DiscoverBeyond the Reformer
Beyond the Reformer
Claim Ownership

Beyond the Reformer

Author: Nic Lenny

Subscribed: 11Played: 570
Share

Description

Welcome to Beyond the Reformer, the podcast where Pilates professionals and enthusiasts come together for thoughtful conversations, genuine insights, and inspiring stories. Join Nic every Monday morning to feel more connected, inspired, and empowered in your Pilates practice, teaching, and beyond…

45 Episodes
Reverse
Sitting all day is quietly reshaping our bodies and our confidence, and this episode explains exactly how to change that. In this conversation, Kerrie-Anne Bradley shares the story behind the Move at Your Desk Method and why she believes small, consistent movement breaks can transform not just your posture, but your mindset too. Kerrie-Anne reveals how Pilates principles can be applied in the real world, even while sitting at your desk. She and Nic explore the link between stress and post...
We’re back with Part 2 of the amazing conversation with Dr Brent Anderson to go deeper into what is really happening behind the scenes in the Pilates world. They’re chatting about education standards and what it actually means to take responsibility as a movement professional. Brent shares why teaching principles matter more than teaching protocols, and how to assess clients based on their real goals rather than assumptions. They explore the growing conversation around Pilates governanc...
In Part One of this incredible two part interview, Nic sits down in California with Dr. Brent Anderson, physical therapist, educator and founder of Polestar Pilates. Brent shares how science has reshaped the way Polestar teaches core control, why positive movement experiences matter more than perfection, and how Polestar Pilates was born. The conversation goes deep into the emotional and spiritual power of movement. Brent reflects on how alignment creates presence, how presence builds int...
A Pilates body has nothing to do with aesthetics and everything to do with awareness, strength and freedom in your own skin. Nic sits down with Brooke Siler, author of The Pilates Body, to explore what the phrase “Pilates body” really means and why it has been so widely misunderstood. Brooke discusses her early training with Romana Kryzanowska, the direct lineage back to Joseph Pilates, and the responsibility of carrying a method forward without losing its philosophy. Brooke explains wh...
Pilates as we know it today would not exist without Kristi Cooper and the bold decision she made in 2009 to put the method online before anyone believed it would work. While in LA, Nic got the chance to visit Kristi Cooper in her gorgeous house in Santa Barbara to discuss the story behind Pilates Anytime and the evolution of online Pilates education. In 2008, at a time when YouTube videos were limited to ten minutes and Pilates was still seen as exclusive and studio based, she was asked a...
Pilates is EVERYWHERE right now, but not everything being labelled Pilates is safe or rooted in the original method. Nic sits down with Victoria Batha Cuomo aka the Pilates Snob, for a thought-provoking conversation about the current state of the Pilates industry. They explore how social media has both helped and harmed Pilates and why misinformation spreads so easily. Victoria explains why a lack of regulation around education has created major issues for both teachers and clients, and...
Pilates is not meant to be rushed, trendy, or reinvented every week, and this conversation explains exactly why. Nic sits down with Tracey Mallett in her California studio for an honest conversation about movement, teaching, creativity, and what it really takes to build a long and sustainable career in Pilates. They explore the evolution of Pilates, classical and contemporary work, and the challenges facing new instructors in a trend driven industry. Tracey speaks openly about confidenc...
The difference between a good Pilates class and a great one often comes down to how and when you cue. After receiving such a positive response from our previous episode on class planning, Nic is back for a solo episode that goes deep into the art of cueing. Cueing completely changes the experience a client can have in a Pilates class, and Nic shares her advice on the different types of cues you can use to deepen their overall experience. She discusses verbal cues, imagery, tactile feedb...
Teaching Pilates becomes a whole different experience when clients bring pain, injuries, and complex diagnoses into the room, and this episode shows how to handle those moments with confidence rather than fear. In this episode of Beyond the Reformer, Nic is joined by physiotherapist, Pilates teacher, and author Samantha Wood for a deep and practical conversation about teaching Pilates in rehabilitation settings. Together, they explore what it really means to support clients living with pa...
Building a successful Pilates studio takes far more than great teaching, and this episode breaks down what truly creates long term growth, profitability, and sustainability in the Pilates industry. Nic sits down with Pilates business strategist Seran Glanfield to explore what it really takes to build a thriving and sustainable Pilates studio. They discuss the biggest mistakes studio owners make, why mindset plays such a crucial role in success, and how to shift from thinking like a teache...
