General Housekeeping

Student Advisor: Sarah de Guia [email protected]

Admin Support: Gretchen Roberts [email protected]

As you know, each Monday an email will arrive in your inbox with all of the information you will need to continue to move forward with your studies and practice.

I promise that:

• Each email will be robust and long but valuable. 
• Every section has a heading so you can easily source the information you seek.  While the headings remain the same every week, the content will change. 
• Every email will be numbered in the subject line so you can track and search your inbox with ease

You promise that:

• You will take the time to read each email through to the end (doesn't all have to be read at once)
• The email will be your first stop when looking for information/links or assignments

This Week's Objective : Precision within the movements of the Beginner System

1.  Practice Teaching Objective (this week's assignment can be done without a body)  Program goal: 150-175 hours

• Focus on mastering the communication of the Ab Series of 5 ONLY
  
  • Memorize the name & technique of each movement
  • Master communicating the technique with precise and concise cues with no excess words(example: Pull the knees into the chest, curl the head neck and shoulders up, send the right leg out now switch)
  • Making the movement better with body scan/corrections to create more precise movement (example: point the toes, shin bone is parallel to the floor, deepen the abdominals, bring the knee in closer to the chest, curl the chest up higher, shoulders down....)
  • Record yourself speaking the above commands. Listen back and take notice of how often you say "um" or "now I want you to"
  • Do it over and over. Look for the modulation in the voice -- are you having fun teaching the ab series or are you as tortured as your client -- your voice needs to reflect fun and energy 
  • Dump the book as soon as you can
• Master teaching Footwork on the Reformer
  • Setting up Footwork properly in all four foot positions
  • Drawing the client's attention to the breath and how it powers the movement
  • Look at the movement and determine the difference between someone who is "riding the springs" and using all leg versus someone who is using their breath/abdominal connection
  • Don't let your practice body be lazy with footwork.  Look for the precision.  Are the legs hugging the midline? Are the feet aligned? Are the shoulders down? Is the neck long? Is the breath driving the movement?

Self-Practice Objective (Program Goal 50 Hours) 

• Teach yourself the Beginner System 5 times this week.  Put the movements in your own body
• Focus on the precision of your movement.  Take it slow, are your elbows wide? Are your feet flexed? Are you sitting tall? Are you feeling opposition? Is you shin bone parallel to the floor? Put precision into your own body.  Listen to my videos and follow along or do the mat class I taught on Saturday every day this week (posted in the Bonus Materials tab)
• Take a session at your host studio
• Observation Objective (Program Goal 25-30 Hours)
• Complete at least 2 hours of observation 
• Listen to how the Teachers cue the Ab Series,  Footwork/Breath/Abdominals 

Self-Study Objective (Program Goal 50 Hours)

• Watch and re-watch the videos on the Ab Series of 5 & Footwork videos so you can internalize the cadence of the voice, cues and body scan

This Week's Objective: 

1.  Practice Teaching Objective  Program goal: 150-175 hours

• Last week you were supposed to MASTER the ab series of 5.  This week will build upon that by adding one movement to the front of the Ab series and one movement to the end of the ab series
  
  • Master Rolling Like a Ball leading INTO the Single Leg Stretch
  • Master Criss Cross INTO Spine Stretch Forward
  • Master communicating the technique with smooth and concise cues with no excess words
  • Making the movement better with body scan/corrections (example: point the toes, make sure the shin bone is parallel to the floor, deepen the abdominals, bring the knee in closer to the chest, curl the chest up higher, shoulders down....)
  • Record yourself speaking the above commands. Listen back and take notice of how often you say "um" or "now I want you to"
  • Do it over and over
  • Meet with fellow apprentices for at least 1-2 hours to put into practice your mastering of the Ab Series of 5.  Take turns teaching it over and over and over again.  
• Moving along in the Beginner Reformer repertoire
  
  • Mastery of the Arm Series & Crunches
    
    • Last week you were supposed to Use Footwork to tell your body about Pilates, the breath and what we are seeking to achieve.  If you didn't get to that last week, please do that this week in addition to mastering the Arm Series. Go back to last week's email for prompts on how to Master
    • Master the technique, anatomy and breath cues for the Arm Series.  Where is the exhale?  Where are the legs? Develop the language of finding the abdominals through arm movement. Are their shoulders down? Are the ribs flared?  Are the ribs closed?
    • Practice the language of the Arm Series

