The Pilates Lounge

What does 30 years of elite movement — from rhythmic gymnastics to international circus performance — teach you about the body? And how does that change the way you use Pilates with athletes?
In this episode of The Pilates Lounge Podcast, Katie Crane sits down with Lauren Skopal — exercise and sports scientist, founder of Limber Sports Performance, and former international acrobat. Lauren brings a rare perspective to movement education. Her background spans 12 years of competitive rhythmic gymnastics, 15 years performing aerial and acrobatic acts around the world, and a career in sports science and Pilates. The conversation is rich, honest, and packed with practical insight for Pilates professionals working with active bodies.
In This Episode, We Discuss
Lauren's journey from elite gymnastics to international circus performing — and how that shaped her body awareness
Why gymnastics-trained athletes make the strongest performers in disciplines like circus and acrobatics
Common injuries in artistic athletes and how Pilates supports long-term joint health
How Pilates can be embedded into athlete warm-ups, cool-downs, and strength and conditioning programs
The gap between sports science education and what Pilates actually teaches about the body
Why niching down in your Pilates business actually brings in more clients, not fewer
Lauren's new online flexibility program inspired by gymnastics-based training
Key Takeaways
✨ Body awareness starts young — and Pilates builds on that
Gymnastics trains the body from a young age to move with precision, control, and effortlessness. Pilates shares that same attention to detail. Lauren sees a natural connection between the two disciplines — and uses both to help athletes understand how their body works.
✨ Pilates belongs inside the training program, not just the rehab room
Most athletes only discover Pilates after injury. But Lauren makes the case for weaving it into warm-ups, cool-downs, and accessory work — before problems arise. It doesn't need its own time slot to be effective.
✨ Core-driven movement is a performance tool, not just injury prevention
Pilates builds stabilization, movement control, and muscular endurance. Lauren says that when athletes know how to use their core well, it improves force transfer, biomechanics, and overall performance — not just joint longevity.
✨ Niching down builds authority — and attracts more of the right clients
Lauren focuses her practice on athletic populations. Katie reflects on the same choice in her own studio. When you know exactly who you serve, you become the go-to person for that group. Referrals follow naturally.
About Lauren Skopal
Lauren Skopal is an exercise and sports scientist and the founder of Limber Sports Performance. She has over 30 years of experience in sport and movement as an athlete, international performer, coach, consultant, and educator. Lauren competed in rhythmic gymnastics nationally in Australia for 12 years before spending 15 years as an international acrobat and circus performer. She holds a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport and Health Science and a Master of Applied Sports Science from Deakin University. Lauren works with artistic athletes, gymnasts, dancers, tennis players, and circus artists — helping them build the stability, mobility, and movement quality they need to perform at their best.
Connect with Lauren
Website: limbarsportsperformance.com.au (to be confirmed)
Instagram: @limbarsportsperformance
Instagram: @limbabylauren
Resources Mentioned
Deakin University — Bachelor and Master of Exercise and Sport Science
National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA) — where Lauren has done coaching
Richmond Football Club — Lauren completed placements here through her master's degree
Tennis Australia — placement experience during Lauren's postgraduate study
Physio Amir Tuckler — referral partner Lauren works closely with
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Continue the Conversation in The Pilates Muse
Join the conversation here:
https://www.thepilatesprofessional.com.au/the-pilates-muse-publication
Prefer to Watch?
This episode is also available on YouTube.
About The Pilates Lounge
The Pilates Lounge is a space for Pilates professionals, movement educators, and curious learners to explore meaningful conversations around movement, teaching, health, and the evolving Pilates industry

Are you teaching Pilates — or just choreography you borrowed from someone who borrowed it from someone else?
In this solo episode of The Pilates Lounge Podcast, host Katie Crane gets honest about one of the most important conversations happening in the Pilates industry right now: the erosion of lineage. Katie shares why learning from the source matters more than ever, what it truly means to earn the title of "master," and why the shortcut is always the long way around.
