Teacher Training
Living Well Pilates is affiliated with Body Harmonics of Toronto, and the Pilates Instructor Training is held at the Living Well Pilates Milton studio. The courses and the costs are the same as the classes taught at Body Harmonics. You will receive a certificate at the completion of each LWP CEC course from Body Harmonics.
Mary German, Living Well Pilates Studio Director, instructs the classes. Mary is a Certified Exercise Physiologist, Certified Pilates Teacher through Body Hamonics, PMA, PMI, CAN-FIT Pro Certified
Speak with Mary at (905) 847-0707 regarding additional information and registration.
ANATOMY of MOVEMENT
A comprehensive overview intended for people new to the study of human anatomy. Emphasis will be on learning to visualize the musculoskeletal system three dimensionally from the skeleton into the various layers of soft tissue. You will also gain a global understanding of how the musculoskeletal system functions to produce movement. Emphasis on the trunk, pelvic girdle/hips, and shoulder girdle will set students up to absorb the anatomical framework for Mat Work Foundations, and Mat Work Intermediate/Advanced with ease and confidence.
MAT WORK FOUNDATIONS
Mat Work Foundations is the first part of the complete Pilates Mat Work Repertoire Training. It is an introductory course, 20 hours in length. The course begins with 26 Foundational exercises that focus on correct movement mechanics in the spine, pelvic and shoulder girdles. Next we review key exercises to facilitate core stabilization needed to execute the Classical Pilates repertoire. Intermediate Classical exercises will be analyzed in detail so participants gain a comprehensive understanding of what each exercise looks like, how to execute each one properly, how to detect improper execution, and how to modify exercises effectively. Participants learn the historical roots, nine major principles of The Pilates Method, and a framework for designing Mat Work classes that build toward the Classical repertoire safely. Emphasis will be placed on understanding exercise mechanics and teaching techniques to enhance accessibility, safety, and correct biomechanics in every Pilates class you teach.
You Will Learn: 26 Foundation + 10 Basic-Intermediate Mat Work Exercises, Biomechanics, Cueing Techniques, Variations and Modifications, Mat Class Design Principles.
MAT WORK CLASSIC & INNOVATIONS
Mat Work Classic & Innovations is the second part of the Complete Pilates Mat Work Training. It is a 20 hour certificate course that focuses on teaching applications of the Pilates Mat Work Repertoire. You build on the framework presented in Mat Work Foundations and review of all Classical Pilates Mat Work exercises so that you know how to use them effectively with any person, in any teaching setting. The weekend includes master classes, lecture, small group activities, practice teaching and observation. Each student will have the opportunity to teach the group and receive personalized feedback on her/his teaching skills. At the completion of this course you leave with a clear understanding of how to design well-rounded, safe, and dynamic Mat Work classes for any level.
You Will Learn: 49 Classical Mat Work Exercises, Techniques to Modify and Vary Exercises, Class Design Models to Build Functional Movement and Stability in Any Body, Dynamic Cueing and Choreographing Techniques, Practical Application of Biomechanics, Observation and Assessment for Precision of Movement.
CORE INTEGRITY
“CORE” is the new buzz word in any fitness environment, and we know a strong core is key to optimal function, balance and equilibrium. But the question remains: how can we best facilitate effective core control and still create programs that appeal to average people who can’t connect to subtle movements and deep, inner muscles?
In this workshop we take a global approach to the concept of CORE and analyze both the inner and outer cylinders of support. These “core systems” help produce support and movement for the entire body as they criss cross and spiral the torso. In depth analysis is followed by observation and self-practice using specific exercises for each layer so you leave with a clear plan on how to ensure optimal function and create a “wow I’ve never felt my core work this hard before” feel.
Core Integrity is the third part of the Mat Work Intensive, but is also open to anyone interested in it for continuing education.
VERTICAL INTENSIVE
The Vertical Intensive is the standing application of Pilates and the third level in the Complete Mat Work Training. Packed with challenging exercises, this 14 hour workshop will provide you with a new dimension to movement education and Pilates-based conditioning. We begin with Foundation exercises that focus on leg alignment, balance and the "how to's" of finding support on one leg. The exercises build in complexity and difficulty that increasingly require a finely tuned sense of counter-balancing throughout the body. We will also explore key movement principals of Rudolph Laban and Hubert Godard so you leave with a rich context within which to introduce your participant to Vertical Pilates.
You Will Learn: 29 Foundation Exercises, 34 Intermediate and Advanced Exercises, In-Depth Analysis of Leg Alignment, Sensory Exercises, Cueing Techniques, Movement Principals from R. Laban and H. Godard, Framework for Vertical Classes.
REFORMER INTENSIVE
In this course you will learn the Foundations, Intermediate and Advanced Repertoires for the Reformer. You will analyze exercises in detail within the context of functional anatomy and biomechanics so that you learn to cue and see precise and accurate movement. You will apply your learning as you complete the practice teaching and self practice hours. A written examination takes place one month after classroom hours are complete. With successful completion of all required hours and the written examination, practical examinations will be scheduled and completed thereafter.
