Questions Every Pilates Instructor Should Be Asking

Hey everyone! This episode ended up looking a little different than I planned. I was supposed to be in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia teaching two reformer courses, but my trip got canceled at the last minute due to attacks at the airport. As disappointing as it was, it gave me something unexpected…a few bonus weeks at home to slow down, reflect, and finish up my first-ever 8-week mentorship program with a group of incredible instructors. And honestly? It turned out to be one of the best experiences I've had. The questions that came out of this group were so good, I wanted to bring them here and share them with all of you. In this episode, I talk about: Wrapping up my first 8-week mentorship and what I learned from the instructors in the group  Two beautiful messages I received from mentorship participants that stopped me in my tracks How do you give a client a great workout without pushing them to the point of injury? why form is everything, why 10 reps is usually enough, and the funny (and humbling) story of teaching my aunt and uncle Pilates early in my career Giving clients the autonomy to choose their own level and why every body in the room doesn't have to do the same number of reps How to handle the client who wants more, more, more  What's the secret to keeping clients coming back for 16 years? A client of 8 years shares her perspective on how my teaching has evolved Programming: why your foundations should show up in nearly every session, and how to layer in new challenges without losing the basics What do you do when a client doesn't respond to your cuing?  Does being an advanced instructor mean teaching advanced exercises?  How do you stay inspired after years of teaching?    Shop Living Libations | livinglibations.com/adrianarotella   ~ Connect With Me ~ Instagram - @adriana.rotella Website - adrianarotella.ca  

In this solo episode, I'm diving into a conversation that keeps coming up in my mentorship group, one that I've heard from brand-new instructors and seasoned teachers alike. It's about something many of us struggle with: knowing our worth, setting our rates, and letting go of the guilt around it. So many talented Pilates instructors feel guilty about what they charge, worry about losing clients, or compare their rates to the studio down the street without stopping to consider what actually makes their teaching different. Today, I want to squash the "instructor guilt" and reframe pricing as what it really is, a fair exchange of value.   Reflection Questions: I left my mentorship group with these questions, and I want to leave you with them too. Sit with the first answer that comes to mind: Are you pricing your sessions based on your business needs or based on fear of what someone might think? If you calculated every hour you spend working on your business (scheduling, planning, cleaning, communicating), what would your actual hourly earnings be? Are you comparing your rates to another studio without knowing their costs, experience, or business model? Have you even been there? If you were truly confident in the value of your teaching, would you price your services differently? Are you building a business you want to sustain for the next 10 years or one that's just keeping you busy today?   ~ Go to getsensate.com/arnutrition and use code "ARnutrition" for 10% off ~   ~ Connect With Me ~ Instagram - @adriana.rotella Website - adrianarotella.ca  

This one's a solo episode, and it's a topic I've been wanting to talk about for a while because it's something I've lived through, and something I know so many of you instructors (and honestly, anyone in a service-based role) can relate to: burnout, boundaries, and protecting your energy. Your Energy Audit: What drains me? What fuels me? What deserves my energy? Who gets the most regulated version of me? What makes me feel alive — and how do I do more of it? What can no longer rely on my personal energy? What have I been avoiding because it's uncomfortable? Do I show up for myself? What is my body craving right now? What am I doing to support my own body? Where are you now, and where do you want to be?   ~ Go to getsensate.com/arnutrition and use code "ARnutrition" for 10% off ~   ~ Connect With Me ~ Instagram - @adriana.rotella Website - adrianarotella.ca  

