Emerging Instructor in Focus: Bradley Inness

Emerging Instructor in Focus

Name: Bradley Inness
Studio(s) you work at: Studio Atœm – My own home studio. I created it during the Pandemic in my mudbrick house in North Warrandyte. @atoem_
Location: North Warrandyte, Melbourne VIC
Instructor Training: Tensegrity Integrated Diploma in Contemporary Pilates and Methodology
PAA Level: Student

What originally motivated you to try Pilates and then go on to train as an instructor?

I’d been dancing professionally for 13 years. I took to Pilates after discovering an opportunity to go further into details on the why behind the movement. I also saw it as advantageous coming into my older years and wanting to find a way where my external body can take a rest, and let my internal start to drive.

What did you eat for breakfast?

I’m really into my organic steel cut oats at the moment. I like to make a big batch for the week, cooking them overnight. I heat some up in the morning and have them with dried apricots, goji berries, sunflower seed, chia seed and some almonds.

In one word, describe your first Pilates experience?

Mystical.

What impact has the recent COVID-19 virus had on your world?

I found cogency. By connecting with my primal instincts amongst many mental challenges and lessons, the past eighteen months have been opportunistic. It has bought me clarity around my values and allowed me to find true logic to my ideal balance. By taking the actionable steps required by my intuition, the ingredients have resulted in me witnessing a powerful encounter of my internal being and found a deeper connection with some extraordinary people.

How have you handled your Pilates teaching with COVID-19, any advice to other teachers?

After some organic hesitancy, say, 1-2 lockdowns in, I began to share classes online. It wasn’t until I heard someone mention after doing an exercise, “it feels like an outside movement, but it’s all happening inside me”, I was convinced that there is opportunity in ‘virtual Pilates’. It was also through teaching classes online that I was able to access a small taste of what experiences others were going through, although I’ve carried a strict “covidless” rule to the sessions. By continuing classes online, it allowed them to maintain consciousness of their body and I wanted to help. In the process, it allowed me to refine and utilise the opportunity of my online communication skills, my cueing, my knowledge, and my discipline towards my accountability to my own personal practice. This brought a favorable opportunity to find another depth of motivation, and again, ‘virtually’ connect with some incredible human beings.

Some enlightenments I experienced:
• Educate your clients on how to really use their online tools.
• The importance of not only the accuracy around a camera set-up, but the encouragement of finding the comfortability in the space of which your clients are training.
• Repetition – …and the why.
• The importance of the breath.
• Precision.
• Beginners is Advanced.

What’s the best thing about your job?

The people.

Your ‘go to’ website for all things Pilates (other than PAA)?

I don’t have one.

The best advice you’ve ever had?

You do you.

An indulgence you can’t live without?

Fire.

How long have you been a member of PAA and how did you hear about PAA?

I joined the PAA when I began training with Tensegrity out of Richmond in Melbourne.

Do you have a motto?

You do you.

What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?

Marketing.

How do you use PAA?

I’m fairly new to the PAA. I really enjoyed going to the conference this year.

Who is your Pilates idol or would love to meet, and why?

Not my Pilates idol as such, though I’d love to have a chat with Alan Watts, about Pilates! I wonder if he knew Joseph?!

What do you appreciate most about your body?

My spine – The Pillar of my being.

The book you’re currently reading?

I’m more of a podcast guy! That would be an Alan Watts podcast.

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