Body Form® Education
How to Teach a Mixed-Level Mat Class
With a Postnatal Client
Design one class with more than one setup, so a screened postnatal client can take part where it is appropriate, without being singled out.
One Class, More Than One Setup
Written by Kira-Leigh Rule, Physiotherapist and Founder of Body Form® Education. Last updated 14 November 2026.
A postnatal client does not automatically need an entirely separate Mat Pilates class. Equally, being postnatal does not mean that every exercise or group-class environment is appropriate for her today.
The aim is to screen first, determine whether participation is suitable, and then provide a class with meaningful exercise choices. Where appropriate, a client can take part in the same movement sequence as the rest of the room, with variations in lever length, range, position, support, tempo or repetitions. These choices should be available to everyone, rather than announced as special rules for the postnatal client.
Abdominal exercises do not need to be removed simply because a client has given birth. They also should not be required when healing, symptoms, a medical restriction or the demands of the class make them unsuitable. The exercise is a means of achieving a training goal, not a test the client must pass.
The instructor's role is to observe, screen, programme, teach, adapt and refer within their qualifications and competence. An instructor does not independently diagnose diastasis recti, pelvic floor dysfunction or a medical complication. Body Form® Education supports safe teaching and adaptation; its teacher training and CPD do not, by themselves, qualify graduates to diagnose, treat or provide clinical healthcare.
This article is written for Pilates instructors, not as an individual postnatal rehabilitation programme. Its examples do not replace the client's healthcare advice, and no single modification guarantees a particular response.
A mixed-level class with a postnatal client in six lines
| Question | Teaching answer |
|---|---|
| What do I check first? | Screen the client's recovery, symptoms, healing, previous activity, complications and any healthcare guidance. Establish whether this actual class is suitable. |
| How do I structure the class? | Build the exercise in cumulative layers, with regressions and progressions available within those layers. |
| What can I change? | Lever length, range, position, support, breath strategy, repetitions, tempo, resistance and recovery. |
| How do I cue? | Offer meaningful choices to the whole room. Keep the language specific, calm and non-judgemental. |
| What am I watching? | The client's exercise response and reported symptoms. Visible abdominal coning alone does not diagnose a problem. |
| When do I refer? | Escalate urgent or emergency warning signs appropriately. Refer persistent or concerning pelvic floor, abdominal wall or musculoskeletal symptoms to a relevant professional. |
What You Do and Do Not Do
Pilates instructors make exercise decisions every day. Their competence lies in understanding the task, recognising what a client is reporting, adjusting demands and knowing when a question requires healthcare assessment.
What an instructor does
- Screens for exercise suitability privately before a client enters the class, and again when her circumstances change.
- Asks about relevant instructions from her GP, midwife, obstetric care provider or treating Physiotherapist.
- Plans the foundation, layers and exercise alternatives in advance.
- Makes appropriate exercise-selection and progression decisions within their training, professional scope, insurance requirements and studio policies.
- Observes movement without automatically labelling a different strategy as a fault.
- Responds to unfamiliar or concerning symptoms by pausing or stopping the provoking activity and deciding what further help is needed.
- Documents significant symptoms and relevant actions objectively and confidentially.
What an instructor does not do
- Diagnose diastasis recti, prolapse, pelvic floor dysfunction or any other medical condition from an exercise observation.
- Independently determine medical readiness, resolve contraindications or clear a client following a complicated birth or operation.
- Provide clinical treatment or manage a rehabilitation plan beyond their professional competence.
- Override or invent restrictions given by the client's treating healthcare professional.
- Present a group Pilates class or CPD qualification as a substitute for clinical assessment.
Pilates can form part of someone's rehabilitation. The boundary is not that an instructor must avoid every client who is recovering from birth; it is that the instructor's involvement must remain suitable for their qualification, competence, the client's clinical needs and any relevant treating-professional guidance. The AUSactive Scope of Practice for Registered Pilates Professionals provides an Australian professional framework.
Who to refer to
- Midwife or obstetric care provider: birth recovery, maternity complications and relevant postpartum warning signs.
- GP or doctor: general medical concerns, postnatal review and symptoms needing medical assessment.
- Pelvic health Physiotherapist: pelvic floor symptoms, pelvic girdle pain, abdominal wall concerns and return-to-exercise difficulties. Some clients know this role as a women's health Physiotherapist.
