

Pilates Elephants
Raphael Bender
We get to grips with new research, teaching strategies, and social issues around Pilates and Pilates teaching. This is 100% authentic, unscripted, real talk about everything Pilates.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 15, 2026 • 40min
349. Great Instructors Fill Classes
Studios hire Pilates instructors to fill classes with happy clients.If your instructors' classes are not full, by definition are not good at their job - yet.As a studio owner, it's your job to help them become good!Mentioned in this episode:Get 1:1 coaching with me to grow your studioGet 1:1 coaching with me to grow your studioThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy

Feb 8, 2026 • 30min
348. Progressing Strength, Flexibility & Skill In Pilates
Every Pilates exercise trains strength, range of motion, and skill. We explore how to progress your clients intelligently by adjusting one dimension at a time to build capacity, clarity, and confidence in movement.Mentioned in this episode:Get 1:1 coaching with me to grow your studioGet 1:1 coaching with me to grow your studioThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy

Feb 1, 2026 • 47min
347. Why “Quiet the Big Muscles” Is Wrong
Special shout out to Adam McAtee for this postCitations in these episodes:ep 278 Does Pilates strengthen your little muscles?ep 216 Why knowing which muscles are working in a movement is a waste of timeep 160 Can we even feel muscles activating?Mentioned in this episode:Get 1:1 coaching with me to grow your studioGet 1:1 coaching with me to grow your studioThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy

Jan 25, 2026 • 1h 2min
346. Why Dallas sold half her studio - then bought it back
Dallas Noerdlinger (Core Pilates, Oklahoma City) shares why she sold 50% of her studio during pregnancy, what changed in the business and culture, and how she bought it back.We talk boutique vs franchise positioning, keeping instructors happy, managing owner overwhelm, and the “unlimited membership” + waitlist problem—plus practical fixes for capacity, pricing, and schedule structure.Mentioned in this episode:Get 1:1 coaching with me to grow your studioGet 1:1 coaching with me to grow your studioThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy

Jan 18, 2026 • 40min
345. Where Should I Be Feeling This?
The most useful kind of body awareness is mostly unconscious and automatic control, like a cat. This is built through practice, not narration.Links:Glute activation drills increase perception but not actual glute activation hereEpisode 160 "Can we even feel muscles activating?" hereMentioned in this episode:Get 1:1 coaching with me to grow your studioGet 1:1 coaching with me to grow your studioThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy

Jan 11, 2026 • 21min
344. Text Neck Isn’t Causing Your Neck Pain
Studies mentioned in this episode:2025 longitudinal study finds text neck is not associated with future neck pain here2023 systematic review of interventions for neck pain finds strengthening works here2017 Chen et al. systematic review finds neck strengthening is the most effective intervention for workplace neck pain - more effective than posture or ergonomic advice hereMentioned in this episode:Get 1:1 coaching with me to grow your studioGet 1:1 coaching with me to grow your studioThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy

Jan 4, 2026 • 14min
343. Why Your Clients Don’t Show Up (Even When They Want To)
Your clients don’t skip Pilates because they don’t care.They skip because the system asks them to do work they don’t have the capacity for.In this short episode, Raphael shares:Why flexibility often reduces attendanceThe paradox of overwhelm: needing structure but lacking the bandwidth to create itHow studios unintentionally design for no-shows and drop-offA simple shift from “choice” to “default” that increases consistency and retentionIf your clients say they “don’t have time”, this episode explains what’s really happening and how to fix it.Mentioned in this episode:Get 1:1 coaching with me to grow your studioGet 1:1 coaching with me to grow your studioThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy

Dec 28, 2025 • 41min
342. 3 Pilates exercises walk into a bar...
What do flamingo, arms in straps and knee pulls have in common?They look different. They feel different.They’re secretly doing the exact same thing.Mentioned in this episode:Get 1:1 coaching with me to grow your studioGet 1:1 coaching with me to grow your studioThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy

Dec 21, 2025 • 43min
341. There's a grape under your back
A Pilates cue goes off the rails and exposes everything we get wrong about “perfect form.” Expect heresy, biomechanics, and a very small grape that ruins neutral forever.Mentioned in this episode:Get 1:1 coaching with me to grow your studioGet 1:1 coaching with me to grow your studioThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy

Dec 14, 2025 • 45min
340. What's the minimum effective dose of Pilates for strengthening?
How much Pilates do you need to do to get stronger?Probably less than you think!Mentioned in this episode:Get 1:1 coaching with me to grow your studioGet 1:1 coaching with me to grow your studioThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy


