Beyond the Reformer

Nic Lenny
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  • Alternative Health

Welcome to Beyond the Reformer, the podcast where Pilates professionals and enthusiasts come together for thoughtful conversations, genuine insights, and inspiring stories. Join Nic every Monday morning to feel more connected, inspired, and empowered in your Pilates practice, teaching, and beyond…

  1. 13 hr ago

    The Missing Piece in Pilates Teacher Training with Amy Havens

    "I think self-acceptance and self-compassion... it's gonna keep changing and if you hear the loud stuff saying, I can't do that anymore - no." - Amy Havens In this episode, Nic is joined by Amy Havens, a veteran Pilates educator, mentor, and movement teacher based in Santa Barbara with over 30 years of experience in the industry. Amy has trained across multiple lineages - including Fletcher, BASI, Kathy Grant, and Madeleine Black - and is widely respected as one of the most thoughtful voices in Pilates education today. They explore what it really takes to become a truly great Pilates teacher - from the qualities that no training manual can teach, like patience and compassion, to the art of learning to see and respond to the bodies in front of you. Amy shares her rich origin story, from discovering Pilates as a dance student in 1989 to becoming injured, finding healing through the work, and eventually committing to teaching as a lifelong calling. They also dig into the current state of the Pilates industry - the growing divide between fitness Pilates and the more healing-oriented tradition, the case for prerequisites before teacher training, and why mastering the fundamentals will always matter more than creative programming. Amy makes a compelling case for mentorship as the missing piece for so many new teachers, and shares what that relationship can look like when it's done well. Timestamps 00:00 Intro to Amy Havens 00:14 What makes a truly great Pilates teacher 02:08 Learning to see and respond to different bodies 04:49 Amy's origin story - discovering Pilates in college 08:10 Observing from the front desk and falling in love with the work 10:42 Getting cold feet before teacher training - and why that was the right call 13:23 Amy's formal training with Madeleine Black at the Physical Mind Institute 15:27 Learning to teach, not just to do 17:34 How injury became the turning point toward teaching 21:38 Why the best teachers are often those whose lives were changed by Pilates 22:40 The case for prerequisites in Pilates teacher training 28:13 What great mentorship actually looks like 31:46 Amy as a forever student - training across multiple lineages 37:06 How studying different styles shaped Amy's teaching 43:29 The state of the Pilates industry - two forks in the road 45:14 Fitness Pilates vs. healing Pilates - is it all Pilates? 47:52 Why studio owners need to do better at describing what they offer 53:00 Don't teach too much too soon - a lesson from Madeleine Black 55:25 Why mastering fundamentals matters more than creative programming 56:44 Quick-fire questions 01:03:28 Where to find Amy If you're enjoying the podcast, make sure you're following along so you don't miss future episodes. And feel free to share this one with someone you think would take something from it. Connect with Nic: Beyond the Reformer InstagramSoul Pilates InstagramSoul Pilates EducationNic's InstagramJoin Soul at HomeBook a Pilates ClassSign up to Our NewsletterConnect with Amy: Move with Amy WebsiteAmy’s InstagramAmy’s FacebookAmy’s Email Pilates Anytime Website Join the Soul Pilates Retreat in Cornwall on 19 June for a weekend of movement, rest and nourishment. Find all the details here. Thinking about investing in Pilates equipment? Balanced Body are offering our listeners a special discount! Fill in the form here and mention Soul Pilates when you order. Interested in joining the July Teacher Training intake? Find all the details and book a call here. Get 5% off Balanced Body Pilates equipment with the code SOUL PILATES

    1hr 10min

  2. 25 May

    Burnout, Boundaries and Building a Career That Lasts as a Pilates Teacher with Audrey O'Connor