- Emergency services: serious or potentially life-threatening symptoms. In Australia, call 000 when an ambulance is required.
The appropriate referral pathway depends on the presentation and the healthcare system in which the instructor works. A pelvic health Physiotherapist does not replace urgent medical care for suspected blood clots, significant bleeding or other serious postpartum complications.
Screen Before She Joins the Class
Begin with the client's suitability for this specific group session, not simply a general question about whether she has been told that exercise is good after birth.
The Australian Government-funded Pregnancy, Birth and Baby resource on returning to exercise advises waiting until the six-week postnatal check before returning to the gym or joining a group exercise programme. It also supports gentle walking, pelvic floor exercises and gentle abdominal activity during early recovery when appropriate. This is a public-health recommendation for group exercise, not a claim that all movement is contraindicated before six weeks.
A six-week check does not establish full recovery or automatic readiness for a particular class. Following that check, exercise suitability still depends on healing, symptoms, the type of birth, relevant complications, the individual's exercise background and the session demands. Recent guidance also supports gradual, individualised, symptom-based increases in activity rather than using a single date as a biological readiness test. See the 2025 Canadian postpartum physical activity guideline.
The studio's screening policy and insurance conditions may impose additional requirements. Medical clearance or individual healthcare advice may be needed where complications, significant symptoms, recent surgery or other contraindications are present. An uncomplicated postnatal client does not automatically require a pelvic health Physiotherapy appointment as a universal prerequisite to all gentle physical activity.
Six screening questions
| Ask privately | What to do with the answer |
|---|---|
| 1. How long has it been since the birth? | Consider the stage of recovery and the nature of the session. Do not treat the number of weeks alone as proof of readiness. |
| 2. How was the birth, and were there complications? | Ask only what is relevant and explain why. Caesarean surgery, significant perineal injury or other complications may change exercise suitability and progression. A client can decide how much personal information to share. |
| 3. How is healing going? | Ask about wounds, perineal recovery, pain, concerns and bleeding. Normal postnatal bleeding is not automatically a complication; heavy, increasing or otherwise abnormal bleeding needs medical attention. |
| 4. Have you had a postnatal review or received advice about exercise? | Work within any restrictions given. If relevant restrictions or healing concerns are unclear, obtain appropriate healthcare guidance before proceeding. A check alone does not prove readiness for all exercise. |
| 5. Are you experiencing symptoms? | Ask about pelvic pressure or heaviness, leaking, pelvic or abdominal pain, dizziness, headache, unusual bleeding, or other concerning changes. Follow the escalation guidance below. |
| 6. What was your activity like before, and how do you feel today? | Use this to choose an entry point and appropriate challenge. Recheck at each session, because recovery and tolerance can vary. |
Use the studio's normal confidential screening and documentation process. Do not ask a client to disclose her birth history in front of the class. If something relevant emerges only when she arrives, take a private moment to establish whether it is appropriate for her to participate.
Postnatal bleeding (lochia) can be part of normal recovery. Consider its timing and pattern, whether it is unusually heavy or increasing, whether activity makes it worse, and whether other symptoms are present. Heavy bleeding with faintness, collapse or marked illness requires emergency help. NICE NG194 identifies sudden, heavy, persistent or increased bleeding as a reason for medical advice without delay.
Design One Class in Cumulative Layers
A regression, a progression and a layer are not the same thing.
At Body Form® Education, the layering model builds an exercise cumulatively. An instructor establishes a foundation for several repetitions, introduces a compatible movement component, retains the existing sequence as the next component is added, and builds towards a fuller combination. The finisher then deconstructs components the class already knows.
In practice, this means instructors do not discard the earlier movements every time they announce the next layer. The new element becomes part of a sequence the client can recognise, rather than a separate unrelated exercise.
A familiar teaching rhythm is:
- Foundation: Establish the starting movement, usually for approximately four to six controlled repetitions, or enough for the client to understand it.
- Layer one: Add a movement component that can be retained alongside the foundation. Give the class time to learn the combination.
- Layer two: Add another compatible component while maintaining the established elements, only where the task and clients make that progression appropriate.
- Complete combination: Continue the integrated sequence for an appropriate period, allowing challenge to accumulate without treating fatigue as proof of good programming.
- Finisher: Deconstruct the sequence using familiar elements, such as a shortened combination, hold or pulse, where suitable for the exercise and client.
