Education that doesn't break the bank

I recently read an article about the importance of education, especially continued education, in the Pilates industry and how it is what keeps your studio credible and your quality consistent, driving long-term growth. I couldn’t agree with this more! But education doesn’t have to mean forking out hundreds or thousands of your hard-earned cash to obtain it. As a Pilates instructor, studio owner and educator here are my top 4 tips on continued education that’s practically free:

Tip 1: Weekly instructors catch up meetings

This has by far been the most valuable education tool in my studio. When my team first expanded, I noticed that we weren’t all on the same page when it came to troubleshooting. Some instructors could answer questions or correct for weakness or compensation on the spot, others just changed the exercise completely to make the problem go away, and others just plain straight out said “I don’t know”. And while there is no shame in admitting that you don’t know something, you still need to try and find out if there is something you can do to help this client when you see them at their next session. This is where the weekly catch up meeting was pivotal. It created a space for my team to sit together, discuss clients’ problems, restrictions or concerns and get some answers. For the client as well as the instructor. I gave each instructor a notebook that they had to bring with to each meeting and take notes. This became their very own troubleshooting manual. They also had to write down any questions or queries they had for our next meeting. We also changed the narrative when it comes to not knowing. Instead of saying “I don’t know” we would say “I’m going to find out and get back to you”. Sometimes we had to go beyond the walls of our own studio and ask a doctor or physiotherapist for help and guidance. This also helped us to stay within our scope of practice. The conversation often sounded like:” Hi, I spoke to our physiotherapist client and she is a bit concerned that there might be an underlying problem that is bigger than what we can manage with Pilates alone. Here is her number, give her a call and let’s make sure everything is okay.” That also builds trust between your team and your clients. They feel like you really have their best interests at heart and care deeply for them. In return, the physiotherapist sees that you are serious about the health and wellbeing of your clients, and they start referring clients to you. It becomes a beautiful community.

Tip 2: Weekly instructor class

Here your team gets a chance to spend some time on their own practice and just enjoy a session instead of planning and teaching it. As owner and senior instructor, I normally taught my instructors, but it’s also fun to get each member to teach a session to the rest of the team. That way you can experience each instructor’s teaching style and get a feel for their classes. Most studios have instructors with different education backgrounds, and you learn a great deal from taking classes together. It can also show you where a member might be lacking in their teaching and give you an opportunity to help them improve.

Tip 3: Create a studio library

Most of us have loads of books on Pilates, anatomy, fascia, stretching, etc. lying at home. Create a private library space in your studio where your instructors can have access to those books. It also becomes a great discussion point in your weekly catch up meetings!

Tip 4: Share articles, podcasts and videos on relevant topics

Not everyone spends their free time reading and looking at more Pilates, but there is generally someone in the studio who does it (and I am one of those people!). Whatever you find that you feel is relevant and educational, share it with your team on your instructor Whatsapp group. Also ask your team to share anything that they have found that helped them or taught them something. (Again, this becomes a great discussion point at the catch-up meeting.)

Education does not have to be a big event, the opportunity to learn and grow is in every session. Creating a safe space for your team to ask questions and learn together will be one of the best investments you can make for your studio!