Paige has been a Pilates instructor with Premium Pilates and Fitness for over three years. We sit down with Paige to find out all about her journey; how she fell in love with Pilates as a client, what led her to take the leap to enrol in a Pilates instructor course and how her instructing career is going.
What initially drew you to Pilates as a form of exercise?
I enjoyed Pilates as a form of exercise for a few reasons: I could do it with my best friend, the variety of the exercise is amazing and there’s always new things to learn, but equally, it gives you the opportunity to improve by building on fundamental movements. Pilates was also a great step for my mental health too, I was able to slow down during the day to connect my body and mind - even for just an hour.
What inspired you to take the step to instructing training and complete the Anatomy, Matwork and Reformer courses?
I was going through some big changes in my life at the time and trying to find ways to focus my energy on the parts of my day that made me happy - Pilates being one of them. I wanted an exciting job that allowed me to connect with people and challenge myself in new ways - I was looking to move away from boring work!
What skills have improved since you completed the training and started instructing?
I have grown in many ways since becoming a Pilates instructor. I am especially more comfortable in front of people - comfortable in myself, and comfortable in my ability to communicate, encourage and relate to other people.
Where are you working now?
I work at PPF and as an academic/post-grad student! I’m always fascinated by the ‘double-lives’ of Pilates instructors - everyone seems to juggle many things!
How do you manage full time study and Pilates teaching?
A big part of the appeal for teaching Pilates was that it is generally outside of office hours - so usually I work all morning and study all day/night. Some days I find it hard if I’ve had a super early morning at work, so a little nap usually helps my focus.
What do you love most about being an instructor?
There are so many things, and if you asked me tomorrow, I could probably tell you something different. One thing that surprised me about being an instructor was the influence you can have on someone’s day by giving them just an hour of distraction/challenge/peace/connection/company/whatever they might need to take from your class. I love being able to use my body, to improve and learn with my clients, and to be a part of a beautiful community.
What advice would you give potential students who are looking into the PPF courses?
I would say be ready to learn, listen and engage with the course material as much as possible. Go home and practice after each day of the course. And don’t bother looking anywhere else - PPF’s training is better.