The exact repetitions, duration and number of layers are programming choices, not clinical rules. Some exercises will warrant fewer layers or a different structure.
Where regressions and progressions fit
Every layer can be performed with an appropriate variation. One client might keep both feet supported while another uses a longer leg lever. They can still perform the same movement idea and follow the same cumulative sequence.
For example, in a supine alternating leg series, one client may perform a small foot lift while another moves the thigh further away from the trunk. If an arm reach is added, both clients retain their chosen leg variation and incorporate the new arm movement. The variation changes the demand; the added movement creates the layer.
This distinction is particularly useful in a mixed-level room. It allows an instructor to teach one coherent sequence without forcing every person to progress to the same load or range.
Programming decisions before class
- Plan the movement goal, rather than simply the most advanced variation you hope the class will reach.
- Establish the foundation first, and check whether each new component is compatible with what has already been taught.
- Prepare alternatives for support, range, lever, body position and rest that do not require a public explanation of a client's medical history.
- Consider the total demand across the session, including abdominal, pelvic floor, upper-body and lower-body loading, transition demands and fatigue.
- Avoid assuming that standing and side-lying work gives the abdominal wall a complete rest. These positions can still require considerable trunk activity.
- Make staying at the foundation or returning to an earlier layer a normal choice for anyone.
- Do not make maintaining the full combination compulsory; some clients should remain at a shorter sequence or change tasks altogether.
Good class flow does not depend on everyone performing the same difficulty level. It depends on clear teaching, exercise choices that make sense, and a sequence that clients can follow.
Lever, Range, Position, Breath and Load
An instructor has several ways to change an exercise. These are not ranked from safest to least safe. Their effect depends on what the exercise is asking the body to do.
| Variable | Examples | What to understand |
|---|---|---|
| Lever length | Feet supported, bent-knee movement, then a longer limb reach where appropriate | Lever changes can alter the muscular demand on the trunk. A shorter lever is often less demanding in a given movement but not in every task or setup. |
| Range | Smaller reach or lift, reduced roll-back excursion, or a larger movement when suitable | A smaller range often changes the demand, but does not automatically make every exercise easy or symptom-free. |
| Position | Supine, side-lying, seated, standing, supported four-point kneeling or elevated support | Position affects comfort, stability and the distribution of load. Choose it for the intended task and the client's response. |
| Breath | Comfortable continuous breathing; optionally exhaling through an effort phase | Exhaling on effort may help some clients coordinate movement. It is not compulsory on every repetition and does not make all abdominal bracing or brief breath holding inherently harmful. |
| Total load | Repetitions, resistance, tempo, rest, holds or props | Total challenge reflects the combination of variables, including recovery between efforts. |
| Support | Hands behind thighs, elevated hand support, stable contact points | Additional support may reduce one demand while changing another. Assess its effect in the specific exercise. |
Abdominal pressure is a normal part of movement and exertion. The goal is not to make every movement 'pressure-free'. If a client reports pelvic pressure, heaviness, leaking or pain, stop the provoking exercise and determine whether the symptoms settle. Persistent, recurrent or concerning symptoms warrant appropriate assessment.
In a Reformer session, spring tension adds another variable. It can provide resistance, assistance or stability depending on the setup. A lighter spring is not universally a lower-demand choice.
Positions Everyone Can Choose
A postnatal client may find a standard supine position comfortable and suitable. Another client may prefer more support, shorter bouts of floor work or a different position because of fatigue, discomfort or recovery factors.
The instructor should plan realistic alternatives rather than waiting until someone struggles.
When a block involves lying on the back, think about which part of its training goal could also be achieved in another position. A side-lying, seated or standing variation may be appropriate, but changing positions can also create a different exercise; it need not be described as an identical substitution.
Allow time for transitions. Moving repeatedly between the floor and standing can be demanding, particularly for someone who is tired or uncomfortable. A controlled transition through side-lying may be a useful option, not a compulsory technique for every client.
If a client reports pelvic heaviness or pressure, do not simply tell her to move to a new position and continue the same sequence. Stop the provoking exercise, establish whether the sensation settles, and decide whether another suitable activity or professional review is required.
Cue the Room, Not the Client
Publicly announcing 'the postnatal version' can make an otherwise straightforward exercise choice feel like a label. It also reveals information the rest of the room does not need.
