Do you have clients who are traveling a lot or come to you only on vacation?
Do you run a home studio but want to expand your Pilates business without the extra expenses?
Teaching virtual Pilates classes can be just the right thing for you. Today people are used to doing pretty much anything online: pay bills, take college classes, connect with people and even public schools post a lot of home assignments online. The online world lets us save our precious time and explore the opportunities that wouldn’t be available to us in any other way.
A lot of clients are interested in taking Pilates classes but they can’t commit either because of their tight schedule or limited budget. Some of the Pilates professionals have dedicated their career to bringing Pilates to those populations.
Robin Long is an inspiring Pilates instructor who is following her passion for Pilates both online and offline. She obtained her comprehensive Pilates certification through Body Arts & Science International and was trained by the highly respected Kristi Cooper White (creator of PilatesAnytime.com). She works with a variety of clients: from those just wanting to get in shape, to those with injuries, Parkinson’s Disease, Pre-natal, Post-natal, back pain, scoliosis, hip replacements and more.
She runs a Pilates blog at The Balanced Life Online, teaches at Park Meadows Pilates & Physical Therapy in Lone Tree, CO (near Denver) and works with amazing women through her online Pilates Body program.
Today I talk to Robin about:
- The pros and cons of running a virtual Pilates studio.
- The necessary tools to run an online Pilates program.
- What it takes to have a successful online Pilates course.
1. Robin, why did you decide to run virtual Pilates retreats/courses?
I realized early on in my career that trading hours for dollars could get quite tiring and frustration. I also knew that I wanted to have kids one day and would probably make a move, so it seemed like a good idea to build up a part of my business that would provide additional income and stability.
Although, my website was originally born out of my passion for writing and my strong desire to reach women in a new way. It was out of that passion that I decided to create online programs that could also translate to supplemental income. Since then it’s grown and although I think everyone should do Pilates in a studio if they can, I’ve been able to connect with so many other women who probably wouldn’t have found Pilates if it wasn’t for my online programs.
2. Can you share with us your personal experience of running an online Pilates course?
I love creating. So creating online programs provides and outlet for my creative, entrepreneurial side to run free. It has certainly been a learning process and I continue to learn as I go. I don’t know anyone who has done exactly what I’m doing so I have been making my own rules as I go, finding out what works and what doesn’t. The internet has proven to be a powerful tool and through videos, emails and skype you can really build authentic, successful relationships with clients.
3. What are your tips for the instructors who are interested in teaching Pilates online?
The most important thing is to build a platform and an audience first. I wrote multiple blog posts per week and was very active on social media for over a year before launching my first program. When you’re dealing with online relationships, it takes a lot of time for people to find you, understand what you’re doing, and then ultimately, trust you enough to purchase your programs or take your classes. I’ve spoken with a lot of people who start a website and launch a program and wonder why no one is signing up. I wish I could say it was that easy but it takes a lot of time and investment to build relationships with the online community, just like in person. So to those who are interested in teaching online I would first recommend that they plug into social media and create a blog and begin connecting with others in the online Pilates community. From there you never know what opportunities will arise.
4. What are the most important tools in promoting online Pilates classes? What clients are interested in virtual Pilates?
As I mentioned earlier, in a perfect world, I would want everyone to take Pilates in a studio. But many people will never set foot in a studio either due to intimidation, finances or time constraints. So I figure at least I can trust that I am providing high-quality, safe workouts for those who prefer the online experience. I find that I have two main client groups who are drawn to the online Pilates programs: young women who cannot afford to pay for regular studio training multiple times per week and moms who also have budget constraints but more importantly time constraints. They are able to do the Pilates workouts from the comfort of their own home while their children nap and are able to interact with me on their own time rather than finding time in their schedule. I get a lot of emails from moms in the late hours of the night 🙂
5. What are the pros and cons of virtual Pilates as opposed to traditional Pilates sessions in a studio setting?
As we all know, there are so many aspects of Pilates that are left out when you aren’t in a studio environment training under the eye of the instructor. Not receiving that tactile and verbal feedback is certainly a con. The same goes for modifications. Although I try to provide as many modifications as possible in my online classes, I’m sure there are clients out there who could benefit from more specific modifications that could only be addressed in a studio setting.
That being said, virtual Pilates allows people to experience the benefits of Pilates who may not have the means, resources or time to do it in person. It also provides an opportunity for people to practice Pilates more frequently and train with instructors from all over the globe regardless of where they are. I’ve found that many of my online clients complete my programs and then go on to find a local studio in their area to continue their training. I love that the internet opens the door to reach more people and spread Joseph Pilates’ incredible method with an unlimited amount of people.
6. Robin, could you please share with us 5 of your favorite Pilates mat exercises and your favorite way to teach them?
I have a passion for working with pregnant women or women who are coming back from pregnancy. I find that Pilates can be such a great way to stay connected with your body and mind during at time of such change. This video shows a few exercises that I like to use with new mothers as they transition back into their Pilates routine.
Click here to view Pilates exercises
Robin also shared her personal Pilates story as well as the details about her virtual Pilates classes in her success story.