2.  Self-Practice Objective (Program Goal 50 Hours) 

• Teach yourself the Beginner Mat repertoire every day this week and HOLD each and every position for 3 exhalations.  Literally freeze your body in the position and EXHALE.  Then Exhale again.  And then again before moving again.  FEEL what that does to your connection to the movement.
• Take a session at your host studio  

3.  Observation Objective (Program Goal 25-30 Hours)

• Complete at least 2 hours of observation 

4. Self-Study Objective (Program Goal 50 Hours)

• Watch and re-watch the videos on Rolling Like a Ball, the Ab Series of 5 and Spine Stretch Forward, the Hundred & the Arm Series so you can internalize the cadence of the voice, cues and body scan

This Week's Objective: 

1.  Practice Teaching Objective  Program goal: 150-175 hours

• Last week you were supposed to MASTER the two movements that surround the ab series of 5.  This week will build upon that by adding two more
  
  • Master Single Circle leading INTO Rolling Like A Ball (reminder, use the rollup as your transition) 
  • Master Spine Stretch Forward into Saw
    • Both of this week's movements are wordy.  Practice practice practice your communication to streamline.  Break both of these down into parts so that you can build it up cleanly and precisely.  
  • Find the ways to make these two movements better with body scan/corrections (example: point the toes, keep the hips stable, sit taller, rotate deeper, dive further)
  • Practice prepping or "breaking down" both of these movements (pulses can prep your single let circles and just twisting can prep your saw)
  • Record yourself speaking the above commands. Listen back and take notice of how often you say "um" or "now I want you to"
  • Master the Hundred, Leg Circles/Frogs & Stomach Massage
    • Last week you were supposed to master the Arm Series & Crunches.  This week we build on that
      • Take the Arm Series and add some leg variations to it.  For instance - as the arms press down, the legs pull up closer than 90 degrees for lower abdominal connection.  Another option - when doing open/close, you can also open and close the legs like a snow angel.  Play around and see what you come up with
    • • Master the technique, anatomy and breath cues for the Hundred, Leg Circles/Frogs & Stomach Massage.  Notice how different they each are in breath, rhythm, and flow.  Where is the exhale?  Where are the legs? What happens when the legs are wide or turned in?  What happens when the elbows bend on the Hundred? What happens when the arms are too high on the Hundred? Change the height of the bar on Stomach Massage - what happens to their spine when the bar is lowered versus in its highest position?
      • Practice the language of the Hundred, Leg Circles/Frogs & Stomach Massage
• Meet with fellow apprentices for at least 1-2 hours to put into practice your mastery of Single Leg Circles through Saw.  Take turns teaching it over and over and over again.  
  • Add a little rhythm and modulation to your voice

2.  Self-Practice Objective (Program Goal 50 Hours) 

• Introducing the Beginner Reformer Repertoire
  • Go to the studio and do the entire Beginner System on every spring load. 
  • Write down what you notice is the difference.  What muscles do you feel are "in charge" depending on the load? Where are you drawing your power from? How about your control? 
• Last week you were supposed do each movement in the Beginner Mat repertoire and HOLD the positions to EXHALE.  Did you?  What did you notice?  Were you able to deepen your abdominal connection with each exhalation? Did it take a movement that started out good and make it exceptional?  If it didn't, then try again this week.  I want you to FEEL the impact a strong breath connection has on the movement.   
• This week, do the Beginner Mat repertoire and once again HOLD each position and work the TECHNIQUE to perfection.  As an example, Single Leg Circles -- make your leg longer into the mat creating a stronger anchor than you had before.  Lengthen the other leg longer to the ceiling finding that extra inch of length behind the knee.  Draw your shoulders away from your ears even more by crawling the arms longer on the mat.  Press the palms firmer into the mat to turn on the triceps.  Move slower in your circle and challenge the opposing hip.  Pull deeper and stronger through the abdominals to move the leg from that connection as opposed to momentum.  
• You feel where I'm going with this?  I want you to feel precision.  Feel it in your own body so that you can look for it in others.  
• Take a session or a class at your host studio  

3.  Observation Objective (Program Goal 25-30 Hours)

• Complete at least 2 hours of observation 

4. Self-Study Objective (Program Goal 50 Hours)

• Watch and re-watch the videos on Single Leg Circles and Saw, so you can internalize the cadence of the voice, cues and body scan
• Watch and re-watch videos on Hundred, Leg Circles/Frogs & Stomach Massage to internalize the cadence, voice cues and body scan.
• Watch and re-watch the video on a client's first session.  Listen to how I describe what Pilates is, how to breath and weave those two concepts into the entire session.
• Take time this weekend to watch the workshop/muscles of the week that you may not have caught up with yet.    

