Teachers - Are You A Gatekeeper Or A Facilitator?

I had a great chat with one of my business coaches this week and it got me reflecting on my journey so far as a Teacher.

Thinking back on some of my interactions with clients, and on my clients journeys I think that I sometimes acted as a Gatekeeper!

This could look like...
- Not offering opportunities for progression because they hadn't 'achieved the pre-requisite' yet
- Not offering challenge because I didn't think they were strong enough
- Verbally telling someone "no, you're not ready for that exercise yet"

Thinking about this now makes me cringe a little....who am I to think that I need to "grant permission" to my people to move?!

I fully acknowledge that we have a duty of care to our people to provide a safe space for them to move in, which can include making decisions around exercise selection.

I think in the past though I have erred too far on the side of caution, and not fully empowered my people to discover what they ARE capable of.

Some ways that my teaching looks different now include....

- Showing them the full expression of the exercise (that I have access to in my body), and then making a suggestion for their starting point - always coupled with a conversation that includes "this can be our version FOR TODAY".

- Offering progressions, even if they are already challenged by giving them a choice..."If you would like more challenge you could try...." leaving the decision with them as to which version to choose for today.

- Explaining some of the different ways the exercise can be modified to alter the challenges...the length of the levers, range of motion, load, positioning...empowering them with info about different choices THEY can make about how to move their bodies.

These days I consciously work to be a Facilitator for my people - to create the environment for them to make their own discoveries, conquer their fears, and ultimately make their own choices about what to do with their bodies.