Your Body Leaves Clues. Are You Paying Attention?

Why good Pilates on the Reformer (or the Mat, Cadillac) teaching begins with understanding how you move.

Saturday morning, 7:15 am.

I'm cleaning the mirrors at Three Arches Wellbeing, still thinking about my son, who had been unwell earlier that morning.

Then something catches my attention.

Streaks. Those annoying little marks you don't notice until you step back and look properly.

And suddenly, I'm thinking about the previous evening's Beginners Mat Pilates class, where I'd spent a couple of hours doing something I absolutely love.

Movement analysis.

I've always been fascinated by how our bodies work against gravity, how our muscles cooperate and how differently people perform the very same movement.

During the class, I'd been explaining human evolution and, as I often do, brought chimpanzees into the conversation!

Chimpanzees have gluteal muscles, of course, but their gluteus maximus is proportionally much smaller than ours. Our more developed glutes, alongside other anatomical adaptations, help us walk upright, stabilise our pelvis and manage the forces acting on our bodies.

It's a fascinating example of how our bodies have evolved for movement.

Yet despite having this extraordinary muscular system, we don't always use our movement capabilities as effectively as we could.

The clues are often there before the first exercise

When someone walks into my class, I'm already observing.

Knees locked backwards, an anteriorly tilted pelvis, the lower back held in extension, abdominal muscles appearing relaxed and weight sitting predominantly towards the heels. Perhaps rounded shoulders, too.

These are movement and postural patterns I've learnt to recognise through years of teaching.

But there's something else I often notice.

A lack of energy.

People arrive tired, stiff or apprehensive. Yet one of my greatest pleasures is watching them leave standing taller, moving more freely, looking energised and smiling.

Of course, one class doesn't undo years of habits. But it can change how someone experiences their body.

And that's where good Pilates teaching becomes so valuable.

Are your lower back muscles really weak?

We all develop movement habits. Some are helpful, while others may place repeated demands on particular muscles and joints.

Take the lower back.

How often do people say, "My back is weak"?

But is it?

Perhaps those lower back muscles are actually working extremely hard because the hips, glutes or other muscles aren't contributing as effectively as they could.

Perhaps the person has developed a movement strategy that repeatedly loads the same area.

Or perhaps there's another explanation entirely.

The important thing is knowing what to look for and asking why.

Just like those streaks on the mirror.

You can keep wiping, but unless you notice where the marks are, you won't know what needs attention.

The difference is that a streaky mirror does no harm. Repeatedly placing more load on certain tissues than they're prepared to tolerate can contribute to discomfort and injury over time.

That doesn't mean every imperfect movement causes injury. It means movement habits, physical capacity and individual circumstances may play a big impact of creating muscle imbalance leading to potential injury or discomfort.

Reformer Pilates is a tool. The teacher makes the difference.

Whether we're teaching on the Reformer, Mat or Cadillac, understanding the person in front of us is essential.

Good movement analysis combines observation with knowledge of anatomy, biomechanics and the questions we ask about someone's lifestyle, previous injuries and daily habits.

It's a skill that begins during comprehensive Pilates teacher training but develops through years of practical experience.

The Reformer gives us wonderful opportunities to support and challenge movement through adjustable springs, different positions and controlled resistance.

But the equipment itself doesn't recognise compensations, ask questions or adapt an exercise to the person using it.

That's the teacher's responsibility.

And when someone arrives with pain or a previous injury, it's particularly important to look beyond the area that hurts.

Pain is complex, and its causes cannot always be identified from movement alone. But understanding how the whole body functions can help us choose appropriate exercises, recognise limitations and know when further assessment is needed.

Our aim isn't simply to work the uncomfortable area. It's to help people develop strength, coordination and confidence throughout their whole bodies.

Back to the mirrors...

By the time I've finished cleaning, the streaks are gone.

And I'm reminded why I love teaching Pilates so much.

It's not about knowing hundreds of exercises. It's about recognising the details, understanding the person and knowing how to help them progress.

At Three Arches Wellbeing, we want beginners to experience that quality of teaching from their very first session.

You don't need to arrive fit, flexible or knowing anything about Pilates.

You come to learn.

Because at Three Arches, we don't just teach exercises. We teach you how to move.

Ready to discover what your body can do?

At Three Arches Wellbeing, near Cupar and St Andrews, we offer small-group Reformer Pilates and Mat Pilates with experienced teachers who focus on individual guidance and proper foundations.

Our Absolute Beginners Reformer Pilates classes are designed for people who want to start learning, regardless of previous experience.

We shall see you soon.