This Week's Objective: 

1.  Practice Teaching Objective  Program goal: 150-175 hours

• Last week you were supposed to MASTER Single Leg Circles & Saw.  This week we expand on that to include: 
  
  • Mastery of the Roll Up into the Half Roll Down into Single Leg Circles 
    • This means proper cues and ending the movement where the next one starts 
  • Mastery of Swan Prep & Side Kick Series
    
    • Only utilize up th 3 variations of the Side Kick Series.   
  • Find the ways to make these two movements better with body scan/corrections (example: body scan and correct your student's C-curve. Don't let them collapse over their legs.  Shoulders away from the ears.  Ensure the hips are stacked on the Side Kick Series. No top hip falling back or forth into the anterior or posterior plane)
  • Record yourself speaking the above commands. Listen back and take notice of how often you say "um" or "now I want you to"
  • Suggestion: Download an obnoxious Horn sound onto your phone.  When your practice partner says "now I want you to", please honk it.  It will help draw awareness to how often you default to this term as a crutch. 
  • Do it over and over
  • Meet with fellow apprentices for at least 1-2 hours to put into practice the Rollup through Side Kick Series  
  • Moving to the Beginner Reformer repertoire
    
    • Mastery of the Short Box Series
      
      • The Short Box Series is my favorite of every series there is.  It covers all planes of motion, draws deeply on oppositional forces, strengthens the breath connection and is the most powerful example of the fundamentals (at least IMHO)
      • Master communicating the technique, anatomy and breath cues for Short Box Series.  How can you get the client to FEEL these movements?  How can you, as the Teacher, make something so small have such big impact?  
      • Do the Short Box Series in your own body till your body shakes
    • Schedule real bodies to give sessions to this week.  Aim for two sessions booked.  Take them through the Beginner Mat and Beginner Reformer repertoire   

2.  Self-Practice Objective (Program Goal 50 Hours) 

• "Play" with Short Box.  Use hand weights.  Use a pole, a magic circle, a ball.  What happens?  What do you feel?  Change where the gaze of the head/eyeline is on each of the Short Box movements are -- what do you notice?  
• Take a session or a class at your host studio

3.  Observation Objective (Program Goal 25-30 Hours)

4. Self-Study Objective (Program Goal 50 Hours)

• Watch and re-watch the videos on the Roll up, 1/2 Roll Down, Swan Prep & Side Kick Series, so you can internalize the cadence of the voice, cues and body scan
• Watch the Short Box videos at least 5 times -- internalize the cues and the body scan
• If you aren't caught up with the Muscles of the Week, make a goal for yourself to have watched them all by this Friday.  If too much time gets away from you, it's very overwhelming to get caught back up.  

This Week's Objective: 

1.  Practice Teaching Objective  Program goal: 150-175 hours

• Mastery of Elephant, Knee Stretches, Running & Pelvic Lift
  
  • Elephant is often mis-taught and mis-executed as a downward dog from the yoga world.  But remember that Elephant is very specifically a lift and opening through the posterior of the thoracic spine
  • Similarly, Knee Stretches is one where the flexion position sometimes merges with the extension position if not cued properly. Work on exaggerating these two spinal positions in your own body so that you can feel the difference and then be able to successfully communicate and improve the technique 
  • Running can be considered a "cool down" or a "reorganization of the nervous system".  Use this movement to articulate relaxed shoulders, long neck and steady breathing.
  • Pelvic Lift is a gentle lift (not a shoulder bridge) of the tailbone and an elongation through the lower spine.
  • Master communicating the technique, anatomy and breath cues for Elephant, Knee Stretches, Running & Pelvic Lift.  How can you get the client to FEEL these movements?  How can you, as the Teacher, ensure the body doesn't drift towards down dog? How can you add TOUCH to these movements so that you get better results from your client?  

• •  
    • Meet with fellow apprentices for at least 1-2 hours to run through all of Beginner Reformer AND Beginner & Intermediate Mat in your bodies -- work on the order and the body scan 

  2.  Self-Practice Objective (Program Goal 50 Hours) 

  • See notes above to work on Elephant & Knee Stretches in your own body  
  • Try Pelvic Lift on the heels and again on the toes.  Try it with the legs together in the middle as a variation.  What difference do you feel?
  • Take a session or a class at your host studio

  3.  Observation Objective (Program Goal 25-30 Hours)

  • Observe 2 hours and specifically watch how Elephant and Knee Stretches are cued

