The first face-to-face Mbodies, post rehab breast cancer course, since lockdown - the prequel.

 

‘Spot the difference’

As we prepared on Saturday Morning 26th June 2021 for Mbodies Training Academy’s  first face-to-face education since lockdown, it felt a bit like setting up a 'spot the difference' game:  6 Physiotherapists, 7 Pilates Instructors a Yoga specialist instructor and an advanced fitness professional were about to arrive for two days of Pink Ribbon Post-Rehab Instructor Training and what would in 2019 have been just a routine set-up was anything but that today.

The arrival


The Arrival


No more lonely sign-in Sheet to greet you – instead ‘Lateral-Flow’ Covid 19 tests for those who had not brought photographic proof of their own negative test earlier that morning. .  Type IIR medical-grade disposable masks: the new requirement to be admitted to the course; as well as the compulsory sanitiser to use when entering and leaving the premises!


The sign-in


The Disclaimers and Waivers

Added to the normal disclaimer and permission  forms covering liability, data-protection and photography was the crucial new Covid 19 questionnaire confirming the student is well today, should not be isolating… etc. etc.

And then, of course, the individual pens to sign in with -  no communal pens are acceptable any more!

Social distancing


The Social Distancing of Desks

Once again, in the distant past now, students sitting 3 or 4 to a table with a drinking glass and bottles of spring water on the table to share.  Instead now,  a minimum of 2 metres in front and to the sides of each individual student station positioned within a venue specifically chosen because it had a legal Covid-19 capacity for 16 people, our requirement,  and also ventilation from Velux windows in the Apex of the ceiling as well as opening windows on both sides of the room.

The student station

The Individual Student Desk

On each desk in addition to the Manuals and papers sat a personal atomiser spray containing ‘Natrasan’ antiviral solution suitable for the hands and skin as well as hard surfaces, individually wrapped portions of mints and jelly beans to replace a general sharing bowl.  A personal stirrer and napkins to facilitate the preparation of hot beverages and crucially given the mess of wrappers and paper towels to come, - on the top right of the station a personal rubbish bag.  We had to ask ourselves how much of this was necessary ?!

The refreshment stations

The Refreshment station


No cups and saucers, cutlery or niceties like China jugs of milk; those were things from the olden days.  Modern face-to-face education demands individually wrapped tea bags, instant coffee sachets and UHT milk in Sachets.    The new way is to bring your own Mug to the course and take the individual beverage ingredients back to your personal station to mix with the boiling water collected in your drinking vessel!

OH - Don’t forget the biscuits!  Previously something made or chosen with pride and thought; but today no more homemade cakes or plates of gluten-free or healthy options to salivate over -  today's options once more limited to relatively boring fare;  pre-wrapped biscuit packs – for social distanced consumption!



Now a feeling of some anxiety as the students were due to arrive -  how were they going to react to the new training reality?


Chris Onslow has been in the Pilates industry since 1999. He has sold or distributed Balanced Body, Stott-Pilates and Align-Pilates equipment in the UK and Europe and has owned Pilates Studios ranging from 600 square feet to 6000 square feet in size, with studios in Oxford, London and Witney. Chris brought Stott Pilates education to the UK in 2006 and now runs Mbodies Training Academy. He is a consultant for several Pilates studio operators and owners seeking to use his experience in the industry to 'launch', 'develop', and 'refocus' their Pilates focussed companies.  Chris is the owner of Mbodies Training Academy.


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Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Post Operative Rehab Course






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