So, first of all, I'm ridiculously jealous of your trip to Italy. How much fun! We went to Paris and Italy earlier this year (1 week each) and had an absolute blast - I'm ready to relocated and just live there permanently. Ahhh.... (did you end up getting the Prada bag?)
No Prada, but still thinking about it!
I'm writing for a bit of guidance... I started working with a male client, 51 years old, about a month ago. He's a welder by profession, and has been doing labor-intensive work his entire adult life. He has the arm and chest muscles to prove it too. He is the tightest, least flexible person I've ever met. It became clear right away that mat work wasn't going to be good for him - he can't even sit on the floor without being in a lot of discomfort - he has to be in a chair. So I've done some reformer work with him. I've put him on the foam roller (which has helped in giving him some feedback) But really what I"ve been focusing on is getting his muscles to relax a bit, to release and for him to open up a bit.... A month into it, I'm getting frustrated with myself that I'm not seeing results faster. Yes, it's only been a month. Yes, this is 51 years of patterning and muscles training that I'm working to change. And there are small things - he can tell when he's using his back and not his abs. He can tell the difference between neutral spine and not neutral.
These realizations on his part are tremendous! We're talking huge sensory breakthroughs here and he should be thrilled by his progress and so should you. Some clients who've patterned their bodies into such narrow ranges spend many months and sometimes years in frustration trying to feel, trying to move, trying to find change and honestly, most don't survive the wait - we lose them to the work because they just don't feel like anything's changing and they're not led by their teachers to believe that it will. With both of you working hard together, you've got him at the point of a solid beginning in one short month. I think that's fantastic.
Here are some things to consider trying. He's an example of someone for whom the flexibility training that's historically included in the Pilates method is simply no where near sufficient. He needs a flexibility intervention! If he follows the common path, here's a little glimpse into the Pilates future of this client.
What you're finding with the entire Mat repertoire being unavailable to him because of his flexibility limitations isvery common but it won't stop there. On Reformer I predict you'll find that Stomach Massage and parts of Short Box will be off limits as well, and that on exercises like Kneeling Knee Stretches Rounded and Arched his back will be taking the movement in its hinges (base of thorax, base of lumbars) and not in his hips where it should be. If that happens, you'll be facilitating the wearing out of those hinges which are hypermobile on virtually everybody (read Anatomy of Movement Exercises, pages 13 - 15 on spinal mechanics) and the tighter he is, the more he's relying for movement on those hinges and the more he exploits those hinges, the more he's concentrating loads into them and the faster they'll fail. This is not an IF, this is a WHEN.
Because you will keep running into what I call "flexibility road blocks" and within the Pilates method there is not sufficient flexibility training to address this client's needs, you won't be able to get past how tight he is and further into the repertoire and as time flies by, he's going to want to do more and you're going to continue to equate your worth as a teacher with his progress. When he gets tired of the futility, he will probably leave and you'll probably be happy to see him go.
But with a simple plan for progress, even if it encompasses years of work, you'll both have something to goal off of and it makes the ensuing months more enjoyable since, with a plan, you've got structure, you know where you're headed and you know that, equivalencies being the unavoidable reality in our bodies, he's got to be patient as you both work to purposely unwind all this pull out of his body.
Once you formulate a plan - and this is key - take pictures at least every 2 weeks of his straight leg lift position, his seated on the floor as if he were preparing to do Spine Stretch Forward - these are positions that are the "indicator species" of flexibility. Once his body begins to loosen, begin photographing extension movements, as well. I teach a standing Swimming prep, facing the wall, that patterns safe extension into the spine. I'll film that this week, put it up on You Tube and send you a link to the video.
Until we can get PNF stretching into your scope so you can design a protocol for your clients and assist them in the stretches (you'll have that within your scope after you successfully complete training either by Kit or through other PNF technique training) your client can use Kit's book to guide his own stretching regimen. OPTP makes a product called Stretch Out Strap TM that also puts PNF stretching in the hands of the client but Kit's book is far superior to the SOS TM.
Until you can legally assist clients in these types of stretches, you can guide your client's form using everything you know about the proper teaching of Pilates - good form is good form whether we're talking about Pilates or any other physical discipline. He needs to stretch using PNF at least 2 times a week, several days apart, and he needs to perform plain old limbering exercises on all days in between. Kit's book is brilliant at setting out safe programs - it's heavily texted and you and your client should be sure to read every word to make sure you both understand what's at stake and the best and safest way to proceed.
Now, about relaxation. Teaching your client simple mindfulness meditation techniques (so simple, anyone can teach them) is a great way to get his body and mind to let go. If you buy a Sports Psychology book (the one I have is a few years old, it's Applied Sports Psychology, Personal Growth to Peak Perofrmance, 4th Edition, edited by Jean M. Williams, a picture of the cover is attached) it will contain scripts for relaxation/focus/release that your client can either read to himself, you can read to him or you could record for him to play back when he's practicing his relaxation skills on his own outside of his studio time with you.
