Claim OwnershipPilates Elephants
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© Copyright 2025 Raphael Bender
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We get to grips with new research, teaching strategies, and social issues around Pilates and Pilates teaching. This is 100% authentic, unscripted, real talk about everything Pilates.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
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This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy
342 Episodes
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The humble lunge - there's a LOT more there than meets the eye. We go there - biomechanics, cueing, how to layer it and why most instructors don't get the full value from it.Mentioned in this episode:Get our help to grow your teamThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy
In this episode Patricia Robinson from Pilates Vita, London, breaks down how she built a boutique, premium-priced Pilates studio serving VIP clients in Kensington.Find Patricia here:https://www.pilatesvita.com/Mentioned in this episode:Get our help to grow your teamThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy
The story of how Ana Maria Borrero went from from €17/hr employee to nearly €10k/month in revenue with 6 reformers, 20 classes, and a waitlist in a small Dutch town.Find Ana here:https://movewithana.nl/ https://www.instagram.com/movewithanapilates/Mentioned in this episode:Get our help to grow your teamThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy
Many studio owners have a love/hate relationship with Classpass - Sari and I have an honest conversation about the pros and cons, and why (and how) her studios are leaving Classpass.Mentioned in this episode:Get our help to grow your teamThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy
There IS a right thing to cue in each exercise in Pilates. Here's how to know what it is.Bonus - There is no consistent pattern of muscle activation in the prone hip extension test. Except that gluteus maximus is consistently the last muscle to activate - hereMentioned in this episode:Get our help to grow your teamThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy
Many instructors use layers, but most miss the most powerful part of this amazing programming tool.Mentioned in this episode:Get our help to grow your teamThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy
Cassie and Henry from Sunny Space Studio share how they grew their reformer studio in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, to $65k a month within a year - without spending a dollar on ads. They break down how they attract over 100 first visits per month through exceptional client experience, brand consistency, and word of mouth. Plus how they train loyal clients into instructors, create SOPs that scale, and keep classes sold out with clear standards and warm service. This episode is a playbook for studio owners doing $10k+ who want to grow fast, without chaos or burnout.Check out Sunny Space here: https://www.sunnyspacestudio.ca/And on IG: https://www.instagram.com/sunnyspace.studioMentioned in this episode:Get our help to grow your teamThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy
Laura and Sam from Form & Flow Pilates share how they grew from one to two thriving studios in a year. They reveal the systems, standards, and teamwork that made it possible—and how they balance marriage, business, and growth without burnout.Find Laura and Sam's studios here: https://formandflow.co.uk/ Connect with me on Instagram: @the_raphaelbenderDownload a free course guide:Pilates CertificationStudio MastermindTeaching Mastery ProgramMentioned in this episode:Get our help to grow your teamThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy
Pilates Process Vancouver co-owner Alison Ward shares how clear boundaries protect studio culture, staff morale, and client respect. We dive into setting policies, holding firm under pressure, and why saying no can actually grow your business.Find Pilates Process Vancouver here: https://www.pilatesprocessvancouver.ca/ Connect with me on Instagram: @the_raphaelbenderDownload a free course guide:Pilates CertificationStudio MastermindTeaching Mastery ProgramMentioned in this episode:Get our help to grow your teamThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy
Most studio owners think offering more types of movement classes will attract more clients.In this episode, I explain why those formats actually hurt your studio by lowering margins, confusing your brand, and competing with cheap alternatives.Connect with me on Instagram: @the_raphaelbenderDownload a free course guide:Pilates CertificationStudio MastermindTeaching Mastery ProgramMentioned in this episode:Get our help to grow your teamThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy
Laura Saggers joins me to share the real story behind expanding from one to two Pilates studios. We cover the unexpected challenges of growth, what worked at one location but not the other, and how she navigated ClassPass, staffing, and competition. If you’re considering opening a second studio, this conversation will show you what no one tells you before you take the leap.Find Laura here:https://www.instagram.com/laurasaggers/ https://risepilates.com.au/Connect with me on Instagram: @the_raphaelbenderDownload a free course guide:Pilates CertificationStudio MastermindTeaching Mastery ProgramMentioned in this episode:Get our help to grow your teamThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy
At just 23, Chelsea McBride turned personal struggles into purpose and built a Pilates studio that filled up so fast she had to close the books.In this episode, you’ll hear how Chelsea:Grew from teaching private sessions at home to running 50 weekly reformer classes with 11 beds.Built a team of sixCreated so much demand she now has a waitlist for new clientsAll in a town of only 15,000 peopleConnect with Chelsea: Online https://www.themindandbodyclub.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themindandbodyclubConnect with me on Instagram: @the_raphaelbenderDownload a free course guide:Pilates CertificationStudio MastermindTeaching Mastery ProgramMentioned in this episode:Get our help to grow your teamThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy
Sara Leach, owner of Downtown Pilates in Mississippi, shares how she built a thriving reformer studio serving mostly 50+ clients, scaled to six teachers, and runs 40+ classes a week. We dive into how she built an incredibly tight and loyal community, plus key challenges she faces in her business.Connect with Sara and Downtown Pilates StudioFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/dpstudios042Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dPstudios042 Connect with me on Instagram: @the_raphaelbenderDownload a free course guide:Pilates CertificationStudio MastermindTeaching Mastery ProgramMentioned in this episode:Get our help to grow your teamThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy
We discuss:How to tell if you've made this hiring mistake (you almost certainly have)How to properly filter potential hiresPractical steps to get your existing team delivering a consistent high quality experienceThe exact hiring process we used to set up our studio for growth and retentionMentioned in this episode:Get our help to grow your teamThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy
Heath and Raphael challenge the myth that flawless form makes for safe, effective Pilates. They discuss why, and when, form should “fall apart” in strength and balance work, how load, not alignment, predicts injury, and why real progress comes from reps at the edge of fatigue and wobble.Bootsy's Basic Funk Formula: https://youtu.be/IHE6hZU72A4?si=1MMYdLpKd6UVjoo1 Connect with me Raph on Instagram: @the_raphaelbenderConnect with Heath on Instagram: @contrologycollectiveDownload a free course guide:Pilates CertificationTeaching Mastery ProgramMentioned in this episode:Get our help to grow your teamThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy
Jennifer Tan opened Bacolod’s first reformer Pilates boutique, Madila Pilates, and hit $23K revenue with 87% margins in her first month. She shares her journey from student success team member to thriving studio owner, why she expanded just weeks after launch, and the strategies fueling her rapid growth.Resources mentioned in the episode: Find Madila Pilates online here and on Instagram hereConnect with me on Instagram: @the_raphaelbenderDownload a free course guide:Pilates CertificationStudio MastermindTeaching Mastery ProgramMentioned in this episode:Get our help to grow your teamThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy
Pilates is all about cueing specific muscles, neutral spine and avoiding locking your joints, right?Often - yes. But it wasn't always that way. In fact all those things have flipped 180 degrees over the years since Joseph Pilates' day.Connect with me on Instagram: @the_raphaelbenderDownload a free course guide:Pilates CertificationStudio MastermindTeaching Mastery ProgramMentioned in this episode:Get our help to grow your teamThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy
These are the 5 predictable stages every Pilates studio owner goes through — from dreamer to thriving CEO. Exactly what breaks, plus what to do to grow at each stage.Stage 0 – WantrepreneurStuck in planning mode. No revenue.Fix: Stop thinking, start doing. Follow Ep 273 for exact steps.Stage 1 – Solopreneur ($1k–$10k/mo)Teaching, cleaning, selling — overwhelmed.Fix: Raise prices, set client boundaries, focus on one offer, outsource admin.Stage 2 – Builder ($10k–$40k/mo)Small team, people problems, misalignment.Fix: Get clear on values, enforce standards, fire low performers, track key metrics.Stage 3 – Entrepreneur ($30k–$60k/mo)Great first studio, second struggles.Fix: Nail positioning, document systems to scale team and quality.Stage 4 – CEO ($50k–$100k/mo)Multi-location chaos, communication breakdown.Fix: Install leadership systems, clarify roles, trim fat, build a real marketing team, and define a cash-positive growth model.Connect with me on Instagram: @the_raphaelbenderDownload a free course guide:Pilates CertificationStudio MastermindTeaching Mastery ProgramMentioned in this episode:Get our help to grow your teamThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy
This is for Pilates studio owners who are feeling pressure from an explosion of new studios offering the latest fads and undercutting prices. This is a step-by-step practical, battle-tested strategy to stand out without racing to the bottom or chasing trends.Here's the study I mention - 65% of people think they're above average intelligence: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0200103 Connect with me on Instagram: @the_raphaelbenderDownload a free course guide:Pilates CertificationStudio MastermindTeaching Mastery ProgramMentioned in this episode:Get our help to grow your teamThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy
Why we changed our minds on hands-on cueing in Pilates.Resources mentioned in the episode: Listen to Ep. 160. 'Can we even feel muscles activating' hereConnect with me on Instagram: @the_raphaelbenderConnect with Heath on Instagram: @contrologycollectiveDownload a free course guide:Pilates CertificationStudio MastermindTeaching Mastery ProgramMentioned in this episode:Get our help to grow your teamThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy
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Love this podcast. This episode is so useful, I'll be listening again
it was great 👍
Loved this episode! So interesting.