{"id":40979,"date":"2017-11-08T03:26:08","date_gmt":"2017-11-07T19:26:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/flexhk.com\/2017\/11\/08\/pilates-challenge-now-instructor\/"},"modified":"2024-09-02T15:14:35","modified_gmt":"2024-09-02T07:14:35","slug":"pilates-challenge-now-instructor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/like2say.com\/flexhk\/pilates-challenge-now-instructor\/","title":{"rendered":"I Did A Pilates Challenge And Am Now An Instructor"},"content":{"rendered":"

Em Lieginger had three children aged three and under when a 20-Hour Pilates challenge caught her eye. Initially, she thought time would be an issue, but after encouragement from her husband (good on him) she signed up.<\/p>\n

That was in 2013. Now, Em has been teaching beginner Pilates for about nine months and will take the exam for intermediate and advanced Pilates teaching certification in early December,<\/p>\n

It all started because the former public accountant from Boston was undertaking a once-a-week post-partum class in a bid to get stronger and fitter. However, her progress was very slow.<\/p>\n

Conversely, the 20-Hour challenge was five classes a week, and Em doubted she\u2019d fit it all in. But as soon as she started, that worry evaporated.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s just so much to be gained \u2013 beyond just the changes you will see in your physicality \u2013 that the time commitment is miniscule in comparison,\u201d says Em.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom a physical perspective, I could feel the foundations I\u2019d laid with my once per week attendance becoming stronger and more solid after just the first week of the Challenge,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

\u201cAttending class so frequently also helped create muscle memories of movements so I could focus less on whether I was doing the exercises correctly, and more technically on the form and purpose behind each exercise.\u201d<\/p>\n

Participating in the Challenge was incredibly empowering, Em adds.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cAs soon as I made the commitment to do the challenge, the time excuse went away. I had a goal and I was motivated to stick with it. The instructors and staff at Flex made it so enjoyable to spend so much time at the studio and were so supportive along the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her progress from student to teacher then came along after several years of reaping the benefits of regular Pilates practice.<\/p>\n

As her practice grew and her body awareness deepened, her interest in the practice \u201ctook a bit of a geeky turn\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to know all about the mechanics and muscles and bones that work together to help us accomplish the exercises Pilates lays out for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last year, this interest was piqued enough to motivate her to sign up for a teacher training course. To her surprise, it wasn\u2019t the science that had her enthralled – it was the actual teaching.<\/p>\n

\u201cI loved it. I love the challenge of working with new bodies (and the people attached to them) and I love, love, love seeing not only changes in clients\u2019 bodies, but in their attitudes towards their bodies. Teaching Pilates is so rewarding; there is so much to give.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/strong><\/p>\n

So what has changed the most? Em outlines her biggest life-enhancing positives from Pilates:<\/strong><\/p>\n