Pilates On Tour®, Phoenix

This workshop is led by a Board-Certified Gynecologist, Dr. Bruce Crawford M.D., creator of the Pfilates Method of plyometric pelvic floor training.  This course is intended for Pilates instructors and Physical Therapists interested in gaining an advanced understanding of pelvic floor neuromuscular physiology, common pelvic floor disorders, and ways of preventing the need for surgery. This course is appropriate for all instructors and provides an excellent way to demystify pelvic floor training.

Join Viktor Uygan and Dr. Brent Anderson for a fun, scientific and practical course that focuses on human reciprocal motion.  Reciprocal movement is present in all human activities and yet sedentarism restricts reciprocal motion.  Even on the Reformer, there is not an abundance of reciprocal motion. Brent will discuss how human anatomy, biomechanics and biotensegrity all spontaneously support reciprocal movement.  Viktor will create reciprocal movement experiences using the Konnector® and the Konnections® systems to explore reciprocity, proprioception, and dynamic alignment.  Participants are guaranteed to laugh, learn, and experience the human right to rotate. 

Pilates entered the medical world over 35 years ago. The co-evolution of Pilates, Physical Therapy and movement science over that time has effectively transformed the role of movement in rehabilitation from an occasional modality to a critical part of any treatment protocol. By examining the history from many points of view, a powerful vision for future collaboration will be born. 

Walking is the most foundational and functional movement pattern we perform every day. How a client walks can reveal much about mobility, stability and strength. Join podiatrist Dr. Emily as she explores how the gait assessment can be the most informative client assessment. We’ll discuss the phases of gait and basic joint positions during each of those phases, walking demands and techniques to increase foot and pelvic strength for improved gait.

This workshop will help you gain a greater understanding of what sciatica is and the top five conditions that cause it. We will explore the relevant anatomy and kinesiology associated with the sciatic nerve and learn a simple assessment to reveal how sustained postures, repeated movements, and relative tissue stiffness contribute to sciatica. Finally, we will use a movement science approach to categorize each condition and help us apply Pilates techniques to improve neuro-myofascial system regulation and your client’s functional outcomes without worsening their symptoms.

You were taught to stretch…but is it effective? Have any of your tight-hamstring’d clients actually gotten more flexible in their hamstrings from stretching? What about your quadratus lumborum (QL) from side stretching? Your psoas, calves, chest etc.?  And what is stretching anyway? Do we want loose tissues? What do we want? Let’s learn about the recent research on stretching and what does and does not work. Then let’s apply that to our Pilates work! It’s amazing what sort of elasticity we can develop if we understand what is and is not happening in our bodies!

Breath is arguably the number one Pilates Principle. Defined as our “vital animating force,” breath consciousness is the key to understanding the Pilates method. In this workshop we will review the anatomy and physiology of breath, as well as clearly demonstrate how movement is inspired by breath and can be carried beyond the Pilates studio to positively impact and influence the quality of athletics and everyday life movements. We will explore this concept of “inspirational breath” through movements on a variety of Pilates apparatus.

This workshop prepares the Pilates instructor or personal trainer to adapt Pilates exercises for those who are pregnant or post-partum.  Learn to choose exercises that will assist with common postural problems that occur with the changes during pregnancy and caring for a newborn. In this workshop you will also learn strategies for maintaining exercise through the last trimester and how to re-enter an exercise program after delivery.

Gain a three-dimensional understanding of your clients’ low back using this structured assessment from Balanced Body’s Advanced Movement Principles: Low Back course. Together we will assess functional limitations, posture, dynamic lumbopelvic control, muscular imbalances, mobility imbalances and strength and endurance. By the end, you will understand how to assess any client with or without low back issues and be able to clearly identify areas to work on. The course includes a detailed handout and assessment forms you can take with you.

So, what do we want from our body? To be strong, fit and most importantly injury free. This makes sense because if you are injured, you cannot train to your maximum ability. The definition of resilient is the ability to spring back after being stressed. This is what is needed to perform high level physical tasks. We will delve into creating a more resilient body though proper movement, exercise and recovery techniques that will ensure your clients bounce back session after session. 

Explore the cervical spine and its relationship to the rest of the trunk to enhance your clients’ ability to perform the Pilates repertoire without compromising their necks.  The course will explore the inner unit of the neck and how to incorporate that into fundamental movements as the foundation for the Pilates repertoire.

