I have been studying with Kathi for about 6 years now and I am still in awe of her knowledge of Pilates. She teaches the Method with such passion and brilliance. Honestly, in every class with Kathi, my mind is blown away…I literally say it every class! And the beauty of the Ranch is beyond compare. Whether I am taking a Zoom class, or a workshop at the Ranch, or one of her many videos, there is ALWAYS something to learn from Kathi!

Working with Kathi has been one of the most rewarding learning experiences I’ve had with pilates. Her knowledge of the method is unparalleled and how she gets you to understand how each exercise threads together just blows your mind.  Kathi inspires and lifts you up no matter your background in pilates.

"My experiences at the Red Thread Ranch have been nothing short of phenomenal! Training with Kathryn Ross Nash is truly an exclusive experience like no other. Every detail is carefully thought out and planned with incredible efficiency. From the moment you walk in the door, you can immediately sense the opportunity that you're training inside a world class studio. Each and every visit I've had to the ranch has enriched my work, life and friendships profoundly."

During the darkest of times, (winter 2020) I decided to start a 10-week program with KRN. I deepened my practice and love for Pilates, I found an amazing mentor in KRN and another amazing mentor in one of her teachers Keka. I’ve never actually met them in person, (yet) but they have had a profound effect on me already. Magic!

I met KRN in 2013. From the moment I took my first lesson I was enthralled with her teaching style.
I enrolled in the Red Thread Advanced teacher training program and have spent many hours learning from Kathi both in NJ And at the Ranch. She is compassionate, has the most amazing hands and techniques for spotting and her knowledge of the "Work" is beyond words. She is articulate, smart, real, down to earth, lovely human being. She is also quite sassy so you can't help listening to every word she expresses. The growth I have experienced working with her is beyond expression. I am so grateful for the opportunities I have had to learn from her. KRN is the best! ❤️

Love you and miss you Kathi!

I have a whole new body when I return home from the ranch. Kathi inspires me on all levels - mentally and physically and I cannot wait to return the next time.

Kathi’s Red Thread Ranch is my Pilates home away from home. The community Kathi has fostered here has given me an amazing group of people to learn with in a challenging, supportive and immersive environment. Kathi has been my mentor for 20 years and has always been a force. A force that ignited my love for Pilates and my passion for the method. She is a pillar of strength in this industry who generously shares her knowledge endlessly for the sake of the method and always inspires me to be better. Studying with her throughout the years has been a major factor in my success as a seasoned teacher. And because of that I can help so many people be their best selves through the study of Pilates.

Kathi is a unique teacher who inspires you to be the best teacher you can be - and she is also great fun!
The generosity with which Kathi shares her knowledge is amazing. In the ranch Kathi has created a great working environment. It’s a privilege to go there and the live experience at the ranch is truly inspirational. Kathi is and remains a wonderful teacher, a wonderful person!

One of the wonderful things that happened during lockdown (apart from walks in the woods, sunshine and time at home with family) was that teachers, who you would normally have trouble getting access to, started to run workshops on Zoom.

I took some wonderful classes from Brooke Siler (whose book, The Pilates Body, I used extensively during my initial training) and then found Kathi Ross Nash was also zooming. I first met Kathi back in 2012 at a Classical Pilates conference at New York Pilates London, along with Peter Fiasca and Dorothee Vanderwalle, when I’d never even seen any classical Pilates apparatus. That was the start of my classical journey, through Andy Adamson, Amy Kellow and then Kirk Smith, whose Classical training I attended. I went to workshops with Michael Miller at Andy’s studio; with Andrea Maida and Karen Frischman at Amy’s Everybody Pilates studio in Portsmouth; and with Brook Siler and Jean-Claude Nelson at Gaby Noble’s Exhale Pilates Studio in London.

During lockdown I was able to take 2-3 live workshops/workouts each week with Kathi, and then signed up to her Hundred Challenge (10 weeks of lessons, each class repeated independently 3 times a week). The aim was to build the Hundred using the Red Thread Method that Kathi has developed over a number of years, as a result of teaching Pilates for 40 years. Such was the difference in my body (Kathi emailed to say “Was watching the tape … I am thrilled with your work!!!! Back looks great!” “Truly a huge difference!!!!!!!! So proud of your work and ability to internalise the thread!” I just couldn’t believe she was bothering to tell me) that I immediately signed up to The Roll up challenge.

