Effective Language Tools For Pilates and Yoga Teachers Part 2

Anatomy Dosing

How & When To Use Anatomy Terms

This is actually the easiest part. The general rule is to keep our fancy anatomy terms out of our teaching unless:

1. You’ve had another teaching moment with these particular students and are reinforcing something you’ve already explained.

2. Your student happens to share your knowledge of anatomy: doctor, chiropractor, massage therapist etc.
*And I would say that they must also have expressed an interest in anatomy or more deeply understanding the body.

The thing about this is that sometimes even the right “type” of person doesn’t want you to talk to them in anatomical terms. They just want you to give it to them straight. Don’t make it too fancy and DON’T TRY TO IMPRESS THEM. This is generally never going to work in your favor.

Listen for the signal from them that they want to shift the conversation. Do they use anatomical terms? Are they getting excited when you start talking about the hip flexors and reply by referencing the psoas? Look for clues that they want to go there before you do.

3. They are another Pilates or movement teacher and they are seeing you for your expertise in anatomy.

Things to be careful of:

1. Be mindful to be consistent in the terms you use: If it’s external rotation usually don’t start using lateral rotation just for kicks or because that’s what some other teacher used in a recent workshop you’ve attended.

2. Say what you mean. If you want them to lift their arm out to the side, don’t say abduct your arm. If you want them to bend forward, try not to say flex the spine. For most students it takes some time getting used to the Pilates vocabulary as it is and if they have to wade through our anatomy terms too they are going to be that much more fuzzy and that’s no bueno.

3. Reinforce your anatomy lessons. If you do decide to have a little teaching moment where you are sharing how the psoas functions and why it might be causing them pain, be sure to keeping bringing them back to it so what they learned makes sense.

*It’s like building a house: first you lay the foundation, then erect the walls, do all the finish work and then start decorating. Using and adding anatomical understanding for your client should always be RELAVENT and come in kind and digestible doses.

The In-class or In-session Anatomy Lesson

If there is time, it doesn’t disrupt the flow of your class or session, and it’s relevant, teaching a little bit of anatomical understanding to your client can be SO USEFUL!

1. It gives them a deeper understanding, and therefore motivation, for knowing their body and making it the best it can be.

2. It helps them to make real connections to what they are experiencing.

3. It also helps to solidify or reinforce the “why” of what you are asking them to do, the exercises they are learning.

Tips

1. ALWAYS make sure it is relevant! It has to be a way of helping your student be more successful.

I would recommend examining your motivations for wanting to share:
Is it because you LOVE anatomy? (this is my problem — the blank stares are a pretty good sign that your student may not share that particular passion).
Is it because you just learned something new?
Is it because you NEED them to understand? You are trying to prove a point (never a good idea to use this tactic).
Is it that just a little bit of understanding would really make a difference in their body and their practice?

Really, the last one is the only motivation that has any merit (in my humble and limited opinion).

2. Keep it short. It would only be one thing. It should link a concept, explain a sensation, help improve a movement, or clarify a cue whether it’s verbal or tactile.

3. If you’re in a class, it should be global. It should have relevance to all the students in the class or at least be applicable to the whole class. If you teaching an anatomical piece in a class, reinforce it with a movement experience or the re-exploration of the exercise or issue that spurred the lesson.

4. If you’re in a session, it should be local and specific to that client. All the same rules apply as above.

5. Don’t just drop it. Continue to bring the lesson back in when it’s appropriate so you are actually educating your student not just making their butt look better or low back more flexible. The more invested they are in “knowing” their body the more likely they will be able to prevent injury or poor movement patterns. We teach movement and we EDUCATE BODIES.

Well, that’s it in a nutshell. If you have thoughts, comments or questions, please feel free to ask. I’d love to hear from you.

I am literally an anatomy geek so your anatomy questions would totally light me up. Bring them on!