I’m not sure where I first heard the saying ‘focus on what you can do, not on what you can’t do’, but it sums up the personal philosophy of many people who do Pilates. They simply refuse to allow their limitations, aches, pains or restrictions stop them from getting on with life and doing what they want to.
As a Pilates teacher, I’m constantly inspired by so many of my students who apply this approach. On Friday this week, I was inspired on a whole different level. Yvonne arrived in class on crutches with a boot one foot, still smiling as ever. She had very badly sprained her ankle a couple of weeks ago. Last week she came to class and showed me her injured ankle, it was very blue! Since last week, she’d seen a consultant who’d advised her to give the ankle some rest, hence the boot and crutches.
Whenever a student contacts me before a class seeking advice on whether or not to come with an injury, I say the same thing. My view is that we can work around most injuries with me providing alternative exercises as required. This way, the rest of the body and mind still gets the benefit of the class. However, they should always trust their own instincts about whether to come or not. Without exception, when they do come, they say that they were very glad that they did.
I say chapeau, or hats off, to Yvonne and all my students for constantly inspiring me and I’m sure others too.
