About Me

Hello there, I’m Rachel Piper. 

I'm a comprehensive classically trained plus-size Pilates Instructor [NCPT] who believes in teaching the PERSON in front of me by finding and using the right tools to help them succeed in their movement practice.

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• I’m a classical comprehensively trained Pilates teacher.

  • Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher (NCPT)

• I’m Size Inclusive Training Academy certified.

• I'm listed on the Size Inclusive Pilates Instructor Map

• I’m a published author of Size Diverse Pilates Mat Book

  • Barnes & Noble

• I was published on The Core (Balanced Body)

  • Teach for Autonomy: How to Help Clients be Independent in Pilates​

• I was published in The Pilates Journal (Australia)

  • A No Judgement Approach to Pilates

  • Bringing a Limitless Mindset to your Pilates Practice

• I was published in the Taekwondo Times

  • Neurodivergence & Martial Arts​

• I work in biotech and I’ve been a trainer for over 23 years.

• I teach at Rivercity Pilates in North Liberty, IA weekly.

• I’m one of five teachers on the Online Pilates Classes.com (OPC) platform.

• I’ve created workshops for Pilates Fusion EDU, OPC, and Corporate Club Pilates.

• I’ve been featured on podcasts to talk about size inclusiveness in the Pilates industry.

  • The Meet Your Body Podcast with Jessica Valant​; Ep 26 [US]

  • The Pilates Exchange with Hannah Teutscher; Ep 18 [Germany]

  • Be It Till You See It with Lesley Logan & OPC Teachers; Ep 517 [US]

• I’m Yin Yoga certified.

• I'm a 3x Gold Medal winner of the 2025 World Taekwondo Games [Anaheim, CA]

  • Traditional Poomsae [Taegeuk Sa Jang]​

  • Power Skipping Side Kick [Breaking]

  • Power Knife Hand [Breaking]

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I want to empower people to take charge of their movement journey while allowing me to guide them toward what they'd like to accomplish.  I want everyone to feel safe and included in a movement practice and in a fitness space.

Props, substitutions, and/or variations will ALWAYS be options during my sessions to ensure inclusion. 

 

WHAT I BELIEVE:

• Every body is a different shape and size and this should be celebrated.

• Every body moves differently because we all have "stuff" going on.

• Every body can do Pilates, the body just may need a prop or variation. 

• It doesn’t matter what the person next to you can or cannot do. You are two different people.

• Listen to YOUR body and figure out what your body can do NOW. Celebrate THAT!

• Pilates was meant to be practiced over a lifetime; start small and build on it. We all have to start somewhere.

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EVEN MORE ABOUT ME:

I am a HUGE Star Wars fan! I love that the characters are so diverse across the animated, live-action, and books.​

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I have been practicing and teaching in a bigger Pilates body for my entire "Pilates Life" - and I wouldn't change a second of it.

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I went through my 700+ hours of comprehensive teacher training AND a masters training in a larger body. I was extremely lucky to have mentors who believed in teaching the person in front of you.  I've work with people of all shapes and sizes with different things going on in their bodies. It has been an amazing experience!​

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​ONE LAST THING:​

We need more love and support in the world.

We need a world where anyone can feel safe and included in fitness spaces and in their community.

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I am working towards creating spaces for people who might not think they have a place in Pilates whether it's because of gender identity, race, size or shape, physical state, or being neurodiverse. I have high functioning anxiety and sensory processing hypersensitivity, so I want others to realize that they can find a place to be free in their movement practice with whatever it is they have going on.