Happy New Year and welcome to part 2 of the 2025 Beyond the Reformer Recap! In this episode, Nic reflects on the lessons that emerged over the past year and how they are shaping the year ahead. Following on from part 1, this episode explores balance, burnout, education, and the realities of building a sustainable life in Pilates alongside family, teaching, and leadership. Guests such as Audrey O’Connor, Julie Driver, Rachel Hall, Amy Kellow, and Claire Sparrow share insights that go bey...
Welcome to part 1 of the 2025 Beyond the Reformer Recap! Nic is reflecting on the conversations that shaped Beyond the Reformer over the past six months. What began as a 10-episode series so that Nic could tick having a podcast off her goals list, quickly grew into an ongoing show that connected teachers, studio owners, educators, and movement professionals from all corners of the Pilates community. With listeners tuning in from 94 countries, this podcast has grown bigger than Nic could hav...
Some Pilates studios grow because of strategy. Others grow because of community. Angela Walker has built her studio through both. This episode is a deep dive into what it really takes to grow a thriving, award winning Pilates studio outside of a big city. Angela, the owner of Align Pilates near Glasgow, shares the real story behind building a community led, wellness focused space. Angela opens up about so many important topics such as studio growth, dealing with burnout, setting boundar...
Once you learn what fascia really does, you can’t unsee it in every client you work with. In this conversation, Nic sits down with movement educator and fascia expert Katherine Pentecost for a deep dive into the world of fascia and why every Pilates teacher needs to understand it. Kath shares her journey about how discovering fascia changed absolutely everything about the way she moved, cued, programmed and taught. Nic and Kath explore what fascia actually is, the biggest misconceptions...
Pain does not mean your body is broken. If you work with clients in pain or you have ever felt afraid to move, this conversation is for you. In this episode of Beyond The Reformer, Nic sits down with Pilates teacher, movement specialist and chronic pain educator Dana Karen (DK) Ciccone to explore what pain really is, how fear shapes the way we move, and why every body is meant to move. Drawing on DK’s personal journey of chronic pain, injury and rebuilding trust with her body, the convers...
Movement becomes medicine when you learn how to truly feel it, and this conversation with Christi Idavoy shows you exactly how to teach from that place of depth, clarity and presence. Today, Nic sits down with senior Polestar Pilates educator Christi Idavoy for an inspiring conversation on movement, teaching, energy, intuition and the art of presence in the studio. Christi shares the story of how movement has shaped her life since childhood, the unexpected path that led her from yoga to P...
Few people have shaped modern Pilates education like Nichole Zuckerman. As one of Polestar Pilates’ most senior educators, Nichole has dedicated her career to deepening how teachers understand movement, presence, and the human body. Nic sits down with Nichole to explore the philosophy that has made Polestar Pilates one of the most respected education schools in the world. Nichole shares her upbringing surrounded by reformers and studio life, what it was like growing up as Brent Anderson’s...
Behind every powerful Pilates class is a teacher who understands subtlety. In this solo episode, Nic shares how to create classes that help clients find ease, awareness, and lasting change. After years of teaching and now educating other Pilates instructors, Nic has noticed a recurring question from listeners: what does it mean to teach with subtlety? In this episode, she breaks down the art and science of structuring a Pilates class that helps clients move with more awareness, ease, and ...
In this bonus episode, Nic sits down with Balanced Body Educator LaBriece Ochsner at the Pilates Gathering in Scotland to explore how education, compassion, and clarity in teaching continue to shape the future of Pilates. LaBriece’s journey began over two decades ago in Zurich, where her first Pilates mat class revealed a method that would change her life. From teaching in Swiss fitness centres to running her own studio and becoming a global educator, she shares how her experience across cu...
Nic is back with another conversation recorded live at the Pilates Gathering in Scotland. Cameron Angus and Nic explore how the worlds of physiotherapy and Pilates intertwine to create more resilient, mindful, and connected movers and teachers. With decades of experience spanning the battlefield, physiotherapy clinics, and now his own Pilates studio, Cameron shares the fascinating evolution of his work and how Pilates became central to helping people move better, recover from injury, and re...
loading
Comments