Pilates Instruction - Foundation and Individuality

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True Pilates Sydney Studio Instructors - Luke Cook and Pablo Comino training in the studio 

True Pilates Sydney Studio Instructors - Luke Cook and Pablo Comino training in the studio 

Every one is unique in Mind, Body and Spirit. Part of what makes us who we are - are what we see, hear and feel — it is individual and personal. Therefore when we talk about Pilates instruction and teaching — all instructors/ teachers bring their own experience, perspective and goals when teaching a body.

At this studio, as a team of teachers we are diverse in our approach and teaching. We each bring a different dimension and goal to a class, but yet we all have the same foundation and ground work in our teachings. As Romana’s Pilates instructors we all went through rigorous training during our apprenticeship to becoming a certified instructor.

The basic requirements for our training were;

  • Minimum of 700 hours practical hours of training, teaching and observation

  • Passing 3 stages of exams (both practical and written)

The goals and objectives were to ensure:

  • New instructors are physically able to execute exercises and thus be able to teach them

  • Be able to intellectualise the work in terms of exercises, flow, relevance and application to clients

  • Uniformity and purity within the training for posterity

  • To help clients achieve their goals for Pilates eg. rehabilitation, pain management, strength and condition.

Training with Master Trainer Anthony Rabara in Princeton New Jersey, NY

Training with Master Trainer Anthony Rabara in Princeton New Jersey, NY

After certifying, it was only at this grassroots stage with teaching real clients that I felt my true learning experience begin. Now after many years of teaching, the way and how I see, listen and feel each body is very different - it is less performative and more constructive - and I can see the long term game in getting a client to achieve their goal.

I have trained with many fabulous Master teachers through my years of Pilates training and each were different in their approach. And being true Masters teachers they always had you walking away feeling inspired in the Pilates method as a student and teacher.,

To maintain a high standard in your own practice and studio, there are certain requirements I feel strongly about with all Instructors (of all Methods);

  • All Pilates instructors should be continuously building on their foundation of Pilates — refreshing the work in their mind and body. In my experience, continued training is the only way to stay inspired and maintain the spirit and the method of the work.

  • Instructors must be able to execute the exercises they instruct. For example, if teaching advance work — the instructor should be able to do the advance work proficiently. As the old adage goes “you need to practice what you preach” …and then practice some more…

All this to say when teaching Pilates, all instructors are individualistic but it is paramount they have a good foundation of knowledge to which one continually builds with learning from teaching different bodies and in one’s own practice.

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Yung Ok Yoo

I spent most of my academic years studying Fine Art in various disciplines. I completed my Post graduate in Visual Arts majoring in Photography and minored in drawing. I continued this line of study into Visual Comunication and further my art skill base with Jewellery and Object making. During this time, I worked on commissioned paintings for corporate, commercial environments as an Interior consultant and decorator to which I also was commissioned to paint for for Private collections. My historical professional background stemmed in the hospitality industry - where I managed restaurants. It was during this time that I found Pilates having injured my back at work. In 2008, I started my apprenticeship under the tutelage of Master Teacher trainer Cynthia Lochard (2nd Generation teacher). My training was rigorous with culmative observational hours, training and practiced teaching of over 1000 hours before certifying. Since my Pilates certification in 2009, I maintain my weekly session with Cynthia Lochard and travel to New York every two years (most recently October 2014) to partake in intensive training at the Head Quarters for Romana's Pilates at True Pilates New York originally know as Drago's. It is here, I continue my tutelage with Master Teacher Trainers Jerome Weinberg & Cynthia Shipley who worked closely with the late Romana Kryzanowska herself. In NYC - October 2014 - I also had a chance to work with Peter Fiasca Founder of Classical Pilates. As well as NYC, I have travelled to Singapore, Paris, London and trained with international teachers. In 2013, I opened True Pilates Sydney Studio, because I felt there were very few Pilates studios in Sydney that focused on the True Pilates Method - hence I named the studio 'True Pilates Sydney'. Through my own teachings I hope to inspire, train and educate others in the art of Pilates as I have been inspired in my own training and journey.