Description
About This Video
Transcript
Read Full Transcript
Hi, I'm Andrea and I'm here with my friends, Ethan and Karen, and we're going to explore one of our reaches in the pilates method under the two way stretch, we have a upper body reach and a lower body reach, and today we're going to use all of our fundamental exercises on the mat, sorry, on the reformer, the mat, and a couple other places to really investigate how to make every exercise, every formation of our upper body into the same reach that we're going to hit in the stomach massage. But first, let's begin at the beginning. So I'll let you stand next to your reformer. Stand very tall and stand right in front of where you're going to sit at the end of the carriage. Yes. Lift your stomach in and up and then sit without using your hands and you're going to lie back in one motion and your feet will go on the bar.
Pilates Stance
And today we're going to look at with great focus the upper body. But as we imagine that the upper body is big in all these various configurations and they're all the same thing. Other things may fall by the wayside. Polonius is not going to be perfect, but as long as it's not dangerous, we're going to continue. Yes. And just keep feeling like you're resisting the carriage in and you're pushing on the foot bar. See, I can't stop talking about the lower body, even when we're talking about the upper body. And then before you do the tendon stretch, let's have a little pretend a moment of the stomach massage.
Arches
So reach your arms up and forward for 10 and actually reach them a little bit this way. So we're sort of approximating what you would, you'd be doing sitting up kind of and the foot probably feels a little bit more in your stomach here versus behind you, right? Yeah. So keep that. Keep reaching and feel all of the stomach and then don't lose the stomach and just reach your arms all the way down and placing them on the carriage. Now do your tendons, right?
Heels
Tendon Stretch
Cause you know the ultimate and the reach is coming up in the hundred. We're going to reach and reach and reach a hundred times. Oh my God. So lower your foot bar slide a little bit away from the shoulder rests. Take your handles. Let's start with straight ours because that's kind of our theme for the day.
I love that you both have your legs down. Use your stomach, reach forward, up and forward. Come up to your hundred and now keep that idea as you pumped that you're reaching. So it's not just up and down. It's forward, up and forward.
Hundred
And open your chest even. Oh, that was very lovely. And all of this under here got on fire.
Way Forward from here. From the low back on the side. Yes. That's fantastic. Yes. I'll let you keep count. I cannot be trusted when you've done a hundred keep thinking that your reach is happening. You're just going to be going the other direction. Nice. Take your handles in one hand. You'll sit up and turn two springs, come off on the outside and then add your black straps and we'll do the frog and the circles.
And then when you get this black straps, make sure the handle doesn't hit you in the head and lift up your feet to place them into the straps the springs should not open. And then let's put your clips on the outside so that this metal clip, you don't want it to come undone. So that's why it's not in any of these handles or on her near her foot or anything like that. You're awesome. Okay, so now let's build in the reach in there again. So just reach up off the mat wherever you need to to get it in there. That's great. And then keep that in there and place them down again. Yeah.
Frog
And then I'll keep that in there and use that musculature to push to the frog. We're going to do the frog first. We're gonna do five.
And now let's do the circles. You're going to do five in each direction, and let's make the circles not hot, not wider than the reformer. And you're going to make it just as high as the shoulder rest. So you're going to go down to your own shoulder together and just above the shoulder rest. And when you keep it in this range at first, actually not just at first, but it's going to give you a little symmetry check when you hit the reverse direction.
Circles
And so if Ethan, we're not symmetrical, one strap would fall off before the other does, but he's listening for the straps to go off in stereo so that he knows that he is working in a symmetrical fashion. And then when you finish your circles in both directions, you'll return to the frog. So now we're going to get out of the straps in a very specific manner, which is going to keep your handles so you can put them on the pegs for yourself. We're going to the long box, so hold both of your wooden handles in one hand. This is so they don't fall and hit you. And unclip your black straps one at a time.
