By Zoey Trap, MS
Let’s explore progressions, regressions, and variations through a new lens. Think of your studio as a giant playground. There are ladders, barrels, swings and springs; there are different surface shapes and sizes, and you can use all of them to help your student to progress in the classical system.
In Level II, you learned the Elements of Progression: center of gravity, base of support, surface stability exercise complexity, and rhythm and tempo. We can use one or a combination of elements to make the work more accessible or more challenging depending on a student’s needs.
Let’s look at Around the World, a common variation on the Short Box. We lift the spine, hinge back on a diagonal, rotate to the ceiling, to the other side, pull back up on the diagonal to center and reverse to the other side. A very complex and challenging combination of movements for the powerhouse and the brain. Where might we regress this? The Ladder Barrel is one place- and if the student is tight in the low back or pelvis this would be a great choice. You, the instructor, would also have better ability to support the movement.
Within the system we have many shapes in space that occur on different pieces of apparatus with different relationships to gravity. Using the shape in space concept in combination with the elements of progression is another way to create variations to meet progression needs. For example, you might have a student who loves spinal extensions and is really good at them. So you want to progress her to Rocking on the Spine Corrector, you can introduce it on the mat, move it up higher on the Short Box and finally progress it to the smaller curved surface of the Spine Corrector.
The beauty of the system is that there is always a way to go up and challenge the student and a means to regress and help them accomplish movements in a more suitable way.
Intrigued? Learn more! Register for the virtual CEC Pilates Progressions Around the Studio with Senior Master Instructor, Pamela Garcia and have fun playing with this concept and learning as you go. Recording available on request, but you must register in advance. The workshop is scheduled August 9, 2024 from 2:00-4:00pm EDT (New York).
Pilates Progressions Around the Studio
Location: Online
Date and Time: August 9, 2024 – 2:00pm – 4:00pm EDT
To register: USA/Asia