Class #1100

Balancing your Body

25 min - Class
70 likes

Description

In this Wunda Chair workout, Amy teaches a class that will create balance in the body. She teaches many challenging exercises including the Swan Dive, Plié Front, and Handstand. You will feel the connection to your entire body after this class.
What You'll Need: Wunda Chair

About This Video

Jul 02, 2013
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Transcript

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Hi there. This is Amy and I have Andy with me. Today we're going to give Andy, I'm giving a one to chair workout. I'll be a strong intermediate level. We're on a groths one to chair and um, we're starting with like pumps and footwork so I've got them up on one high and one low. So we'll get started. And Andy go ahead and put your, pull out these v stance their toes, heels together to narrow your knees just a little bit so you're just more within the frame of your pelvis and before you start and what you take about three deep breaths and just feel that in and up with the abdominal muscles, the wall of the abdominals up against the front of your spine, the shoulders down the back. Just easy. We're going to go a nice flow today. Nothing too fast, but try not to stay too slow and so down and emphasize the up with the pedal. Press down, emphasize the up and lift and down and lift. So trying to connect the push of the pedal from the back of your legs down and lift down and lift last to down and up and down.

Lift. And I want you to change the pedal while it's down and you can go to parallel heels and add duct all the way. And again, lift up and press. So being able to lift that you really stay balanced on your sit bones as far as your weight distribution. So yeah, the very top of the leg fold. Trying to not shift too far back, so you might have to minimize how far up you flex your hips. And press three more lift and press lift.

There you go. One more lift. Press downhole to the toes in parallel. All right, and exhale the up left. Good. Yeah. So feel the back. Really get up out of your lower spine. Try to minimize that rocking a little bit. Yeah. And see that you can get the press down in the Scapula.

Lift of the lower abs. Nice. Sandy, last two, last one. Stay down there. Now single leg, we're going to go to a heel of one foot. Extending your other leg long in a way. And ideally this leg is in line with the seat of the chair and let's go up and press up and for us as long way reaching out the spine, reaching up. So this tends to get the quad on the single leg to straight leg, a little overdone. So just be a little mindful down. Last one, lift, lower change. Yup. Good. Changing the arms and so connecting those energies. One leg out in the spine, going lifted tall. Good.

Again, staying balanced on that sits bones. Look straight of your eyeballs. Last two, last one and then change down all of the foot. Change your arms too. Maybe just to give a variation already. And Perris, emphasize lift and lift. Good. Nice balance on your pelvis for three in and up of the gabs to last one up and changing for one more set of single leg on the toes and emphasize up and he's doing a great job of not scooting the pelvis this way.

He's pretty well balanced on the pelvis, is doing a good job of not falling back. Good. Last two down. Lift last one and lift. Okay, great. So coming up to standing, turning around, stand on the pedal both feet, one at a time. Hands are going to be back here for some cath stretches. Nice and quiet with the pedal and find yourself in a good flection.

So the head drop, the ABS lifted. We're gonna emphasize the lift of, use his stomach up to his low back. And then take three counts to lower your heels. You'll take down, down, down in one lift up and lower. Lower, lower and lift. So trying to stay pelvis right above feet, that's better. Yeah, so less shifting back with the pelvis, but really just descending down po four more down and it's recruiting some space from your neck to your shoulders. Last too. Good. Last one. And just alternate slowly for 10 down. Lift down lifts. So again, the abdominals up to the lumbar spine, lumbar to the ceiling, four, three, two and one and both heels down.

Step back with one foot. Carefully release the pedal. Get ready for the 100 up on top. So this could be done. Classically, you know, it could be done this way. Body Hor perpendicular to the pedal. Now I'm going to have Andy go across this way so we can really see his long body and uh, we'll do the series of five here as well. So getting ready for the 100 legs extended arms long. I'm going to start you up here. You can hate me. Inhale for five.

Excellent. Three, four, five. Now start going. Inhale three, four, five back sail three, four, five, three, three, four or five. Every time you're about to lift the legs, you can sync the stomach to bring the legs up, feeling your fingers and your arms reaching out past your and sink and lift. Last to stretch out a little more strip. That's it. Nanny. One more. Good. No rest for you, right leg into tabletop or hold on for single leg stretch. We're just going to do 10 exhale each one and change, change and really stretch. Given that like stretch, stretch, sorry, start wrecked. That's it. Seven, eight, nine last full hole. Bring this one in.

