Pilates Elephants

Everyone knows that if your knees go in when you squat it’s because your glutes aren’t working properly, right? Wrong. We talk through a whole list of reasons why your knees might go inwards in a squat that has nothing to do with your glutes not working. Plus why it might actually be GOOD that your knees go in during a squat. Resources mentioned in the episode: Muscle activation in a squat is load...

An (incomplete) list of things we believed that turned out not to be true. Resources mentioned in the episode: Connect with Daniel Arbilla on Facebook and Instagram Find Daniel on The Knowledge Exchange and Barbell Psychology Eyal Lederman Fall Of the Postural Structural Biomechanical Model  here No evidence that exercise is more effective than non-exercise placebo for chronic pain  here...

Do you wish you had more time? Here are the answers. Connect with me on Instagram : @the_raphaelbender Download a free course guide: Pilates Certification Visualized Anatomy Become a Breathe Education Mentor Affiliate: Program info Mentioned in this episode: Done-for-you client acquisition: This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy

Brendan is a PhD candidate at the University of South Australia where he is researching the influence of implicit communication on patient beliefs and outcomes. In this conversation, we talk about how our beliefs as movement professionals influence our clients' movement, pain and outcomes from Pilates. Resources mentioned in the episode: Connect with Brendan Mouatt on Twitter and Instagram Find Th...

Are we really strengthening our clients? How can we tell, and why even bother about getting stronger? The answers may surprise you! Resources mentioned in the episode: An hour a week of resistance training maximizes your lifespan  here Mechanical tension is the key stimulus for strength gains  here WHO physical activity guidelines  here Working to failure or near failure is equally...

In this episode, Mitch and Raph discuss the research Mitch did for his PhD, comparing individualized care with a generic program for low back pain.  Resources mentioned in the episode: 'Buy In For Back Pain – Does Individualization Matter?' here Connect with Mitch Gibbs on IG here Find Rethink Movement on Facebook here and on IG here Connect with me on Instagram : @the_raphaelbender Download...

Heath and Raph talk about the history of Pilates, the history of Breathe Education, and what constitutes good teaching. Connect with me on Instagram : @the_raphaelbender Download a free course guide: Pilates Certification Visualized Anatomy Become a Breathe Education Mentor Affiliate: Program info Mentioned in this episode: Done-for-you client acquisition: This podcast uses the following third-par...

Laura Saggers of RISE Pilates in Melbourne and Raph talk about the parallels between personal growth and business growth, how to overcome common blockers and limiting beliefs, and each share their own experiences with these mindset blocks, and how they moved past them. Resources mentioned in the episode: Connect with Laura on IG here or email her here Find Rise Pilates online here and on IG here C...

When you try to be all things to all people, you end up being nothing to no one. Naike shares insights from building her studio Kefi in Sydney with her partner Fanny. We discuss how they defined their ideal clients, how they program and design their schedule to suit their ideal clients and many more topics. Resources mentioned in the episode: Connect with Naike Mouromtsev on IG  here Find Kef...

You probably became a Pilates instructor because you wanted a career that was more meaningful, more satisfying, and healthier for you. But now you feel trapped in a routine that is not what you dreamed of. Or even worse - it IS what you dreamed of, but you’re still not happy. In this episode, we talk about how to get unstuck and take positive, effective action to achieve your dream life as a Pilat...

In this flipped episode, Heath interviews Raph about his journey. Connect with me on Instagram : @the_raphaelbender Download a free course guide: Pilates Certification Visualized Anatomy Become a Breathe Education Mentor Affiliate: Program info Mentioned in this episode: Done-for-you client acquisition: This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker....

Hannah is building an on-demand Pilates business based on the original Contrology 34 exercises, and with a highly personal touch. Resources mentioned in the episode: Connect with Hannah Ryan online , on IG , and on Youtube Connect with me on Instagram : @the_raphaelbender Download a free course guide: Pilates Certification Visualized Anatomy Become a Breathe Education Mentor Affiliate: Program inf...

Diet culture is a problem, and so is obesity. In an obesogenic environment, we all need to exercise some amount of restraint to avoid obesity. How do we avoid dichotomous thinking and promote positive body image? Join us for an amicable, nuanced discussion. Resources mentioned in the episode: Connect with Laura Gaiter here Emilia Thompson (improve relationship with body/educate self) on IG here Co...