In This Episode, We Discuss
Why Pilates has a lineage — not a trend — and what that means for your teaching
The problem with teacher training programs that aren't connected to Joseph and Clara Pilates
What the word "master" actually means, and why most people are using it too soon
The guild model of mastery — apprentice, journeyman, masterpiece — and how it applies to Pilates education
Why foundation work like footwork is never something you graduate from
The role of repetition and deliberate practice in becoming a truly excellent educator
How to choose a mentor, teacher trainer, or course with your eyes open
Why filling your own creative cup is essential to sustaining a long career in Pilates
Key Takeaways
✨ Get as close to the source as possible Jay Grimes, who trained directly with Joseph and Clara Pilates, said it best: Pilates has a lineage, not a trend. If you're learning this craft, trace the thread back to the source and choose your lineage deliberately — not by default.
✨ Nice is not the same as qualified Just because an educator was kind, encouraging, and gave you a certificate doesn't mean they were the best person to teach you Pilates. Kind is not the same as competent. Helpful is not the same as correct.
✨ The foundation is not something you graduate from The masters Katie admires most are still doing footwork, still refining the Hundred, still finding new depth in the most basic work. The foundation is the thing you return to for the rest of your career — not the thing you rush through to get to the advanced repertoire.
✨ Mastery takes time — and that's the point Whether it's Don Bradman hitting a cricket ball against a corrugated iron water tank or Leonardo da Vinci grinding pigments as a teenager, the path to mastery has always been the same: repetition, patience, humility, and years of deliberate practice. The shortcut is always the long way around.
About Katie Crane
Katie Crane is the host of The Pilates Lounge Podcast and a Pilates educator based in Darwin, Australia. With over 21 years of teaching experience and four Pilates diplomas totalling more than 2,800 hours of study, Katie is passionate about protecting the lineage of Pilates and developing the next generation of skilled, grounded Pilates professionals. She runs her own studio, teacher training program, and The Pilates Professional — an online platform for Pilates educators.
Resources Mentioned
Jay Grimes — first-generation student of Joseph and Clara Pilates; quoted on Pilates lineage
Don Bradman — Australian cricket legend; referenced as an example of mastery through repetition
Malcolm Gladwell — author who popularised the 10,000-hour rule (drawing on Anders Ericsson's research)
Anders Ericsson — researcher into expert performance and deliberate practice
Romana Kryzanowska — first-generation Pilates elder; known for instructing students to "do it again"
Polestar Pilates — training organisation referenced by Katie (founder: Brent Anderson)
Pilates Association of Australia — industry body for certified Pilates professionals in Australia
PMA (Pilates Method Alliance) — industry body in the United States
The Pilates Professional — Katie's online platform: www.thepilatesprofessional.com.au
Pilates Pro Academy — Katie's teacher training program; mentioned at the end of the episode
Listen & Subscribe
Listen to The Pilates Lounge Podcast on your favourite podcast platform.
Continue the Conversation in The Pilates Muse
Join the conversation here: https://www.thepilatesprofessional.com.au/the-pilates-muse-publication
Prefer to Watch?
This episode is also available on YouTube.
About The Pilates Lounge
The Pilates Lounge is a space for Pilates professionals, movement educators, and curious learners to explore meaningful conversations around movement, teaching, health, and the evolving Pilates industry.

What would you be willing to risk to give your community something truly valuable?
In this episode, host Katie Crane gets real about what it actually takes to build a Pilates studio that honours the full method. From a very public business attack to losing 40% of her clients, to finally opening the last room of her dream studio — Katie shares an honest, behind-the-scenes look at the risks she took and why she would do it all again.
In This Episode, We Discuss
Why Katie relocated her Darwin studio in March 2025 — and what it really cost her
The public media attack that dragged her business name through the dirt
Losing 40% of her client base during the relocation and how she rebuilt
The opening of her new wall tower room and why it brought her to tears
Why teaching reformer-only Pilates is doing your clients a disservice
The neuroscience behind movement: "Neurons that fire together, wire together"
Why functional, upright movement matters more than perfecting supine exercises
How the reformer boom will eventually burst — and who will be left standing
What it truly means to invest in Pilates as a complete system
Key Takeaways
✨ The reformer is a tool, not the whole system
The reformer is one piece of the Pilates apparatus. When clients only ever use one tool, they miss the full benefit of the Pilates method.
