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Beyond the Reformer

Nic Lenny

33 episodes

1 week ago

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...

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Alternative Health

Self-Improvement,

Health & Fitness,

All content for Beyond the Reformer is the property of Nic Lenny and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

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...

Show more...

Alternative Health

Self-Improvement,

Health & Fitness,

Episodes (20/33)

Beyond the Reformer

How These Pilates Conversations Can Shape Your 2026 | Recap Part 2

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...

6 days ago

49 minutes

Beyond the Reformer

The Most Impactful Pilates Conversations of 2025 | Recap Part 1

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...

1 week ago

52 minutes

Beyond the Reformer

Inside the Growth of an Award Winning Pilates Studio with Angela Walker

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...

3 weeks ago

59 minutes

Beyond the Reformer

What Is Fascia and Why Every Pilates Teacher Should Care About It with Kath Pentecost

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...

1 month ago

1 hour 6 minutes

Beyond the Reformer

Making Pilates Truly Inclusive for All Bodies with DK Ciccone

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...

1 month ago

1 hour 10 minutes

Beyond the Reformer

How Movement Becomes Medicine with Christi Idavoy

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...

1 month ago

1 hour 11 minutes

Beyond the Reformer

Inside Polestar Pilates’ Approach to Teaching with Depth with Nichole Zuckerman

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...

1 month ago

1 hour 2 minutes

Beyond the Reformer

How to Build a Pilates Class That Transforms Your Clients Without Burning You Out

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 ...

2 months ago

27 minutes

Beyond the Reformer

The Art of Simplicity in Pilates Cuing with LaBriece Ochsner

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...

2 months ago

31 minutes

Beyond the Reformer

Bridging the Gap Between Physiotherapy and Pilates with Cameron Angus

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...

2 months ago

43 minutes

Beyond the Reformer

The Stories, Legacy, and Lessons of a Lifetime in Pilates with Michael King

When Michael King started teaching Pilates nearly five decades ago, there was only one studio in London, and no one could have imagined how it would grow into the worldwide practice it is today. In this inspiring conversation, Michael joins Nic live at the Pilates Gathering in Scotland to share his remarkable journey through 47 years of teaching, learning, and shaping the Pilates industry. From his early days training under Alan Herman to managing studios in London, Houston, and Los Angel...

2 months ago

1 hour 9 minutes

Beyond the Reformer

How Joakim Valsinge Used Pilates to Help His Son Move and Thrive

Guided by first-generation teacher Lolita San Miguel, Joakim discovered how movement can shape not just stronger bodies, but stronger lives. In this episode, Nic sits down with Joakim Valsinge, a former military instructor turned Pilates educator, at the stunning Pilates Gathering in Scotland. Joakim shares how he first discovered Pilates not through pain or injury but through curiosity and vanity! His early experience as a soldier taught him brute strength, but Pilates introduced him t...

2 months ago

57 minutes

Beyond the Reformer

The Secret to Keeping Pilates Clients for Decades with Linda Rhodes and Sarah Liston

Building a Pilates business that thrives across generations, grows through change, and keeps clients coming back for decades doesn’t happen by accident. In this inspiring conversation, Nic meets the powerhouse mother–daughter duo behind EQ Pilates, who have combined passion, community, and classical integrity to build one of the UK’s most respected studios. Nic speaks with Linda and Sarah, the founders of EQ Pilates, about what it really takes to create a studio that stands the test of ti...

3 months ago

55 minutes

Beyond the Reformer

It’s Time to Replace Outdated Pilates Cues with Ava Rodriguez

Outdated cues and generic fixes won’t create lasting mobility. Science-driven strategies will. In this week’s episode of Beyond the Reformer, Nic is joined by Ava Rodriguez, also known as The Joint Whisperer. Ava is the founder of Move Beyond with Ava and the Mobility Fitness Academy, where she helps teachers and fitness professionals integrate joint mobility principles into their work. Ava shares how her own injuries shaped her approach, why so many cues in Pilates and fitness need an ...

3 months ago

57 minutes

Beyond the Reformer

Lessons from Three Decades in Pilates with Alexander Bohlander

Pilates is more than a workout, it’s a philosophy and a way of life. In this inspiring conversation, Nic is joined by world-renowned educator, physiotherapist and osteopath Alexander Bohlander who has spent over three decades shaping the future of Pilates through his teaching, clinics and work with Polestar Pilates. Alex shares his journey into Pilates, from his first encounter with the method in Belgium to becoming a global leader in education. He explains why Pilates is more relevant ...

3 months ago

1 hour 3 minutes

Beyond the Reformer

The Story Behind Soul Pilates, Overcoming Burnout and Healing Through Pilates

This week the tables are turned as Nic sits in the guest seat! Her best friend and journalist, Gemma, steps in to interview her and talk about the story behind Soul Pilates, opening three Pilates studios, launching teacher training, and creating this podcast. Nic opens up about her first encounter with Pilates after a car accident, how movement transformed her chronic pain and burnout, and the pivotal moments that shaped her career. She shares honestly about the highs and lows of running ...

3 months ago

59 minutes

Beyond the Reformer

Breaking Myths About Osteoporosis and Pilates With Gemma Pearson

Pilates has the power to transform lives especially when it comes to supporting women with osteoporosis. In this episode of Beyond the Reformer, Nic sits down with Gemma Pearson, founder of Osteoporosis Pilates, to explore how movement can rebuild strength, confidence, and resilience in a population often overlooked by traditional fitness. Gemma shares her journey from professional dancer to educator and how she discovered her niche in bone health. They discuss the myths and fear-based ...

3 months ago

1 hour 4 minutes

Beyond the Reformer

Rethinking Pilates Training and the Future of the Industry with Jenna Zaffino

The Pilates industry is evolving faster than ever, but not always in the right direction. Nic is joined by educator, mentor, and business strategist Jenna Zaffino, who has been shaping conversations in Pilates for over two decades. Jenna shares her journey from ballet to studio ownership, and how her personal challenges led her to pivot into mentorship and health coaching. Nic and Jenna discuss the realities of running a Pilates studio today and the future of teacher training. Timesta...

4 months ago

1 hour 4 minutes

Beyond the Reformer

Diary of a Pilates Studio Owner

For our final episode of S1, Nic sits down for her first ever solo episode. Nic knows what it’s like to be starting out running your own studio and feeling a little bit lost or alone, so she wanted to chat about everything that has been coming up for her recently about running multiple studios, launching a teacher training programme and trying to balance work and life without burnout. She also shares the joy and challenges of running a growing team, staying committed to her own Pilates practi...

4 months ago

28 minutes

Beyond the Reformer

How Pilates Helps Manage Chronic Conditions with Clara Farque

Nic sits down with Clara Farque, a Pilates instructor, medical doctor, and chronic illness advocate, to explore the role Pilates has played in managing rheumatoid arthritis, preventing burnout, and creating a more holistic future for healthcare. Clara shares how a life-changing diagnosis at 18 led her to Pilates and how she balances her work as a doctor with teaching and mentoring. This episode takes an honest look at the intersection of chronic illness, movement, and medicine. They also chat...

4 months ago

1 hour 17 minutes