Critical Reasoning (CR)
The Critical Reasoning Workshop series is designed to help movement
teachers learn and apply necessary intake, assessment and reasoning
skills to maximize outcome and increase professionalism in practice.
Invaluable information is provided in this series enabling the
experienced Pilates practitioner to achieve the highest standards of
professionalism the field.
The Critical Reasoning workshop series is compulsory for all Polestar
Educators and Mentors and to attain Polestar
Advanced Teacher
status.
There are four workshops in the series, and must be taken sequentially.
CR-1: The intake process for the Pilates teacher
This one day workshop will cover the legal and professional requirements
for a teacher to initiate a session with a new client in a studio or a
gym. It will include basic forms for gathering information pertaining to
client's medical, health and fitness status. Students will learn basic
communication skills for interviewing clients. Participants will learn
the Polestar Pilates Screening and interpretation skills appropriate for
scope of practice. Lastly this workshop will teach participants how to
apply this information to design a safe program and/or refer client to
the appropriate care provider.
Objectives
Following this eight hour workshop, participants will…
• Be able to implement a formal intake procedure in their studio or gym
• Learn basic interviewing skills to gather important information
• Be able to interpret the information gathered appropriate for scope of
practice
• Be able to apply this new information in the design of a workout
• Understand appropriate procedures for referring to other healthcare
providers
• Be familiar with limits and responsibilities appropriate for gathering
information from clients and the legal and professional responsibilities
pertaining to privacy, scope of practice and ethics
Duration:
1 day
Prerequisites:
• Minimum of one year experience teaching Pilates, yoga or other
movement discipline
• Equivalent of one year of Anatomy/Physiology
• Desire to implement professional and ethical practice into Pilates
training
CECs
Polestar
8
Course Dates
Fees
Register
CR-2: Postural Assessment A: head, neck, spine & pelvis
This two day workshop will provide the teacher with basic skills in a
static and dynamic postural assessment. The focus will be structural
alignment in functional activities (e.g. squatting, walking, rolling,
and reaching). Emphasis will be placed on how Pilates exercises can
influence asymmetries of the head, neck, trunk and pelvis. It will
include Polestar's Postural Assessment, identifying key anatomical
landmarks to improve the teacher's eye in assessing symmetries and
asymmetries that are common to many clients. Alignment being a key
principle in Pilates work, it is essential to develop a keen eye and a
deeper understanding to assess which postural variances will produce the
greatest change in clients’ performance and overall outcome.
Objectives
Following this sixteen hour workshop, participants will…
• Use the Polestar Postural Assessment to identify basic asymmetries as
they pertain to alignment of the head, neck, trunk and pelvis, and upper
and lower extremities
• Identify how asymmetries in alignment can affect movement efficiency
in daily activities
• Apply Pilates exercises to improve alignment as it pertains to
functional activities
Duration:
2 days
Prerequisites:
Completion of CR-1
CECs
Polestar 16
Course Dates
Fees
Register
CR-3: Postural Assessment B: upper and lower extremities
This two-day workshop will provide the teacher with basic skills in a
static and dynamic postural assessment. The focus will be structural
alignment in functional activities (e.g. squatting, walking, rolling,
and reaching). Emphasis will be placed on how Pilates exercises can
influence asymmetries of the upper and lower extremities. It will
include Polestar's Postural Assessment, identifying key anatomical
landmarks to improve the teacher's eye in assessing symmetries and
asymmetries that are common to many clients. Alignment being a key
principle in Pilates work, it is essential to develop a keen eye and a
deeper understanding to assess which postural variances will produce the
greatest change in clients’ performance and overall outcome.
Objectives
Following this sixteen hour workshop, participants will…
• Use the Polestar Postural Assessment to identify basic asymmetries as
they pertain to alignment of the head, neck, trunk and pelvis, and upper
and lower extremities
• Identify how asymmetries in alignment can affect movement efficiency
in daily activities
• Apply Pilates exercises to improve alignment as it pertains to
functional activities
Duration:
2 days
Prerequisites:
Completion of CR-2
CECs
Polestar 16
Course Dates
Fees
Register
CR-4: Movement Assessment using Pilates principles
This two day workshop will facilitate the practitioner's discovery of
what really makes a Pilates teacher unique. Pilates principles provide a
unique way to measure quality of movement. Qualitative assessment skills
using these principles and video observation will allow the student to
gain an enhanced eye for assessing not only Pilates movement but all
movement. Learning this technique of critical thinking enables teachers
to apply their knowledge of exercise design to maximize the benefit to
their clients.
Objectives
Following this sixteen hour workshop, participants will…
• Understand the evolution of Pilates principles
• Be able to practice observation skills of principles in functional and
Pilates movement sequences
• Be able to identify corrections to facilitate improved quality,
efficiency and balance of movement sequences
• Learn to assess correct Pilates exercises within scope of professional
practice
Duration:
2 days
Prerequisites:
Completion of CR-3
CECs
Polestar 16
Course Dates
Fees
Register