EYT Pilates Teacher Training 

This Week's Objective

Week 1 Objective Cadillac:

• Spend the last 10 minutes of your client's session on the Cadillac
• During the 10 minutes, introduce your client to basics of the Rolldown Bar
  • Breathing (either using a Pelvic Lift or Trapeze)
    • Break it down.  Begin with just the upper body
      • Cue the elbows to remain straight and wrists neutral
      • Press towards the hips not to the hips
      • Engage the exhale through the entire press down of the bar -- this is an exercise called Breathing therefore we link the movement to the actual breath
    • Add the lower body
      • Watch neutral hip points -- one hip not higher than the other
      • Goal - body between two panes of glass
      • Exhalation sustained throughout action of the lift/press
      • Add a magic circle or band - how does it change the movement?
  • The Rolldown
    • We learned two types: Active and Passive (Yummy)
    • Begin with Passive and emphasize the slow and precise articulation of the spine.
    • Once articulation and breath is established, cue client to the more active or challenging version.  This looks like an active press down on the bar prior to rolling back and a continued press down on the return.  
    • Play with tempo of breath.  Demand the movement in a 4 count, 6 count or 8 count to maximize the work and abdominal connection

Weekly Objective

Week 1 Objective Cadillac:

• Expanding the use of the Rolldown Bar
  
  • Continue integrating Breathing & Rolldown into your sessions but this week add:
    
    • Kneeling Chest Expansion & Lateral Press Downs
    • Both of these movements are appropriate for most movers.  If your client has a knee replacement, please modify to a standing position
    • In both movements, shoulder placement is critical.  The shoulders draw down and back as the abdominals draw in and up in opposition
    • In both movements, the neck remains stable.  The chin/head should not shift forward in order to press - this is a sign that your student is "muscling" and not using their breath
    • Communicate the importance of this being an abdominal exercise and NOT an arm exercise
  • Introduce the Push-Through Bar
    
    • Begin with the exercise Push-Through
    • Top spring attached and work the prep.  While the student is "prepping" with pulses at half roll down, watch the shoulders -- are they shrugged or drawn down to activate the lats
    • Is the spine in a C-curve and stable as the arms move (this action comes from the abs/breath NOT the arms)
    • Elbows remain straight and wrists neutral
    • Once prep is complete, communicate the steps of the full push-through and add the open/closed rotational stretch at the end

Weekly Objective

Week 3 Objective Cadillac:

• Expanding the use of the Rolldown Bar
  
  • Continue integrating Breathing, Rolldown, Chest Expansion & Lateral Press Downs into your sessions but this week add:
    
    • Long Back Stretch & Kneeling Push Ups
    • All four of these movements are done kneeling (or standing if needed) so they flow nicely together in an "around the world" style
    • Both of these movements are appropriate for most movers.  If your client has a knee replacement, please modify to a standing position
    • In Long Back Stretch, shoulder placement is critical.  The client's shoulders should not rise as the bar rises.  The chest should stay proud and open all throughout the movement
  • Expanding use of the Push-Through Bar
    
    • Continue teaching Push-Through but this week add Teaser
    • The top spring is still attached making this a fantastic complement the Push-Through. 
    • Prep this movement- first only lift the torso.  Then add one leg, then the other leg then full Teaser
    • Add the arm pumps at any time -- can be after each repetition or can be a grand finale.  Remember the bar is supposed to land behind the head on the arm pumps
    • Play -- add a ball, magic circle or some leg variations like circles or beats

Self Practice:

• Practice flowing the above movements in your own body.  Take pauses.  Breath through the transitions.  Communicate the sequence to yourself as you move so you can find the words and the fluidity
• Now you have a series on the Rolldown bar and two movements on the Push-Through.  Work these series as a flow.  What should come before or after and how to weave them together
• What Mat movements can you integrate into this Rolldown Bar sequence?  As explained in the seminar -- Kneeling Side Kicks or a Side Plank are perfect -- what else can you do?

Weekly Objective

Week 4 Objective Cadillac:

• Expanding the use of the Rolldown Bar
  
  • Continue integrating Breathing, Rolldown, Chest Expansion & Lateral Press Downs, Long Back Stretch & Kneeling Push Ups into your sessions but this week add:
    
    • Side-Lying Series
      • Side Sit Ups with the Rolldown bar are an extension of Side Sit-Ups on the Reformer so your eye should be trained for the same landmarks: hips square, neck long (not tucked down to chest), elbow wide, not closing and pulling on neck, elongation of side body 
      • Modified Side Plank & Side Kicks - while not part of the standard classical system, we did go over how to use the Rolldown bar to enhance the Side Kick & Side Plank series
  • Expanding the Push-Through Bar
    
    • Continue teaching Push-Through & Teaser but this week add Reverse Push Through
    • The top spring is still attached making this a fantastic complement the Push-Through & Teaser sequence. 
    • Remember the key to a seamless transition is to pull the dar down before spinning around. If you don't - you will end up with the arm too high behind the body
    • If you don't have a body capable of doing this movement yet - prep it with only one arm (the other arm can drape across the chest).  Switch arms
    • Only do 2-3 reps per grip
    • Watch the elbows - make sure they don't hyperextend

Self Practice:

• Building your sequences: Practice flowing the above movements in your own body.  Take pauses.  Breath through the transitions.  Communicate the sequence to yourself as you move so you can find the words and the fluidity
• In all of the above movements - add some sparkle: holds, pulses, circles, beats, breaths -- whatever makes sense to add a little spice and kick -- put it in your own body and see how it feels before adding it to a client

