As teachers, we spend our lives communicating with people, but how much thought do we give to whether we’re doing it as well as we could? One of the key skills of an excellent Pilates teacher is the ability to communicate effectively.

A Pilates teacher deploys three modes of communication: verbal communication, visual communication and touch. This article will focus on verbal communication. The other two modes of communication will be explored in future articles.

We tend to repeat the same words over an over when we teach. Often, doing so serves a purpose, such as to cue breathing in a movement or provide motivation for a group. But there are also times when they are just words filling space.

Have you ever listened to yourself teach? Do you give the same cues to each client, such as “lats down” or “belly button to spine?” Are you truly looking at them and seeing them move?

In order to improve, you should not only listen to your client but to yourself as well. Are you just speaking to fill the silence; repeating something cool that you once heard? Or are you making corrections that are necessary; giving cues and images that are necessary to initiate the movement with the correct muscle focus? In short, do your students need the words?

Another question you might want to ask yourself is how often do you say “good” or “excellent,” when, in truth, the client has not done a good job? In many cases, the client has a long way to go to achieve the precision and form deserving of a “good” or an “excellent.” Yet we use those words so often that they lose their meaning.

Would it not be better to say “that was much better” or “you are getting it; keep going!” Those are still words of encouragement and positive feedback, but they convey a real message: that the client can get even better; that the journey has only just begun.

It often happens that people do not understand what you want them to do. All people learn at a different pace and often interpret things differently. You think you are speaking clearly – using the muscle focus in your cueing and giving images – but are your words being understood? Watch for the body language of your client. Does she have a puzzled look on her face? Is she constantly looking at you and tensing up?

If so, try revising what you said; or maybe you need to slow down your communication, or try different words. Some clients may need you to demonstrate more than you’re used to doing or to use mirrors for the client to see the correction you are asking her to do .

We need to be aware of both the words themselves and how they are delivered. It’s important to speak clearly and concisely, in a voice strong enough to be heard. Using the tone of your voice to build intensity and rhythm as the session progresses, will make a lasting impression on the client and convey your passion for teaching.

Using silence as a tool is something we don’t often think about, but we should. Staying silent often gives your client time to process the work and connect mind to body. Some clients require silence in order to concentrate and achieve the precision we all strive for in Pilates. So, after you’ve set the client up, given the cues and she’s begun the movement, try stepping back in silence, using a simple touch if you need to correct. Let her enjoy the movement, merging her mind and body in the silence.

Communication is important not only for teaching; it is also a key part of building your business. As a Pilates professional, you represent a way of life and may often be called on to address groups on the subject. Your success in doing that could influence the success of your business. It’s a skill that develops over time and has to be worked on. A wonderful and inexpensive way practicing this skill is by joining Toastmaster. I encourage you to look into it.

For those of you who are interested in exploring the subject of communication skills further, I recommend a book that I personally have found to be very valuable. Its title is Leader as Coach, and it is written by David Peterson and Mary Dee Hicks.

Happy Teaching.

Bonnie Sessions, is a senior member of the BASI faculty, heads the Pilates program at Equilibrium Balance Performance Physical Therapy Center in Ventura, CA, and runs her own practice in Ventura and the Ojai Valley.