From the Mat to Mindset: Lessons I’ve Learned Teaching Pilates

When I first started teaching Pilates, I thought it was all about movement, guiding people into the correct Pilates form for each exercise. Get the body moving right, and the rest follows, right?

Turns out… that was just the appetizer.

Teaching Pilates isn’t just about queues, counts, or choreography. It’s a masterclass in human behavior, communication, and connection.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

• People carry their stories in their bodies. Trauma, stress, joy—it shows up in posture, in breath, in movement. We’re not just guiding muscles; we’re holding space. When we neglect our body or are working through stress and anxiety, we can feel everything. This might be a headache, stomach discomfort, back and shoulder pain. It will show up so you can notice it and do something about it.

  
  

• Your energy matters more than your playlist. If I show up frazzled, my class feels it. If I show up grounded, the class runs more smoothly. The energy I bring to class will affect everyone, myself included.

  
  

• The mat is a mirror. It reflects confidence, self-talk, frustration, and perseverance. And it teaches us (yes, teachers too) to respond with compassion. So often people in class say they dislike X exercise because they can't do it. They are angry that their body won't work like the person next to them. Clenching mucles and negative self talk will not help. No progress comes through negativity. Speak kindly to yourself, acknowledge all the wins, big and little!

At the end of the day, teaching Pilates is mindset work disguised as movement. And if we do it well, we leave feeling stronger not just in our bodies—but in our belief in ourselves.