Love it or hate it, The Hundred is here to stay. Join me for an exploration into all things Hundred, from pre-Pilates preparations to advanced variations and everything in between. We will look at the mechanics of the exercise, bust some myths, explore the exercise on multiple pieces of equipment, and see how the Hundred extends into other exercises.

This workshop is an introduction into Polestar’s updated Principles of Movement which successfully impacts how we move, how we teach, and how we assess.  Join Brent as he shares a combination of problem-solving techniques to optimize treatment design for clients in the Pilates Environment. This workshop is experiential and will provide some models to help the Pilates teacher and physical therapists improve their outcomes with clients. Updated evidence-based tools including the International Classification of Function (ICF), the Polestar Assessment Tool (PAT) and Polestar’s unique Principles of Movement will be used to facilitate this experience.   

This workshop prepares the Pilates instructor or personal trainer to adapt Pilates exercises for those who are pregnant or post-partum.  Learn to choose exercises that will assist with common postural problems that occur with the changes during pregnancy and caring for a newborn. In this workshop you will also learn strategies for maintaining exercise through the last trimester and how to re-enter an exercise program after delivery. 

Grounded in strong mat fundamentals, this full apparatus exploration covers a wide variety of exercises on the Reformer, Cadillac, Chair, and Barrel. We break apart the exercises biomechanically and discover the components which can create challenge for some individuals, and we will explore why and how to train to meet the client in front of you. In this workshop the spine will take a journey through every plane of motion. For current Pilates teachers. This is not a beginning level workshop.

Dr. Anderson’s message will focus on how the Pilates profession can impact human well-being by creating positive movement experiences and influencing alignment of body, mind, and spirit.  We can be the change! 

From dorsiflexion to plantarflexion, the ankle joint dictates how we load and transfer energy when we walk, run or jump. Join functional podiatrist Dr. Emily as she explores the ankle joint complex and some of the most common compensation patterns observed in the client. In this dynamic session, you’ll learn how to assess, mobilize and improve ankle joint function.

A Practitioner of Pilates may have several clients a week in their schedule with a hip or knee replacement. More than 2 million hip and knee replacements are performed worldwide, annually and that number is increasing. More than 7.5 million Americans are living with hip and knee replacements. THA (Total Hip Arthroplasty) has now become so successful that it has been referred to as “the operation of the century” and is the main surgical procedure in orthopedics. Pilates is an ideal form of low–impact movements that are easily adaptable to the post-op needs of your joint replacement client. In this workshop we will explore the foundational guidelines and protocols for ROM and restoring function for the post-op hip and knee arthroplasty client.  We will then explore how to safely adapt the method and equipment to meet those ROM guidelines.

We are told that it is our abdominals that give us a strong back. The truth is: it is your back that gives you a strong back. In our work in Pilates, whatever your particular goal is, the strength of the back body is of vital consideration. And not just around your spine, but the back of your legs, pelvis, spine shoulder girdle and arms. In fact, a primary reason many exercises seem difficult to do or “fail” is because the back body has been missed. We will find out that nearly every exercise in every Pilates exercise requires strong cueing of the back body. It is remarkable! The path to accomplishing your and your clients’ physical goals…is through the back!

The head and neck are a complex duo and much of their constructive interaction and balance depends on the symmetry of their muscles and proper alignment. Come to explore common injuries of the neck and learn therapeutic movement strategies to support treatment of disc herniation of the neck, forward head, and whiplash. Learn how to use Pilates to transition a patient that suffers from these from rehab to real life.   

Ask your client to activate the pelvic floor and they will often raise their eyebrows both in confusion and hope that what they are feeling is what you are asking. While pelvic floor research is often confusing and contradictory, one thing is certain, movement and exercise is beneficial for maintaining pelvic floor health. In this course you will learn practical and effective exercises designed to address the pelvic floor and to maintain healthy pelvic floor tone. Using the Pilates reformer, we will explore the pelvic floor through movement and learn how to address many common pelvic floor issues and dysfunctions.

As movement professionals, there are two primary questions that surround scoliosis: What is safe? What is effective? In this course, we focus on contraindications for scoliosis within a scoliosis-specific exercise program, and discuss what is safe outside of a scoliosis-specific program. Together, we will explore how to close the chain in an elongation exercise to provide stability and length simultaneously. You will have new exercises to take home to your clients and a new principle of understanding so you can continue to create closed chain elongation exercises on your own. After experiencing and applying the movement, we will re-group as a class to discuss the scientific literature that supports this work.

