Master your craft, not just your marketing and image!
I have pondered over writing this blog for some time, wanting to ensure that I communicate my concerns with gentle guidance and counsel that I now feel I have earned – after sixty-two years on this earth, over three decades spent coaching bodies, rebuilding confidence, and watching fitness trends rise, explode, and quietly disappear.
Right now, we’re in the middle of one of the loudest booms I’ve seen yet: the Pilates reformer gold rush. Let me be clear, I am not hear to tear down Pilates, far from it. I love Pilates, I teach it, I have taught it for decades. When well taught it is an amazing addition to a fitness program. I just want to raise a word of caution.
I began my working career in film production and moved from South Africa to Canada and with two young children the fast pace and erratic hours of the film industry could not sustain my family’s best interest. This is when I began my certifications and education in fitness instructing, personal training and yes Pilates back then. I have personally always preferred mat Pilates but I can cover that in another blog as to my reasons why. Reformer Pilates was invented by Joseph Pilates in World War 1, primarily as a rehabilitation tool for bedridden, injured soldiers, then used to strengthen individuals to get them to a level to do mat Pilates work effectively. So as a rehabilitative apparatus it is wonderful.
Pilates does not build lean muscle mass or provide enough output to increase fitness and strength. Science has proven that as we age, the best thing we can do for our longevity is heavier lifting, jumping or sprinting, this will transform your body and age powerfully. I do know that not everyone is capable of this so choosing alternative forms of exercise makes sense, and I’m all for moving your body whichever way you can.
Yoga, an ancient practice of flexibility and flow is a wonderful addition to strength and cardiovascular conditioning. With its ancient wisdom and Spiritual infusion the health benefits are irrefutable. I honestly embrace all movement and modalities. We choose our style of movement based on our reason behind it all. I move to age with agility, flexibility and strength. Providing my body, mind and soul all the stimulus I can, to enjoy life as I age. I embrace all modalities and real fitness, requires conditioning in all areas, cardiovascular, strength, agility and flexibility.
The reason I have loved and taught group classes all these years is the collective of souls uniting with inspiration and uplifting energy. With great instruction this is where the real magic happens. It is now scientifically known that as we are heading to peri menopause and onwards we need heavier weights to see any transformation in our bodies. To sustain lean muscle mass thereby increasing our metabolism along with many other benefits we can gain strength and confidence as we age. I have to say that’s why my Sculpt and Barre classes are my most popular. I know people can feel my enthusiasm and devotion to this type of training.
What concerns me is not the popularity of the reformer, it’s who is suddenly claiming to be an expert on it.
Everywhere I look, I see brand-new studios popping up. Beautiful spaces, trendy branding, polished social media feeds. And behind them? Often very young instructors with minimal training, limited anatomical knowledge, and little to no real-world coaching experience. Some have completed a short certification, sometimes just weeks long, and are now not only teaching, but running businesses and positioning themselves as authorities. To get a return on investment on these expensive machines with limited space, more classes seems the only way. More classes need more instructors, and unfortunately with limited experience and sub standard education, particularly on an island like Barbados where I recall struggling at my studio to find certified experienced instructors who actually have status to work on the island.
That’s not evolution. That’s acceleration without foundation
Here’s the part that weighs on me most: people trust us. They walk into a studio believing they’re in safe, capable hands. They assume the person guiding them knows how to protect their spine, their knees, their shoulders. When that trust is misplaced, the consequences aren’t just disappointing, they can be painful, even long-lasting. I have seen first hand the injuries from sustained from incorrect positioning and use of what is a heavy piece of equipment!
There’s also a deeper loss happening here. Teaching, real teaching, is a craft of care. It requires presence, empathy, and a genuine commitment to the person in front of you. It’s not about how many clients you can cycle through in a day or how many classes you can sell out. It’s about impact.
When I work with someone, I’m not just guiding movement. I’m listening. I’m adjusting. I’m meeting them where they are, not where a program says they should be. That’s the “heart and soul” part of this profession, and it can’t be fast-tracked.
To the younger generation entering this space: your enthusiasm is valuable. Your energy is needed. But don’t confuse momentum with mastery. Take the time to learn deeply. Study anatomy beyond what’s required. Work under experienced mentors. Make mistakes quietly, where you can learn from them without risking someone else’s wellbeing.
And to clients: ask questions. Don’t be afraid to understand who is teaching you, what their background is, and how they approach your safety and progress. You deserve more than a good playlist and a pretty studio.
Trends will come and go. They always do. But the fundamentals, knowledge, experience, care, those are what stand the test of time.
At sixty-two, I’m still learning. Still refining. Still showing up with curiosity and respect for the responsibility this work carries. And believe me, with great respect for other teachers and movement styles, I know what it takes to show up every class with true intention and heart filled energy. This is not about a discredit to Reformer Pilates, it certainly has its place. I am also saddened how many teachers need to point out faults of others or why their particular class style is the only way to go. It all depends on your raison d’etre and your intention behind every movement.
Let’s move forward with our heart and soul in it with integrity, knowledge and real care to help empower others, not with dollar signs and pretty IG posts at the helm.
At the end of the day, this isn’t just fitness.
It’s people’s bodies. Their health. Their trust.
And that should never be treated like a trend.