✨ Functional movement means upright movement
Neurons that fire together wire together. If your clients only ever practice lying down, they only get better at lying down. The goal is to help people move well in real life.
✨ Business risk is part of serving your community
Katie spent over $100,000 more than planned on the relocation. She lost clients. She rebuilt her brand. And she says it was worth it.
✨ The reformer bubble will burst
The ones that survive will be the ones that truly understand and apply the full Pilates method.
About Katie Crane
Katie Crane is the founder of The Pilates Lounge in Darwin, Australia, and host of The Pilates Lounge Podcast. With over 20 years of experience teaching Pilates, Katie is passionate about evidence-informed practice, the full Pilates apparatus, and supporting movement professionals to serve their communities with integrity.
Listen & Subscribe
Listen to The Pilates Lounge Podcast on your favourite podcast platform.
Continue the Conversation in The Pilates Muse
Join the conversation here: https://www.thepilatesprofessional.com.au/the-pilates-muse-publication
About The Pilates Lounge
The Pilates Lounge is a space for Pilates professionals, movement educators, and curious learners to explore meaningful conversations around movement, teaching, health, and the evolving Pilates industry

What if cueing the body wasn't about telling muscles what to do — but helping clients feel how their body already knows how to move?
In this solo episode of The Pilates Lounge Podcast, Katie explores how Pilates teachers can cue muscles without directly asking clients to "switch on," "activate," or "engage" specific muscles.
Drawing from her own teaching experience, Katie shares how her cueing language has evolved over the years and why functional movement should reflect how the body naturally works in everyday life. Using simple examples like picking up a coffee cup or walking, she explains why constantly cueing muscle contraction may sometimes interrupt natural coordination rather than improve it.
This episode invites Pilates professionals to think deeper about body awareness, joint placement, integrated movement, and how to use language, touch, imagery, props, and the environment to help clients connect with their body in a more natural and functional way.
In This Episode, We Discuss:
Why Katie no longer relies heavily on cues like "switch on your core"
How teaching language naturally evolves over time
Why Pilates cueing should support real-life function
The difference between muscle activation and body awareness
Why actively cueing muscles can sometimes interrupt natural movement
How to help clients understand where their body is in space
The role of joint placement in supporting better movement
How to cue the core without directly saying "engage your core"
How to help clients feel hamstring connection through the heel
Why the body works as an integrated system, not isolated muscles
How props, touch, equipment, and imagery can improve client awareness
Why curiosity and feedback are essential for Pilates teachers
Key Takeaways
✨ Pilates cueing does not always need to focus on individual muscle activation
✨ The body naturally coordinates movement without conscious muscle commands
✨ Functional teaching should reflect how clients move in everyday life
✨ Joint placement and body awareness can help muscles work more naturally
✨ Imagery, touch, props, and the environment can support deeper client understanding
✨ Teaching language will continue to evolve as your experience and knowledge grow
✨ There is no perfect way to teach — only the best way you can teach with what you know today
About Katie Crane
Katie Crane is the host of The Pilates Lounge Podcast and founder of The Pilates Professional. With decades of experience in the Pilates industry, Katie supports Pilates teachers and movement professionals in deepening their understanding of the body, refining their teaching approach, and developing more thoughtful, functional, and client-centered practices.
In this episode, Katie shares a personal and practical reflection on cueing, teaching evolution, and how Pilates professionals can better guide clients toward movement that feels natural, integrated, and empowering.
Resources Mentioned
Functional movement cueing
Body awareness in Pilates
Joint placement and movement support
Core connection through imagery
Hamstring connection through the back body line
Pilates teaching language and client feedback
Listen & Subscribe
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow Pilates teacher or movement professional who wants to refine their cueing and teach with more clarity.
Because sometimes the most powerful cue is not telling the body what to do — but helping the client feel what is already happening.
