It’s easy to assume that Pilates is Pilates. That as long as you’re showing up and doing the movements, the results will follow. But in my experience of over 25 years teaching in Rugby, that’s only half the story. The other half is who is in the room with you, what they know, and how much attention they’re giving you.
How to spot a teacher you can trust
When you walk into a class for the first time, a good teacher should be curious about you before they’re curious about your Pilates experience. What hurts? What do you want to get back to? What’s stopped you before?
Knowing you means your teacher knows when to push you, when to hold back, and when an exercise needs to be adapted for your body on that particular day.
That level of care only works in a small group. In a large class, even the most skilled teacher simply cannot see what everyone is doing. They can’t spot the hip that’s compensating, the breath that’s being held, or the shoulder that’s taking the load it shouldn’t. Small group sizes aren’t just a nice detail – they’re what makes safe, effective, progressive Pilates actually possible.
And then there’s knowledge. A great Pilates teacher doesn’t just help you avoid pain during class, they help you understand it:
- Why a movement might be aggravating something
- Which muscles need strengthening to take the pressure off a joint
- How to build around an injury rather than simply working around it indefinitely
That understanding is what turns a weekly class into real, lasting change in your body.
Experience it at Shape It Up
If you’re considering starting Pilates, or if you’ve tried it elsewhere and it didn’t quite feel right, we’d love for you to come and experience the difference for yourself with the New Member Intro Offer