This Week's Objective: 

Week 5 Objective Cadillac:

• Continue the use of the Rolldown Bar
  
  • Continue integrating Breathing, Rolldown, Chest Expansion & Lateral Press Downs, Long Back Stretch, Kneeling Push Ups  & Side-Lying Series into your sessions but this week add:
    
    • Standing Series
      • Standing Push-Ups, Standing Chest Expansion, Rowing & Squats with the Rolldown bar
      • Rowing & Squats are two movements that are not done kneeling, the rest you mastered last week
      • Squats specifically - watch the angle of the arm - a true bicep curl to a 90 degree angle is critical to movement integrity and optimization
      • Ideal - the tush touches the mat.  Build towards that
  • Expanding the Push-Through Bar
    
    • Continue teaching Push-Through, Teaser & Reverse Push Through but this week add Tower, Shari's Tower (modification when facing the other direction) & Monkey
    • We have moved from a top spring to a TOP CHAIN and BOTTOM SPRING
    • Please remember the stories shared during the seminar -- without a safety chain, there can be severe accidents that lead to surgery and lawsuits. 
    • These movements must be slow to ensure safety
    • Squareness of the hips are THE HERO of Tower
    • Lift of the chest is THE HERO of Monkey
    • If you don't have a body capable of doing the full movement yet, you can just work the hamstring stretch with the toes on the bar.  Focus is on hips anchoring down into the Mat
    • Only do 2-3 reps per movement
    • Be SAFE
  • Next week we add Leg Springs

 Self Practice:

• Building your sequences: Practice flowing the above movements in your own body.  Take pauses.  Breath through the transitions.  Communicate the sequence to yourself as you move so you can find the words and the fluidity
• Film yourself moving through these movements -- where can you add something or tighten up the flow?  I know its cringey but it helps!
• In all of the above movements - add some sparkle: holds, pulses, circles, beats, breaths -- whatever makes sense to add a little spice and kick -- put it in your own body and see how it feels before adding it to a client

This Week's Objective 

Week 6 Objective Cadillac:

1.  Practice Teaching Objective  Program goal: 50-75 hours

• We are working towards a full Tower Class
• Continue integrating the Rolldown bar into your sessions.  Challenge yourself to do all Rolldown exercises in a session and make them flow
• Continue integrating the Push-Through bar into your session.  For clients who are capable, try to utilize as many of the Push-Through bar exercises as possible 
• When teaching Mat, add use of the Push Through Bar for Swan (no load) & Swimming
• This week, let's add Leg Springs
  
  • Leg Springs
    
    • Similar to side kick series, your Leg Spring series is limited only by your number of variations
    • This week, take your client through Leg Springs with a minimum of 5 variations -- no props
    • Your client will instinctively use this series as a leg series, you must help them find their abdominals in the movements -- where is the breath?a
    • Only teach Airplane to clients who are capable and have a solid understanding of Short Spine (since it recruits the same initiation muscles)
  • Add the Arc Barrel this week 
    • Integrate the Leg Series on the Arc Barrel:  How do you get your client on the Arc Barrel? Do they have abdominal control as they move their legs? 
    • Practice the language of the Leg Series on both the Tower/Cadillac and the Arc Barrel

This Week's Objective 

Week 7 Objective Cadillac:

1.  Practice Teaching Objective  Program goal: 50-75 hours

• We are working towards a full Tower Class
• Continue integrating the Rolldown bar into your sessions.  Challenge yourself to do all Rolldown exercises in a session and make them flow
• Continue integrating the Push-Through bar into your session.  For clients who are capable, try to utilize as many of the Push-Through bar exercises as possible 
• Continue working on your Leg Spring variations and add the Magic Circle between the ankles
• This week, let's add Arm Springs
  
  • Arm Springs
    
    • While the Arm Series on the Reformer has three main variations: Press Open & Tricep, the Arm Series on the Cadillac/Tower has more potential.  
    • Pelvic Lifts can be added to the arm series
    • Arm springs can be used for the Hundred, Rowing Series, Ab Series, 
    • This week explore the ways in which you can use the Arm Springs in all planes of motion: laying supine, seated, kneeling & standing
  • Add the Arc Barrel this week 
    • Integrate the Arm Series on the Arc Barrel -- use 1lb hand weights if any at all.  Remember to watch the rib cage placement on the Arm Series 

This Week's Objective 

Week 8 Objective Cadillac:

Now that you have mastered the core, foundational movements on the Cadillac, the next two weeks are about integrating Mat & Reformer exercises.  Please explore the following:

• Find Elephant ----> flow it into Thigh Stretch
• Find Mermaid on the Mat with the Roll Down Bar
• Find Mermaid on the Reformer with the Push Through Bar
• Find Corkscrew using the Roll Down Bar (hint, we do the inverse and use the upper body in this version of corkscrew)
• Use the Push Through Bar to plus up the Ab Series
• Use the Roll Down Bar for Front and Russian Splits
• Use the Roll Down Bar for Overhead & Control Balance

Please do these in your own body prior to doing on clients

This Week's Objective 

Preparing for your Final Exam

 Teach a 50 minute Tower/Cadillac Class using ONLY Classical Movements that are found in the manual. 

Mat can be integrated to the class.  But please stay "in the box" for the purposes of your exam. 

Teach this class multiple times prior to submitting your exam.  

Exam rubric can be found here