Be careful as you take them out, you'll put them in the wall behind you. You don't want any metal parts to hit you. And at first it will be a little bit awkward, but the main event that is nothing, nothing hits you in the head. And then eventually you'll get very efficient at it. Hang up your handles for the long box. You're going to step off, change to one spring in the middle,
There'll be no noise. Okay. So even though you're on your stomach now, you're still in exactly the same position of reaching. So reach to the strap first and then the muscles that reach are going to do the exercise. You're going to push down on the strap and lift yourself into the arch shaped and then control your return. Yes. Do two more. You guys put yourself on the box and really good spot.
Pulling Straps
T-Pull
So if you need to do any reaching forward to get that, but the grip kind of kind of help you as well. And actually this grip is very advantageous because if you can make the grip with all of your fingers, especially the pinky finger, it's going to allow this to help you use this to hold you up and not so much of the arm. So let's go. You're going to press out the heels, reach forward, and then they lift and you come in and we're going to do it 10 times. Keep your control. And as long as it's not wild, keep us nice, steady, brisk pace.
Round Back
Let's go to the next one. Sit up very tall and now you're at reach is now at a disadvantageous place. So can you feeling like the touch of the of you to the apparatus is really helping you to do exactly what you were doing when you were reaching forward with your arms? Yeah, take a little time as you reach your heels down and lift all the way up at the same time. So lift this more, more, more. That was fantastic. Make it like that on everyone. Oh yes, you did it too. Okay. Take one spring off in the middle. So now here we have our signature move. Our reach. That is exactly the communicative one.
Flat Back
Go out and now push on that bar. Stand on your feet and lift yourself the whole way in. Yes, go again. We're going to do five so that it, each time you come in, you're going to be a little bit taller. Push on the bar. Ethan, lift your heels up. Great. Fushi lift. Nice. So now we have a little like a advanced maneuver that we're going to do because it's fun. So keep your reach just because your hands are going away from each other, you're reaching your stomach can still stay with you and then come back. Good. Take an exhale as you twist, it'll feel nice maybe and return. Good.
Reach
Just two more sets.
Twist and Reach
The pad we're going to use again, the head will go down and then you'll get your box in your pole. So we're in luck. We also have a reach straight forward exercise here on the short box, so that can be helpful. Helpful as well. How are you guys doing? Okay. Oh and yes. Do sit on a pad. Okay.Make your strap super tight and let your legs end up about hip width apart. You could back up a little bit more I think. Yeah. Okay. So now you're going to use yourself as your own apparatus. So use your reach to and you and the fact you get to touch yourself versus an apparatus. Same thing. So roll back and keep the region there even if you have to sort of get it by reaching forward. Although that looks really quite nice what you're doing.
Round Back
Sit Up really tall, you're going to be a little bit up and forward and then you're going to reach with straight arms, the pole up and forward and just keep it where you can sort of see it in your periphery just a little tiny bit. Yeah. And then grow a little taller. So you're reaching from the low back all the way up to the fingertips and then you're going to lift the low back. Like it could come up to the fingertips as you go back and forth and then come all the way back home again. Go again.
Flat Back
So keep thinking that upward is more important than how far back you go and that any point in time in your reach, you should be able to stop. This is my theory. Yes, reach up. Yeah. So then I want to see up and forward moving backward in space. Yes. And now return. That was so good. Do it again. A little more open forward. Hmm. Actually I think if your wrist goes a little forward, it'll make this go a little forward.So pull into my hand on your back more, more crazily. Yes. Good. Keep that in there when you go back and now pull the stomach in and lift your back over it. Good for you. If you've done five iron, respect you, we'll go to the next one. So let's go down the reach again. So reach down and forward. So just within these three exercises you get a lot of practice going up and down. So reach up and forward.
So now your side bend is just going to be your up and forward. Lifting your sides of your waist, up to each respective hand. And now lifting yourself back up so that your back moves, not the arms and the pole, I should say. Your back moves the arms and the pole and return. And I liked that you're all exhaling. You ended the side.
Side to Side
Lord knows that we need to make this exercise. Feel good. Good Ethan. Once more each way. Or is this the third one? Okay. Reached down and forward. Lift your waistline, lifted all the way up to your hands. Lift and lift more to rotate and come back. So let's start with a simple twist. So up, lift your waistline, rotate and exhale. So now we're going to add the reach. Ah, again, there we go. So lift, twist.
