After nearly twelve years of practicing and teaching Pilates, it is hard to recall the feeling of doing Pilates for the first time. I remember my excitement and joy at discovering it. I remember thinking it was challenging but I don’t remember the “feeling” of doing Pilates: the actual difficulty of Leg Springs in Level 1, the coordination involved in Leg Circles on the Reformer, the struggles of learning the breathing, nor the subtle nuances of the body changing from non-Pilates movement in day-to-day life to Pilates-influenced walking, sitting, posture. 

In many ways, Pilates has become second nature for me. The responses clients share with me and the changes I can see in their bodies and movements inform my teaching skills in this department but it is not quite the same as being able to relate to what clients say by feeling it in your own body.

In following my dream since I was 18 to be a university professor, I have entered into a doctorate program. This has taken me away from my Pilates world in many respects. I have moved from Los Angeles to London. I entrusted my clients for the period I am gone to a few colleagues.  I even left my equipment in the care of friends and clients. No longer can I enter my Pilates “studio” at any time of day for a quick workout by walking a few steps into the second bedroom of my apartment. Once in London I have had to search for a Pilates studio with Gratz equipment. I even made my apartment choice based on proximity to such studios. Instead of walking a few steps to do a quick Reformer workout, I now have to either walk 50 minutes or cycle 30 minutes to a studio to do Pilates. I do not even have the ability to do mat in my apartment as the room is too small! With the above changes to my Pilates routine comes the normal adjustments of living in a new city and settling in. All this to say, I was not able to do my normal Pilates workouts for the first few months here!

Rather than lament/whine/complain (although I have done these things as my friends back home know all to well) about my present “out of Pilates shape-ness," I decided to take note of how it feels to do Pilates for the “first” time again. I took myself back to Level 1 (just as we often tell our students in the training program to do from time to time…see we do practice what we teach).  Two-three times a week I cycle to the Pilates studio in Finsbury Park in the morning before I head off to the library for research. Here is one of my journal entries from the early days in my re-discovery of Pilates in London:

"In a cold, but very cute studio I start with pre-Pilates while I wait for the heating to warm up the rooms. Roll-Back feels luxurious after transporting laptop and books around town in bags/laptop cases/etc. When I move over to Refomer I feel slightly uncoordinated on Leg Circles/Frog and I have visions of many of my clients when they were first learning these movements. On Short Box I can feel some saddle-sore from cycling in London. And when I do Leg Springs on the Cadillac I notice how unstable my hips are in the movement and I reflect on how amazing Pilates is in keeping the whole body strong.  About 55 minutes later (well, more like 65 because I couldn’t resist and I did some Level 2 Arm Springs and a few other bits I love on the Spine Corrector), I walk out of the studio observing the changes in my body from just this session: the soot that I had felt in my lungs from the Tube seems expelled, my hips feel more open and walking with Pilates posture feels easier; most importantly my mood has been incredibly altered. I feel back to myself and I am reminded yet again why I love Pilates so much!"

So, when an illness, a long trip, or the countless other life happenstances  that hinder regular Pilates practice occur take the opportunity to re-experience Pilates for the first time. In reconnecting to the feeling of a beginner in Pilates, we can better relate to our clients, explain to prospective newbies the many benefits of Pilates and be reinvigorated in our passion for practicing and teaching Pilates.