Beyond the Reformer

Pilates is not meant to be rushed, trendy, or reinvented every week, and this conversation explains exactly why. Nic sits down with Tracey Mallett in her California studio for an honest conversation about movement, teaching, creativity, and what it really takes to build a long and sustainable career in Pilates. They explore the evolution of Pilates, classical and contemporary work, and the challen...

The difference between a good Pilates class and a great one often comes down to how and when you cue. After receiving such a positive response from our previous episode on class planning, Nic is back for a solo episode that goes deep into the art of cueing. Cueing completely changes the experience a client can have in a Pilates class, and Nic shares her advice on the different types of cues you ca...

Teaching Pilates becomes a whole different experience when clients bring pain, injuries, and complex diagnoses into the room, and this episode shows how to handle those moments with confidence rather than fear. In this episode of Beyond the Reformer , Nic is joined by physiotherapist, Pilates teacher, and author Samantha Wood for a deep and practical conversation about teaching Pilates in rehabili...

Building a successful Pilates studio takes far more than great teaching, and this episode breaks down what truly creates long term growth, profitability, and sustainability in the Pilates industry. Nic sits down with Pilates business strategist Seran Glanfield to explore what it really takes to build a thriving and sustainable Pilates studio. They discuss the biggest mistakes studio owners make, w...

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’C...

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 communit...

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...

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, prog...

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...

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...

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 upbrin...

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 s...

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...

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...

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 hi...

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...

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 fo...

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...

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...

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 piv...

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 educa...

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 th...

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 sha...

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 ta...

Introducing 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 au...