A double leg stretch three times. So stretch out to hold yourself. Circle. Squeeze and hold two more. See the stretch? Yeah, hold it for just a fraction longer. Hold, hold, hold, sink and close scissors. Hold onto one leg. So again, feel this one long pole pole switch, pull, pull, switch. Just ten three. There you go. So you want to connect to that reaching out of that hip long hip line and is very strong so you can stay up here for awhile.

Nine 10 good. No straight leg. Lower lift. Cause you've already done it. You're going to do Chris Cross. Hold that leg there. Hands behind your head. Bend it and twist. So yeah, go ahead and hold. Now lift up off that back shoulder a little bit there and cross hole and cross.

That's it. Twist off the shoulder about four more. Andy, two west elbows, open twist. Last two twist and two. Wis is, he's having so much fun. Come on up. Yay. And hamstring stretch number one with some arm pumps. Yes. So we're keeping him on one a one low and one on high. Stand tall for a second. Feel like you get some blinked out of your hip flexors. Good. Arms Up.

Take a breath, beautiful Andy and round over. So when you press that pedal down, it's really the effort of you bending your spine, not the arms pushing and just hold, make sure the whole hand is on there. Okay. So pause for a sec. You're doing great. Shift off your heels a little bit. Yup. So you're going to weight shift forward there and I want you to lift your stomach up to your low back. As you lift the spring lift, press down again to more lift. Excellent. Rest down, big. Lifted the ABS and press down.

Now three to five arm pumps without losing your flection. In fact, you lift the abs a little more before you push one more. Hold arms straight and slowly roll the spine up. Really doing a great job of angling that sacrum down the back of the legs toward the heel, toward the floor. Release the hands that come up toward the ceiling and just do the nice stretch.

There we go. Great. And all the way. Beautiful. So Swan from the back into swan dive, he's smiling. He's happy. Pelvis down. All right. So come down to your kind of horizontal line here and just pause for a second. So just breathe again and try to get the ABS first.

Like you're laying on a little lemon or something and lived off of that. I don't want you to do too much tension in your legs, but pull them together. And that's a great design. So there's length in the legs out from his hips. Shoulders are set in. He'll prepare XL, reach out at the chest, up, up, up. Feel some stretch in the low abs and then press back down. Good. Just two more times. Good Swan. His eyes are looking, ride out to the water and down.

Last time there we go. And lower. She's going to go into a little swan dive, bending the [inaudible] bows down. Yup. And as you bend your elbows down and lift your legs up behind, you find that sweet spot? Yeah. Hold for a second. Alright, so aim your sternum forward, aim your sternum forward and lift the pedal off the bottom just for like a float. That's the start. Now as you start to come up, lift your back higher back, back, back as it's going. Gonna push the legs down. And as he goes up, it's the legs that begin to lift those hamstrings. Engage to rock the torso down last to the chest goes, the chest is lifting. He's sliding. Yup.

There they're there. They're there. Now keep the chest up. How much can you bring your legs up without dropping the chest? Then there's an agreement that chest goes down because those legs go up. Hold your pose for a second. Good. And then kick. Reach the feet up and swan. You don't.

Okay, you're sliding, Huh? Yeah. So yeah. So and then feet up and then back. Does that make any sense? You're sliding. I know. Go a little slower. So yeah, when bend, think features sky, then back to the wall behind you. Got It. One more time. It's this tough. He's sliding a little bit. I could've put a pad chest forward. There you go. Up with the legs and rest. Okay. Can you do single little moment of pause?

So for single arm are taken one hand almost at the little more inline with the shoulders, uh, middle of shoulder watching that pelvis so we not leaning emphasizing one of his back more than the other. There we go. Bring your ankles together if you can. Last one on the site, Andy. Okay. Second side lift. Reach that arm to the ocean. Really reach into your ribs as well. One that's better there up. Great for one sidedness. If someone's dominant on one side, you're going to see it so you can really work on the non dominant side.

Maybe a little more. Come on up and stretch back like you did. That was nice. Good. Okay. Seated side, Ben. So let's have you face forward first. See disciple. And so the foot that's closer to the spring. Yup, that crosses up. And just start there reaching to the ceiling and get up off those sits at out of the low back a little bit. Take a big breath in, reach more with the upward arm and add your side bend to.

The goal again is to keep this hip anchored and not lean back. So you're gonna feel any push on your back a little bit. There you go. Is that good old cue between two panes of glass. Let's add that little arm variation. So you're going to stay right there. Bend that elbow, reach your hand out to the ocean and all the way up to more to go.

