General Housekeeping

1. Our first seminar - Beginner Mat - will take place on 2/8 11am-5pm eastern time
2. Log in for our seminar is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8212596642?pwd=WGlCcjRtRWZtQUJTNFZ4RHcvbExnQT09
3. Our semester meet & greet is scheduled for 2/13 @ 5pm eastern.  We will each answer the following questions:
   • Name & where you are from
   • What brought you to this program
   • If you were to give a TED Talk on any topic (other than Pilates), what would it be?
4. NOT MANDATORY BUT ENCOURAGED: Our first Peace & Plenty Life Coaching workshop is Saturday, February 15th from 9-12 AM eastern.  Jeannine will lead us in nervous system regulation, time management, learning styles.  Bring a journal. It will be a fun growth experience.

This Week's Objective

Week 0 Objective

1.  Get familiar with your materials and resources  if you haven't already.  Thumb through the manual.  Watch the videos on the history of Pilates and the Teaching Toolkit

2.  Plan your schedule.  Find time for Pilates each week. Put in in your calendar.

3.  Start building a list of friends/clients who you can practice on in the coming weeks

4.  Take a Mat Pilates class

• Each week a Mat class will be uploaded to this page, but you can also use YouTube, your local gym or studio.  Find cues you like.  Take note of different styles or different "levels" for classes.  Absorb the "teaching" skills the instructor employs

This Week's Objective :

1.  Practice Teaching Objective (this week's assignment can be done without a body)  Program goal: 50-75 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 smooth 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 (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
  • Meet with one friend or family member and teach them the ab series of 5 a minimum of 10 times (they will love to hate you), working on perfecting your cues and articulation of the movement each time.  

2.  Self-Practice Objective (Program Goal 25 Hours) 

• Teach yourself the Beginner Mat repertoire every day this week and 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.  

3. Self-Study Objective (Program Goal 20 Hours)

• Watch and re-watch the videos on the Ab Series of 5 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
  • Find a friend/spouse/client to practice your ab series, rolling like a ball and spine stretch forward on 

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 mat class at a local studio, on youtube or one provided by EYT in the bonus content

3. 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 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 leg 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"
  • Do it over and over  
  • Add a little rhythm and modulation to your voice

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

• 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 one of EYT's mat classes located in the Mat Class & Bonus Library tab

3. 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  

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 cruch. 
  • Do it over and over 

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

• Identifying the Opposition within your own body
  • Watch the Opposition Video in the online course
  • Set yourself up in every Beginner Mat movement and try to IDENTIFY & FEEL the oppositional forces. 
  • Write them down
• Continue with your Breath-Abdominal connection
  
  • Continue working on your explanation of the Breath-Abdominal connection and apply it to the Beginner Mat repertoire
• Take a session or a class at a local studio, on youtube our from the EYT database

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  

This Week's Objective: 

1.  Practice Teaching Objective  

• • 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
    • Next week we will begin to add in Intermediate Mat Movements

2.  Self-Practice Objective 

• Do the entire Beginner Mat repertoire and find the opposition in each of the movements --
  • Example #1: Single Leg Circles -- the opposition is the anchoring of the hip as the leg drifts across the midline of the body.  This opposition creates length in the IT Band
  • Example #2: Double Leg Stretch: the opposition is the reach of the arms in one direction and the reach of the legs in the opposite.  This opposition creates length through the abdomen
• Do you feel the opposing forces in your body? What happens when you let go of that opposing force? 
• Take a mat class online or at a local studio

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

• Watch the Teaser Prep/Teaser Videos at least 5 times to get the cadence and cues

This Week's Objective: 

1.  Practice Teaching Objective  

• Ending the Beginner Mat
  • Teach Plank into Front Support.  Find specific cues to make the plank better and more impactful for your student.  People can be sloppy with their planks -- how can you make it better
  • Flow the Plank into Front Support with seamless language.  Keep the articulation of Front Support slow and steady.  Draw the parallel between Front Support and the Roll Up from earlier in the session
• Integrating Intermediate Mat
  
  • Master Open Leg Rocker
    • How do you prep it or break it down into multiple steps? 
    • Where are the oppositional forces and what cues would you use to help the client find that opposition? 
    • Look at the body in front of you -- what do you see and how can you improve the precision? 
    • Where does the breath live in this movement?

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

• Do the Open Leg Rocker multiple times in your own body - play with the breath.  Play with the break down
• Do the entire Beginner Mat sequence in your body and add in Open Leg Rocker
• 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 of Plank, Front Support & Open Leg Rocker multiple times to learn the cadence and rhythm.

This Week's Objective 

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

• • Mastery of Corkscrew and Swan
    • Mastery of Corkscrew means prepping the movement, watching and cueing the hip stability and opposition, legs staying tight towards the midline, shoulders and arms firmly planted on the mat and isolating upper body stability with lower body rotation
    • Mastery of Swan means moving from prep to Swan.  Understanding and communicating hand placement.  Sharpening the eye on the hip points and lower abdominals.  Watching and cueing the shoulder placement.  
    • Master communicating the technique, breath and make the movement better
    • Master bringing the client from Open Leg Rocker into Corkscrew and from Swan Prep directly into Swan -- the basis for Flow
    • 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) 

  • Take a session or a class at a local studio or online

   

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

  • Watch the Corkscrew and Swan videos at least 5 times -- internalize the cues and the body scan
   

