Being a POP Pilates Instructor

If you’ve kept up with my blog, you’ve read about POP Pilates. I currently teach 2 30-minute Express classes each week at my local YMCA. If you live in Hastings, NE or the surrounding area, feel free to drop by (free for Y members, $10 to get into the gym for nonmembers).

My class is located just behind the front desk in the Multipurpose Room. It’s low to no impact and every move can be adjusted to fit your fitness level, including injuries and pregnancies. I only ask that you talk to me (Katie) before class to let me know if you’re pregnant or have an injury so I can give appropriate modifications when necessary.

The playlist is fun and people have been known to laugh when they’re not busy killing their abs. Actually, one woman did start laughing while doing a Teaser toward the end of the workout. She immediately fell out of it. The more she tried, the more she laughed, and the more time she spent splayed out on the floor. The Teaser was a lost cause that day. But at least we had lots of smiles and lighthearted fun. Not every workout can be a battle to the death against yourself. And, really, that day it was just the one track that got people laughing so we all still got a great workout.

Yes, even the 30-minute Express class will give you a good workout. I want my students to push themselves but not so hard that they can’t continue or that they hurt themselves, so I’ll suggest harder variations for those who want to try to push. I’ll lead by example too and push push push myself. I used to be shy about huffing and puffing into the microphone but not anymore. I’ll grunt and growl and breath heavy to my heart’s content.

In the beginning when I first started teaching I came right out and told everyone that I was a Huffer and Puffer. Maybe I’d be the Big Bad Wolf for Halloween. It broke the ice and lightened the mood. Smiles all around. Because of that mic, everyone in my class knows I practice what I preach and push myself as far as I can go. When I can’t go farther, I’ll admit it and switch to a modification. I praise everyone for their abilities and congratulate them on their strength to get through everything, modification or not.

It used to be that I’d be so nervous I’d want to throw up a full 2 hours before class. Imagine spending 2 whole hours feeling butterflies skittering around in your belly and wanting to crawl into a hole and disappear so you don’t have to face it. Then I’d start teaching and the jitters would disappear. It was like magic. Nowadays, I barely feel jittery – sometimes not at all – unless I’m introducing new stuff and even then it’s not so bad.

Teaching class always makes me feel so happy. My students are awesome and it really makes my day when I can get them to smile and have a good time. It was devastating in the beginning when no one would show up. But I chose to take it was an experience to get through and learn from. And now I have a steady, regular group and my ladies are super awesome! The best part of my week is teaching POP Pilates to them and having everyone tell me how sore it makes them and seeing them be so happy with their smiles and laughter.

If you’ve been thinking about becoming a group fitness instructor and are interested in teaching POP Pilates, you might want to check it out. The instructors are pretty supportive of each other and the number of classes is growing all across the world. People who try this class almost always enjoy it and the atmosphere in a classroom can get pretty upbeat.

Click the above pic for a list of upcoming trainings or to sign up for one.

The live training classes are currently only available for people in the USA, but that doesn’t mean others can’t join up. There are online workshops and printed materials are mailed to the international participants. Not living in the States but wanting to join the POP Army? Check out the picture below.

Click the above pic for info on the international workshop or to sign up.

It really has been an awesome opportunity for me. It was difficult at first because nobody in my area knew about POP Pilates, but I lucked out with my YMCA taking an immediate interest. They loved my demo class and after I got hired it was all a matter of getting the word out through other instructors.

The certification cost isn’t all that expensive when compared with other certifications, especially a Pilates certification. And the best way I’ve found (through the trials and errors of other POP instructors) to prepare students for what they’ll be experiencing (just in case they expect strict Pilates) is to tell them that this class ISN’T Pilates. It takes Pilates and Pilates-inspired moves and choreographs them to pop music so you’re constantly moving instead of striking a pose and holding it till your body gives out.

And, actually, I recently had a certified Pilates teacher come to my class and she had a lot of fun. She thought the modifications were excellent and thoroughly enjoyed the choreography because it was different. Her only problem was that she was having so much fun that she was disappointed when it ended after 30 minutes. She definitely wanted the full 55-minute class.

It is a seriously fun class, designed for people of all ages and all fitness levels. In my own class, I’ve had women in their 20s having fun and working alongside ladies in their 60s. Age doesn’t matter because there are modifications for everything. And if you think it’s not for guys, I guide my husband through some of the tracks when he wants some at-home strengthening work. He’s no wuss but he struggles to get through some of this stuff. No joke.

Becoming a POP Pilates instructor was one of the best choices I’ve ever made. Everyone is so supportive and accepting and helpful. It’s been an awesome journey and I have a feeling it’ll only get better.

If you’re wanting to become a group fitness instructor but you’re worried that you don’t fit the general body image, I say don’t worry about it. If you flip through some of my old posts (most recently my Before/After post), you’ll see that I’m not lean and I don’t look muscular. I don’t fit the generally accepted body image of a group fitness instructor. I went for it anyway and saw women who were much larger than me who were also stronger than me. And after getting my job as an instructor, my body size has never been commented on nor am I even the largest instructor. So long as you are physically capable of teaching your class, then there’s no problem to your size.