You Will Learn
• Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced Repertoires
• Practical Application of Biomechanics
• Exercise Modifications and Variations
• Postural Analysis
• Teaching Methodology for Groups and One-on-One
HANDEDNESS and SCOLIOSIS
Deviations in the curves of the spine can impact our movement mechanics in a variety of ways. In this workshop we focus on the determinants of handedness (being right handed or left handed) and different manifestations of scoliosis. You learn the characteristics of these patterns and how they affect posture and muscle activation throughout the body. We then apply this knowledge to the Pilates context to determine effective exercise protocols. You leave with fresh observation skills and a new paradigm of understanding spinal mechanics and their influence on both structure and function. In addition, you will have more analytical tools with which to make informed exercise choices.
MAGIC CIRCLE TM & SWIVEL DISCS
This workshop combines the old and the new with over ninety exercises to explore. The Magic Circle™ is one of Joseph Pilates’ original pieces of portable equipment and its simplicity becomes remarkable when you realize how versatile it is. The circle is a must if your clients are asking for resistance training. To boot it is tailor made to strengthen and realign the midline and inner thighs. The Swivel Discs are a modern addition to the Pilates mix of small apparatus. Hands down these are unsurpassed if you are interested in refining muscle recruitment or movement re-patterning. You can use the discs to mobilize the entire spine, realign and decompress the hip joints and release chronic tension in the shoulder girdle. They provide challenge to your midriff that is exhausting after only a few repetitions and the way they target your obliques feels different than anything else you’ve tried.
No classes scheduled at LWP at this time.
PILATES for GOLFERS
A natural fit, Pilates can help anyone looking to improve technique and add power to his or her swing. Using video, you will learn to analyze the static and dynamic phases of the golf swing and then how to address each with specific Pilates-based exercises. You will leave with user-friendly workouts that your clients can try on and off the course.
PILATES for MEN
Men- the untapped market. When they get Pilates they love it and become totally committed. But, so few men actually try Pilates and stick with it.
In this workshop we look at key ways to communicate so Pilates makes sense and feels impactful to our male clients. We zero in on key exercises and sequences that draw men to attention and make them realize the powerful connection Pilates can have to the activities they love to participate in. Whether they are weekend warriors', true athletes for back pain sufferers, men have been underrepresented in our classes and studios for too long and are missing out on the profound benefits Pilates offers them. We also look at some of the typical challenges men face in a Pilates class and trace these to biomechanical characteristics unique to men.
PILATES for PRE & POST NATAL
This workshop combines the latest research into Pregnancy and Exercise. You will learn about the physiological changes that a pregnant woman experiences and how to support these with a Pilates-based conditioning program. The “how to’s” of modifying Pilates for the specific needs of pregnant women will be our major focus and you will leave with a clear understanding of what to do at each stage of pregnancy. We will pay special attention to the birthing muscles, common complaints and contraindications so you leave with the confidence to teach women at every stage of pregnancy.
PILATES for RUNNERS
This workshop reviews efficient and inefficient running techniques and their effects on stride, endurance and injury prevention. You will leave with simple techniques and exercises sequences that will allow you to zero in on and effectively address the challenges your clients face as they hit the pavement. Your running clients will run taller and stronger with a stride that is longer and more fluid.
POST REHAB PROTOCOLS
Experienced teachers this is for you! We go in-depth into these three issue-laden areas of the body to sort out a set of best practices for each. Key workshop elements include Functional Anatomy, Assessment, Client Intake, Critical Reflection and a Step-by-Step Program Design with innovative exercises using mat, small props and Pilates equipment. A key workshop for any teacher searching for new ways to observe movement patterns and targeted exercises beyond the Pilates repertoires to use with clients managing postural or biomechanical impairments.
POSTURE & GAIT ANALYSIS
In this two-day intensive workshop you will analyze posture and gait mechanics from both a structural and functional perspective. We start with an overview of archetypal “ideal” and “faulty” postures and review the structural underpinnings of each. We observe posture in three distinct ways so you leave with a dynamic understanding of how to observe your clients when they stand or sit. We move from there into an analysis of human gait that traces our patterns of ambulation form our feet, up through our legs and hips, into the pelvis and up the length of the spine into the shoulders. Based on the Spinal Engine theory of Gracovetsky, this workshop helps you see gait mechanics as a whole body experience. Your power of observation and your understanding of how movement is integrated as we walk will expand dramatically. You will leave with a completely new way of seeing bodies in motion and a new repertoire of simple exercises that have profound effects on both our postural patterns and gait mechanics.
STABILITY BALLS & FOAM ROLLERS
Simple, portable and inexpensive, stability balls and foam rollers can add new challenge and depth to all your Pilates mat and reformer classes. You will learn more than fifty exercises that build from simple to complex and from relatively stable to extremely unstable. Clients love these pieces of equipment but need clear guidance on how to work synergistically with an unstable surface rather than bracing against it. Experience key cueing techniques that will really define your class as balance training that engages the body from the inside out.
THERABANDS TM & WEIGHTED BALLS
For a twist on resistance training that leaves you with that “Pilates feeling” of strength with length, Therabands™ and Weighted Balls will inspire. Over the course of the day you are introduced to more than fifty exercises, each one focused on creating connections through the core of the body via the limbs and then back again. The essence of these pieces of small apparatus is that your muscles work intensely but feel stretched out at the end of the class. The sensation of a rigorous workout that leaves your joints feeling free yet supported is amazing! Your clients will feel the effects as profound.
7 WEEK FAST TRACK PILATES EQUIPMENT INTENSIVE
The 7 Week Equipment Intensive is a fast track version of the ten week course. Course content and requirements are identical to the longer course, but trainees must plan to complete approximately 55 hours per week to fulfill course requirements.