  4. Self-Study Objective (Program Goal 50 Hours)

  • Watch the Elephant, Knee Stretches, Running & Pelvic Lift videos at least 5 times -- internalize the cues and the body scan
  • • Mastery of Teaser Prep & Teaser
      • What movements in Beginner Mat do we leverage to create Teaser Prep & Teaser?  
      • Utilize the mastery you have achieved in those movements to help you develop your communication of Teaser Pre & Teaser
  
  
  • Meet with fellow apprentices for at least 1-2 hours to run through all of Beginner Reformer in your bodies -- work on the order and the body scan

2.  Self-Practice Objective (Program Goal 50 Hours) 

• Go to the studio and do the entire Beginner Reformer repertoire on EVERY spring load
  
  • Every movement on 4 springs, then 3 springs, then 2 springs then 1
  • Write down what you notice happens
    • What muscles engage or turn off? 
    • Are you using power or control?
    • What adjustments do you need to make in your body to account for the spring load change?
• Find the opposition in each of the movements -- let go of the opposition and see what happens
• Take a session or a class at your host studio

3.  Observation Objective (Program Goal 25-30 Hours)

• Complete at least 2 hours of observation. Do you hear breath cues as it relates to arm work?  Do you hear abdominal cues as it relates to arm work?

4. Self-Study Objective (Program Goal 50 Hours)

• Watch the Arm Series & Crunches & Teaser/Teaser Prep videos at least 5 times -- internalize the cues and the body scan

This Week's Objective 

1.  Practice Teaching Objective  Program goal: 150-175 hours

• Please teach a full Reformer Class (If you haven't already)
• Class should be 20 minutes with no variations potentially 30 minutes if you add variations and rests
• Also teach a full Beginner Mat class (if you haven't already) Class should be about 20 minutes with rests and "teaching" and 30 minutes with flow and variations
• Don't use your book
• Walk around.  Don't stand frozen in one spot
• Time yourselves
• Modulate your voice. Add rhythm and breath cues 

2.  Self-Practice Objective (Program Goal 50 Hours) 

• Identify all the planes of motion of the Beginner Reformer repertoire -- write them in your manual/notebook
• Begin to look for and write down the similarities between the Mat & Reformer movements (example, Front Support is similar to Elephant).  Future assignments will include teaching a Reformer on the Mat session so you might as well start thinking about it sooner rather than later
• Take a session or a class at your host studio

3.  Observation Objective (Program Goal 25-30 Hours)

• Complete at least 2 hours of observation 

4. Self-Study Objective (Program Goal 50 Hours)

• Watch the videos on how to teach a first session - internalize how to "teach"

 This Week's Objective: 

Prepare to submit your Beginner Video for feedback

This is an entirely optional evaluation with a window to submit August 4th through August 17th 

We have included a Beginner Evaluation Review video on the Bonus Materials tab on your replay page. 

1.  Practice Teaching Objective  Program goal: 150-175 hours

• Teach teach teach
• You have mastered all of the Beginner repertoire.  Now your goal is to teach as many sessions per week as you can.  Each and every session you teach will improve your articulation, your eye and your readiness for the Intermediate material

2.  Self-Practice Objective (Program Goal 50 Hours) 

• Make the Beginner System challenging in your own body.  How does an advanced or strong intermediate mover feel challenged with the Beginner system?
• This is where your toolkit becomes important -- work your precision, deepen your breath. Take time to connect to each movement in a deeper way
• Take a session or a class at your host studio

3.  Observation Objective (Program Goal 25-30 Hours)

• Complete at least 2 hours of observation 

4. Self-Study Objective (Program Goal 50 Hours)

• Study all Beginner system videos and rewatch the seminar

This Week's Objective: 

Practice Teaching Objective  Program goal: 150-175 hours

• 1.  Practice Teaching Objective  Program goal: 150-175 hours

  • Schedule real bodies to give sessions to this week.  Aim for two-four sessions booked.  Take them through the Beginner Mat and Beginner Reformer repertoire   

  2.  Self-Practice Objective (Program Goal 50 Hours) 

  • "Play" with Short Box.  Use hand weights.  Use a pole, a magic circle, a ball.  What happens?  What do you feel?  Change where the gaze of the head/eyeline is on each of the Short Box movements are -- what do you notice?  
  • Take a session or a class at Align

  3.  Observation Objective (Program Goal 25-30 Hours)

  • Complete at 4 more hours of observation and you will be done with your observation

  4. Self-Study Objective (Program Goal 50 Hours)

  • Watch the Short Box videos at least 5 times -- internalize the cues and the body scan