Heath shares his simple framework for programming group classes. This is a straightforward way to progress your clients from wherever they're at, towards the more challenging exercises in the repertoire. Resources mentioned in the episode: Snake/Twist here Tendon stretch here Long back stretch here Layering up to tendon stretch/long back stretch here High bridge here Teaser here Russian squats her...

In this conversation, we discuss some of the differences, and the similarities in the way Pilates is taught and consumed in the UK, Australia, and the US, and how the industry has evolved, and continues to evolve post-pandemic. Resources mentioned in the episode: Read the Industry stats here Find Emma-Jayne Rushby online and connect with her on Facebook and Instagram Connect with me on Instagram :...

A lot of us are feeling burnout - but what is it and what can we do about it? If you’ve struggled with burnout and discovered that rest didn’t help - listen in for some constructive ways to move past burnout and get back your passion, energy and enthusiasm. Resources mentioned in the episode: Connect with Natalie on IG here World Health Organization's classification of burnout is an "occupational...

This episode could be worth literally millions of dollars to you. Josh is an accountant and financial advisor to over 40 Pilates studios and has a unique insider’s view of the financial drivers that make some studios 10x more profitable than others. In this episode, Josh and Raph break down step by step exactly what the best, most profitable studios have in common that enables them to clear $250-$...

Do we excessively limit our clients from progressing because we hold them to some arbitrary standard like you must do 6 beginner classes before you can come to an intermediate class? Listen in to find out. This is a nuanced discussion of the drawbacks AND benefits of gatekeeping in Pilates. Connect with me on Instagram : @the_raphaelbender Download a free course guide: Pilates Certification Visual...

Phoebe bootstrapped her Pilates business from absolutely zero cash to 7 years later selling it for enough to enable her to buy a house. This is her story, and what she learned along the way. Connect with me on Instagram : @the_raphaelbender Download a free course guide: Pilates Certification Visualized Anatomy Become a Breathe Education Mentor Affiliate: Program info Mentioned in this episode: Don...

In this wide-ranging conversation, Olivia Bioni, host of the Pilates Teachers Manual and Pilates Students Manual podcasts, talks with Raphael about podcasting, teaching, learning, personal growth, book writing, letting go of shoulds, setting boundaries, reducing perfectionism and more. Resources mentioned in the episode: Find Olivia online here Pilates Teachers Manual podcast here Pilates Students...

Nathan started an odyssey around Australia where he has so far visited, attended class, and taught at 88 Pilates studios and counting. He shares his observations and views on what makes great instructors and a great class. Resources mentioned in the episode:  Nathan Ross Rees Instagram here and website here Nathan’s Reformer Workshop here Kefi Studio in Sydney Australia website here and Insta...

Do we focus too much on gentle movement in Pilates? Could our clients benefit from more vigorous exercises and more progression over time? Maybe the answer is different for different countries.  Resources mentioned in the episode :  Liftmor trial here Nonagenarians get ripped with high-intensity strength training here Injuries in fitness facilities are mostly caused by people dropping sh...

Right now, there is an unprecedented proliferation of exciting and creative ways for Pilates professionals to make a great living, and one of them is building your own on-demand platform. Ruth Bruno has done that, and in this conversation, she shares the good, the bad and the numbers of exactly how to build your own online, on-demand Pilates business. Resources mentioned in the episode: Connect wi...

If you struggle with selling this is for you! This is a nitty gritty how-to guide to having effective sales conversations, that end in the client buying something that will solve their problem, and you making a profit. Resources mentioned in the episode: Access the Google sheet here . Connect with me on Instagram : @the_raphaelbender Download a free course guide: Pilates Certification Visualized A...

Many, possibly most of the things we think of as “dysfunctions” in Pilates are in fact just normal variations. Things like: Anterior pelvic tilt Rounded shoulders Asymmetrical range of motion are highly prevalent in pain-free people and do not predict injury. In fact, 80% of pain-free people have anterior pelvic tilt; so is it really a “tilt” or is it just the shape of the human pelvis? Even hyper...