Offer choices by describing what they change: a shorter lever, additional support, smaller excursion or longer rest. Speak to the group, and reserve individual symptom discussions for a private conversation.
| Instead of | Try | Teaching reason |
|---|---|---|
| 'Postnatal clients, take the easy option.' | 'Choose the version that lets you maintain a comfortable, manageable effort.' | Makes an exercise choice available to everyone. |
| 'Brace your stomach as hard as possible.' | 'Try breathing out as you move, and see if that helps you coordinate the effort.' | Offers a breathing strategy without treating all bracing as unsafe. |
| 'Keep your tummy flat.' | 'Work through the range that suits you today.' | Avoids treating abdominal appearance as the outcome. |
| 'Push through the heaviness.' | 'If you notice pelvic pressure or heaviness, stop that movement and let me know.' | Gives a clear response to a symptom rather than encouraging the client to continue. |
| 'Everyone should be on the next layer now.' | 'Stay here if this is an appropriate challenge, or take the next layer if it suits you.' | Keeps progression optional and purposeful. |
| 'Last one: go bigger.' | 'For the last repetition, choose the same range, a little less, or a little more if appropriate.' | Maintains choice without assuming greater movement is always better. |
Pre-cue the next component before the client needs to perform it. Explain the task and any relevant safety information, then allow time to practise. A client who remains at the foundation should still be able to participate in the sequence without a separate running commentary.
Observe whether a client is comfortable and whether the exercise matches the teaching goal. Do not equate silence from the client with the absence of symptoms; encourage clients to tell you if something feels concerning.
What You Might See, and What to Do Next
Observe what occurs; do not assume an observation identifies a diagnosis or its cause. Some movement and abdominal wall changes are visible during normal exercise and may not be clinically meaningful in isolation.
Visible abdominal coning
A visible ridge, dome or tenting along the abdominal midline may occur during an abdominal exercise. Visible coning alone does not establish injury, poor technique, that an exercise is harmful, or that the client has diastasis recti. There is no clinically validated rule that every visible ridge means the load exceeds the tissue's capacity.
You may consider changing lever length, range, support or the exercise if that improves the task or the client's comfort. The relevant questions are whether she reports symptoms, whether she has functional concerns, whether the exercise suits her recovery and whether there is healthcare guidance to follow.
An instructor does not diagnose diastasis recti from appearance or gap measurements. If a client reports persistent symptoms, is concerned about her abdominal wall or has difficulty progressing, a pelvic health Physiotherapy assessment may be appropriate.
Respond to symptoms, rather than a visual checklist
| What you see or hear | Appropriate instructor response |
|---|---|
| Visible coning without discomfort or other symptoms | Observe and consider the exercise demand. Modify if it serves the training goal, but do not automatically stop all abdominal work or refer based on appearance alone. |
| Pelvic pressure or heaviness | Stop the provoking exercise and ask whether the symptom settles. Refer if it is persistent, recurring or concerning. |
| Urinary leaking | Do not dismiss it as an inevitable or insignificant consequence of birth. Recommend assessment by a pelvic health Physiotherapist and consider whether the current exercise remains appropriate. |
| Breath holding or visible gripping | Check whether the client is doing it deliberately and whether it suits the task. Offer a different breath or support strategy when useful. It is not proof that an exercise is too hard. |
| Marked asymmetry or unusual abdominal response | Describe what is observed. Consider review if it is new, persistent, painful, functionally limiting or concerning to the client. Do not diagnose from its appearance. |
| Significant dizziness, heavy or increasing bleeding, chest pain, severe headache or painful leg swelling | Stop exercise and follow the urgent or emergency pathway below. |
The objective is not to make every repetition look identical. It is to select an appropriate activity, recognise meaningful changes and respond responsibly when symptoms are reported.
One Abdominal Block, Built in Layers
The following is an illustrative teaching framework for appropriately screened participants whose recovery and current exercise suitability support these tasks. It is not a prescribed postnatal programme and it is not an instruction to introduce advanced abdominal exercises early after birth. Some clients, including those with surgical restrictions, pain, pelvic floor symptoms or other complications, will need different exercises or a different class format entirely.
For each exercise, the foundation and added elements are described separately from the regressions or progressions. The same class sequence may be taught while each client chooses a suitable lever, range, body position or amount of rest.
1. Supine march into coordinated arm-and-leg work
Foundation: With an appropriate supported starting position, alternate lifting one foot a small distance from the mat and returning it before changing sides. This is a supine march, rather than the full dead bug.
