Hi friends!
If you’ve been following along on Holistically Katie, you know movement has been a huge part of my life personally-and now I am so excited to share that it has become a part of my life professionally as well in recent months. Last month, I stepped into a new chapter: teaching my very first in person live class.
I walked into the studio expecting it just be my family in the room, but by the time class started, there were twelve people signed up. Twelve! I met each person by name, we all worked up a sweat (me included), and the energy in the room was incredible.
The room was hot — so yes, the AC went on and I kept my water bottle close — but we moved together from start to finish. While there are things I want to refine for next time, I left feeling proud, accomplished, and grateful.
I am teaching at a beautiful local studio Summer Street Wellness in Boston, and absolutely honored to be there. My class is a community class 4:30pm on Thursdays at the moment. These classes count towards my Practice Teaching hours so that I can fully complete and test out of my Mat Pilates Certification through PAI. Summer Street Wellness is a beautiful studio where you can expect to find a sense of peace within the community. The owner and all of the instructors who work there are incredibly kind, passionate and welcoming. I couldn’t be more grateful to teach at such a gorgeous studio that aligns with many of my own values I am seeking in the fitness community.
How I Prepared
The biggest part of my preparation was intentional sequence building.
I started by writing down moves I wanted to include, then I tested everything in my body to make sure transitions felt natural. If a move felt awkward, I swapped it out. I also practiced the timing and cues repeatedly so that by class time, I didn’t have to rely too heavily on my notes.
I still had my outline on my IPad in front of me during class just in case, but I wanted to be present with the room. My playlist was also key — it gave me a sense of pacing and helped me know where we were in the flow.
I also found it super helpful to arrive early to run through my sequence in the space. For side-lying work, I tested demoing from the sides of the room so participants could see me clearly — one side worked better than the other, but that’s part of learning.
Behind the Scenes: My Instructor Snippet Sheet
Once I had my detailed script written out, I condensed it into a quick-glance format so I could reference it during class without breaking flow. This “cheat sheet” kept me on track with timing, made song transitions easier, and helped me stay confident in my delivery. Was everything completely on perfect with the songs? No! But it was a helpful framework~ for example, by the time we got to “Feel Good” I knew we should be moving on to Arms for the last chunk of class.
Here’s what that looked like as a rough outline:
| Section | Moves & Reps | Song Cue |
|---|---|---|
| Opening / Warm-Up | Breathwork (3–4 inh/exh), Half Roll Down x8, Ab Curl + Toe Taps x8 each, Double Leg Drop x8, Single Leg Stretch x8 each, Rock Like a Ball, Cat/Cow | Jubel / Electric Touch |
| Glutes/Core R Side | Bird Dog x8 → Scoop x8 → Hold, Donkey Kick x8 → Cross Under x8, Rainbows x8 each, Side-Lying Series (Lifts x10, Sweeps x8 ea dir, Pulses x8, Side Kick Kneeling x8 + Circles x8 ea dir, Side Plank + Thread x3–5) | Firestone / Feel Like |
| Prone Series | Chest Lift x5, Slow Swimmers → Fast 20 sec | Electric – Khalid |
| Glutes/Core L Side | Repeat R side sequence | Thief / Capsize |
| Upper Body / Arms | Pilates Push-Up x8, Serve the Platter x8, In & Out x8, Arm Circles x8 ea dir, Hug a Tree x8, Tricep Ext x8 + Pulses x8 | Feel Good |
| Standing Finisher | Sumo Squats x8 → Pulses x8, Heel Lifts R/L x8 each, Both Heels Pulses x8 | 2 Friends |
| Bridge Series (opt.) | Bridge x8 → Pulses x8, Heel Lifts R/L x8 pulses each, Both Heels Lift x8 pulses | Sanctuary |
| Cool Down | Knee Hug/Windshield, Figure 4 R/L, Spinal Twist R/L, Happy Baby, Forward Fold | Sanctuary / Weightless |
My Biggest Takeaways
- Trust yourself. You’ve put in the work — now believe in your ability to lead. Even if you mess something up, say something wrong etc, what I’ve realized is that no one knows your class inside out like you do. Think about it ~when you take a class and an instructor skips a move, or says ‘Oops, just kidding’ or there is another slip up, it is whatever! You catch it, move on quickly and don’t harp on it. People are there to sweat and connect with their bodies~ one little mistake is not going to ruin that entire experience.
- Don’t be too hard on yourself. To the above point- pacing, cueing, and flow improve with each class. I tried to relish in the accomplishment after I taught instead of focusing on all of the things I wanted to work on and change.
- Prep with purpose. Slow down cues, let them land, and offer modifications so everyone feels challenged but supported. I also tried to call out names during class to ensure everyone felt motivated and encouraged!
- Mindset matters. Positive self-talk before class helped calm my nerves. I took deep breaths before, during, and after class. I tried to slow down. I gave myself affirmations when the nerves were really kicking up.
Final Thoughts
My first class wasn’t “perfect,” but it was exactly what it needed to be — a space where people moved, sweated, and felt good in their bodies. I’m proud of myself for showing up prepared, intentional, and open.
If you’re getting ready to teach your first class, here’s my advice: practice, plan, and then trust yourself in the moment. The connection you build with your class matters more than perfection.
I will definitely keep posting about my teaching experience as I learn more about and delve into this universe. I am just thrilled to be given this opportunity to move with this wonderful community and learn from others. I will also keep sharing class outlines, music, structuring, and tips that help me become a better instructor. Thank you being here!
Let me know what you think!