For Teachers
Libby Brenna / Teacher education
For newly qualified Pilates instructors
You’ve qualified.
Your first class is coming.
What will you teach?
Go from staring at a blank class plan to having a structure you can practise, words you can use and a calmer way to enter the room.
The Confident Teacher Playbook gives you practical tools to prepare for the class, cover session or audition ahead of you.
Get the Playbook →37-page PDF · One-off purchase · Current price on the purchase page
Does this feel familiar?
You know the exercises.
Leading the room feels different.
You open your notes, move a few exercises around and wonder whether they will fill a class. You rehearse a cue in your head, then lose the words when you say it aloud. A studio asks for an audition and you’re unsure what to prepare.
Those are specific teaching tasks you can practise. This Playbook gives you a starting structure, worked examples and space to make a plan of your own.
You’re allowed to be new. You can still prepare well.
What it helps you do
Turn “where do I start?”
into your next teaching plan.
01
A plan you can actually rehearse.
Three 45-minute example plans, timing maps and coaching notes help you see how a class fits together. Start with the mat plan; use the reformer or strength plans only if you hold the relevant training.
02
Words ready to try out loud.
A cueing framework, cue bank and opening and closing scripts give you language to practise. Keep what helps and make it sound like you.
03
Options prepared before someone needs one.
Observation and adaptation guidance, plus an options worksheet, help you think through what you will watch and how you might change the task.
04
A first five minutes you have practised.
Preparation pages and a teaching-day checklist help you organise your start, rehearse your opening and have a recovery line if you lose your place.
05
A clearer next step towards teaching work.
Audition preparation, a studio shortlist and outreach tools help you prepare a teachable segment and approach studios with a plan.
06
A way to keep getting better.
A four-week practice routine and reflection tools help you choose what to rehearse, notice what worked and work on one thing at a time.
Real extracts from the current edition
See how the support works.
These examples come from the Playbook. Expand each one to see the kind of structure you’ll be working with.
A map for your 45-minute class
From page 14: time blocks include demonstrations, transitions and recovery.
| Block | Time |
|---|---|
| Arrive | 0–5 minutes |
| Build | 5–15 minutes |
| Develop | 15–30 minutes |
| Integrate | 30–40 minutes |
| Restore | 40–45 minutes |
The full page explains how to plan for the group, manage time and rehearse the transitions. You then apply the map in your own planning worksheet.
Cue one clear thing, then observe
From the bridge example on page 9.
Set up: “Lie on your back, knees bent, feet comfortably apart.”
Move: “Press through your feet and lift your hips to a comfortable height.”
Observe: Pause, watch and add a useful cue in response to the movement you see.
The book breaks cueing into set-up, movement, an optional breath cue and observation, so you can practise giving information in manageable steps.
A worksheet that turns ideas into decisions
From the class planner on page 22.
- Record your group, class purpose and date.
- Write the movement, dose, option and transition for each block.
- Prepare your opening words.
- Choose an optional layer to remove if time runs short.
- Name one coaching skill to practise.
The result is a plan you can rehearse and review, with more thought behind it than a list of exercises.
Why begin now?
Give yourself time to rehearse
before the room fills up.
Your next class might already be in the diary. You might have been asked to cover, or have an audition you want to say yes to.
Choose the class you’re preparing for. Work through a suitable plan, practise your opening and say your cues out loud. Each rehearsal gives you something familiar to return to when you teach.
From one instructor to another
Hi, I’m Libby.
I’m a Pilates instructor, personal trainer and strength coach, and the founder of BRENNA Studio in Blyth.
My background in personal training and leading classes gave me experience to draw on when I qualified in Pilates. I still had to find my voice, learn my timings and get comfortable being responsible for the room.
Speaking with brand-new instructors showed me how much support someone without that background might need. I began sharing teaching videos and creating the Playbook to make those first steps feel less lonely and more practical.
My perspective brings together Pilates, strength, functional movement and space to restore. The Playbook introduces that perspective while keeping your own teaching voice at the centre.
Before you buy
Is this your next step?
This is for you if: you’re a qualified Pilates instructor who wants practical help with planning, cueing, rehearsal and preparing for teaching opportunities. It can also be useful when you’re already teaching and want a clearer structure to return to.
What it includes: 37 pages of teaching preparation, cueing and adaptation guidance, three example class plans with coaching notes, worksheets, client-experience scripts, a teaching-day checklist, audition preparation, career tools and a four-week practice routine.
Important: the three plans cover mat, reformer and strength. Use only the formats and exercises you’re trained and insured to teach. A mat qualification alone does not qualify you to teach reformer or strength sessions.
What format is it?
A PDF to read on your phone, tablet or laptop, with worksheets you can print. The purchase page shows the current price and delivery details.
Will it make me confident straight away?
It gives you tools to prepare and practise. Teaching confidence develops through experience, reflection and feedback. The Playbook supports that process; it does not assess your practical competence.
Is it a qualification or a BRENNA Method certification?
No. It’s a practical resource for qualified instructors. It does not award a qualification, certify the BRENNA Method or guarantee employment.
What if I want personal feedback?
Studio Ready is the small, live mentorship I’m developing for newly qualified mat Pilates instructors. It will bring together teaching practice, feedback, a mock audition and support with your brand and business. Confirmed dates, format and pricing will be shared when it’s ready.
The Confident Teacher Playbook
A structure to practice.
Words to make your own.
A starting point for your next class.
Start with the class ahead of you. Prepare one clear step at a time.
Get the Confident Teacher Playbook →37-page PDF · One-off purchase · Current price on the purchase page