Layer one: Retain the alternating march and add a reciprocal arm reach that coordinates with the lifting leg. Continue the established alternating rhythm.
Layer two: Where suitable, introduce a brief controlled pause at the top of each march-and-reach before returning, retaining both the leg and arm components.
Complete combination: Alternate the marching leg, reciprocal arm reach and brief pause as a continuous, manageable sequence.
Finisher: Remove the pause or arm reach and finish with the original supine march if appropriate.
Options within the layers: Keep the excursion small, reduce repetitions, use a supported leg position, omit the arm reach or pause, or take a rest. A longer leg lever is a separate demand progression, not a compulsory cumulative layer.
Observe: Comfort, breath, pelvic symptoms and whether the chosen version matches the client's capacity.
2. Hundred preparation
Foundation: Establish rhythmic arm pumps with the head supported and feet grounded in a comfortable position. Encourage a breathing rhythm that the client can maintain without unnecessary strain.
Layer one: Continue the arm pumps and add an optional chest lift for clients for whom spinal flexion and that loading demand are appropriate. Other clients continue pumping with the head supported.
Layer two: Maintain the arm-pumping rhythm and, where suitable, add a change in leg position or lever. A client does not need to take their feet off the mat to remain involved in the exercise.
Complete combination: Arm pumps, chosen head position and chosen leg option continue together as one recognisable sequence.
Finisher: Return to a less demanding familiar option while maintaining the arm rhythm, or finish the sequence if fatigue or symptoms make further work unsuitable.
Options within the layers: Head supported, feet grounded, reduced arm-pump duration, shorter lever, lower repetition count and rest periods. Loaded spinal flexion is not compulsory, especially when recovery or surgical guidance makes it unsuitable.
Observe: Symptom response, neck comfort, overall exertion and the ability to continue the intended task without concerning symptoms.
3. Supported roll-back and roll-up preparation
Foundation: From sitting, hold behind the thighs if helpful. Perform a controlled, comfortable posterior roll-back and return within an individually appropriate range.
Layer one: Keep the same roll-back-and-return movement and add an arm reach during the backward phase where the client can manage it. Retain the return rather than treating the reach as a separate unrelated exercise.
Layer two: Continue the roll-back, arm reach and return, adding a brief pause at an appropriate point in the range before coming back up.
Complete combination: The sequence becomes roll back, reach, pause and return, repeated in an appropriate rhythm.
Finisher: Remove the pause or arm reach and finish with a shorter supported roll-back, if appropriate.
Options within the layers: Hands behind thighs, shorter range, reduced arm lever, assistance, rest or choosing a different exercise. Increasing the range alone is a progression in demand; it is not itself a new cumulative movement layer.
Observe: Reported symptoms, comfort, movement control and exercise suitability. A full floor-based roll-up is a separate possible progression for appropriately prepared clients, not the required endpoint of this postnatal example. Australian Pregnancy, Birth and Baby advice recommends avoiding conventional sit-ups in the first three months after birth; this supported roll-back illustrates layering, not a recommendation to introduce full sit-ups during early recovery.
4. Supported plank series
Foundation: Establish a suitable supported plank, perhaps against a wall or stable elevated surface. Choose a hand position, lever and duration that suit the person and the goal.
Layer one: Retain the supported plank and introduce small controlled weight shifts, with the degree and direction chosen for that setup.
Layer two: Where appropriate, maintain the sequence of supported position and weight shift, then add an alternating hand tap or similar brief unilateral challenge. This adds a distinct movement component rather than merely changing hold duration.
Complete combination: Establish the plank, shift weight in a controlled fashion, add the planned tap and return to the starting support before repeating.
Finisher: Remove the tap and finish with the simpler supported weight shift or an appropriate short hold.
Options within the layers: Wall or higher hand support, shorter hold, smaller shift, both hands remaining supported, a different hand position or a different exercise. Lifting one hand is not automatically easier than a two-handed plank; unilateral support changes the loading requirements.
Observe: Symptoms, hand and wrist comfort, breathing, balance and whether the movement retains the intended objective.
5. Side-lying leg series
Foundation: From a comfortable supported side-lying position, establish a small, controlled top-leg lift and lower.
Layer one: Keep the leg lift and add a small forward-and-back reach while the leg is lifted, returning before lowering.
Layer two: Retain the lift and forward-and-back reach, then introduce a brief hold or small pulse at a selected point before lowering.
