Pilates Technique Thursday: The Law of Compensation in Your Teaching

Two hands exchange crisp £50 notes, symbolising value, effort, and fair compensation.

People often say money is hard to earn. In reality, it is not about difficulty, but about understanding the principles that drive value. There is a simple law of compensation that explains how income grows. It depends on three factors:

1. The need for what you do.

2. How good you are at it.

3. How difficult it is to replace you.

For Pilates teachers, the second point is where technique comes in. How skilled are you in delivering the method? Do you rely only on memorising exercises, or do you bring depth, precision, and an understanding of the body into every session? When you refine your technique, you raise your standard. The better you are, the more people need what you offer, and the harder it is to replace you.

Napoleon Hill, in his well-known work Think and Grow Rich, described this as “specialised knowledge.” It means becoming excellent at a specific area rather than spreading yourself thin. In our profession, specialised knowledge is not simply knowing a list of Pilates movements. It is the ability to adapt, to see alignment issues, to teach principles like breath, control, and flow, and to bring them to life in your clients.

So, this Thursday, look at your own teaching. Where is your technique strong, and where does it need development? Every time you improve your skill, you increase your value.

Technique is not only what sets you apart as a teacher, it is also what allows your clients to feel the difference in their own bodies. And when people feel that difference, they will always come back.