The Pilates Goddess Podcast

If you do or teach any kind of movement (Pilates, yoga, weights, TRX....), you probably have questions about the best cues for your clients. You may wonder why some cues don't work for some people, and why some cues that work well for you confuse other people. In the last episode, I discussed many things neuroscience with neuroscientist Greg Youdan, including this issue. Today I'm focusing on exte...

Today's guest is my friend, client, and colleague - movement scientist, Pilates teacher, and dancer Greg Youdan, MA, MS. I've been lucky enough to both work alongside and teach Greg at Real Pilates, take live workshops with Greg, and I've had Greg as an expert guest in my Pilates Teacher Mastermind® program. Today we talk about Merging Movement Science and Pilates from a neuroscience perspective....

Heads Up - This is a deeply personal episode, where I share a lot of my own struggles with loving myself. I discuss child abuse, self-loathing, and body dysmorphia. If I hear the phrase "self-love" one more time, I think I will scream. First, what was taught to me as love growing up was very conditional and very dependent on my behavior, so I have no self-love that isn't conditional and performanc...

Allan Menezes is back, and we talk about all things Pilates for pain, and especially back pain. Allan shares his morning bed stretches, and ways to deepen your clients' Pilates experience. Hear about Allan's apprenticeship and how his early success with back pain clients led to a job offer from Alan Herdman. I've known Allan Menezes for about 30 years, and had clients who had great outcomes after...

Every year in the US, we sit around and make New Year resolutions, especially around health and fitness. In fact, gyms oversell memberships in January, counting on the fact that most new members will stop coming within 8 weeks, but will continue to pay. In this episode I talk about why I don't make resolutions anymore, and what I recommend you do instead. Links: 15 Days of Pilates - master list of...

The other day after I taught a Strong Bones class online, we started discussing how disconnected many fitness and pilates instructors are from their clients. Basically, how they lose compassion. If you've ever experienced being yelled at by a trainer, shamed for not doing something correctly, or moved from the front row, you know what I mean. Fitness is no place for mean people. Links: 15 Days of...

I'm SO EXCITED about today's episode! Let's welcome Greg Davis, Jr. - better known as Klarity. Greg is a friend and neighbor, and also happens to be a brilliant actor, filmmaker, and stand up comedian. His new short film, Day of Joy , premiers on Amazon Prime Video tomorrow 12/21/22! Greg opens up about his experiences of racism growing up in the south, how imposter syndrome almost cost him his fi...

Today we have Mara Sievers, creator of The Pilates Encyclopedia. This is a deep dive into Pilates education and teaching. We chat about how (new) Pilates teachers can learn to communicate what Pilates is and what it does and doesn't do, why it's important to continue your education beyond your Pilates certification, and how to communicate our style of Pilates clearly so our clients know what to ex...

Neck Pain is the number one issue I hear about in Pilates teacher groups, and from clients. In this episode I break down the differences between documented cervical spine issues and shoulder injuries as opposed to simple weakness. I also talk about proper spine positioning, what I leave out of my workouts to accommodate my neck, and how to cue your clients so they understand what to do with their...

I'm super excited about this episode, my friends! My friend Angie Garton is one of the UK's most sought-after menopause coaches, and I love her compassionate, science-based approach to helping women through the transition. I've been in menopause since a total hysterectomy about 25 years ago, and stopped taking any HRT in 2016, so this conversation is right up my alley! We talk night sweats, hot fl...

Bone health is an important consideration for women over 50.  Osteoporosis is on the rise, and there are so many ways we can keep our bodies strong, healthy, and mobile. Resources mentioned: Study linking Obesity & Osteoporosis - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249966851_Ectopic_and_Serum_Lipid_Levels_Are_Positively_Associated_with_Bone_Marrow_Fat_in_Obesity Osteoporosis-friendly classes...

My first Pilates teacher, Steve Giordano, used to always say, "When in doubt, leave it out," and I have used this in my Pilates teaching and in my own movements ever since. Frankly, when I ignore this advice, I tend to hurt myself. If you have clients with chronic pain who hate certain exercises because the movements make them hurt more, I invite you consider leaving out those exercises. If you ha...

If you teach Pilates and struggle with fear and anxiety around your business, your staff, your clients, and all the things, today's longer episode is for you! The one thing I've learned in the past few years that has made the most difference in my life and my business is learning how to regulate myself and my nervous system. And, while I have many of my own tricks and tools for managing my mind, m...

Happy Thanksgiving! Today's episode is a full body, audio Pilates class that focuses on releasing neck and shoulder tension. So, get out your mat and take half an hour for yourself. Note that this is not modified for low bone density! And now for the legal disclaimer - You agree that you are physically sound and suffering from no condition, impairment, disease, infirmity, or other illness that wou...

In today's solo episode, I delve into the question of what Pilates actually is, and what it can do for your body. I discuss my story of becoming a Pilates teacher, some of Joseph Pilates' story of developing the method, and what the Pilates system was designed to accomplish. Whether you teach Pilates or are a Pilates client (or both), you'll learn something new about the method and your practice....

Super excited for you to hear this conversation with The Fresh Princess of Email Marketing, Liz Wilcox! We talk about everything from setting up a list, lead magnets, welcome messages and nurture series, and how to use them in your Pilates, fitness, or yoga business. My email game has has gotten so much better since I've been working with Liz in her $9/month Email Marketing Membership. YES - $9/mo...

Short and sweet today! A colleague of mine asked a question in a Pilates teacher's forum - "What are your tricks for lengthening out a spasming low back? Sometimes I’ll have a client come to their lesson with a low back spasm - I’m talking about a fit client who I know well - no referred pain. They may have been in the car too long or been gardening, etc." This is my answer! Resources: Pilates Pro...

If you have a spine, and especially if you have back pain or teach Pilates or any movement to clients with back pain and spine pathologies, this episode is for you! Today's guest is the fabulous Gwen Miller, author of the upcoming book, Safe Movement for All Spines - A Guide to Spinal Anatomy and How to Work with 21 Spine and Hip Conditions , and creator of The Dynamic Spine, a continuing educatio...

Did you know that there really is an order to the Pilates exercises? And that knowing the order will make structuring a workout so much easier, whether it's for yourself or a client? Today I deep dive into the order and why it exists. I talk about why some teachers and clients don't know the order, and how this makes it more difficult to put together a flowing workout with appropriate modification...

Pricing your Pilates services is a hugely important step in creating your business. While it may seem OK to go by what "the going rates are" in your area, that's actually NOT the way to go. In this episode I outline the steps of deciding how much money you need, how many hours you wish to work, and how many hours client-facing. I also discuss different business models, including dollars for hours,...

If you enjoyed last week's episode about The Latest Pilates Lawsuit, you need to listen to this interview. I invited my dear friend from graduate school, executive coach Dr. Martin Kettelhut, to talk about rebuilding and healing our very splintered Pilates community. We discuss the Three Cs - Community, Connection, and Collaboration - why they're important, how to strengthen them, and what to do w...

Today I'm talking to my friend Alyson Limehouse, CEO Of Rollology Fitness, about her mission to serve clients and Pilates teachers. We cover the state of Pilates, working with people in chronic pain, how and why she started Rollology, and why Pilates teachers should always look for continuing education that offers a clear ROI (return on investment) to help avoid burning out. Burnout is common in a...

Yes, Sean Gallagher is at it again. After losing the Pilates trademark in an historic federal court decision, Sean's now suing over the social media sharing of historical Pilates images that he purchased. This is a clear example of Brené Brown's power over vs. power with, as was his whole approach to the Pilates trademark - he doesn't understand why he should allow his competition to use the image...

Today's episode is juicy! In the Pilates world, we have started discussing the questions of whether we can effectively teach Pilates to clients online, train teachers online, and offer effective continuing education online. The pandemic also brought the discussion of state licensing to the forefront, when Pilates studios weren't allowed to open as quickly as larger gyms. Matthew J. Brownstein know...

Today's episode is for you if you've had any kind of of chronic pain, surgery, or injury rehab where your doctor sent you to Pilates "because it will be good for you." Yes, Pilates will most likely be great for you! But, you may have movements and positions that you're supposed to avoid, and others that require modification. In fact, if you can give your Pilates teacher as much information as poss...