Beyond the Reformer

• What Separates Good Pilates Teachers from Great Ones with Diane Nye

  Send us a textIntroducing our new Teaching Tips series! We have Diane Nye back on the podcast, chatting about what makes a truly great teacher.Having mentored hundreds of Pilates instructors over the past 16 years, Diane shares her insights on confidence, presence, and the art of bringing your personality into your teaching.Together, we explore why knowledge alone doesn’t make a great teacher, how to build authentic connections with clients, and the importance of curiosity and observation in the early years of teaching.Diane also offers advice for overcoming imposter syndrome, avoiding over-cueing, and making the most of your practice and observation hours.If you haven’t listened to the first episode with Diane, you can check it out hereTimestamps00:00 Welcome back Diane Nye!00:40 What makes a truly successful teacher02:12 Bringing personality and confidence into your teaching04:29 Learning from experience and continuous improvement05:16 Letting go of perfection and being present10:40 What sets successful teachers apart12:21 Advice for your first year of teaching13:52 Common pitfalls for trainee teachers19:21 Class planning challenges22:37 Client expectations and teaching strategies26:06 Mentoring in studios29:20 Advice for studio owners30:40 Putting your all into teaching33:44 Continuous learning and developmentIf you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review and share it with your Pilates friends. It really helps us reach more people with thoughtful conversations like this.Connect with Nic:Beyond the Reformer InstagramSoul Pilates InstagramSoul Pilates EducationNic’s InstagramJoin Soul at HomeBook a Pilates ClassConnect with Diane:Polestar Pilates CoursesGet 5% off Balanced Body Pilates equipment with the code SOUL PILATES Start your 7-day free trial with Soul at Home now!

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• Creating a pilates studio that lasts, grows, and stays profitable with Chelsea Streifeneder

  Send us a textMaintaining your Pilates studio’s equipment is a necessity if you want to ensure you are making a profit.And no one understands that better than Chelsea Streifeneder, founder of Body Be Well Pilates and an expert in Pilates equipment maintenance and studio sustainability.In this episode, Chelsea joins Nic to share what she’s learned in 16 years of studio ownership, including how she’s seen other opportunities outside of classes to make a profit in the Pilates world, and how to scale without burnout.They discuss the recurring issues that cause equipment to break down, how Chelsea created a certified 8-week online course to train Pilates technicians worldwide, and how investing in maintenance can actually make you money.Chelsea also talks about building a standout team, staying passionate about teaching, and why it’s crucial for instructors to be fully certified across all equipment.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to Chelsea01:22 Challenges in equipment maintenance and why most equipment issues are preventable11:24 Chelsea’s patented ‘Sticky Feet’ reformer solution13:08 Chelsea's journey with Pilates14:20 How she built three thriving studios and a great team17:30 Balancing profitability and passion18:24 Balancing multiple studio locations21:45 Chelsea’s approach to teacher training and certification27:04 Adapting to changing clientele28:33 Creating online courses and digital platforms31:14 Challenges and rewards of studio ownership35:58 Advice, mentors, and what Chelsea would tell her younger self39:10 How to connect with ChelseaIf you enjoyed this episode, please make sure to share it with another studio owner who you think would find this valuable, and make sure to rate the show 5 stars.Connect with Nic:Beyond the Reformer InstagramSoul Pilates InstagramSoul Pilates EducationNic’s InstagramJoin Soul at HomeBook a Pilates ClassConnect with Chelsea:Body Be Well Pilates WebsiteChelsea’s InstagramBody Be Well Pilates InstagramEmail Chelsea: [email protected] 5% off Balanced Body Pilates equipment with the code SOUL PILATES Start your 7-day free trial with Soul at Home now!

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• Understanding hypermobility and its impact on the body with Jeannie Di Bon

  Send us a textThe pain, fatigue and anxiety you’ve been living with isn’t in your head, it’s a sign of something deeper your body has been trying to tell you.Nic is joined by movement therapist and Pilates educator Jeannie Di Bon to explore the realities of living with hypermobility and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). Jeannie was diagnosed later in life after years of unexplained symptoms, and her journey led her to create The Zebra Club, an online platform supporting hypermobile people around the world.They talk about what hypermobility really means, the misunderstandings that exist even in the movement space, and how Jeannie’s Integral Movement Method helps people regain strength, stability and trust in their bodies.Timestamps00:00 Welcome and introduction00:39 Jeannie’s personal journey with hypermobility02:25 Discovering Pilates and how it changed her body04:14 Early challenges training in classical Pilates10:03 Understanding EDS and how hypermobility shows up15:03 Teaching hypermobile clients with safety and care23:05 How movement therapy transformed Jeannie’s life26:14 The six principles of the Integral Movement Method34:21 What gentle expansion really means34:48 Research around fatigue, pain and pacing36:19 Learning to listen to your body and build trust again43:31 Why Jeannie created The Zebra Club48:20 Using tech to make support more accessible50:34 Her upcoming book and plans for teacher education56:42 The future of health and fitness for hypermobile people59:52 Quick-fire questionsIf you found this episode helpful, please share it with a fellow teacher or someone living with chronic pain.Connect with Nic:Beyond the Reformer InstagramSoul Pilates InstagramSoul Pilates EducationNic’s InstagramJoin Soul at HomeBook a Pilates ClassConnect with Jeannie:Jeannie’s websiteContact JeannieJoin The Zebra ClubJeannie’s InstagramGet 5% off Balanced Body Pilates equipment with the code SOUL PILATES Start your 7-day free trial with Soul at Home now!