Continue the Conversation in The Pilates Muse
If this conversation sparked something for you — professionally or personally — explore The Pilates Muse, where Katie shares deeper reflections on movement, teaching philosophy, body awareness, and the evolution of Pilates as a therapeutic practice.
➡️ https://www.thepilatesprofessional.com.au/the-pilates-muse-publication
🎥 Prefer to watch?
Episodes of The Pilates Lounge Podcast are also available on YouTube.
About The Pilates Lounge
The Pilates Lounge Podcast is where intelligent movement meets real-world practice.
Hosted by Katie Crane, the podcast explores the deeper layers of Pilates — from chronic pain and nervous system regulation to business leadership, teaching philosophy, and the evolving role of movement professionals in modern healthcare.
Each episode supports Pilates educators to think deeper, teach smarter, and serve their communities with integrity.

*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-WEB:e6c8a22c-ae5b-4f02-a3c2-d2e5e6a26fe1-3" data-turn-id-container= "request-WEB:e6c8a22c-ae5b-4f02-a3c2-d2e5e6a26fe1-3" data-testid= "conversation-turn-8" data-scroll-anchor="false" data-turn= "assistant"> What can 37 years of teaching Pilates teach us about aging well?
In this episode of The Pilates Lounge Podcast, Katie Crane is joined by Lynda Lippin, a Pilates educator, studio owner, and movement expert with nearly four decades of experience helping people move with greater strength, confidence, and ease. From working with high-profile clients to teaching everyday movers, Lynda has spent her career exploring how intelligent movement can support long-term health and vitality.
Together, Katie and Lynda discuss the realities of aging, the importance of maintaining strength and mobility, and why Pilates remains one of the most effective tools for preserving independence, resilience, and quality of life. They also explore how movement habits evolve over time and what both practitioners and teachers should understand about supporting the aging body.
In This Episode, You'll Learn:
Why strength training becomes increasingly important as we age
How Pilates supports balance, mobility, and long-term independence
Common misconceptions about aging and physical decline
The role of movement in reducing pain and improving function
How Pilates can be adapted for different ages and abilities
Lessons Lynda has learned from 37 years of teaching and observing bodies in motion
About Lynda Lippin
Lynda Lippin is a highly respected Pilates educator with more than 37 years of experience helping clients move better, feel stronger, and reduce pain. She has worked with notable clients including Donna Karan, Laurie Anderson, and Joe Walsh, and has received industry recognition including Best of Philly® Pilates Studio and SpaFinder Reader's Choice: Best Pilates in the World. Lynda is also the host of The Pilates Goddess Podcast and currently serves as a Master Teacher at Bombshell Pilates.
Connect with Lynda
🌐 Website: https://lyndalippin.com 📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/lyndalippin 📘 Facebook: https://facebook.com/lyndalippinpilates 💼 LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/lyndalippin
Resources Mentioned
Introduction to Osteoporosis & Pilates https://1fdhsaoyfu574rryf0ya.memberships.msgsndr.com/offers/59e0caf0-0f24-449a-87cd-7f3fc4098e07
Pilates Teacher Mastermind® Video Library https://lyndalippin.com/everything
Listen & Subscribe
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow movement professional or Pilates teacher who would love this conversation.
Because movement truly is medicine.
Continue the Conversation in The Pilates Muse
If this conversation sparked something for you — professionally or personally — explore The Pilates Muse, where Katie shares deeper reflections on movement, pain, teaching philosophy, and the evolution of Pilates as a therapeutic practice.
➡️ https://www.thepilatesprofessional.com.au/the-pilates-muse-publication
🎥 Prefer to watch?
Episodes of The Pilates Lounge Podcast are also available on YouTube.
About The Pilates Lounge
The Pilates Lounge Podcast is where intelligent movement meets real-world practice.
Hosted by Katie Crane, the podcast explores the deeper layers of Pilates — from chronic pain and nervous system regulation to business leadership, teaching philosophy, and the evolving role of movement professionals in modern healthcare.
Each episode supports Pilates educators to think deeper, teach smarter, and serve their communities with integrity.