This course is designed to facilitate advanced thinking prior to advancing exercises and will provide you with a new awareness of the muscles that often lie dormant during many exercises.  Closing the chain, using the wall and floor for feedback, and exploring how our hands can make a better connection to the shoulder, for example, opens the pathways of motor learning and motor control. Research regarding motor control and spinal stabilization will be briefly reviewed.  Join Karen as she integrates dynamic movement with effective teaching tools to maximize client response and wake up those sleepy muscles. Small balls are used to open hips and shoulders.

Human movement and anatomy are rooted in spirals and tension. When we embrace the concept of biotensegrity, we experience movement through volume, support, fluidity, and ease. This workshop explores these approaches through developmental movement patterns and fascial integrity, finding true integrated movement and full body connectivity for better function and performance.

Even your normal, healthy clients still have weird aches and pains. Some that come and go and some that are chronic. In this vibrant workshop, we will discover the roots of and tips for managing those odd issues like clicking hips, crunchy knees, hyper-extended elbows and knees, pain in wrists, S.I. joint trouble, sciatica, frozen shoulder, migraine headaches, vertigo and so many more! Bring with you your questions about normal physical issues that are seemingly mysterious. It’s time you got the answers you seek!  

The head and neck are a complex duo and much of their constructive interaction and balance depends on the symmetry of their muscles and proper alignment. Come to explore common injuries of the neck and learn therapeutic movement strategies to support treatment of disc herniation of the neck, forward head, and whiplash. Learn how to use Pilates to transition a patient that suffers from these from rehab to real life.   

This dynamic workshop has been updated and integrates leading philosophies in movement science with neuromyofascial research to help identify the essential anatomy and biomechanics of the shoulder. You will learn an updated postural and movement screen to help you recognize the neuro-myofascial imbalances that can lead to painful conditions such as rotator cuff impingement syndrome. In addition, participants will be introduced to exercises that can be applied in a Pilates setting to help you improve the mobility, stability, and function of the shoulder complex.

From about age 50, muscle strength declines by 10-15% per decade up to age 70, where decline rapidly increases to about 25-40% per decade. This loss of strength is referred to as Dynapenia, where the loss in strength is not due to a neurologic or muscular disease process.  Dynapenia meaning “poverty of strength” is a key contributor to physical frailty, cognitive impairment and dementia and is a result of a combination of neural and muscular factors.  In this workshop we will propose a multicomponent training program using the CoreAlign, Pilates chair and Pilates reformer to incorporate resistance, flexibility, balance and gait activities with the intention of creating a neurologically and muscular rich movement environment to manage and slow the rate of age associated dynapenia.    

Anyone who claims to know the future is lying! What we do know is that post pandemic Pilates has emerged stronger than ever. Ken Endelman, CEO of Balanced Body and Joy Puleo, Director of Education, will explore where Pilates as an industry has been, how it faired during the pandemic, and where we find ourselves as a profession and industry going forward.   

Explore an extension of the Pilates matwork through the lens of biotensegrity and movement quality, fascia and bony rhythms. Examine some of the most common challenges your clients face and identify ways to enhance their experience through techniques using muscle activation, sensory input, developmental movement and somatics. Step up, roll over, reach around and reinvigorate your personal and professional practice!

Neuroscience research on interoception illuminates teaching techniques that facilitate mindful movement in Pilates practice. Both interoception and proprioception are involved during mindful Pilates movement. The most interesting sensory function of fascia is its role in interoception, the ability to receive, appraise and respond to momentary bodily sensation. Disorders of disembodiment may occur when interoception is compromised. In order to facilitate mindful movement, an effective Pilates teacher/movement educator must develop the ability to support a client’s interoception as well as their proprioception. Learn the mechanisms of interoception in addition to cueing practices that facilitate the integration of interoception and proprioception in support of safe, functional mindful movement practices. These include verbal cues, touch cues, cueing tempo and rhythm, and exercise sequencing.

Joe Pilates invented the apparatus to help his students build the strength and flexibility to do his mat workout correctly and efficiently. Learn how to get the most out of our all-important tools – the springs, straps, handles, and bars to create an efficient and effective workout. This workshop will go into the mechanics of the Reformer, the physics behind the springs and how to leverage all parts of the Reformer to help you to see and correct imbalances, get your clients to “squeeze the juice” out of every exercise, and bring your teaching to a new level.

The course is designed for Pilates Instructors interested in integrating the literal Mind-Body connection.  Let us explore the neuromuscular system in order to gain greater depth in our practices. Neuromotor training is the mind-body connection and through it we attain balance, strength, symmetry, and movement control in all client populations. The Pilates environment is a rich opportunity for this exploration and through it a pathway to increased health, awareness, proprioception, and wellbeing.