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• Teaching classical Pilates in a trend-driven industry with Amy Kellow

  Send us a textToday, Nic is joined by Amy Kellow, founder of Everybody Pilates, second-generation teacher, and educator with studios across the UK and the Netherlands.They talk about what classical Pilates really means, how to balance structure with intuition, and why understanding the origins of the work is essential, no matter what style you teach.Amy explores the challenges of scaling a Pilates business, managing a team across locations, and how to keep evolving as a teacher while staying rooted in the original system.Timestamps:00:00 Amy’s first encounter with Pilates and how it helped her back pain02:13 Teaching her first classes in local leisure centres and village halls03:19 Training in the full classical system05:37 What classical Pilates really is and how it’s often misunderstood10:14 Classical vs contemporary Pilates14:14 Amy’s first meeting with Jay Grimes and what she learned from him16:30 Stories from Joseph Pilates19:24 Developing her own training programme and the role of intuition in teaching24:05 Changes Amy sees in Pilates clients29:31 Growing Everybody Pilates to four studios, including one in the Netherlands31:17 Maintaining quality and ethos across multiple locations34:29 Leading a team and looking after your teachers37:42 Future plans for expanding education and opening more studios39:15 The pressure to modernise with trends43:33 How Amy balances studio life, teaching, and curriculum development48:07 The importance of staying inspired, asking questions, and being curious53:58 Quick fire questions- advice from Jay, biggest influences, and the gift Pilates has given AmyThanks for listening to this weeks episode! Make sure to hit subscribe and rate the show 5 stars if you enjoyed.Connect with Nic:Beyond the Reformer InstagramSoul Pilates InstagramSoul Pilates EducationNic’s InstagramJoin Soul at HomeBook a Pilates ClassConnect with Amy:Everybody pilates websiteEverybody pilates InstagramGet 5% off Balanced Body Pilates equipment with the code SOUL PILATES Start your 7-day free trial with Soul at Home now!

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• How Platinum Pilates was built without compromising on depth with Milena Jaksic

  Send us a textThe secret to growing a successful Pilates business isn’t about chasing trends on Instagram or TikTok. You need to stay curious and always being open to learning!In this inspiring episode, Nic sits down with Milena Jaksic, the founder of Platinum Pilates, to look at the story behind one of Ireland’s most respected studios.They explore how she went from cleaning gym machines to opening six studios, the curiosity that’s kept her evolving over more than two decades, and the challenges of being a leader in an unregulated industry.Milena also shares her thoughts on poor-quality training and what it means to build a brand with real substance.Timestamps00:00 Introduction to Milena00:58 Milena's background and early life04:34 Introduction to the wellness world07:13 Milena’s first experience of Pilates13:22 Building a career in Pilates17:18 Launching Platinum Pilates19:39 Challenges and growth of Platinum Pilates22:32 Why Milena integrated physiotherapy in her studio25:47 Milena’s drive for continuous learning33:48 Opening more studios and the challenges that came with it38:01 What the pandemic did for Milena40:21 Adapting her leadership style as her team has grown44:22 How Milena brings consistency across all locations51:17 The pressure to stay on top with new studios coming out59:22 Exploring the impact of low-impact exercise on mood01:02:46 Future plans for Platinum Pilates01:05:01 Quick-fire questionsIf you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow the show so you don’t miss next week’s episode.New conversations drop every Monday!If you’re looking to take your Pilates practice one step further and sign up for Nic’s comprehensive teacher training programme, use the code BEYOND at checkout: Soul Pilates Teacher TrainingConnect with Nic:Beyond the Reformer InstagramSoul Pilates InstagramSoul Pilates EducationNic’s InstagramJoin Soul at HomeBook a Pilates ClassConnect with Milena:Platinum Pilates InstagramPlatinum Pilates WebsiteGet 5% off Balanced Body Pilates equipment with the code SOUL PILATES Start your 7-day free trial with Soul at Home now!

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