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
335 Episodes
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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
ACSM's new pre and postnatal exercise guidelines just came out, and there are several substantial changes. We talk through them, the evidence behind each one, and what they mean for Pilates instructors.Links:Narrative review of exercise dose during pregnancy hereExercise and pregnancy in recreational and elite athletes hereSystematic review of supine exercise during pregnancy hereSystematic review on the benefits of aerobic and resistance training on maternal health and perinatal outcomes hereResistance training reduces need for insulin in pregnant women with gestational diabetes hereACOG position on exercise during pregnancy and postpartum hereACSM's Guidelines for exercise testing and prescription 12th ed hereConnect with me on Instagram: @the_raphaelbenderConnect with Nicole on Instagram: @clinicalpilatescoachDownload 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
Raph and Heath share their journey from rigid STOTT Pilates rules to a science-backed, minimalist approach to teaching. Discover why doing less—fewer cues, less correction, and simpler programming—gets clients better results, more flow, and deeper engagement. 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
In this episode, Raphael and Heath challenge the myth that Pilates doesn’t build strength. They break down the science of strength adaptations, clarify what “strength” really means, and explain how Pilates can be a legitimate strength training method—when done right.Key Topics:What counts as “strength” and how it’s measuredWhy effort (not burn or soreness) drives adaptationHow load, reps, and proximity to failure matter more than equipmentDebunking common myths around bodyweight vs. external loadHow to apply strength principles in Pilates for real resultsTakeaway for Instructors:You can—and should—train your clients for strength using Pilates. This episode will give you the tools to do it.Connect with me 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
Five months ago, Brian Darsie opened the doors to his Pilates studio. He had never taught a group Pilates class outside his certification course. Since then, he’s taken a two-week holiday, and last month, he hit $30k revenue and $16k profit—all without working insane hours.In this episode, Brian shares the mindset shifts, pricing strategies, and simple systems that helped him grow fast without burnout.If you’re a Pilates instructor or studio owner, this is your proof that success doesn’t have to take years.Connect with me on Instagram: @the_raphaelbenderConnect with Brian on Instagram: @anandbriand Find Redwood Studio here: https://www.redwoodpilates.studio/ or on IGDownload 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
You’ve heard it a thousand times: strength comes from control. But what if that’s only half true? In this episode, we challenge the dogma, unpack the nuance, and explore where real strength actually comes from—in Pilates and beyond.Connect with me 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
Natalie shares how she navigated fear, self-doubt, and career pivots—and what made the difference. If you’re thinking about change, this is how to do it right. And some pitfalls to avoid!Connect with me on Instagram: @the_raphaelbenderConnect with Natalie on Instagram: @nataliewilsonpilatesDownload 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
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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.