My Pilates Teacher Training with Pilates Education Australia and Tamara O’Reilly in Wollongong
Bringing Pilates Education Australia to Malaysia
INSTRUCTOR INSIGHTS
Maalz
9/27/20263 min read
When I decided to complete my Pilates teacher training in Wollongong, I knew it would be a big step. What I didn’t expect was how much the experience would change the way I think about movement, teaching, travel and the importance of slowing down.
It became much more than a training trip. It was a journey filled with learning, new friendships, family time, beautiful surroundings, a little adventure — and even whale watching.
Basically: Pilates by day, public transport by morning and random life experiences everywhere in between.
Why Pilates Education Australia?
I chose Pilates Education Australia as my teacher training platform because of Tamara O’Reilly’s credentials, experience and long-standing history within the Pilates industry.
Her teaching methodology strongly resonated with the way I approach Pilates: intelligent movement, mindful teaching and understanding the person in front of you rather than simply taking someone through a series of exercises and hoping for the best.
The recognition of Pilates Education Australia by industry bodies such as PAA and AusActive also reflected the professionalism and commitment behind its teacher education.
As an educator myself, I hope to take what I learned from this experience and continue developing mindful, intelligent and empathetic instructors who understand that a great Pilates session is about much more than performing exercises.
Because, really, anyone can say, “Ten more!”
Knowing why you are asking for ten more is another story altogether.
The Journey There
Getting to Australia was an adventure in itself.
My travels took me through Vietnam, Brisbane and Sydney before I eventually arrived in Wollongong. At one point, I genuinely felt as though I was collecting airports, train stations and bus stops rather than attending a Pilates course.
Along the way, I even bumped into one of my fellow training mates at Wolli Creek while waiting for the train to Wollongong.
What were the chances?
Apparently, fairly high when two Pilates people are equally confused by public transport.
Once I arrived in Wollongong, daily life became a combination of buses, trains and walking. There were station changes, long walks to and from the studio, and plenty of figuring out how to get wherever I needed to be.
It was very much a day-to-day, boom boom pow wow kind of trip:
Wake up.
Get moving.
Find transport.
Train.
Walk.
Learn Pilates.
Walk again.
Find food.
Wonder what day it is.
Repeat.
It was busy, spontaneous and sometimes tiring but incredibly memorable.
I was also blessed to spend time with my family in Brisbane and Sydney while gaining a newly acquired PEA PEP family along the way.
Lovely people indeed.
And thankfully, nobody disowned me despite seeing me in various stages of travel exhaustion.
The Training Experience
My training with Pilates Education Australia covered a wide range of topics, including:
Anatomy
Postural Fascial Slings
Special Populations
Pilates Fundamentals
Reformer Essentials
Progressions and Challenges
One of the most valuable parts of the programme was the hands-on learning. We regularly role-played as both educators and students.
At first, this was slightly awkward.
There is something very humbling about teaching in front of other teachers while your brain is saying, “You know this,” and your mouth has apparently decided to take annual leave.
Eventually, though, I began to appreciate just how important the process was.
Being the student reminds you what it feels like to receive instructions. Being the educator teaches you how much responsibility comes with giving them.
The experience made me think more carefully about communication, observation, cueing and how we adapt movement to the individual standing in front of us.
It also reminded me that sometimes what sounds perfectly clear inside your head comes out sounding like, “Move your… erm… that side… yes, that one.”
A Special Thank You
A big shout-out to Tamara O’Reilly and Liz for hosting the Pilates Education Partners Training Programme and creating such a valuable learning experience.
Life Outside the Studio
Of course, the trip wasn’t only about Pilates.
Wollongong and the surrounding Illawarra region gave me wonderful opportunities to explore and unwind between training sessions. One of the most memorable was whale watching at Shellharbour.
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