This Week's Objective 

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

• • Mastery of Single Leg Kick & Double Leg Kick
    • We spent a lot of time working on these two movements during our seminar.  Re-watch that video and how we dissected the movements.  
    • Single Leg Kick - Feel what happens when the body sinks into the mat during this movement.  Shrug the shoulders up towards the ears -- feel how "not connected" you are.  How can you correct that? 
    • Master the language of this movement.  Saying "kick-kick" over and over is not acceptable.   
    • Master communicating the technique, breath and make the movement better
    • Master bringing the client from Swan Prep to Swan to Single Leg Kick to Double Leg Kick for Floww
      • 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 15 Hours) 

  • See notes above to work on Running, Pelvic Lift, Single Leg Kick & Double Leg Kick  
  • Take a session or a class at your host studio

  3. Self-Study Objective (Program Goal 15 Hours)

  • Watch the Single Leg Kick & Double Leg Kick videos at least 5 times -- internalize the cues and the body scan
   

This Week's Objective 

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

• • Progressing your Intermediate Mat Repertoire
    • Mastery of Neck Pull and Jackknife 
      • Add these two movements into your Intermediate Mat practice
      • Neck Pull - find the opposition in the movement.  Pause at the hinge back.  Honor this spinal position and abdominal connection.  Watch the elbows as they return to seated -- elbows should stay wide the entire journey.  What can you do to modify for those who can't keep them open?
      • Jackknife -The hardest part of this movement is the toes over the nose -- NOT over the Head.  Cue the plough position as parallel to the floor, feet flexed for maximum length 

  2.  Self-Practice Objective (Program Goal 20 Hours) 

  • Play with these movements in your own body.  Search for the lift in the spine on Neck Pull that's taller and longer each repetition.  Sharpen the angle of the crown of your head when diving down.  Hold the tilt just a breath longer before articulating back into the mat.  
  • In Jackknife - emphasize the pressure of your arms into the mat.  Work the angle of your lifted legs -- where do the toes land?  Can you get them closer to staying in line with your nose as you articulate back into the mat?

   

  3. Self-Study Objective (Program Goal 20 Hours)
  • Watch the Intermediate Mat movements videos this week to digest the cadence of the voice and flow of the system.

This Week's Objective 

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

• • Working through the Intermediate Mat Repertoire
    • Mastery of Swimming & Seal 
      • Swimming is a progression of Swan Prep and Swan -- it is our most distal extension exercise therefore requiring the most back strength
      • Prep Swimming with lifting one arm or leg at a time. Then lift both - then add the action
      • If the person is crunching in their shoulders, arms can widen and/or elbows can bend as they build strength
    • Seal is a progression of Rolling Like a Ball with more open hips
      • Practice with one clap at the top, then add the back, then increase challenge by increasing the number of claps

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

  • Play with these movements in your own body.  Do it "incorrectly" versus correctly so you know the difference to teach it properly 
  • Take a session online or at a local studio

   

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

  • Watch the videos on these two movements 3-5 times to internalize the cadence and cues

This Week's Objective 

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

• Tightening your Intermediate Mat
  
  • Teach an entire Intermediate Mat Class
    
    • 45 Minutes - Prep the movements and teach it no less thank 5 times.  

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

• • Put a full and flowing Intermediate class into your own body every day this week 

• 3. Self-Study Objective (Program Goal 50 Hours)

  • Refresh your memory of Advanced Mat by watching the seminar.  Movement practice begins next week

This Week's Objective 

1.  Practice Teaching Objective  Program goal: 100-125 hours

• • Beginning the Advanced Mat repertoire
    
    • Rollover, Swan Dive, Shoulder Bridge & Spine Twist
      
      • Master each of these movements in their technique, breath and precision
      • Just as important, it's time to master the flow of the full repertoire.  Begin at the Hundred and find the flow of the system while integrating these 4 advanced movements
      • Break each of these movements down. Not only will it prepare the body but will allow for more precision in the execution of the movement
      • How do each of these movements flow into one another?

  2.  Self-Practice Objective (Program Goal 25 Hours) 

  • Put these movements into your own body 

   

  4. Self-Study Objective (Program Goal 25 Hours)

  • Watch the videos of these four advanced movements a minimum of 5 times

This Week's Objective 

Remember...we are buckling down now.  Let's get the work done

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

• Mastering the Intermediate Reformer and progressing to Advanced repertoire
  
  • Mastery of Jackknife, Hip Circles, Leg Pull Up & Leg Pull down
    
    • There are subtle differences between a Jackknife and a Rollover or a Plough in Yoga -- but the magic is in those nuances 
      
      • The Jackknife's uniqueness is on the descent.  Our sight lights should focus on the vertical drive to the sky and the toes staying over the nose on the descent.  
    • If Teaser and Corkscrew had a baby, you'd get Hip Circles
      
      • This movement demands a lot of openness in the chest wall/anterior deltoids to achieve the "ideal" position
      • Modify when necessary by shifting the body to their elbows rather than their hands
    • Leg Pull Up and Leg Pull Down are two sides of the same coin.  In both cases, the plumb line of the body is the key to success.  Please focus in on your client's knees and ensure there is no hyperextension
  • Commit to teaching a full Pilates Mat class multiple times per week.  

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

• Work these movements into your own Mat practice.  Give yourself a full Mat repertoire 3 x/week this week and next  

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

• Watch this video in the replay of Advanced seminar - we had a lot of good discussion about these movements.