    "I cannot be of service to other people if I cannot be of service to myself." You left the corporate world for a reason. But somehow you're exhausted, resentful, and wondering why this passion-driven career feels just as relentless as the one you walked away from. Nic is joined by Audrey O'Connor - former quantity surveyor, Pilates teacher, sound healer, and wellness educator who now works with global brands like Google. Back for her second appearance, Audrey digs into what burnout actually looks like for Pilates teachers - not just tiredness, but resentment, physical symptoms, and the trap of performing busyness as a badge of honour. They get practical on morning rituals, finances, multiple revenue streams, and valuing your time before resentment does it for you. Audrey also brings in something unexpected: astrology and human design as tools for understanding why you show up the way you do - and why changing your mind is not the same as being flaky. Whether you're in the thick of burnout or starting to feel the edges of it, there's something here for you. Timestamps 01:13 What burnout actually is - beyond just being tired 03:50 Busyness as a badge of honour and how to recognise the patterns 07:52 Vision, values, and the Pilates industry comparison trap 09:02 How performance and money are connected to burnout 11:12 Taking care of your body when teaching is your job 13:15 Switching off on holiday (and why content creation doesn't count as rest) 17:05 Rituals, routines and habit stacking 23:37 Finding a ritual practice that fits your life 26:07 Astrology and human design as tools for self-understanding 31:34 Why Pilates teachers are particularly prone to burnout 32:21 Being of service vs. sacrificing yourself 34:15 Burnout, undervaluing, and our complicated relationship with money 56:58 Mindset, self-worth, and why opportunities arrive when you stop chasing them 58:44 If you're overwhelmed right now - start here If this episode resonated, share it with someone in the industry who needs to hear it. And make sure you're following along so you don't miss what's coming next. Connect with Nic: Beyond the Reformer InstagramSoul Pilates InstagramSoul Pilates EducationNic's InstagramJoin Soul at HomeBook a Pilates ClassSign up to Our Newsletter Connect with Audrey: Audrey's Sound Healing TrainingCore State WebsiteAudrey’s InstagramThe Everyday Hero Manifesto Book Join the Soul Pilates Retreat in Cornwall on 19 June for a weekend of movement, rest and nourishment. Find all the details here. Thinking about investing in Pilates equipment? Balanced Body are offering our listeners a special discount! Fill in the form here and mention Soul Pilates when you order. Interested in joining the July Teacher Training intake? Find all the details and book a call here. Get 5% off Balanced Body Pilates equipment with the code SOUL PILATES

    1hr 10min

  3. 18 May

    Teaching Pilates to Children: How to Make It Fun, Inclusive & Effective

    Nic is joined by Clarissa Shepherd, kids Pilates specialist, pre and postnatal educator, Club Pilates master trainer, and author of Sage Does Pilates and Babies & Barre. Clarissa's story is anything but conventional. From working in TV news and witnessing a live on-air shooting, to packing up her car with $600 and driving to Dallas, to funding her Pilates certification while working night shifts - her path to becoming a Pilates teacher is one of grit, resilience and pure determination. But what makes Clarissa's work truly unique is who she teaches. While the Pilates industry talks about being "for everyone," Clarissa noticed a glaring gap - children are almost always left out.  She shares why bringing Pilates into families' lives earlier is one of the biggest untapped opportunities in the industry, and how her own experience of an absent mother during childhood became the driving force behind her mission to connect families through movement. The conversation explores how to adapt Pilates for different ages - from babies and toddlers to teenagers and everything in between - and why storytelling, play and affirmations are just as important as the repertoire. Clarissa also shares how she's training other teachers to do this work and working towards licensing her kids Pilates framework so it can reach families around the world. Timestamps 00:00 Intro to Clarissa  00:32 Why families are the missing piece in Pilates  02:51 Clarissa's backstory - news, Dallas and $600 to her name  05:43 Discovering Pilates and being inspired by female leadership  09:01 Funding her certification and the sacrifices she made  13:13 Moving to Germany, becoming a mother and finding her path  16:03 How pregnancy sparked her interest in pre and postnatal Pilates  17:30 Teaching children for the first time  17:40 How to adapt Pilates for different ages and stages  20:07 Using affirmations and mentorship with teenagers  22:52 Making Pilates a game for younger children  24:18 Mommy and me classes and incorporating babies into movement  25:41 The creativity and storytelling skills kids Pilates demands  25:41 Training teachers to teach kids Pilates  44:10 Who Clarissa works with - from ballerinas to retirees  45:04 What's next for Clarissa  46:24 Quick-fire questions  48:24 Where to connect with Clarissa Thanks so much to Clarissa for coming on the podcast and sharing such an honest and inspiring story. Please make sure to subscribe and rate the show 5 stars if you've been loving it - it helps the show more than you know. Connect with Nic: Beyond the Reformer InstagramSoul Pilates InstagramSoul Pilates EducationNic's InstagramJoin Soul at HomeBook a Pilates ClassSign up to Our Newsletter Connect with Clarissa: Clarissa's InstagramPilates Mamii WebsiteYouTube: Pilates MamiiFacebook: Pilates MamiiClarissa’s Sage Does Pilates BookClarissa’s Babies & Barre Book Join the Soul Pilates Retreat in Cornwall on 19 June for a weekend of movement, rest and nourishment. Find all the details here. Thinking about investing in Pilates equipment? Balanced Body are offering our listeners a special discount! Fill in the form here and mention Soul Pilates when you order. Interested in joining the July Teacher Training intake? Find all the details and book a call here. Get 5% off Balanced Body Pilates equipment with the code SOUL PILATES

