Less Talk, More Pilates

By: Carla Ricalis

(working with unfocused clients, part 2 of 3)

Segmenting & Variety

With clients who are determined to remain unfocused there is often a frustrating result of anxious energy overlapped by the slowing of time. And it can throw off your planned programming and focus.

Consider shaping the hour to include a broader level of programming; one that incorporates several pieces of equipment that you can get them to repeat in 2-3 rounds.

This can get them focused in segments of time and because of the repetition, you can help with cues that encourage them to feel subsequent sets a little differently or images that link the rotating exercises together.

Try to choose exercises that have a subtle commonality or that work collectively to build the awareness and strength needed for a challenging exercise in the next section of their workout (as we’ve done here).

In our example, we’re focusing on working up to the Knee Stretches Bicycle on the Reformer.

The exercises we’ve chosen could be done one after the other; or you could spread them out a bit more with a few other exercises/movement sequences in place.

Working the challenge of focus by choosing to add in exercises that have similar and beneficial purposes and movements can help keep a client’s attention inside their training session and hopefully a little less outside of it.

Take a look at this sequence and be sure to check out our post next week as we add in one more tool to working with distracted clients: