Description |
Course Overview
Karen Clippinger's passion and professional success relates to the practical application of kinesiological principles to enhance human movement performance, reduce injury risk, and aid individuals with return to function following injury or illness. Her masters degree in exercise science and 22 years of clinical experience, followed by 14 years in academia, as well as her personal practice of movement forms for almost 50 years (initially primarily dance, and then Pilates for the last 16 years) provide her with a valuable perspective that she wishes to share with experienced and dedicated teachers of Pilates in an intimate setting.
This course will utilize the theme of the "core" or "powerhouse" because of its importance in Pilates, movement analysis, and injury mechanisms. An in-depth presentation of anatomical and biomechanical principles that relate to the core will be applied to practical parameters of teaching such as effective exercise selection, exercise cueing, and exercise modification for clients of different skill levels and with different limitations. Lectures will be enriched by practicals involving muscle palpation, alignment evaluation, field tests, cueing, teaching fellow participants, and Pilates programming for sample client profiles. A particular emphasis will be placed on appropriate modification and progression of Pilates exercises to optimize benefits while keeping risk low for individuals with conditions such as lumbar lordosis, kyphosis, scoliosis, osteoporosis, sacroiliac dysfunction and low back pain. Novel exercises utilizing the Pilates apparatus will also be taught that are designed to address special spinal/pelvic conditions, as well as to help develop desirable movement patterns that can be integrated into classical Pilates repertoire and utilized during everyday activities. The primary goal of this course is to deepen your theoretical understanding of the core, heighten your personal kinesthetic appreciation of the core, and enhance your teaching skills as they relate to the core. To enhance personal feedback and growth, class size will be limited to a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 10 participants.
Course Objectives.
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:
- Understand and apply key anatomical and biomechanical principles of the "core" to the execution, modification, and teaching of classical Pilates and Pilates-based repertoire
- Effectively utilize a wide array of anatomically based cues for encouraging both optimal static positioning and dynamic movement of the spine and pelvis
- Understand the role of isolation and compound Pilates exercises, as well as design progressions that can be used to foster transfer of core strength and optimal core muscle activation patterns to functional movement
- Perform select field tests for strength and range of motion of key core muscles, the results of which can be used to enhance Pilates exercise selection and potential modifications
- Recognize, as well as perform and teach effective exercises for improvement of, common spinal postural problems such as forward head, kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, scoliosis and flat back posture
- Recognize, as well as perform and teach effective exercises for improvement of, common pelvic postural problems such as anterior pelvic tilt, posterior pelvic tilt, lateral pelvic tilt, or pelvic rotation
- Understand key anatomical/biomechanical alterations associated with common spinal and pelvic disorders (such as osteoporosis, low back strains, disc injury, sacroiliac dysfunction) and their implications for Pilates program design, while still remaining within one-s appropriate scope of practice
Course Prerequisites.
Participants must have obtained certification from a comprehensive Pilates instructor training program. This in-depth course is appropriate for dedicated Pilates instructors who have a basic understanding of key muscles and joints for human movement and a minimum of 3 years of teaching experience, or instructors who are physical therapists who have integrated Pilates into their practice for a minimum of 2 years.
Course Requirements.
The following are requirements for completion of the course and receipt of a certificate of completion, verifying your comprehensive study with Karen Clippinger.
- Attendance of and participation in all 15 on-site meetings in Long Beach (120 hours - 3 sessions, comprised of 5 days each)
- Self-practice of key repertoire that results in adequate proficiency as evidenced by successful completion of two practical exams
- Teaching of key course repertoire and principles to your clients with a journal kept of successes, challenges, and questions that will form the basis of several class discussions
- Frequent practice teaching of course repertoire on other class participants with feedback provided by Karen Clippinger and other participants, as well as successful completion of one graded teaching evaluation given during the last session
- More in-depth scientific investigation of one course topic that will be used to write a 3-page paper, derive a case-study, and provide a brief oral presentation on the last day of the course
The goal of the evaluations is to aid you in developing a high level of proficiency and understanding of course materials. If necessary, retakes of any evaluations will be allowed to help you to leave the program with substantial improvements in your theoretical knowledge and teaching skills that both you and Karen Clippinger can be proud of.
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