So I say if you really want to go for it, don’t let your size or your nervousness or anything get in your way! I’m really shy and have had to push myself to get out there but I did it and am SO happy I did!

PIIT28 – Who It’s Not Good For

 

Click on the above picture to buy the PIIT28 program

So in the past I’ve written about how awesome PIIT28 is and the amazing results it can give people yadda yadda yadda. And it is an awesome program, it’s true. If you give it your all every time, the results you can get are out of this world. That being said, it’s also very true that it’s not for everyone.

I’m a PIIT28 ambassador. Why would I tell people not to get this program?

First off, I’m not telling everyone not to get it. Only certain people. If you are not good at sticking with programs and sticking to a set schedule and you don’t have much money, you probably don’t want to invest in this. Let’s be realistic here. What good is it going to do you if you buy it and then never do it? The only thing that’s happened is the guilt of quitting something yet again AND being that much poorer? I see only unhappiness in that outcome.

That being said, maybe the problem with sticking to a set schedule etc is that you haven’t found the right program that you’d like to stick with. If that’s the case, the only person who can advise you is you.

I’m terrible at sticking with set schedules but I was able to do this one for the full month. I flubbed a bit at the end because of circumstances out of my control, but it wasn’t too bad and I stuck with it until I finished. However, if you read my blog, you’ve noticed that I’ve tried on several occasions to do the program again to no avail. It’s extremely frustrating for me knowing that I did it once before but seem to be unable to do it again.

My most recent attempt was this week. Yep, this week. My knees are getting worse again because I’ve been running more and more to train for a 5k in November. On Monday I went to the doctor and he told me to stop running because it’s just going to get worse. I need to find other ways to get my cardio in such as cycling or swimming. So I planned on restarting PIIT28, not every day but changing my running days to PIIT days instead. So about 2-4 times a week and then I’d use the elliptical and a cycling class to fill in the other days.

I did 1 round on Tuesday of the very first PIIT28 workout – 1.1 Abdomination – before I had to stop. My knees couldn’t take it. At all. They voiced their complaints in no uncertain terms.

Yet another failed PIIT28 attempt. 1 round. That’s it. I was very upset with myself. With my knees actually. Now I’m more resigned to my situation. My knees were fine in March, hence my ability to do this program. I injured the backs of them (yes, both of them) in April or May. I told myself they were healed in August/September and started pushing again. Carefully pushing but pushing. The backs are doing okay though sometimes it’s close. The kneecaps though…

Doctor to man: ‘Now that’s what I call a bum knee.’

Plyometrics is out (for awhile anyway). Running is out (probably forever).

If you’re the kind of the person who has joint pain then you might want to rethink your idea of getting this program. It is HARD on the joints, especially the knees. There’s a lot of plyometrics in it – lots of jumping. The muscles in your thighs are the biggest muscles in your body so doing things like running and jumping works your body the hardest. Those big muscles are working super hard to push you forward or push you up. They burn the most calories. However, if your knees or ankles cannot take this type of movement, then those joints are going to get thrashed.

Now, there’s always a modification. I don’t care what Jillian Michaels says – if a 300, 400-lb person can do a jumping jack, so can you. It’s just not true if you have bad knees or ankles. Your joints cannot support all that jumping without some kind of bad side effect, ie: twisted ankle or dislocated knee.

To modify the cardio moves, you can walk through them or tone it down to whatever movement level is good for you. Easy. Depending on your fitness level, this might still be cardio or it might not. It might turn into 30 minutes of strength training. For me, that’s what would happen. Not fun when I’ve already done 3o-60 minutes of strength training in a POP Pilates or a Body Pump class.

After one of those classes, I want cardio. Pure and simple.

Well, actually, all I want is a shower and to lie down and maybe eat something but that’s beside the point.

If I can’t get cardio because I have to modify all the cardio moves into something that won’t kill my knees, then I need to look at something else. If you’re in the same boat, you need to do the same.

If, after reading this, you think maybe PIIT28 isn’t right for you (at this time or at all in the future), you might look into something less intense like Cassey Ho’s new YouTube cardio series. I have only tried the first video – Quick Sweat // CARDIO BEAT (At Home Cardio Workout) – but it was fun. Not intense but seriously easy on my knees and I’m sure the people in the apt under mine were happy that I wasn’t pounding on their ceiling.

I’ll make sure to do these Cardio Beat videos along with Cassey’s other cardio videos to give my impression on fun ideas that are easy on the knees so people who can’t do PIIT28 have other cardio options.

Quick Update

So I saw the doctor today and it really is tendinitis in my thumb. It’s flared up again most likely due to extensive texting (pretty much just typing everything on my phone instead of on a computer anymore…except for my blogs posts). So I’m back to wearing the thumb brace that I originally wore when I first got tendinitis in that thumb.

