3 Reasons Why I Wanted to do Pilates Teacher Training

Written by Kelsie Cage, Pilates Trainee at the Pilates Institute of Southern California

1. Health + Healing  

I’ve always been into a holistic lifestyle, from making my own almond milk to taking the time to ground my toes into the sand as therapeutic healing; it’s been ingrained in me since a young age and it’s something I carry with me everyday. 

Pilates entered my life when I was searching for a new healing workout. I previously had a pre-existing shoulder injury and was searching for something that could serve as a healing mechanism. At the time, I was running and doing circuit training, I thought Pilates would be a great fit during my off days. When I initially started I thought I would attend classes a few times a week to give my body a rest, I quickly learned that the more I furthered my Pilates practice the harder it was. My instructor tailored the lessons around strengthening my shoulder and different parts of my body so I wasn’t holding so much tension in my back. Overtime, Pilates started to heal my body while also providing a great workout. It was the perfect balance of strengthening my core and muscles I didn’t know I had, while at the same time supporting me where I was weak. I stopped circuit training all together and become habitual with my Pilates routine, feeling the power of healing my body while providing a great workout for me. The practice became an integral part of my life - combining health + healing into one. 

2. Growth + Learning 

From healing my body to taking my practice further, I came to realize that I wanted to learn more about Pilates itself. The history, how it started and most importantly about the body, not just movement but the bones and muscles. By embarking on this trainee journey, it has given me the chance to understand my body and others. I’ve always been drawn to pushing myself and to keep learning, the Pilates training has provided both, not just for watching my body grow but my mind as well. 

3. Mind + Movement 

Pilates helps me tune into my body in order to really try and activate the muscles being used. The smallest exercise can sometimes be the hardest - when you are doing hanging push ups on the reformer, you don’t have time to think about cleaning your apartment. Pilates is an art of using your mind to connect with your movement, a place to be truly present within yourself.