I learned a relaxation "exercise" from either Mary Bowen or Kathy Grant (I can't remember which!) called Balloon Breathing and I teach it all the time. The premise is that every body part - torso, arms, legs, feet, hands, head - are balloons and you guide clients through a systematic inflation and deflation of each balloon, extending breathwork to greater and greater capacity. Frankly, most of our clients are so sleep deprived that they actually fall asleep on the mat after this series is completed. It's lovely, but it's no different than any other breathwork meditative protocol. There are tons of books, cds, tapes, etc. on these types of relaxation techniques.
These types of techniques are called Mind to Muscle, and there are other techniques called Muscle to Mind relaxation techniques. Your client, being such a physical guy, may respond better to Muscle to Mind relaxation techniques. My Sports Psych book contains scripts on both.
Does this get you thinking? M'dear, you could easily and rightfully give up on this guy - he's brought you a mess to deal with and it's so clearly not your problem, it's his - but if you want to connect, team, goal and succeed together, you're going to have to learn a whole bunch of stuff about flexibility and relaxation that you wouldn't otherwise have to.
I'm advocating that you do, because Joe talked endlessly about the MIND-body connection of his work, he was quoted as saying "stretch, stretch more, press a button in your mind" and as it turns out, flexibility IS neural! Joe just didn't have the knowledge or proof at that time to explain that it is but we now know that it is. So built into our method is the goal of flexibility, although Joe certainly did not codify the type of flexibility training exercises that Kit has developed. So you've got to search your soul on this one and find out if you have the desire, the heart and will to commit to helping this client with his special needs. I think you do, I think you will and I think you'll be the catalyst for restoring him to full functional use of what must be in may ways his magnificent physicality.
I'll get that extension training video up before the end of the week.
I guess what this ultimately comes down to is the fact that I am struggling a bit being a sole practioner without the support of a studio around me. I've been doing this for a few years now on my own, and I think it's starting to get to me...
So, there are 2 issues here it seems... my poor client and how I can help him. And how do I keep my energy and enthusiasm up on my own?
I know that you're super busy and super swamped with a ton of stuff. When you get a chance I'd love to hear from you.
There is no doubt that teachers teaching in isolation wither. It's not you personally, it's not any shortcoming that is uniquely yours, it's not because you're not trying to stay fresh and up on things; it's simply because nature abhors a vacuum and teaching alone, you're in a vacuum. It's impossible to thrive teaching alone. You have to even more aggressively than a teacher who works with other teachers pursue the continuing of you education - you have to get out and immerse yourself in situations that will provide you with the stimulation and exchange of wisdom that only comes with the proper setting of the educational environment, time, interaction. My Open Studio Week workshop is designed to provide not only that type of teacher interaction but also to expose you to how a solidly established Pilates studio (mine in Seattle) teaches the work to a wide variety of clients with a focus on fundamental integrity - we accept no Powerhouse slop!
Because we provide free housing, many of the teachers are rooming together which further develops relationships.
And, although every group is different, we've had as many as 5 and as few as 2 contents represented. You'll meet teachers from all over the US and probably from Europe, the UK and maybe even Australia. You'll have 5 long days in the studio together with almost every hour informally structured to give you, a teacher who teaches in isolation, a mega dose of educational interaction.
And, I think this is ultra important, if you choose to participate in the meal plan, we're also together over breakfast and dinner which are served right there in the studio. Eating together provides even more of an opportunity for us all to connect, learn about each other, talk about client cases, laugh, build our networks and just plain old hang out. Wine is plentiful, which always helps facilitate human connection! Of course, I may have an autopsy video running while we're all eating, but nobody minds!
There are other long-format workshops that would be great for you to attend - going to the PMA conference exposes you to many educators in a one-stop-shop type situation. If you go to PMA, go with the idea that you're screening educators to try and find ones you resonate with and then, research their offerings or better yet, bring them to Vermont where you can host your own workshop featuring their content. If you can't go to them, bring them to you! You can totally do this, and if you want ideas about how to pay for it, read my PilatesNun post titled "Your Pilates Educational Development Fund | Why, How & Now. That will help you generate some ideas about how to pay for all this stimulating education I'm saying you need.
You're always welcome in Seattle, next year the only Open Studio Week that I current have tentatively scheduled will be in April. I'm doing 3 next year, I may have one in late January and another in September but I am still moving all sorts of commitments around the 2010 calendar and can't just yet nail down dates for the other 2 Open Studio Weeks. You're on my email list so you'll know via blast when I've set the dates.
Hope this all helps, sweetie. Great to hear from you. Let me know your next round of questions/thoughts.
