It's halfway through class. Everyone moves into four-point kneeling, and she stays sitting back, one hand on her knee, waiting for you to give her something else.
Or it's squats. You've cued "knees over feet" three times, and her right knee still drifts in on every rep.
Or it's the one-to-one where you finally get to the knee strengthening you'd planned, and it hurts. Now what? I've had that session myself.
Or it's the knee that clicks every time she stands up, and you're never sure whether to say anything.
You adapt. You always do. But a lot of it ends up as improvising: one version for her, another for everyone else, and a quiet worry that you might be making things worse. Some days it feels like teaching two classes at once.
And every so often, a client like that simply stops booking.
You already know plenty of knee exercises. That's rarely what's missing.
What's missing is knowing which one suits the knee in front of you, what you're actually trying to change, and what to do when the usual option makes things worse.
Take the knee that keeps caving in. Most of us were taught that knees should track straight over the feet, so we cue it, and cue it again. But the human leg isn't built perfectly straight. A degree of inward angle is part of the design.
For some clients, the shape of their hip means their knee will tend to sit a certain way however strong their legs get. You can cue it for months and nothing changes. For others, it really is something you can influence. But the knee isn't always the place to start. The foot, the hip or the pelvis may be doing more than you think.
If you can't tell which is which, you end up correcting things that don't need correcting and missing the things that do.
Almost everything we teach involves bending the knee. So the next time a client tells you her knee is "bad", you'll have somewhere to start:
what to look at before you change anything
whether that alignment is worth correcting, or simply how she's built
a gentle option that keeps her moving with the rest of the class
a route from careful movement back to strength, so she isn't stuck in "protect the knee" mode forever
Aligned Knee is a practical workshop you can watch whenever suits you. I'd ask you to move with me rather than just watch. Things make far more sense once you've felt them, and if you can feel it, you can teach it better.
01
See what the knee is actually doing
We start with how the knee bends, straightens and soaks up force when you walk. Then you can describe what's going on, rather than filing it under "bad knee".
02
Decide whether that alignment needs changing
We'll look at valgus, natural variation and the limits of "knees always parallel". I'll show you a simple check for whether the shape of a client's hip makes her knee likely to sit a certain way, so you don't spend sessions trying to change something that won't change.
03
Look above and below the knee
How the foot, hip and pelvis shape what happens at the knee, and what to try when working on the knee itself isn't enough.
04
Keep her moving when normal knee work hurts
Gentle movements, regressions and cues you can slot into a mat or group class, or use one-to-one when a knee flares up.
05
Build strength and progress the load
Then we move from comfortable movement into strength, stability and progressive loading, so the knee doesn't stay wrapped in cotton wool.
06
Think clearly about osteoarthritis and "wear and tear"
What the research currently suggests about movement and loading for these clients, and what to make of clicky knees. So when she asks whether she should even be doing this, you've got a calm, honest answer that stays within your scope.
I'm a Pilates teacher and biomechanics coach. Over the past 15 years I've taught Pilates teachers and movement professionals around the world.
My aim is always the same: take the science and turn it into something you can use with the client in front of you on Monday morning.
I've run workshops on backs, necks, feet and pelvic floors. Knees are everywhere in our classes. I'd like you to feel ready for them.
Aligned Knee is being relaunched, so these come from teachers who've done my other workshops.
Only for teachers who join by Sunday 18 October
Every teacher has one client who doesn't fit the examples.
On Thursday 29 October at 1pm UK time, I'm running a live Q&A for everyone who joins Aligned Knee by Sunday 18 October. Bring your questions about the knee that's been bothering you, and we'll think them through together. You don't need to have finished the workshop first, and if you can't make it live, you'll get the replay.
After Sunday 18 October, the price goes back to £60 and the Q&A isn't included.
Usually £60
The full workshop with instant access
Lifetime access, so you can come back to it when the next knee walks in
The Aligned Knee manual
5 NPCP continuing education credits, with the accreditation quiz
Only for teachers who join by Sunday 18 October
A live Q&A with me on Thursday 29 October, plus the replay.
Bring your questions about the client who doesn't fit the examples, and we'll think them through together. It isn't part of the usual workshop, and it isn't included after the 18th.
Until Sunday 18 October, 11:59pm UK time
Workshop plus live Q&A
After Sunday 18 October
Workshop only
My 30-Day Confident Coach Guarantee
Go through the workshop. Take what you learn into your teaching. Try the appropriate strategies with a real client. And see whether you feel better equipped to help them make progress. If you don’t feel clearer and more confident about working with clients with knee issues, simply contact us within 30 days, and ask for a refund.
Yes. This isn't an injury course. It's for the everyday client whose knee is stiff, sore, wobbly, noisy, or just doesn't do what you were taught it should.
I'll use the proper terms where they help, explain them in plain English, and bring everything back to what you'll see, cue and teach. You'll be moving for much of it, which is what makes it stick.
Yes. It's about understanding movement, adapting exercise and making loading decisions as a Pilates teacher. It won't teach you to diagnose or treat knee conditions, and it'll help you recognise when someone needs another professional.
It's on demand and yours for life. Watch it in one go, or come back to it in chunks when you're ready.
No, but it will be more beneficial if you have. Come with whatever questions you have. If you can't make it live, the replay's yours.
You’ll receive access immediately after purchasing. Your confirmation email will contain everything you need to start watching.
You’ll have lifetime access to the workshop, so there is no deadline for completing it. You can revisit the training whenever it becomes relevant to a client or class.
Yes. After watching the workshop and successfully completing the accompanying quiz, you’ll receive your completion certificate. This is also how you claim your continuing-education credits.
Yes. The workshop is approved for NPCP continuing education. You’ll need to complete the workshop and quiz before receiving your certificate and credits.
The workshop has been created primarily for Pilates teachers, but it is also relevant to movement teachers, personal trainers and other professionals who want a clearer understanding of the knee.
Tom Waldron Movement Education
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