Twist
Pretend you're going forward even though you're not and come back. Great. Do it again.
Twist and Reach
Keep it even almost the other way. Yet you can air. Yes. Oh, that was huge. Did you feel what happened? Okay. It feels weird. It does. Yes. And then reached the pole down. That was great. You guys. So stow the pole. And so now we have the tree. So our reach is going to be about reaching on and using our body as an apparatus. So already when you have your leg like that, have your reach your a little bit up and forward and then grow as you stretch your leg a few times, reach up to the ankle and then pause for a moment and lift yourself up and forward. So you're already in the position that you're going to be in, in the exercise. And now this is a novel concept. Pull your stomach in to take you backward. Don't lean back.
Tree
I know it's like a whole different world, right? Leave your foot on the ceiling and then keep that idea of your stomach and reaching as you go up and down. You can do whichever version you do and you'll do it three times.
So your reach is going all the way up to your hands. Good. And then bring that leg down and we'll do the other side. That's the good news about the tree. There's always two sides so I'm going to watch a little bit more on this side.
Let's take the short boxes and the Poles away and then we'll come back for the elephant. Yes. Head piece up to springs on on the outside and then the way you'll get on, you'll get on hand, foot, hand, foot. The carriage doesn't move and you come exactly to where your position is. So now we have a little bit of a different experience of the reach because now we're not sitting or lying down. So let's do a little bit of the elephant first and do grip the bar.
Elephant
Yes. So do a few do about three
Single Leg Elephant
Make it feel just like the elephant. And then let's do 10 10 and 10 of this exercise.
Round Back
Can change to the next one. Good. Keep feeling like the back reaches all the way to the grip and the grip has the pinkies in it. [inaudible] and then rest for a moment.
Flat Back
Stretch the one with the knees off. That's why we're talking now to give you a little break so that we can do it. Not all of it, but a little bit of it again. So I know that we probably were all taught that our knees should be this far from the carriage, like an inch away from the carriage. But that is the goal. But don't consider that to be the goal for today.
Knees Off
So think of more of the shape of like the pull up on the one to chair so that you're gonna create that lift and that and that stomach and center. And then eventually that's going to say up there and your knees or your whole body is going to stretch down to have your knees that far off the mat. So let's go back into the position. Is that as soon as I get enough rest, did I talk long enough? Yeah. So lift yourself up off that carriage as much as you can. Like high up. Way Up. Way Up. Like the pull up. Yes. Great.So now keep it up there and Ethan, you keep it up even a little more. Great. So now from your reach, stretch long with your legs, all the way out, straight legs, all the way in, all the way out, all the way in. Good. If you get to six or seven, that's plenty lovely. You may step off and then without your hands you'll sit and lie back. It's nice to always lie back after that exercise. Oh yes. I'm sorry. We will add one more spring for running.
Knees Off
So I'll have a three springs on for running. Yes. So nice to lie down. So now reach up a little bit. Find that all on the mat again. Yes. And now use that to run really nice. Let there be a moment where you pass through both like straight and the heel.
Running
Yes. So it's a little bit of a prince. I have to say. Joe Flies would be so, so upset. You're upset too. Okay. A little outrageous. Good to do. Falaise yes. And then you'll come all the way back in. Let's do the pelvic lift. Yeah, keep the reach in there and use the reach to help you keep the rib cage on the mat because that's really part of what we'll talk about in the lower body class on standing on the foot bar in the lower body or standing anywhere in the lower body.
Pelvic Lift
Here we are at the mat and let's stand facing the end of the mat. With the moon boxes, we're going to descend to the mat with control. And this is actually a little bit of kind of the stomach massage that we did in the reformer, but now in a little bit amped up version, shall we say. So I'm gonna let you stand on your mat. Yes, lift your waistline, cross your arms and feel like when you lift your elbows, it helps you lift your back so that it's the reach disguised. Yep. And then keep your head on the ceiling, push on your foot bar and sit down.
Wow. That was very nice. So you stuck the landing pretty well, I have to say. So we've already done the hundred. I'm, this is good news. Let's put our feet in the strap and you're gonna lie back. Actually, let's actually look at two versions of the roll up. So let's look at this more. A fundamental one because it's actually good cause you can touch, you know, use your hands and have the reach a little differently. So sit up really tall, use your reach, look into your stomach, and you can almost pretend it's the first of the stomach massages.
Roll Back Variations
And then just keep that up and forward as you go backward. And you could actually go all, you could go up and down like that. Or You could go all the way down and then reach and come all the way up. Yeah. And Go ahead and bring this together. Yeah. And the strap will be on your ankle. Excellent.And this actually you could do without a strap. So next time you, before you do the next one, let's remove the strap because it gives you just a little bit more surface area to, to have contact for support on the Mat. So you're going to press your feet actually all the way down. Yeah. So now you'll be able to really stand on the way up. Still push and yeah, that's a little more exciting. Back this up just a little, but do one more like this and then we'll add the strap and then we'll turn it into the roll up. So this is rolling back just like nice. Roll up and then add your straps. There should be a poll to your right.
You'll lie all the way down the strap will be on your ankles. And imagine that your heels are gonna reach forward and that you could still kind of have a floor to stand on there. So reach to the ceiling first or even reach a little bit far down lower than the ceiling. If you, wherever you feel the stomach. And now hang onto your reachings and your stomach as you take your arms overhead like you are on the short box. Okay? And then bring the pole and the arms up to the ceiling. Yes, pick up your head, left your body from your waistline.
Roll Up
So your reach is now lifting you in your roll up and you'll stretch. And then you'll roll down. Let's do five. And then we're going to add in a little extra. And I should say these practitioners are making this look really, really good. This progressing from the rolling back to this kind of a roll up is not going to happen in the space of your class.
And it may take lots of time to make the roll up. Come from the rolling back and look this way. So you guys are giving it hell, I love it. Okay, so we're gonna add another little element, which is again, would not be added on day one. Lift yourself over.
And the premise is that between the legs going one way and the lift and the stretch of the reach going the other way, the low back gets opened gradually so that after your three little reaches it might smoothly go down to the mat a little bit nicer each time. Was that about five or 500 okay. So let's re let's put the poles down. So now we're going to look at the one leg circle and on the studio mats there are handles. And so we're going to have one like the with the arms down, just like we reached in footwork.
And then here we're going to use a dowel to make the handles. So we can do this version of the exercise as well.
Single Leg Circles
So now reach one, the right leg up in the air, keep your reach with the upper body and your do five circles in each direction.
And then when you finish the right leg, carry on to the left leg if you need to kind of, if the reach has gone away and you need to sort of judge the reach a little bit, feel free.
Your reach is now going to hold your ankles.
So the more that you can have the grip, very fierce, it's going to help you use your upper body. Okay, so now let's roll like a ball. Do about five or six. Very nice. And I liked that you were balancing each time your feet never hit the mat. So now after you've completed that, we're going to do a little fancy transition. So now change your reach to your right leg, the right hand on the ankle, the left hand just below the knee. Reach user, stomach.
Rolling Like A Ball
Lie back with control right into your one single leg pole. Very nice. You're gonna pull twice. One to change one too. And as you're changing your hand position, you can kind of have a little reaching imagining thought so that you keep it all in there. These are a little bit hard to not use your stomach on. I know do about five or six sets and then you'll bring both legs in for the double leg pole. So here's our quintessential two way stretch exercise.
Single Leg Stretch
Let's do five of them from a big strong center and a deep full breath. Yes, keep the reach and try not to bend your arms as you reach back. Yeah. So they're just going to go with right back. And then when you finish, you'll sit all the way up. Let's do the spine stretch with the heels on just the mat and let's actually do both of the versions. So Ethan, why don't you reach your arms forward and why don't you have your hands on the mat? Yes.
Double Leg Stretch
So the same reaches in here lifting the low back, reaching to the hands, but now the hands are low and here they're more in our upper reaching up position. So now lift up your back and you're just going to stretch forward like the waistline is what's moving the hands in this version.