Complete combination: Lift, reach forwards and back, pause or pulse, then lower as one integrated sequence.
Finisher: Deconstruct to the original lift-and-lower or a short supported hold, according to the client's response.
Options within the layers: Smaller lift, shorter lever, more pelvic support, no added resistance, reduced repetitions or rests. A band is an optional change in resistance rather than automatically the next layer.
Observe: Pelvic comfort, overall fatigue, the individual's exercise response and the intended movement goal.
Applying this in a real class
The five examples above illustrate five distinct layering opportunities, not a recommendation that every postnatal participant should complete all five in one abdominal block. An instructor should select and distribute exercises according to the full class plan, total loading, transition flow and individual suitability. Repeating every example back to back could produce unnecessary cumulative fatigue and would not automatically make a better programme.
Most importantly, the client's chosen regression should remain available at every stage. The instructor is building a shared movement sequence, not requiring everyone to reach the same final level.
When to Stop, When to Refer, and to Whom
Referrals are part of professional Pilates teaching. They do not necessarily mean excluding a client from all future activity, but some symptoms require immediate cessation of exercise and medical assessment before participation continues.
These are recognition and escalation categories for instructors, not diagnostic criteria. The instructor is not expected to identify a blood clot, postpartum infection or hypertensive disorder. The objective is to recognise a concerning presentation and seek the appropriate assistance.
| What you notice or are told | What you do |
|---|---|
| Chest pain, severe breathlessness, collapse, loss of consciousness or another potentially life-threatening symptom | Stop. Activate emergency procedures and call 000 in Australia when emergency ambulance assistance is needed. Do not delay help while testing an exercise alternative. |
| New painful swelling in one leg, especially with tenderness, warmth or redness | Stop exercise and arrange urgent same-day medical assessment because deep vein thrombosis is possible. This is not a routine pelvic health referral. If chest pain, sudden breathlessness or collapse accompanies it, call emergency services. |
| Heavy, sudden or increasing vaginal bleeding after birth | Stop and arrange urgent medical or maternity assessment. Bleeding with significant weakness, faintness, collapse or marked illness may require emergency ambulance assistance. |
| Severe or persistent headache, especially with visual disturbance or other concerning symptoms | Stop and arrange urgent medical assessment. Postpartum headache with concerning associated features must not be treated as an exercise-cueing problem. |
| Fever with significant pelvic or abdominal pain, abnormal or unpleasant-smelling discharge, or a concerning wound | Stop and arrange prompt medical or maternity assessment. Escalate immediately if the client is severely unwell. |
| Significant dizziness or faintness | Stop, assist the client into a safe supported position and remain with her. Arrange prompt medical assessment; escalate to emergency care if severe, persistent or accompanied by other warning signs. |
| Persistent or recurring pelvic heaviness, pressure, urinary leaking or pelvic pain without emergency features | Stop the provoking exercise and recommend appropriate assessment, commonly by a pelvic health Physiotherapist. Whether other activity continues depends on the symptoms, presentation and relevant healthcare advice. |
| New or worsening back or pelvic girdle pain | Pause the provoking task, establish the symptom behaviour and consider appropriate adaptation or referral. Persistent, worsening or function-limiting symptoms warrant assessment. |
| Visible abdominal coning without symptoms | Observe and consider the task and response. It is not automatically an injury warning or reason to refer. |
| Unclear restrictions, complications or uncertainty about suitability | Do not invent clinical rules. Ask the client to clarify the relevant advice with her healthcare provider before introducing potentially conflicting activities. |
This guidance reflects the postpartum warning signs in NICE NG194, the 2025 Canadian postpartum activity guideline and Australian advice on possible DVT.
How to refer without diagnosing
You might say:
'You mentioned heaviness during that exercise. I would like you to speak with a pelvic health Physiotherapist before we progress movements that bring on the same feeling. I cannot tell you what is causing it in class.'
Or, for a serious warning sign:
'That symptom needs medical assessment rather than another exercise modification. We are stopping the session and arranging the appropriate help.'
Describe what the client reported and what you observed. Avoid writing a speculative diagnosis in the studio record. Document the date, exercise, symptom in the client's own words, the response after stopping, any adjustments made, the advice given and whether studio incident-reporting procedures were followed. Protect the client's privacy.
Two Teaching Examples
These examples are fictional and illustrate an instructor's decision process. They are not treatment recommendations for the fictional clients or a substitute for individual assessment.
