Episode Details

"I would rather be effective than sexy."

In this episode, we are joined by Lindsey Hammond, Pilates studio owner, educator, and author of Teach Pilates Like It Matters. Lindsey has been running her first studio for 18 years and now trains teachers through her own education programme, which she is also licensing to studios.

Together, Nic and Lindsey explore the gap between being qualified on paper and actually being ready to teach real clients. They unpack why teacher training covers the what of teaching but not always the how, why the idea of a teacher "it factor" is a myth, and how intentional repetition is what builds real confidence, charisma, and skill.

They also get practical, from planning three classes a week instead of twenty and cutting your cueing down to what really matters, to trauma-informed teaching, tactile cueing and consent, and what studio owners are really looking for when you walk into an audition.

Timestamps

00:00 Intro to Lindsey Hammond and Teach Pilates Like It Matters

00:54 What makes a Pilates teacher ready

01:18 The gap in Pilates teacher training

02:39 Why Lindsey created a bridge training for new teachers

04:55 From client to teacher: what makes a great Pilates teacher

06:56 How to fast-track becoming a great teacher

08:38 The myth of the Pilates teacher "it factor"

10:57 Cognitive load and teaching apparatus-based Pilates

14:55 Why repetition helps clients progress

15:40 Secondary cues: same exercise, different class

17:56 Inside Lindsey's onboarding programme for new teachers

20:16 The audition question that reveals everything

23:31 What's inside Teach Pilates Like It Matters

25:08 Trauma-informed Pilates teaching

29:22 When cueing goes wrong

31:39 Tactile cueing and consent

33:48 Why you need to take private sessions to teach them

36:29 How to plan three classes a week instead of twenty

38:48 Building your classes in "paragraphs"

40:49 Depth vs trends in Pilates

42:01 How to make your cueing more effective

45:44 Why your repetition needs to be intentional

48:09 Quick-fire questions

49:49 The cueing habit Lindsey wants teachers to stop

53:05 What studio owners look for in auditions

55:55 Where to find Lindsey

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Connect with Nic:

Beyond the Reformer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyond_reformer_pod/

Soul Pilates Education: https://www.instagram.com/soul_pilates_education/

Sign up to Our Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/2bff55298739/beyond-the-reformer

Connect with Lindsey: https://www.instagram.com/lindseydhammond/

Ready to take your Pilates teaching to the next level? Applications are now open for Soul Pilates Education's 2027 Teacher Training programs in Bristol! Choose between our 12-month Comprehensive Training (Jan 2027) or our 7-month Reformer Training (Mar 2027). Learn to teach with real depth, adapt movement, and gain full confidence with clients. Limited places available. 

Become a Certified Pilates Teacher in 2027

Ready to take your Pilates teaching to the next level? Applications are now open for Soul Pilates Education's 2027 Teacher Training programs in Bristol! Choose between our 12-month Comprehensive Training (Jan 2027) or our 7-month Refo