    54 min

  4. 11 May

    Beyond Classical: Ron Fletcher's Pilates Legacy With Kyria Sabin

    "The body floats on the breath. Without the breath, we don't have a core. We don't have a centre." - Kyria Sabin In this episode, we are joined by Kyria Sabin, director of Fletcher Pilates International and one of the most respected custodians of a first-generation Pilates lineage in the world. Kyria worked directly with Ron Fletcher - a first-generation teacher who studied with Joseph and Clara Pilates and danced with Martha Graham - and has dedicated her career to preserving and evolving his approach to the method. Her path into Pilates was never planned; she was heading towards law school when a session at the Ron Fletcher Studio changed everything. Kyria and Nic explore what it truly means to carry a lineage forward, why the "classical vs contemporary" debate misses the point, and what made Ron Fletcher's approach so unique - from his movement-based philosophy to his breath-centred teaching. They take an honest look at the current state of Pilates education, the dangers of watered-down training, the rise of reformer-only studios, and what it actually takes to establish meaningful standards for the industry. And they go deeper into the spiritual dimension of Pilates - why client transformation so often shows up in relationships and sense of self first, and what Ron Fletcher would likely say if he saw where Pilates is today. (Spoiler: it's one word.) Timestamps 00:00 Introduction to Kyria Sabin 00:10 Carrying Ron Fletcher's legacy - responsibility and blessing 04:47 What makes the Fletcher approach unique 08:31 Classical vs contemporary - why the conversation misses the point 12:42 Kyria's journey: from art world to Pilates 15:38 How Kyria trained - the apprenticeship model 17:24 Life in Tucson and accidentally staying for 35 years 18:39 The gift of seeing bodies and learning to teach 21:57 Taking over Fletcher Pilates International 23:13 Building a cohesive studio culture and team 26:35 Creating the Fletcher Pilates teacher training programme 28:39 What goes into a quality Pilates education 32:39 The 12-step framework that underpins the Fletcher programme 34:02 Why Pilates transformation shows up in clients' lives, not just bodies 38:45 What defines a high-quality teacher training programme 43:55 Should reformer teachers still be comprehensively trained? 56:29 What excites Kyria about the future of Pilates 58:21 What concerns her about where the industry is heading 01:00:22 Quick-fire questions 01:02:26 Where to find Kyria If you're enjoying the podcast, make sure you're following along so you don't miss future episodes. And feel free to share this one with someone you think would take something from it. Connect with Nic: Beyond the Reformer InstagramSoul Pilates InstagramSoul Pilates EducationNic's InstagramJoin Soul at HomeBook a Pilates ClassSign up to Our NewsletterConnect with Kyria: Fletcher Pilates InstagramFletcher Pilates WebsiteFletcher Pilates FacebookKyria’s Instagram Get 5% off Balanced Body Pilates equipment with the code SOUL PILATES

    1hr 7min

  5. 7 May

    A Year of Pilates Conversations Changed How I Think About Teaching

    Beyond the Reformer turns 1!! 🥳 In this special solo anniversary episode, Nic marks one full year of Beyond the Reformer by sharing her honest reflections on everything she has learned over the past year. She opens up about nearly quitting the podcast, the challenge of doing too much as a studio owner and educator, and how a year of conversations with some of the most respected Pilates professionals in the world has genuinely changed her perspective. A huge thank you to every single one of you who has supported the podcast over the past year. The community that has been built is more than anything Nic could have imagined, and she cannot wait to continue bringing you these conversations. Timestamps: 00:00 Reflecting on one year of the podcast 07:08 The reality of doing too much 10:13 Bringing a journalism mindset into podcasting 14:31 Putting yourself out there and asking for opportunities 18:30 Understanding classical vs contemporary Pilates 22:39 Why your personality is your superpower 24:16 Finding your reason for teaching Pilates 26:01 How to choose the right teacher training 30:28 What presence really means in teaching 35:35 Humility and the importance of continuous learning 41:01 Rethinking failure and challenge in classes 45:07 What’s next for the podcast and community Make sure to subscribe to continue hearing these conversations every week, and send Nic a DM on the Beyond the Reformer Instagram page with your thoughts on this week’s episode. Connect with Nic: Beyond the Reformer InstagramSoul Pilates InstagramSoul Pilates EducationNic’s InstagramJoin Soul at HomeBook a Pilates ClassSign up to Our Newsletter Get 5% off Balanced Body Pilates equipment with the code SOUL PILATES

    52 min

  6. 4 May

    Rethinking Pilates for Runners, Pain, and Performance with Juan Nieto

    Nic is joined by Juan Nieto, a physical therapist, Polestar educator, founder of the Reformer Flow Collective and co-creator of Runty. Juan brings a completely different perspective to Pilates, movement, and coaching. Rather than focusing on perfect technique or choosing the “right” exercises, he challenges the idea that there even is a single correct way to move. Instead, he shares why expanding movement options, building awareness, and increasing variability is what truly helps people move better, reduce pain, and build resilience. The conversation explores how Pilates can act as a foundation for everything else, from running to strength training, and why it should be seen as part of a bigger movement ecosystem rather than a standalone solution. Juan shares why group classes can be more powerful than privates, how play and task-based learning can transform the way people move, and why teachers need to shift from instructing to creating environments where real learning can happen. Timestamps 00:00 Intro to Juan 00:37 Why Pilates should be seen as a starting point, not the end goal 04:58 The challenge of getting runners into Pilates 08:16 Using Pilates as effective cross-training 11:30 Juan’s journey into movement and physical therapy 12:27 Moving away from hands-on treatment to building client independence 14:30 The opportunity for Pilates teachers in modern rehab 20:33 Understanding pain, beliefs, and the nervous system 23:01 Assessing movement through tasks and tendencies 25:45 Why group classes can be more powerful than privates 29:03 Building agency and independence in your clients 31:57 Why Pilates teachers need to stop over-cueing 35:03 Using play and games to improve movement and learning 37:44 The Reformer Flow Collective and creative teaching 45:41 Quick-fire questions 49:31 Where to connect with Juan Thanks so much to Juan for coming on the podcast. Please make sure to subscribe and rate the show 5 stars if you’ve been loving it, it helps the show more than you know. Connect with Nic: Beyond the Reformer InstagramSoul Pilates InstagramSoul Pilates EducationNic’s InstagramJoin Soul at HomeBook a Pilates ClassSign up to Our Newsletter Connect with Juan Juan Nieto InstagramEmail: juan@postpilates.esReformer Flow CollectivePolestar Pilates Spain Get 5% off Balanced Body Pilates equipment with the code SOUL PILATES

