A North East fitness entrepreneur who opened her first Reformer Pilates studio after a serious back injury is now celebrating the launch of her fifth PilatEASE studio – and the training of more than 100 Pilates teachers across the region.
But don’t expect green juice and whispered affirmations.
PilatEASE is proudly, unapologetically “Nee Nonsense Pilates”.
Founded by Nicci Rowlands in 2019, PilatEASE was built out of frustration. After sustaining a serious back injury while teaching kettlebells, Nicci was advised by health professionals to try Pilates. What she found didn’t reflect what she needed.
“The classes were beautiful,” Nicci said. “But they weren’t built for people like me – injured, in pain and trying to rebuild. Health professionals were referring people to Pilates, but the reality didn’t match the need. It felt exclusive. Aesthetic. Not rehabilitative.”
So, she created the studio she wished had existed. Her first site opened in Denton Burn, Newcastle, just months before the pandemic. When restrictions lifted, reformer machines – once seen as intimidating – became the perfect socially distanced solution. Demand surged. Five years on, PilatEASE now operates five studios across Denton Burn, Ryton, Morpeth, Consett and Whitley Bay, delivering nearly 200 classes a week. But growth has never meant going glossy.
“We teach proper Pilates,” Nicci said. “We just don’t wrap it in ego. “Real bodies. Real ages. Real teaching. PilatEASE has built a reputation for doing things differently in an industry often dominated by £35 boutique classes and “body beautiful” messaging.
Teachers at PilatEASE range from their 20s to their 70s. Clients are older, younger, injured, rebuilding, strong, stiff, recovering, progressing. It’s not unusual to see a 70-year-old out moving someone half their age.
“We are older, sometimes broken, and refusing to give up,” Nicci said. “There’s no pressure to look the part. No mirrors of judgement. Wear what you want. Come as you are. Just move properly.”
Clear class names replace gimmicks. No “Fire Reformer” or confusing trends. Just Reformer Pilates, Reformer x Weights, FIT Reformer, Reformer x Barre. Straightforward. Evidence-based. Delivered by highly trained instructors who understand alignment, progression and injury management.
Nicci’s impact stretches far beyond her own studios. During lockdown, many experienced instructors retired, leaving a significant skills gap in the region. Instead of competing for limited staff, Nicci became an approved training provider with Active IQ, a nationally recognised, Ofsted-inspected awarding body. Through PilatEASE Training School, she now delivers regulated qualifications including the Active IQ Level 3 Diploma in Pilates Mat work, Reformer instructor training and specialist pre- and postnatal qualifications. To date, she has trained more than 100 Pilates teachers, contributing to the opening of around 50 reformer studios across the North East.
“We don’t argue about what ‘counts’ as Pilates,” Nicci said. “If it’s safe, intelligent and helps people move better, we’re interested. But standards matter. Good teaching matters.”
In a move that further sets the brand apart, PilatEASE has transitioned into a Community Interest Company (CIC), reinforcing its commitment to accessibility and affordability. Being not-for-profit is a deliberate decision.
“It’s our two fingers to an industry obsessed with exclusivity,” Nicci said. “Reformer shouldn’t be elite. It shouldn’t be intimidating. And it shouldn’t be priced so normal people can’t access it.”
With transparent pricing, flexible options and a strong community ethos, PilatEASE has grown through word of mouth and regional loyalty rather than luxury positioning.
On 14 November, PilatEASE will host the North East’s first Pilates Convention at the Grand Hotel, Gosforth Park. The full-day event will feature multi-apparatus classes, specialist vendors and the launch of a new partnership with Scottish manufacturer Origin Fitness, including a foldable at-home reformer supported by guided workouts.
For Nicci, the mission remains simple.
“Pilates changed my life when I was in pain and didn’t know how I was going to keep working,” she said. “This business came from that place. And that’s why we’ll always keep it real. No fluff. No snobbery. Just powerful movement, taught properly.”
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Photo: Nicci at one of her studios (Steve Brock Photography)
PR and media keith@highlightspr.co.uk 07814 397951