Spine Stretch Forward
So lift this and then go up and over. Yeah. So that really, this is the point of, and actually, you know, I want to see you do the one with the hands on the mat. I kind of liked that. So I do it for myself too because I can't be trusted as a lift up and then just use the waistline to move the hands. Yeah. And now lift the waistline and come back up again. Do it again. Lift it first. Yes. Oh, that was a really good one.
And do about five that you're happy with.
That was very nice.
You may have an exercise that comes to mind that is different from the one I've chosen and that is perfectly fine. We are different people and things that speak to you differently, um, may help you better. So let's take a look at rolling back. Ethan, I'm going to let you sit with your legs straight and your feet against the Poles and then you're going to hold onto this bar. Use Your grip and yeah, that looks good. It's about just a little bit wider than your shoulders. That's lovely. So now you can see why I've chosen this exercise and it's not an accident that this bar is up here because this the back has to get lifted all the way up and forward to reach to the bar and Ethan grip with the Pinky side of your hand a little bit more. I like that you have your thumb around for safety of course, but keep that lifting and then your challenges that you're going to keep the lift and the reach in there even though you happen to be going backward and down. Well, Ethan made that look really easy. That was really, really good.
Roll Back
And then go ahead and stand on your feet over there on the handles or I'm in the Poles and then lift the waistline all the way up to your hands again. Nice. And so there's another thing you can do with this exercise. I think that it would feel nice if this got a little more stretch. What do you think? Okay, so technically this exercise starts in a tall shape. You roll down, so it's like a round shape and then a tall shape on the mat and then you return to this straight up sitting position. However, I encourage you to be mercenary with the exercises.
There's a way you can kind of make it, you can see it's already kind of the roll up and if you kind of continue that roll up shape, you might get a nice stretch there on the return. So wait, let's lift that up. The way you went down before was great. So keep it up and forward. Yeah, a little more up and forward. [inaudible]
Don't skip that spot. Good. One more.
So now we're going to do a little ending. Okay. So now at the wall we're gonna do the wall exercise called circles, which is arm circles, which we've done several different ways in our workout already. A, and this is just another, a finish that's gonna incorporate our theme for the day. So First Ethan, you're going to stand with everything against the wall, your heels, your hips, your shoulders, and probably like this with your feet touching the wall. Your back is not touching the wall. So just walk your feet forward as much as you need to, even if you have to walk far forward so that your back is yes, and you can see how he, he's almost like we were at the start of the reformer.
Arm Circles
So take a nice exhale and see if this middle back can get to the wall as well. Soften your knees a little bit. I mean, just like, yeah, not even that much. That's better. What happens if you walk a little further forward? Is it slippery or okay. And then pull this rib into the wall. Great.
Okay. So now you're going to use your stomach and you're going to make a circle just up to your shoulder, out into your periphery, and then down again.
Do like five and then we'll do five the other way.
Then one more time, and he's making this look very easy. I know he's just circling his arms, but there's a lot of work in there. So now place your arms on the wall and then start to walk your feet back to the wall. Try to keep your back on the wall as much as you can. It's probably going to leave, but you're trying. And then you're going to get all the way against the wall with your heels as well. Just like you were at the top. Yes. So now take a moment.
You're going to use your muscles. You're going to try to iron out the contours of your body to make you the shape of the wall, which is impossible, but it's the trying that counts. And you just did all of that. That was great. He got really, really elongated. So now push the whole, reach into the wall with your arms and remove your body and a solid piece. So you're standing next to the wall and then relax your arms. Great.
And then you are finished. Thank you so much for watching. Um, do you have any questions on this class? Please leave me a comment. I'm happy to answer anything that I didn't emphasize, um, or questions you have about why I chose to do y. What did I did? Um, thank you so much for watching and I'll see you next time. Bye.
Mention
 |
Andrea (Teacher) |
 |
Patti S |
 |
Jennifer A |
 |
Jamie R |
|
|
Madhavi A |
 |
Laurel S |
 |
Kathleen Fitzgerald Henry |
Comments
You need to be a subscriber to post a comment.
Please Log In or Create an Account to start your free trial.