    56 min

  7. 27 Apr

    Stop Copying Other Pilates Teachers and Start Being Yourself with Lesley Logan

    In this episode, Nic is joined by Lesley Logan, a classical Pilates teacher, international presenter, fellow podcaster, and founder of Profitable Pilates and Online Pilates Classes. They explore what it really takes to become a great Pilates teacher, from developing the ability to observe bodies and cue effectively, to navigating imposter syndrome and finding your unique voice in the industry. They unpack the importance of having boundaries and also the current state of the Pilates industry, including gaps in teacher training, the need for mentorship, and why rushing into teaching too quickly can hold people back long term. They also go deeper into the business side of Pilates, from pricing and profitability to building a career that actually supports your life. Timestamps 00:00 Intro to Lesley Logan 01:32 Boundaries, burnout, and learning to say no 09:59 What’s happening in the Pilates industry right now 13:22 Gaps in teacher training and education 15:25 Learning how to truly see bodies as a teacher 18:49 Lesley’s journey into Pilates 26:09 Helping clients build autonomy in their practice 30:52 Owning your unique method and voice 40:26 Pricing for sustainability and growth 45:37 What accessibility really means in Pilates 50:52 Why mentorship keeps great teachers 54:05 Building multiple revenue streams 57:35 Quick-fire questions 59:15 Where to find Lesley If you’re enjoying the podcast, make sure you’re following along so you don’t miss future episodes. And feel free to share this one with someone you think would take something from it. Connect with Nic: Beyond the Reformer InstagramSoul Pilates InstagramSoul Pilates EducationNic’s InstagramJoin Soul at HomeBook a Pilates ClassSign up to Our Newsletter Connect with Lesley: Lesley Logan InstagramProfitable Pilates WebsiteOnline Pilates ClassesLesley Logan Podcast Get 5% off Balanced Body Pilates equipment with the code SOUL PILATES

    1hr 6min

  8. 20 Apr

    How to Become a Great Pilates Teacher with Polestar UK Owner Andre Santaella

    In this episode, Nic sits down with Andre Santaella, COO of Polestar Pilates and now leading Polestar UK, to explore her journey from discovering Pilates through her mum’s studio to stepping into a global leadership role. Nic and Andre discuss what truly makes a great Pilates teacher beyond just their qualifications. They also explore how to choose the right training provider, why mentorship is essential, and the importance of continuous education. To finish off they chat about how we should be viewing other studios, teachers and trainings as an opportunity to collaborate instead of think of it as competition and and how shifting this mindset can completely change your experience within the Pilates industry. Timestamps 00:00 Introd to Andre 01:41 Taking on Polestar UK 04:53 Discovering Pilates through her mum’s studio 10:55 The path from studio manager to COO 16:16 What actually makes a great Pilates teacher 20:52 Questions to ask when hiring teachers 26:05 Learning from observing different teaching styles 27:14 Choosing the right Pilates training provider 33:05 The role of continuing education in Pilates 37:34 Why collaboration beats competition 44:02 Differences in the global Pilates industry 50:22 Quick fire questions If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow or subscribe so you never miss a conversation! Connect with Nic: Beyond the Reformer InstagramSoul Pilates InstagramSoul Pilates EducationNic’s InstagramJoin Soul at HomeBook a Pilates ClassSign up to Our Newsletter Connect with Andre: Andre Santaella InstagramPolestar Pilates UK InstagramPolestar Pilates UK Website Get 5% off Balanced Body Pilates equipment with the code SOUL PILATES

    57 min
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About

Welcome to Beyond the Reformer, the podcast where Pilates professionals and enthusiasts come together for thoughtful conversations, genuine insights, and inspiring stories. Join Nic every Monday morning to feel more connected, inspired, and empowered in your Pilates practice, teaching, and beyond…

Information

  • Creator
    Nic Lenny
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    59
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Beyond the Reformer
  • Show Website
    Beyond the Reformer

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