Shortly afterwards I was stunned to receive an email from Kathi inviting me to join her PPATT (Pilates Professional Advanced Teacher Training) in 2022-23. I would never in a million years have thought I could do this! “I wanted you to know how truly impressed I am by your work.” Only 10 are invited each year, so it was absolutely an offer too good to miss. I signed up and took myself so far out of my comfort zone in so many ways!! Travelling by plane by myself, navigating several airports along the way, let alone arriving at The Ranch to meet the phenomenon that is Kathi, along with 9 others. I can’t lie, I was terrified! But also knew that I would learn so much and become a better teacher.

What had been missing for me in the classical Pilates I had learned was the WHY of the apparatus – why would you take a client to a certain piece of apparatus and how would you know what was the best exercise to choose. Well, that is at the heart of the system of exercise that is The Pilates Method, and Kathi has done an amazing job of making it a little easier to understand.

The Classical apparatus/method is designed to help you to find connections. Kathi breaks down the exercises into ‘threads’ (stability, articulation, rolling, extension, side bending, twisting) and ‘add next’ , requiring thought about the skills that are required to build the next exercise.

The detail is important: from the placement of the hands on the handles (arm springs, baby chair, pedipul)/ footbar/roll down bar/ sandbag/ poles) to the placement of the feet on the high chair and wunda chair pedals, reformer footbar and the push through bar. This detail is the difference between simple choreography and the connection to the Powerhouse which makes Pilates so effective.

In focusing on pelvic stability (and avoiding tucking), my hips gained more mobility and range of motion than ever before; focusing on my hand position, my grip strength improved, my hands became more connected to the second powerhouse (shoulders/upper back) and my open leg rocker is better for it; focusing on the lift of the spine on the baby chair helped me to better understand the lift required with the legs overhead (roll over, short spine massage, etc). Exercises on different pieces of apparatus can challenge those same connections by altering the orientation of the body in space. Seated pumping on the high chair relates directly to double leg stretch on the mat, frog with leg springs on the Cadillac, footwork/stomach massage/short spinal massage/backstroke swimming on the reformer etc. Building the skills of the mat exercises on various pieces of apparatus means that teachers/clients don’t have to make ‘corrections’ to improve, the exercises are only learned when the client is ready and has built each component part required in the exercise, and this is the key to The Red Thread.

The first trip to The Ranch in Sarasota (3 days, 10am-5pm in October 2022) introduced us to the Foundational work and the concepts of the threads/add next, along with looking at building the skills of the next exercise before adding the full exercise.

The second segment (3 days 10am-5pm in December 2022) moved on to the Core work, using core exercises to further build/challenge the skills.

The third segment (3 days 10am-5pm in February 2023) challenged us more with the Advanced work.

The final segment (3 days 10am-5pm in April 2023) covered PrePilates and issues – as well as celebrating Kathi’s birthday with the traditional Add On Mat (trademarked!) which had everyone sweating for 45 minutes, especially as we tried to keep up as she completed full range of motion double straight leg lower/lifts at the end – 60 of them!

We had homework and tests to complete online after each segment, exams to complete on the final trip and at home, as well as giving a PowerPoint presentation of the 10 lessons we had given a client, documenting the changes with photographs after each lesson. We also had to log 300 hours of study/homework. If I’d known exactly what was required I think I may well have thought it beyond me…however, as with every good teacher, you are taken from your starting point, and moved forward so it becomes possible.

I treated myself the the Red Thread of the Mat in 2018 - I began to make some sense of it through the zoom workshops in 2020-21, but it only truly started to make sense once I explored the Red Thread with my PPATT group.

I can now spend the rest of my teaching days (will I still be teaching at 80, as Joe was??) trying to put into practise what I’ve had the privilege of learning. Choosing the right exercise on the right piece of apparatus; getting more out of clients during each lesson; and progressing more clients through the intermediate… and some of the advanced…work.

I’m excited to be returning to New York Pilates, London to see Kathi in June and I would love to be able to meet up with my fellow PPATT students in 2024 and beyond. What a phenomenal group of teachers Kathi put together, all so supportive of each other, with thanks also to Kathi’s “teachers of teachers,” Emily, Keka, Marcia and Olga.

I will be forever grateful to Kathi for offering me this opportunity; and to my family for encouraging me to take it.