Most of us didn't get into this work because we wanted to manage people. We fell in love with movement. But somewhere along the way, we found ourselves running studios, leading teams of instructors, or working alongside people who all have different energy, different needs, and different ideas about how things should be done. Nobody hands you a manual for that part. That's why I sat down with my friend Stephanie Woodward; executive coach, workplace facilitator, leadership consultant, and founder of Agency to Change. Stephanie is the creator of the Conscious Productivity Framework, host of The Conscious Productivity Podcast, and author of the #1 Amazon bestseller The Big Scale Back: Success and Balance By Your Own Design. We covered so much ground in this one. Here's what you'll find: Episode Chapters 2:50 - Stephanie's origin story: workaholic since age 12, promoted at 28 to lead a team in their 40s 6:00 - The adrenal crash: climbing the ladder to 80–100 hour weeks and hitting rock bottom 8:00 - The Conscious Productivity Framework: Clarity, Climate, and Flow 12:00 - Why self-leadership comes first (before team leadership) 15:00 - The team's nervous system: how a regulated leader changes everything 23:00 - Where to start with self-leadership: books, podcasts, and knowing yourself 28:00 -  Dealing with the "bad apple": hiring for values, setting team norms, and having hard conversations 33:00 - Why it's like parenting (but you get to expect more from adults) 36:00 - Community, connection & climate at work 40:00 - Team-building strategies: Enneagram, cooking classes, anonymous surveys 44:00 - Chronotypes: understanding when your team (and your boss) is at their best ~ Go to getsensate.com/arnutrition and use code "ARnutrition" for 10% off ~   ~ Connect With Stephanie ~ Instagram - @agencytochange  Website - agencytochange.com Youtube - @agencytochange274 Podcast - The Conscious Productivity Podcast  Take the Conscious Productivity Quiz - DISCOVER MORE   ~ Connect With Me ~ Instagram - @adriana.rotella Website - adrianarotella.ca  

This episode is a special one for me because my guest is someone I've known since our nutrition school days; long before she became "DJ Ray" or launched Reunion, the alcohol-free, women-only dance party that's taken Toronto by storm. Rachel Molenda has worn more hats than I can count: holistic nutritionist, intuitive eating coach, mindset coach, and now DJ and event producer. But through every reinvention, the thread that's stayed constant is her commitment to showing up as fully, unapologetically herself, even when it's scary, even when people might judge, and even when things go completely sideways. In this episode, we cover: How Rachel went from presenting on vitamin A with a guitar in nutrition school to building a 500-person dance party movement (yes, she literally sang a song about vitamins) Her career evolution through nutrition, intuitive eating, and mindset coaching The breadcrumb trail that led her to DJing and raves at 31, and how all the clues were there in hindsight The cancellation story: Rachel planned a sold-out 500-person rooftop party, only to wake up the morning of to orange skies and wildfire smoke warnings. She lost $8,000 in refunds in 48 hours  How vulnerability and community turned the whole thing around: she went live on Instagram, her community rallied, and the resold tickets sold out in four days Why Reunion is alcohol-free and women-only, and what happens when you remove liquid courage and the male gaze from a dance floor Knowing when to walk away from something successful (Rachel walked away from a 300,000-download podcast) and what "feeling dead inside" signals A deep dive into Pilates, Stott vs. classical, the "Pilates wars," and whether it even matters as long as people feel good ~ Go to getsensate.com/arnutrition and use code "ARnutrition" for 10% off ~   ~ Connect With Rachel ~ Website - www.rachelmmolenda.com  Website - www.thereuniondanceparty.com  Instagram - @rachelmmolenda Youtube - @rachelmmolenda Reunion ~ JOIN THE WAITLIST   ~ Connect With Me ~ Instagram - @adriana.rotella Website - adrianarotella.ca  

I sat down with Bridget Robitaille, a Stott Pilates instructor trainer since 2009, with a background in psychology, massage therapy, breathwork, and meditation. Bridget is the founder of Inspire Movement, and honestly, every time I'm in her energy I just feel calmer. I wanted to bottle that up and share it with all of you. Timestamps 2:54 — What is mindful movement? Beyond the physical exercises 7:43 — Signs your nervous system is dysregulated (and how to notice them) 12:44 — Quick tools for regulation: physiological sigh, box breathing, tapping 19:49 — Giving clients space to feel without trying to fix them 28:37 — Adriana's burnout story: when the calendar doesn't match your values 33:20 — Bridget's edge of burnout & the three-month trip that changed everything 40:11 — The art of saying no 44:57 — Self-care vs. pampering: learning from other cultures 53:02 — Why instructors need to keep taking classes themselves 58:54 — Celebrating small victories & quieting the inner critic ~ Go to getsensate.com/arnutrition and use code "ARnutrition" for 10% off ~   ~ Connect With Brigette ~ Vimeo - Brigitte Robitaille Instagram - @inspiremouvement Website - inspiremouvement.com Facebook - Inspire Mouvement   ~ Connect With Me ~ Instagram - @adriana.rotella Website - adrianarotella.ca  

