Survival Skills For Pilates Teachers: Thriving In The Mind-body Fitness World [Paperback]

Nicola Conraths Lange (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0975506919 | ISBN-13: 978-0975506912 | Publication Date: September 30, 2004

Finally - a book that teaches what you don't learn in certification programs! Survival Skills for Pilates Teachers is the first book explicitly written for Pilates teachers and body-mind professionals. This hands-on book tackles issues such as how to make your teaching healthier and more ergonomic for you, how to handle different types of clients, how to juggle the demands of being healer/helper/cashier, and much more. It is packed with information, humor and advice from top studio owners and educators who share their life philosophies and approaches to Pilates.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Nicola Conraths-Lange is a communication scholar, author and Pilates instructor specializing in the interpersonal aspect of movement instruction. She is co-founder of Logokinesis, a company offering publishing services, workshops and consulting for the Pilates and dance community. Nicola is adjunct professor for dance and Pilates at Wayne State University and is the author of two books: "Survival Skills for Pilates Teachers" and "Pilates Space".

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Logokinesis Publishing (September 30, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0975506919
• ISBN-13: 978-0975506912
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #217,850 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #40 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Exercise & Fitness > Pilates

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a "PILATISTA" must-have!, November 8, 2004

By 

San Francisco Pilates Instructor (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Survival Skills For Pilates Teachers: Thriving In The Mind-body Fitness World (Paperback)

"Survival Skills For Pilates Teachers" covers a wide range of important issues all Pilates and mind-body teachers in general face everyday. Conraths-Lange's casual, direct, and often humorous style makes you feel like you are getting candid face-to-face advice from an experienced mentor. This book puts into perspective emotional issues such as trainer burnout and loss of sex drive, as well as external issues such as studio environment, marketing, and ergonomics.

I found the information in the chapter "Your Pilates Philosophy" remarkably useful. I used it as a workbook to guide me through the discovery of my personal and unique philosophy. Conraths-Lange's step-by-step guidance through this revealing process, helped me to grow as a teacher by deepening my understanding of my goals and strengthening my perception of what makes me unique in the ever-growing sea of Pilates teachers. Now that I recognize my "Pilates philosophy" I have found that my clients and I have a stronger, more focused working relationship from which we both can grow.

If you make a living training people, this book is a must have. Every time I lose, focus I refer to "Survival Skills" - I am inspired by it.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fills in the Blanks, January 24, 2006

By 

Alyse (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Survival Skills For Pilates Teachers: Thriving In The Mind-body Fitness World (Paperback)

I'm a computer professional and have just taken my teacher training - not certified yet. Before leaving the safety of the status quo in my current career and investing more time and money into this new one, I needed some answers that weren't related to Pilates technique. This book provided them. "Is this really the right career for me? Will it provide a lifestyle that I can live with?" Sure, I could ask a mentor, but they're not going to know to dive right into these types of details, and I don't know enough about the industry to know the right questions to ask. Nicola provides insight on the different teaching environments so you can think about what suits you best. She provides insight on how to maintain a personal life in a profession where the boundaries on giving of yourself are easily blurred. She presents it in a lighthearted and down-to-earth way - and I also feel a lot less isolated about my pilates experiences. It's such a relief to have found a resource for career information on a relatively "new" career.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not very helpful., January 3, 2007

By 

aphrodite's child (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Survival Skills For Pilates Teachers: Thriving In The Mind-body Fitness World (Paperback)

I'm so disappointed in this book. I don't get the feeling a that a lot of thought went into it. It really needed a better editor (if it had one at all). It's full grammar and spelling errors and awkward sentence structure, and reads like a poor translation.

Secondly, the book is only 172 pages long (large type on small pages) and doesn't really go into depth about anything. I read it in one sitting. The author never addresses issues like:

How do I find my first job? What can I expect when I get there?

How do I deal with a disruptive client during a group or semi-private class? When (and how) do I fire a client?

How do I deal with a difficult boss? What if the studio owner is paying me as an independent contractor but treating me like an employee? What is expected of an employee versus an independent contractor? How do I deal with my employer if they won't update worn out equipment, or keep scheduling semi-private lessons for students who should be in privates ONLY?

The author is more interested in discussing how to make your bedroom a more relaxing place to have sex. News flash! Candles are better that overhead lighting! Really, I could have learned that from Cosmo magazine. In fact I think I did, like 25 years ago.

I'm very disappointed because I really do need a survival guide! I hope someone with real research and writing talents will put together something more in-depth and helpful.