Better. [inaudible] a lot of the work is just working, keeping this hip anchored. Stirrer actually more Andy. Good and up. One more to go. You gotta go up. It's the up, up. The goes over, up, goes over, up, goes over, hold. Bend the elbow, reach out, up, up, up, even more. Up to come home. All over the right arm. Beautiful. And turn to the other side.

[inaudible] stretching, stretching. Lengthening. Okay, so left arm up. Inhale. Exhale. Bend like a pipe cleaner. Easy. Pliable. The up. So much lift goes, eventually goes over right, and you pick it back up. Now the next three with the little arm variation. Yeah, open those ribs. Open. Open, open reach, and good. Last two again, doing such a great job. This hip is down.

He's got his hip is down. Good. And last time, how much can you go separate that space? Open it, re reach and all the way lifted and rest. Good. Come up and just do a standing roll down. Kind of shake out the willies. Not The willies but the Shakey's whatever they are. That's right. We're moving next into a reverse swan.

You're good. The springs. I think he is. So he's going to sit down legs going out away from the pedal and start with your legs extended again. Forward fingertips facing in. Is that, well let me let you decide. All right. It's fine for now. Okay. So yeah, find that sweet spot. So I want you to go into upper back like a hinge. Exactly. Shift the weight back onto your arms and it's that good old, there's a stern to the sky. Stay there and do it again.

Good. And try one more like that. And you're doing this again. So great. More linked in their body from their pelvis to your ribs. Yeah. Ease but lengthen. Can you like to go up there and then come back? Now I'm going to have you do it again, but this time on hold your legs and I want you to curl back in inflection.

Good. Stay curled, curled, curled, curled, and then go back and flection. So stay curled to go back and curl forward. Then we're going to combine the two. One more curl. So I'll let you choose. You can go back, hinge or go back. Curl. So he's going back here and she's going to come up in a curl.

So it was a really fluid piece to piece a shape to shape. Yeah, that's it. And move through it. Do you need me? And then think, so now stay. Go the other way. Curl back. Open the handle. Lift, lift, lift, lift, lift. Keep her the up out of the low back. And one more time to curl back.

Leg Energy out. Good. Andy, put the chest up and you're going to stay lifted and you're going to bring your arms up to the ceiling. Can you pipe forward for hamstring stretch or is that too wicked? Kind of weird right there. He's going to go back into reverse one with the little twist. So choose one side that you're going to twist to and put the opposite hand back on the pedal. Good.

Alright. Yup. And look over that shoulder three times. Hinge out. Good and stand the twist. Reach. We've got a sweaty guy here and left. One more longer, longer. Stretch. Stretch, stretch. Good. Yeah. Come up. Lifting and being taller. Bring that left back. Arm Up. Taller. Yup. All the way.

I'm just doing this to keep your hip steady so you can really anchor it and stretch it out. I know you don't really need me but good andi. Bigger. Inhale me. See your ribs spread when you breathe and close when you exhale. I'm going to hold you in hamstring stretch again. Pike forward.

Good. Bend your knees and rest. Fantastic. Do you need a towel? Yes. Swat a plea. A front is going to be next. Okay. Just like that. All right, so about trickling, measure your own foot length from the chair and then back and see that might be a good place to go. And he's got good turnout in the hip, so this is a good one to watch. He's going to have a really solid plum line from head to heel.

He's going to stay actually flat-footed. Reach your arms forward, organize your shoulders, breathe first. Since you descend down, heels are staying together. There's still that internal lift of the ABS and the Oregon's their hands land in the pedal. Now you press the pedal three times one, two, three and come up arms. We can kind of go like that. Do that again. And this time make sure your whole hand gets on the pedal. Shuffling his feet. So palms and pause. Is this the trace of lat? Whoa. Without that happening, that's okay.

It away. If it's slippery, the floor is very, you sweating a great amount. I'm going to hold it. Think of pressing down, not so much dragging it to you. Yeah, that's better. Now go up. Okay. Put one hand behind your head a lot. Joe. One arm. Here he goes. Three pumps, one end, two, three. That arm can go up to the sky.

Switcheroo Nice. Sandy, caress and press. I'm gonna have you do it again. Awesome. One more set. He doesn't lift in his torso. It's got a lot of lifters, wayside press and a two and a three and lift heels down last time. Excellent. Focus one. Sorry, two and three. Yeah. Great. Fantastic. Stretch out. Great. Doing Great. Okay, we're going into tendon stretch next. The attendance stretch.

We are still on the same springs we've had the whole entire time. One high, one low. A good way to get into this if you turn around is sit on, he's got a fancy little work around. They're sitting down toes on the pedal in the Palazzos v okay. Do you want to any additional sticky stuff? Okay, so that's a great place to be. Think about it first. There's a little little shift back in the arms, but it you don't have to go high. I even care how he goes.