Barbara Birke joins me this week for one of my favorite conversations yet. We dive deep into why building and maintaining muscle is one of the most important investments women can make for long-term health, especially as we move through our 40s, 50s, and beyond. If you've ever wondered whether Pilates counts as strength training, how much protein you really need, or why the scale isn't telling you the whole story, this episode is for you. Key Takeaways Muscle is the longevity organ. It supports your bones, joints, metabolism, blood sugar, brain, mood, and energy. Use it or lose it. From age 35 onward, muscle declines unless you actively work against it. 2–3 sessions, 30 minutes each per week is enough to see meaningful benefits. Protein matters: Aim for 1.2–1.6g per kilo of body weight if you're active. Body composition > scale weight. Muscle is denser than fat. How your jeans fit tells you more than a number. Form first, then load. Don't add weight to faulty movement patterns. Reduce tension, fix the form, then build back up. Pilates counts as strength training as long as there's progressive overload (increasing spring resistance over time). Movement is not a punishment. Reframe it as nourishment and self-care.   ~ Go to getsensate.com/arnutrition and use code "ARnutrition" for 10% off ~ Pilates Instructor Mentorship | JOIN HERE   ~ Connect With Barbara ~ Instagram - @strongwithbarbara Website - optimum-you.com YouTube - @strongwithbarbara  Strength Training Course - Power & Balance  ~ Connect With Me ~ Instagram - @adriana.rotella Website - adrianarotella.ca  

This week I'm joined by Tracy Smith, marketing strategist, speaker, entrepreneur, mom of two teenage boys, and founder of Oh Yes We Can, her signature event for women entrepreneurs and leaders. I've had the pleasure of getting to know Tracy over the past year, presenting at her events, and being part of the same mastermind group, and I love how she keeps marketing simple, practical, and doable. In this episode, we get into: The vision behind Oh Yes We Can Event planning secrets  What to do when things go wrong live  Marketing simplified Why email still beats social media  Overcoming the fear of visibility Energy, time, and boundaries    ~ Go to getsensate.com/arnutrition and use code "ARnutrition" for 10% off ~ Pilates Instructor Mentorship | JOIN HERE   ~ Connect With Tracy ~ Instagram - @bytracysmith Website - bytracysmith.com Get Your Seat at the Table   ~ Connect With Me ~ Instagram - @adriana.rotella Website - adrianarotella.ca  

In this episode, I sit down with my mentor and dear friend Jenn Pike; functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner, registered holistic nutritionist, medical exercise specialist, and host of The Simplicity Sessions podcast. With 30 years in the fitness and wellness space, Jenn breaks down what's really happening in women's bodies during perimenopause and menopause, why so many of us feel dismissed by the healthcare system, and how to build a foundation of trust with ourselves again. In this episode, we talk about: Showing up as the same person online and off, and why authenticity builds trust before anyone even meets you The physical and emotional "two bodies" every instructor needs to read in class Why perimenopause is a full-body rewiring  Jenn's top three starting points: track your sleep and digestion, understand your period vs. your cycle, and get intentional with nutrition Why so many women are undernourished, not overfed  The problem with keto, fasting, and diet culture's obsession with being smaller instead of stronger Training with your cycle (or the lunar cycle if you don't have one) instead of against it Why "Pilates" on social media often isn't Pilates at all Knowing when it's time to pivot vs. go deeper in your business The power of mentorship    ~ Go to getsensate.com/arnutrition and use code "ARnutrition" for 10% off ~ Pilates Instructor Mentorship | JOIN HERE   ~ Connect With Jenn ~ Instagram - @jennpike Website - www.jennpike.com Facebook - @thesimplicityproject YouTube - @JennPike    ~ Connect With Me ~ Instagram - @adriana.rotella Website - adrianarotella.ca  

In this episode, I'm diving into one of my favourite topics: mentorship. If you've been feeling like you need more support, this episode is for you! We don't have to do it all alone.   Pilates Instructor Mentorship | JOIN HERE   ~ Connect With Me ~ Instagram - @adriana.rotella Website - adrianarotella.ca