Why Trying a New Pilates Instructor Might Be Exactly What Your Body Needs
When I first started Pilates, Crystal was my girl.
I loved her classes, her personality, her cues and the way she taught. She often encouraged me to try other instructors, but I was so comfortable with her that I simply couldn’t switch it up.
For 15 years, I did Pilates with nobody but Crystal.
Then she sold her business.
I had become so accustomed to one instructor and one teaching style that trying someone new felt incredibly difficult. I actually lost my love for Pilates for almost six months.
Eventually, my body started craving it. I missed the strength, the movement and the way Pilates made me feel, so I forced myself to go back.
It took a little time to adjust, but then something wonderful happened. I realized how much other instructors had to offer.
Every instructor brings something different to the reformer. Different cues can help you finally connect with a muscle you’ve struggled to find. A different sequence can challenge your body in a completely new way. One instructor may bring more energy, while another may help you slow down and move more intentionally.
I began choosing my instructors based on what I needed that day.
The upbeat instructors became my morning “kick my butt” classes. The gentler souls were the ones I chose for candlelight and slower movement. I also learned which instructors loved adding cardio—which I typically avoided, but that was strictly a personal preference!
The lesson I learned was simple: don’t wait 15 years to try someone new.
Meet the POP Teaching Team
We now have an incredible group of instructors at Pilates on Plains, and each woman brings her own experience, personality and teaching style to the studio.
Megan Duhamel
Megan is an Olympic champion and a STOTT-trained Pilates instructor. She understands athletic training, discipline and what it takes to build a strong, capable body. Her classes offer energy, challenge and the perspective of someone who has spent years training at an elite level.
You can find Megan at POP on Tuesday evenings and Sunday mornings.
Renate
Renate is also STOTT trained and brings a wonderful, grounded energy to her classes. When she isn’t teaching Pilates, she owns and operates a local farm. You may know it for the beautiful sunflowers in late summer, the pumpkins filling the fields right now and the tulips we can look forward to in the spring.
You can find Renate teaching Friday mornings.
Elizabeth
Elizabeth is one of our gentle souls. She is thoughtful, encouraging and attentive to how each person is moving. She is currently attending university and has her sights set on becoming a physiotherapist, so she brings a genuine interest in the body, movement and rehabilitation to every class.
Elizabeth teaches our later Friday morning class, immediately following Renate.
Sinead
Sinead has been teaching for years and brings experience, confidence and consistency to the studio. She knows how to guide clients through a strong, well-rounded class while helping everyone feel comfortable and supported.
You can find Sinead teaching Monday mornings.
And for the rest of the schedule, it’s still me - sorry about your luck! 😂
The truth is, running a studio is a SH*T ton of work. I need to spend a little more time behind the scenes, running the business and making sure everything continues to operate smoothly for all of you.
That doesn’t mean I’m going anywhere. It means I’m building a strong team so POP can continue to grow while still feeling like the welcoming, personal studio you know and love.
I also have lots of fun things in the works for us during the long winter ahead. Giving myself a little more time to run the studio means I can create new experiences, special events and more ways for us to move, connect and enjoy our POP community.
So, if you usually book your classes based only on the instructor you already know, I encourage you to try someone new.
You don’t have to give up your favourite. Just add another instructor or teaching style into the mix. Your body may respond to a cue you have never heard before, discover a new challenge or find something it didn’t even know it needed.
Every instructor at POP has something special to offer.
Take it from someone who waited 15 years to learn that lesson—switching it up can be a very good thing.
xo Marion