Scenario 1: About ten weeks after birth
A client arrives for a mixed-level Mat session about ten weeks after giving birth. You speak privately before class. She has attended her postnatal check, has received advice about exercise and reports no concerning symptoms. She was physically active before her pregnancy.
You explain that the class uses cumulative layers and that she can remain at an earlier variation whenever it better suits her. She chooses a version of the Hundred preparation with her head supported and an appropriate leg position, continuing the arm pumps as the rest of the room adds layers.
Later, in the supported roll-back series, you notice a visible ridge along the abdominal midline. You do not tell her that this is diastasis recti or evidence of damage. At an appropriate discreet moment, you ask whether she feels discomfort, pelvic pressure, heaviness or another symptom.
She reports no symptoms. You may offer a shorter roll-back or additional hand support if this better serves the exercise and her comfort. The visible ridge alone does not establish that the exercise is unsafe or that referral is mandatory.
If she later reports symptoms, expresses concern about her abdominal wall or has difficulty progressing, you recommend a pelvic health Physiotherapy assessment. You record any significant symptom or advice in accordance with studio policy.
The teaching principle is to interpret a visual observation in context, rather than turning it into a diagnosis or an automatic ban on abdominal work.
Scenario 2: About five weeks after birth
A client contacts the studio because she would like to join a mixed-level Mat class approximately five weeks after having her baby. Her midwife has said that gentle physical activity is appropriate.
You explain that permission for gentle movement is not the same as readiness for a structured group Pilates class. In Australia, Pregnancy, Birth and Baby recommends waiting until the six-week postnatal check before rejoining a gym or group exercise programme.
You complete the relevant screening conversation and ask about her recovery, healing, symptoms, complications and healthcare advice. Rather than automatically including her in the existing mixed-level timetable, you recommend following the postnatal check guidance before returning to the group programme. Gentle, individually appropriate activity may still be possible during this period under relevant advice and studio policies.
At a later suitable exercise session, after the relevant review and screening, she reports pelvic heaviness while performing an abdominal movement. You stop the provoking exercise and ask whether the feeling settles with rest.
You do not label the symptom as prolapse or prescribe a pelvic floor treatment plan. You recommend that she discuss it with her midwife or a pelvic health Physiotherapist before progressing activities that reproduce it, and you document what happened.
The teaching principle is that early postnatal movement can be beneficial without assuming that every group-class demand is appropriate immediately after birth.
Body Form Courses for This Kind of Class
Comprehensive Pre and Postnatal Pilates Certification
The Comprehensive Pre and Postnatal Pilates Certification is Physiotherapist-led continuing professional development for already qualified Pilates instructors. It addresses pregnancy and postpartum changes, exercise modification, pelvic floor and abdominal wall considerations, class application and referral decisions.
Price: AUD $399 upfront.
Study time: Approximately four weeks (estimated, self-paced).
Format: Fully online, self-paced.
Access: Unlimited.
The certification is CPD, not an entry-level Pilates teaching qualification. Instructors must already have appropriate Pilates qualifications and insurance to teach. For current instalment options, consult the checkout rather than relying on a payment amount or frequency reproduced in this article.
Mat Pilates Teacher Training
Mat Pilates Teacher Training is Body Form® Education's 250+ hour, Physiotherapy-led teacher-training qualification, available Hybrid or Fully Online. It includes exercise regressions, progressions, cumulative layering, cueing, anatomy and modifications for injuries and pregnancy, alongside written planning and practical teaching assessments.
The teacher-training programme is distinct from CPD: it is designed for people becoming qualified Mat Pilates instructors, not simply for instructors seeking an additional specialist certification.
Related reading
- Diastasis Recti in the Pilates Studio: What Instructors Need to Know
- Teaching Pilates to Prenatal Clients: A Guide for Instructors
- Body Form® Education: Free Guides
Coming soon: Programming & Cueing Mastery Certification. No price, link or launch date is claimed here.
Sources
The practical exercise examples above are teaching illustrations based on Body Form® Education's programming model. They are not individual clinical treatment protocols. The following sources support the public-health, screening, activity and warning-sign information.
- Davenport MH et al. (2025). 2025 Canadian guideline for physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep throughout the first year post partum. British Journal of Sports Medicine. Read the guideline. Supports progressive, individualised postpartum physical activity; early gentle activity; symptom-based loading; and screening for potential contraindications.
- Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government-funded service). Safe return to exercise after pregnancy. Read the Australian advice. Recommends a six-week postnatal check before rejoining a gym or group exercise programme while supporting gentle early activity.
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Postnatal care, NG194, recommendations. Read the guideline. Details postpartum warning signs, including significant bleeding, infection, venous thromboembolism symptoms and severe headache.
- Healthdirect Australia. Calf pain. Read healthdirect guidance. Advises immediate medical attention for possible DVT and emergency action for concerning chest or breathing symptoms.
- AUSactive. Scope of Practice for Registered Pilates Professionals. Read the scope framework. Describes professional boundaries, screening, qualifications and conditions for working with higher-risk clients.
Questions
1. Can a postnatal client do abdominal work in a group Mat class?
Often, yes, provided the client is appropriately screened and the class and individual exercises suit her recovery, symptoms and any healthcare guidance. Abdominal exercise does not need to be removed solely because she has given birth. Equally, there is no requirement to keep a particular abdominal exercise when it is unsuitable. Lever, range, position, support, volume and rest are possible variables to adjust.
2. Do I need medical clearance before a postnatal client joins my class?
Complete appropriate pre-exercise screening. Medical clearance or individual advice may be required following complications, significant symptoms, recent surgery or other contraindications, and your studio or insurer may impose its own participation requirements. Australian public-health guidance recommends completing the six-week postnatal check before returning to gym or group exercise. A check is not proof of full readiness for every session.
3. How soon after birth can a client join a group class?
There is no universal biological date at which every client becomes ready. Australian Pregnancy, Birth and Baby guidance recommends the six-week postnatal check before returning to a group exercise programme. Gentle walking and gentle pelvic floor or abdominal activity may be suitable earlier after an uncomplicated birth. After the check, decide whether the actual class suits the client's recovery, symptoms, healing and previous exercise experience.
4. Does a postnatal client need a separate programme?
Not necessarily. A well-planned mixed-level session can use cumulative layers with different choices of lever, range, support and total demand within each layer. Some clients will require more individualisation, a different class format or temporary restriction of specific activities. The goal is appropriate participation, not keeping someone in a group session regardless of suitability.
5. Should I tell the class which participant is postnatal?
No. Birth history and symptoms are private health information. Offer choices to the whole room and discuss individual recovery or symptom concerns discreetly, with appropriate consent and documentation.
6. Does visible coning mean an abdominal exercise is too difficult or harmful?
Not by itself. A visible ridge does not establish injury, a specific diagnosis or inability to tolerate the exercise. Consider the client's overall response, reported symptoms, exercise demands and relevant healthcare guidance. A modification may be useful, but visible coning alone does not require a blanket ban on abdominal work.
7. Can I tell a client she has diastasis recti?
No. Pilates instructors do not independently assess or diagnose medical conditions. Describe what you observe without labelling the underlying cause. If the client has persistent symptoms, functional concerns or questions about her abdominal wall, recommend assessment by a pelvic health Physiotherapist.
8. What do I do if a client reports pressure, leaking or another symptom during class?
Stop the provoking exercise and ask the client to describe the symptom and whether it settles. Persistent, recurring or concerning pelvic heaviness, pressure, leaking or pelvic pain warrants appropriate pelvic health assessment. For significant headache, heavy or increasing bleeding, painful unilateral leg swelling, severe dizziness or other warning signs, follow the urgent or emergency pathway rather than trying further exercise modifications. Record significant symptoms and the response objectively.
9. Does Body Form training qualify me to treat postnatal medical conditions?
No. Body Form® Education teacher training and CPD support Pilates instruction, programming, observation and adaptation within an instructor's professional scope. They do not, by themselves, qualify graduates to diagnose medical conditions, independently deliver clinical treatment or replace a qualified healthcare professional. The Comprehensive Pre and Postnatal Pilates Certification is CPD for existing qualified instructors.
Recognition
Accredited and Recognised
Body Form® Education teacher training is ITTAP accredited through the Pilates Method Alliance, mapped with AUSactive in Australia, and audited and verified by Pilates Aotearoa in New Zealand. This applies whether you complete Mat, Reformer or the full comprehensive pathway. Employment, insurance, visa and professional registration requirements vary by country and employer, so check the requirements where you plan to teach. CPD certifications are continuing education for qualified instructors.
Recognition and accreditation
