One of the questions I got recently on Instagram was:

“What are your top 5 game-changing things to say during class?”

I LOVED this question because great teaching is not just about exercise selection. It’s about communication.

The words we choose as Pilates instructors can dramatically affect motor learning, confidence, client adherence, and even pain experiences.

A lot of traditional cueing in the Pilates world is overly complicated, fear-based, or focused on “perfect” movement. But modern research around pain science, motor learning, and coaching tells us something different:

People learn better when they feel safe, capable, autonomous, and successful.

Here are 5 simple things I say all the time in class that have completely changed the way I teach.

1. “This is YOUR workout. Feel free to adjust the springs in the way that suits you today.”

This one is huge.

Many clients walk into Pilates classes worried about doing things “wrong.” They look around the room trying to copy everyone else instead of paying attention to their own body and experience.

Giving people permission to modify creates autonomy and self-efficacy — two things strongly associated with better long-term outcomes, especially in people dealing with pain or injury.

As Pilates instructors, we do not need to micromanage every variable. Helping clients make decisions for themselves is often more powerful.

This approach is especially important when teaching Pilates for injuries, where building confidence and reducing fear around movement matters just as much as the exercises themselves.

2. “If you'd like more challenge, do this. Otherwise continue with this version.”

I use layered options constantly.

Instead of presenting progressions as “advanced” versus “beginner,” I prefer giving clients choices based on how they’re feeling that day.

Why?

Because movement capacity changes daily. Sleep, stress, soreness, energy levels, pain sensitivity, and training history all influence performance.

Layering exercises this way helps clients feel successful instead of inadequate.

It also supports a more modern, strength-based Pilates approach where challenge becomes adjustable and individualized rather than rigid and rule-based.

3. “Hi Susan, how’s Brownie doing?”

Learn your clients’ pets’ names.

Seriously.

One of the most underrated skills in teaching is building therapeutic alliance.

People are far more likely to trust you, stay consistent, and feel safe in your classes when they feel genuinely seen as humans — not just bodies performing exercises.

Research consistently shows that connection and communication influence outcomes, particularly in persistent pain populations.

Sometimes the most impactful thing you can do as a teacher has nothing to do with anatomy.

For those pursuing Pilates instructor mentorship or Pilates continuing education, this is something I emphasize often: your relationships matter just as much as your programming.

4. Use External Cues

Example:“Reach the straps toward the footbar.”

External cues are one of the simplest ways to improve motor learning.

Instead of asking clients to overthink body parts and muscle activation, external cues direct attention toward movement outcomes.

Research suggests that external focus cues often improve coordination and skill acquisition more effectively than excessive internal cueing.

Compare these two instructions:

• “Engage your lats and depress your scapula.”

• “Push the carriage away smoothly.”

• 
  

Which one is easier to understand under movement load?

Most clients do not need more anatomy lectures. They need simple, effective instructions that create clear movement intentions.

This concept is heavily emphasized inside my Clinical Pilates course and mentorship program because simplifying communication often improves results immediately.

5. “Keep a thumbs up position the entire time.”

This cue works amazingly during Long Box T Pulls.

The moment clients create a thumbs-up position, they often naturally organize the shoulder better without needing a long explanation about external rotation.

This is one of my favorite examples of how simple cues outperform complicated teaching.

As instructors, we sometimes overestimate how much information clients need.

The goal is not to sound intelligent.The goal is to help people move well, feel confident, and succeed.

Great Pilates Teaching Is About More Than Exercise Selection

The best instructors are not necessarily the ones with the most complicated choreography.

They are the ones who:

• Create psychological safety

• Build confidence

• Encourage autonomy

• Communicate clearly

• Help clients feel successful

This is the foundation of modern, evidence-based teaching.

Inside my mentorship, we dive deeply into:

• Motor learning

• Pain science

• Cueing

• Strength programming

• Clinical reasoning

• Teaching clients with pain and injuries

• Evidence-based Pilates application

  
  

If you’re looking for ongoing Pilates continuing education, support with teaching Pilates for injuries, or want to become a more confident teacher through Pilates instructor mentorship, you can join us inside the Pilates Teachers Community membership.

Start Your Free 2-Week Trial

You can try the mentorship completely free for 2 weeks.

Inside, you’ll get:

• Weekly workouts

• Clinical Pilates education

• Workshops

• Coaching calls

• Exercise programming ideas

• A supportive community of Pilates instructors

• Ongoing 1:1 mentorship grounded in science and practical application

  
  

Start your free trial today and become the kind of instructor who helps clients feel strong, confident, and capable.