Effect on performance of learning a pilates skill with or without a mirror

Summary 

Mirrors are often used in an instructional environment where precise movements must be learned (e.g., martial arts, Pilates, dance). The potential for mirrors in the learning environment of a Pilates class, to affect the subsequent performance of a Pilates star movement when mirrors are not present, was examined. Twenty subjects learned the Pilates star movement over seven weeks, either with (n=11) or without (n=9), mirrors present in the Pilates studio. Performance of the star without mirrors present was assessed quantitatively before and after the training, by video analysis of the degree of lateral straightness of the subject's body at the start, middle, and end of the star movement. Performance of the star movement without a mirror present improved similarly for both the group that learned with, and the group that learned without, mirrors present (p<0.05). These results indicate that the inclusion of mirrors in a learning environment, to provide immediate visual feedback during learning, does not necessarily enhance the subsequent performance of a skill when mirrors are not present.

Keywords: Pilates, Star movement, Mirror learning, Visual feedback