Just that's the force, the source for us down with control. Good. And I know it is a lot about trying to clear those calves, so if you get your chest forward a bit, it feels off balance. You got it. Think up and back with your sacred up and back. Nice. Andy, have you two more? Yes, it's that you got it. You don't need this. I know, but it's good for the camera. They're sitting down and rest. Very nice. Okay. Just a couple more in this little session here. Coming around the back, we're going to do another side. Sitting on your side. Hip.

You choose torso will twist and your legs will scissor and let's straighten out that chair. It's not quite straight for a tight day for me. Type eight needs to be perfectly square. See, okay, well it's close to squares. We can honor hip. Okay, so top leg back. There we go. Bottom for it. And this is a good spot. I'm going to go right in. He's going to get ahold of my legs there and then you can focus it. Help the clients say right in between these. Perfect, right in between the chair. Now reach your chest forward first. Explore the length, not so much how high up you come and ideally both elbows are symmetrical.

Pretty darn straight. He's got that and he's stacked on his pelvis. This is helping I think. Yeah. Oh yes. He says and downs and you can really see from this angle too, you can help them stay controlled and if that top hip is rolling forward, which is, is not, you'd be able to help with the hand or even just talk to the leg and say extend the back the top leg back. Good. Andy, that's plenty on this side. Let me come out. Yeah, no. Nice. Does that help? Awesome. It's awesome. Awesome.

Awesome. Not just feels good, but it's awesome. Oh, okay. So here I am. Good. So Aha. So a little different side link. Yeah. Hip To heal and go beyond that. Excellent. Don't go too high. Length and out linkedin. You're a theraband. You're a theraband.

The gray, heavy ones. Nice and Taut and strong. Good. Good. So you've got me. Keep that hip back. Good. Ah, re length. And where's the squeeze? Good.

A nice longer well locked it. That's it. Nice. Andy, one more time. I can do this cause I know him pretty well. Yay. All right, come down. Last one is handstand. Oh please. Is that all I've got? No, I could do more. Uh, do you want, do you need a sticky? Okay. So yeah, I would say yes, but hands on the floor.

Step one foot to the top, the pedal, then the second foot, and then you're, are you sure? Okay, so ankles together. Now I am a little weary. Okay, you're fine. Walk your hands back to the chair because you're going to really invert this view more. Perfect. Now think about moving the pedal, but don't do it yet. Okay. Now if you think about moving the pedal deep abs, it's hip flow. You're gonna feel your quads. Just the legs and legs. Good.

Andy, one more. Now press it halfway down. Walk out to front support. Lower this pedal also with you while you do three pushups. His toes are a little sweaty. I'm holding the pedal just in case. One good. Two last one. Three up with the pelvis. He's going to add another one.

I'll put the pelvis walking the hands back. Yeah, he's a whole step off with one foot before you slip and fall. Fantastic. And then once again, just finished with the standing roll down. It's a nice, energetic, uh, when a chair, some twisting, some articulation, some arm work, some ab work, some stretching, one more roll down, take a deep breath and just start to mellow the system down. Untuck your pelvis a little. Just relax your butt. Yay. Inhale.

Thank you Andy. Roll all the way up to Feeney. Bravo. Thank you.

Comments

Great full body workout! I did modify the springs on a couple of exercises as a woman with less upper body mass. Nice flow!
Love this workout Amy!
Thank you Amy, really got me sweating. Love the reverse swan variation. Hope to see more jump board also cause you can really rock on it!
Thanks everyone!! Glad you're enjoying this workout and yes Dendee....I'll get another jumpboard class up soon. Thanks for your vote of confidence!!
So innovative! Really appreciate the clever variations to double leg pump.
Jordan S
Great flow on the workout. Loved the variation on Reverse Swan with the combo hinge / curl at the end.
Great flow! Loved this, but a transcript would be really helpful, Pilates Anytime!
Yes I too had to modify springs!
Loved this! I too had to modify springs.
Hi everyone! Thank you for all this feedback and YES.....most likely every woman will have to modify spring tension! Andy is very strong and as you see, didn't need to change anything. For most of us, we will have to adjust.....so please, take care of yourselves here. I wanted to give a class showing a man and how much they can handle....sometimes I think women go too easy with them so this class was to show how we can keep it strong and push them to use their bodies with more vigor and strength. Andy is an athlete, weights about 175/180 lbs, that may help you when working with some of your male clients.
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