Welcome to The Pilates Exchange! In this episode, we explore the fascinating science behind building new exercise habits and adopting a healthier lifestyle. We’ll break down the psychology of habit formation, discuss the role of dopamine in motivation, and share practical strategies to help you create lasting changes in your fitness routine. Whether you’re starting your movement journey or looking to support your clients as a teacher, this episode is packed with actionable insights to inspire consistency and growth.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

1. The Habit Loop:
   • Understand the Cue-Routine-Reward framework for building and sustaining habits.
   • How to identify and leverage cues to create a fitness routine.
2. The Role of Dopamine in Motivation:
   • Why dopamine is the brain's motivation molecule and how it drives habit formation.
   • Strategies to use dopamine to reinforce exercise habits.
3. Practical Habit-Building Strategies:
   • Starting small with achievable goals.
   • Using habit stacking to integrate new behaviors into your daily routine.
   • Tracking progress and celebrating small wins to maintain momentum.

Actionable Takeaways:

• Use habit stacking: Link new habits to existing routines, like rolling out your mat right after brewing your morning coffee.
• Celebrate small wins: Acknowledge and reward progress, even if it’s as simple as attending your first class.
• Focus on consistency over perfection: Showing up regularly, even for short workouts, builds lasting habits.

Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

Atomic Habits by James Clear

The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge

Huberman Lab Podcast (Episode 21: Dopamine & Motivation)

Harvard Health Blog: How to Build Healthy Habits in the New Year

Perfitly You Inspire Membership: Perfitly You Membership - Performance Fit Pilates - Hannah Teutscher

In this final episode of the year, host Hannah Teutscher dives into the art of setting meaningful New Year’s resolutions—both personal and professional—to support your growth as a Pilates instructor and beyond. From exploring new movement modalities to honing your time management skills, Hannah encourages a mindset of curiosity and steady improvement. Whether it’s trying a fresh workout approach like yoga, barre, or Feldenkrais, or investing in continuing education (without feeling pressured), she offers practical tips for making your goals achievable and sustainable.

Hannah also addresses the importance of maintaining boundaries, refining teaching techniques, and setting business objectives that ensure long-term success. By choosing one easy resolution and one that challenges you, you’ll start the new year with clear direction, renewed energy, and a deeper commitment to both your clients and yourself.

Key Takeaways:

• Embrace a Beginner’s Mindset: Experiment with new movement forms to broaden your perspective and enhance your teaching.
• Set Achievable Goals: Integrate your resolutions into daily life—start small and don’t overwhelm yourself.
• Continuing Education as Enrichment: View workshops, online courses, reading, and podcasts as ways to fuel curiosity and refine your craft, rather than as duties.
• Time Management & Boundaries: Protect your schedule, stay efficient with class planning, and be realistic about what you can accomplish.
• Business Foundations Matter: Understand your numbers, maintain profitability, and grow your Pilates practice sustainably.

Next Steps for Listeners:

1. Choose Your Goals: Select one straightforward resolution (e.g., reading a recommended book) and one challenging goal (e.g., mastering an advanced exercise or taking a business course).
2. Make It Sustainable: Schedule and integrate your chosen goals into your routine to ensure steady progress.
3. Reach Out for Resources: Contact Hannah if you need guidance or access to her reading list, education recommendations, or other helpful tools.

Join the Community:
Hannah wishes you a happy and successful start to the new year! Share your resolutions, ask questions, and stay connected for more insights and inspiration in the coming months.

In this episode, Hannah tackles a complex issue often debated in the Pilates world: whether instructors must personally perform every exercise they teach. Drawing on over 25 years of teaching experience, Hannah emphasizes that effective instruction isn’t defined by physical demonstrations alone. Instead, it hinges on understanding your clients’ diverse learning styles, confidently cueing, and creating a safe environment—especially for advanced exercises.

Ultimately, Hannah reassures instructors that what truly matters is the quality of the learning experience they create, not whether they can personally execute every challenging exercise.

Key Takeaways:

• Client-Centered Teaching: Success lies in adapting to various learning styles and abilities rather than relying solely on demonstrations.
• Clear, Effective Cueing: Verbal guidance, tactile feedback, and careful observation can replace physical demos and help clients feel and understand each exercise.
• Safe Environments for Advanced Moves: Introduce challenging exercises gradually, breaking them down into manageable steps while ensuring clients’ comfort and confidence.
• Redefining Instructor Identity: Your teaching skills aren’t diminished by not performing every exercise. Your value as an instructor comes from empowering clients to move safely and effectively.