The gluteals are a muscle recognized as a key component for healthy movement and are also in an area where our clients like to tone and shape. For this reason, we can never have enough choreography to challenge this area. In this workshop we will study recent research defending the most effective ways to train the gluteals and then apply that to Pilates based choreography on the reformer and the mat. Go home with some effective and fun new choreography for your classes.

Due to the many sports training services offered to young athletes, most youth athletes can play their sport year-round. This type of single sport over-training often develops poor biomechanics and may lead to underperforming. It may even promote repetitive musculoskeletal injuries that will follow the athlete throughout their competitive career and beyond, into adulthood. We will often see these young athletes in our studios and understanding how best to create mental and physical balance can make the difference between having longevity in and a healthy relationship with a given sport or being sidelined with potential lifelong musculoskeletal ramifications. Join Matt McCulloch as he provides you with programming ideas designed to develop the body and mind of the young athlete.  Choreography modifications and safe progressions developed with the youth athlete in mind will be taught on the mat and the reformer.

Patellofemoral pain syndrome and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus injuries are becoming too prevalent. Too many people are quad dominant and that could be leading to serious knee injuries. In this session, we will examine the anatomy and structure of the knee and lower extremity, learn simple assessment techniques to discover if your clients are quad dominant, and learn how to progress clients safely. Take away techniques to rehabilitate and protect the knees while developing increased strength and explosive power.

Menopause is not just a hormonal shift; it’s a total body recalibration that can profoundly affect a woman’s physical and emotional well-being. This workshop will be interactive, engaging, and informative as we take a high-level view of (peri)menopause and why a basic understanding matters to your Pilates practice. You will learn the stages, common symptoms, evidence-based medical and non-medical interventions, and the influence of social and cultural perspectives on menopause. A review of relevant Pilates and exercise science principles and special conditions will help us create practical exercises and program designs tailored to the unique needs of these clients. Whether you are a seasoned instructor, or just starting out, this workshop will equip you with valuable insights to enhance your teaching.

The classical Pilates environment is dynamic, somatically driven and profoundly relatable to the movements of our daily lives. Known as a healer himself, Joseph Pilates is credited with supporting the rehabilitation of famous dancers, some of whom are credited as passing on his legacy through their own teachings of the method. Join Joy and Karen as they look at the classical work, its relevance in restoration of healthy movement patterns and how it can be employed to optimize client function. We will explore some of the hidden treasures that live in the intuition of the man through his exercise method and system. This will be a lovely review of many traditional exercises and a deep look a their enduring value and contribution to current movement science.

The upper body is often broken down into it’s parts to make understanding and working with it easier. This workshop takes the opposite approach. Let’s contemplate and work with the marvelous complexity of the upper body to better understand the relationships between the spine and the shoulder girdle, the clavicle and the scapula, the hands and the head. Join Nora for a series of anatomical and movement explorations designed to illuminate and expand our understanding of the upper body.

As practitioners of Pilates, you will have many individuals with Osteoarthritis and Osteoporosis in your group classes and privates. Knowing how to manage and select appropriate movements for these populations is key to providing movement experiences that keep your clients coming back for more. Guidelines and protocols are important to follow for these clients. Pilates is a perfect form of low impact exercise that improves strength, balance and flexibility and is readily adaptable to target specific pathologies giving your clients safe and successful movement experiences. In this interactive workshop we will review the pathology of OA & OP and provide safe and effective movement guidelines for the development of your program designs. We will then move on the mat and equipment implementing what we have learned from the workshop.

Hands-on techniques have been used in teaching the Pilates method since its inception.  Ron Fletcher said of Clara Pilates, “she had wise hands” and recounts his first session with Joseph Pilates in which Joe placed Ron’s pelvis and guided his spinal placement with his hands while saying, “don’t shtep on my finger!” There is an art to applying hands-on cues as a Pilates teacher.  It requires a deep understanding of the human body, of the intention behind each movement and of how to apply precise, efficient hands-on techniques.  It also requires timing, sensitivity and the ability to establish a safe teaching environment.  Before incorporating hands-on techniques, there is much to consider in terms of scope of practice, contra-indications and appropriate touch. Pilates teachers often learn hands-on skills and techniques through trial and error and years of teaching experience.  This workshop is designed to establish a basic framework to learn specific and effective hands-on skills to incorporate in Pilates sessions and group classes.