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A post shared by Katie Shin (@kstjshin)

I’ve been told to wear it all the time except for when I exercise which is a good thing because I can’t do a plank in this thing. Talk about practicing what I preach about using modifications! For those of you wondering, you’d modify the plank by going on your forearms. You can also modify the plank jack by going on your forearms. Same with downward dog…except then it’s called a dolphin.

I’m also not allowed to run anymore because it’s killing my knees. I didn’t ask about plyometrics because he could have one of two answers – 1) Tell me to use my best judgement, 2) Tell me not to do it. I’ll do my best to use good judgement on this one.

It didn’t hurt me back in March when I did it and my knees have been injured for about 5-6 years so I’m going to go with that. I modified the moves back in March to accommodate my knees when I needed it and I’ll do the same this time. If at any time my body gives a red light, I’ll stop. Oddly enough, it’s just running I have a hard time stopping. Everything else I have no problem easing up on. Go figure.

So no running in my schedule anymore. PIIT28 will completely replace it.

I took Before/After pictures after I posted last time. I’m so happy with them!

Quiet Progress

I know I’ve been a ghost for awhile, but I have a good reason. I was concentrating on work, fitness, and home life. I’ve stepped up my game fitness-wise. Along with teaching two POP Pilates classes every week (I have more students nowadays and people leave smiling, it’s awesome!), I also take a Body Pump class twice a week and either run or get on the elliptical 3-6 times a week.

Body Pump is SO much fun! And my strength is skyrocketing! I push myself as hard as I can go every class and increase my weights every 2-4 classes depending on what body part I’m working. It’s taken a while to get my leg weight up because of my knees but now that my knees are doing better, I’ve added extra weight. I’ll probably leave it as is for a few more classes because of my knees, but my arm strength is getting better and better.

I’m surprised my biceps are so much weaker than my triceps because they used to be way stronger but my shoulders amaze me. I was enamored watching the muscles and tendons pop out every time I did macros and worked my deltoids. It was magical!

The muscle gains aren’t limited to my limbs though. My core is getting tons stronger as well which I noticed in my POP Pilates class. It was time for Up-Up Down-Downs during the Upper Body track. I always demonstrate the tabletop and modified plank position but then tell people that if they feel strong enough that day to go on their toes. I’ve never actually gone on my toes; it was always hard enough on my knees in modified plank. But this last Thursday I told everyone I was going to try for it and I did it! I was growling at everyone to push push push through it because I was pushing myself so hard that I couldn’t say it with grunting or growling.

I may have only been able to do a few but I did them and that’s all that matters! WOO HOO!!

I’m thinking of switching up the running for some PIIT28 every Tu/Th after my POP class because my knees are pretty much hating me these days, but they’re not protesting all that much compared to the nasty pain of injury. I’m worried I’m pushing my luck too much and that I need to back off from running so much. I hate to be on the elliptical the whole time because running is really helping me and I love to see my speed/endurance progress. But the amount of time I spend icing my knees every day is a bit worrisome.

Maybe run Monday, do PIIT28 Tu/Th, and do elliptical W/F? Sat/Sun are always guessing game days. It couldn’t hurt to get PIIT28 in on Sat as well. But I do need a rest day and Sunday has always worked well for that. Other than that being a totally killer schedule, it sounds good. We’ll see how my brain/body like it this next week.

How about it? Let’s bring some PIIT28 back!! WOO!!

Last but not least, my progress report! Last time I weighed and measured myself was August 1 when I was trying to do a solid month of PIIT28 again. That didn’t work. I didn’t have the stamina or willpower for it. But I didn’t throw my measurements away nor did I give up (obviously from what I’ve already written here). I tried different things and learned what works for me and what I really like.

8.1.16 // 10.1.16

• ARMS: L 12 3/4″, R 12 7/8″ // L 12 1/4″, R 12 5/8″ (L -1/2″, R  -1/4″)
• BUST: 41″ // 40 1/4″ (-3/4″)
• CHEST: 32 1/4″ // 32 1/4″ (0)
• WAIST: 37″ // 35 1/2″ (-1 1/2″)
• LOWER BELLY: 43″ // 42″ (-1″)
• HIPS: 45 1/2″ // 44 1/4″ (-1 1/4″)
• THIGHS: 24 1/2″ // L 23 3/4″, R 23 1/2″ (L -3/4″, R -1″)
• WEIGHT: 190.4 lbs // 186.4 lbs (-4 lbs)

TOTAL LOSS: 4 lbs and 7″

It’s not the weight change I care about, it’s the muscle gain and measurement change. My weight is slowly going down my muscles are getting stronger and stronger and I can see more muscle definition now. Since muscle is heavier than fat, my weight loss doesn’t matter at all. I’m losing fat and gaining muscle in its place.

I feel like Wonder Woman! …Or Supergirl!

But I’ll always be a Catwoman at heart.