We asked Joy a few questions about her experience as a student with NPT, here is what she had to say

 

1. How has your confidence increased since studying with NPT?

At first, I was not confident because English isn’t my first language.

Because of this, I became frustrated BUT….

I think learning new things is what brings myself closer to finding more confidence.

At first, I did struggle but by facing these challenges my confidence has increased and again with the endless support and help of all the faculty, I was able to continue my studies.

 

2. Can you describe the change?

It is the faculty who have helped me the most with change.

The NPT faculty educators, Katrina and Kath are so amazing!

Their passion is Pilates.

The way they treat and take care of people, and the humour.

They have become my role models.

These two amazing role models kept me from giving up.

Even now, I am still trying to improve every day to become like them.

They have given me goal, I admire so much, and I want to be like them.

 

3. What challenges have there been and what support have you been given?

To be a good instructor, I thought I needed to be able to handle all types of customers including injuries and to be perfect.

I spoke to one of the NPT Faculty educators here, Ben that I feel insecure and ineligible.

My concern was how can I be a good instructor and have the right to teach clients because I don’t have experience yet like himself and the other instructors.

Ben told me that having these worries means that I really care about people, and I have the qualities to be a good teacher.

He advised me to grow, step by step, so that I can become like the teachers I admire with experience, while using what I have learned so far.

Ben’s warm words turned my worries as an insecure student.

I now understand and feel more secure.

The educators here care about the students as people.

 

4. What’s your 3 favourite” P” words when you study Pilates at NPT?

1. Physical Fitness For People

In the past, I had seriously lost my health due to excessive work. So, I took time to reflect on what is most important in life.

And as Joseph Pilates said, I have come to believe that “Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness”.

Because I knew how painful it is to lose physical health, I wanted to help people enjoy their lives in a healthy way through Pilates.

Pilates can be applied to a variety of people and cases from children to the elderly, and rehabilitation for the injured.

Also, it can improve the alignment of the body and promote health for healthy people.

I think these are the best advantages of Pilates and it is a great pleasure for me to see people having fun doing Pilates, making their bodies healthier, and challenging themselves.

2. Passion For People

An example of passion that I have experienced was during an ‘in person’ scheduled session as part of the Diploma course.

We were in a repertoire practise session with Katrina Edwards, one of the NPT faculty, Katrina was working with one of the students who was feeling under-confident that she would not be able to properly move her arm because her arm muscles were shortened due to a side effect of the vaccine.

Instead of continuing the class by calling up another student who was physically capable, Katrina instead showed this particular student some rehabilitation exercises to help promote a return to health for this student.

And she advised the student to do the exercises she was taught at home.

In my eyes, Katrina acted like a doctor, like a doctor would treating someone needing help in an emergency on a plane.

That moment gave me goosebumps, and I’ll never forget that session and how I felt.

That’s why I chose to learn and study to become a professional Pilates instructor.

Being able to improve and help the health of the people is what I love and is the reason why I want to learn to teach Pilates.

It has become my passion.

3. Principles of Pilates

Even if it’s a seemingly simple movement, with a little bit of adjustment, applying the principles, provides a totally different stimulus for improved movement.

It makes me feel like I’m experiencing the new and a new body experience every time.

Like watching something I know but with fresh eyes.

I have found Learning about the principles of the pilates method and how to apply the principles to the exercises impacts how we can connect the person to improve their understanding of their own body.

By learning the principles, following the essence of Joseph Pilates, was his intent.

This has become so fascinating and interesting to me.

I think that’s the advantage of classical Pilates and the way that you learn the pilates method with the faculty at NPT.

To understand and learn Joseph’s Pilates intentions and how to apply the principles systematically, as close as possible to the nature of the Pilates method he developed.

It’s a tremendous pleasure to feel and understand the way Joseph Pilates designed the movements, the connectivity of the six principles of Pilates felt in the body.

I love it!