me very well. So if it's a client that I can see wants to "feel the burn", I give them that, maybe even give them something that I know will be very challenging for them in particular - nothing that will hurt them - but something that 1 - will give them the feeling that I "know what I am doing"; 2- that "they got their but kicked"; 3- they are typically happy to spend more than a few minutes doing work that feels good or is a bit easier, and I can sneak in some things that they need, things that normally, they would perceive as gentle or easy; and 4 - (and this is the one I hope for) they recognize that maybe more "therapeutic" work might be just as, if not more helpful to them than athletic work. If they recognize this on their own, I have found they become much more open to learning from the beginning, and building to the more challenging athletic work. They appreciate it more and understand that just because they can do something doesn't mean it's good for them...I've found it's next to impossible to convince someone of that without them having the experience of it themselves. And on the total flip side, I make myself feel a bit better by recognizing that they are a paying client and despite the fact that I think they would benefit infinitely more by doing exactly what I said [I chuckle as I say that] they deserve to get what they want as well. If I play my cards just right, a lot of times their wants become more aligned with their needs. Hope this helps at all, this was definitely something that was a challenge for me :) |