Who Taught You That?

It is a hallmark of respect to give credit where credit is due across all mediums, modalities and methods.

Would you ever serve up aunt Nancy’s meatballs without telling your guests this was her recipe? Never.

That level of disclosure often escapes fitness professionals and I’ve never understood it. I take pride in quoting my ballet teachers, my Pilates teachers, my friends and families and especially my students. What good reason is there to hold back your sources? Put another way, if you learn a great exercise and teach it to your client and it changes her rear-end and maybe her life, why wouldn't you share with her where you learned it? Do you think she cares? Does her rear end care where you learned that awesome move? To my mind you look that much smarter if you are pulling content from other places and then re-packaging, re-jigging, and re-ordering to make things work for YOUR practice, and YOUR students. 

Be that teacher. Do that. Practice that concept. Always give credit.

And one more thing. Hold YOUR own teachers accountable. When you take a session, travel for a weekend symposium or conference or attend ANY continuing education course make sure you know exactly what you are getting. Ask "who taught you that". Ask in front of the group. Ask regularly. Don't assume because an instructor has always taught one body of work, they will continue to do just that. We all deserve to know the source of the work we do. Was it Joe? Was it an elder? Was it Jack La Lanne? Or was it Jane Doe - teacher of Pilates? All teachers should nod to their education and acknowledge when they make stuff up instead of passing it off as their own. ALL teachers.

Can I get a "hear yea" on this one?  Put your hands up for transparency people.

We deserve it.

~Alycea