Class #1968

Improve your Technique

35 min - Class
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You will improve your technique in this Reformer workout with Blossom Leilani Crawford. She uses her influence from 1st generation teachers like Kathy Grant to give you creative exercises and variations. Blossom is very clear in her directions, which will help you keep your movements precise so you get the full benefits from every exercise.
What You'll Need: Reformer w/Box, Knee Pad

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Hi, I'm blossom Laelani Crawford. I'm joined by Jim Monroe and Julie Franks and we're gonna do a reformer situation. We'll figure it out together. You're going to see a little bit of influence from Cathy and Romana and were in fact going to start with a little Kathy something. So kneel down on the reformer. You should have one to a light spring cause you're going to be doing arm work.

So kneeling down on the reformer knees against the shoulder stands and you want your hands underneath the shoulders and maybe just a touch forward. Yup. Drop your head and round your spine. Guys, try to release the head slowly. Reverse your spine, stick your booty out, lift your Chin and chest. Give me a big exhale. Yes, staying there. Really lift the chin and chest up. Push that floor away. Drop your head, round your spine. Do that a couple of times.

Just get the spine moving to begin with. And while you're doing this, you're trying to keep the insides of your elbows facing each other, which is sometimes easier said than done. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Drop your head round your spine. And while you're doing this, if you feel the connection of your tricep into the back and arm, then you've probably doing it right. Big exhale to lift the chin up. Give me a big old exhale. Really lifting the chin, stretching the jaw muscles come to a flat back. Please. Looking down at the floor and walk your hands. Just a touch more forward and with your arms, keeping your back nice and long.

Give yourself a pull, a length and ms fine. Try not to pull with the knees. You're going to pull with the arm. Yes, that's it. And do that a few more times. You can find your own breathing. Well as you go releasing you, make sure you lengthen out of the top of the head using those arms. Yep. Last one guys, keep breathing please. Good. When you're ready, drop your head round your spine. Please walk both hands over to the right rail.

[inaudible] come to a flat back with your arms. Give yourself a little bit of a pole. Yes. Sit toward the hips. Sit toward the heels. Keep those arms on the right rail. Come back forward again. Walk your hands over to the left rail. Give yourself a pole. Long spine stretching and lengthening.

Finding some asymmetry of, that's it. Sit toward the hips. After just do one pull and sit toward the heels. Start to come up again with a rounded spine. Walk your hands over to the right rail. Walk your hands over to the right rail and give yourself a little bit of a pull along spine gym and then sit toward the heels.

So we're doing a little pole and a little sit. Come on up. Walk over to the other side so you can go side to side. Just flow with it. You don't have to keep up with them. Just do doing side side pole and sit toward the heels. Last time coming up. One more set. Walk over to the right. Just one pole.

Give yourself a pull. Pull with the arms. Thank you. After some times, make sure they're doing it that way and come back up last time. Walking over to the left with your arms. Give yourself a pole. Yes, the arms and sit toward the heels. Put both hands on either rail and just drop your head and just take a little moment to relax. All right guys, when you guys are ready, lie on your back. Go to at least two springs, maybe a little bit more, you'll see, but two springs should be good. Lie down on your back and I think ideally let's do head rest out. Yeah, and check your spring. See if it's going to feel right for the next thing.

It would be the same springs you would do short spine on. For those of you who are familiar with that exercise. Yeah, so when you're ready to hug your knees into your chest, give yourself a second to breeze. Let's go to chair position of your legs. We're going to do a little of Yves gentry's knee presses. So hands on the tops of your knees. Yes. Inhale and you're not going to see much movement, but as you exhale, you're going to press the knees up, press the hands down.

Find that internal connection. Good. Do that a couple more times and remembering when you were pulling on the reformer, finding that armpit connection. See if you can press from that connection of the arms and hopefully not get into the neck and shoulders. Hands on the inside of the knees. Ideally the feet are apart. Press the knees in as you press the hands out. And Julie's doing a really great job here being right above the hips.

Make sure that you don't bring the knees too close to you. Hopefully you're feeling the inner thighs and the back of the arm. Hands go on the outside of the knees. Please press out as you press in [inaudible] and one more big exhale. Think of exhaling right at the breastbone.

Yeah, last one. Hands on your thighs, close to your knees and make sure that the heel of the hand is a little high up toward the knees. Inhale, and as you exhale, press the knees to use you. Press your hands away. Long Zipper of the belly. Yes, you got one more to go. Inhale. And as you exhale, longs that belly button to the lowest part of the waistline belt. Yes. Had those knees and lift your head up. Give yourself a nice whole rest your head down and grab onto your handlebars please and prepare them for the short spine. So for this machine, you're going to thread the leather strap through [inaudible] [inaudible] so the leather strap goes through the handlebar. I help you soup this one. So yeah, and you're going to put them on your feet.

So it's the same setup you would do for short spine, at least in the legs. And if the springs aren't right, you just get on up. And Julie, why don't you take your foot bar down as well since you're up there Jimmy, you're good. Yeah, too good. Hi, I'm so glad. Because they were on, I wasn't sure about that spring, but see that's sometimes I would ask Kathy, I'd say, is this the right Sprague? And she'd go push it. You'll know. And you know after a while when you do it, you're like, hmm, that doesn't feel right. Okay. So here we are. The knees are bent, the heels are together, the toes are apart and the booties are up off the ground. Here.

Let me just make sure you can see that. So the other funny thing about this butt lift, it's Cathy grant spine lift is you have to figure out where to hold on. And you're holding on one hand over the other and the elbows are on the inside of the knees. That's it. And you can kind of do a little push pull. The elbows can push out and the knees can gently push in.

So you're kind of halfway there. I mean, for some people, I just leave them there. But we're actually going to move now. So when you're ready, this used to be called the butler, but now, but then Kathy decided, wait a second. I don't want them to lift their butt. I want them to lift their spine. So when you're ready, you're going to slowly lift your spine up into the air. Oh, by the way, the machine doesn't get to move. And as you exhale, I want you to think of inhaling. Exhale, take the breasts away from the chin. Take the focus up, my dear. Yeah, and you don't have to bring your butt all the way down. You just try not to move the machine. And it's a great stretch and a great prep for the spine.

Yes, keep breathing. And as you come down, sometimes you're um, you'll have p. Sometimes people want their knees want to go wide or the knees are too far in. You want to find a nice balance of elbows into the knees or knees into the elbows, depending on what's tight for you. Just one more [inaudible] and I still like to make people keep that Little v inhaling gun as you come up and big exhales, you slowly come down breasts away from the chin, letting the chin come up, keep coming down, keep coming down and there you go. Great. Slowly take those off when you're ready, poke them back on the nubbies behind you and then sit all the way up and you might have to change your springs for footwork.

So they were on two and they're going to decide if they're going to go to three or four springs. It's up to you because sometimes I like to do it on two springs and we're going to get ready for footwork. Foot bar comes up the springs and you decide what your head rest is doing. And so most people start in a Z. Kathy often made people start parallel and from my dancing days I often started parallel and for me, I like to do parallel position about one inch apart so that I don't get to rest my knees on each other, lift and lower the heels just a couple of times. [inaudible] just lift and lower the heels.

Sometimes I just like to see the mechanics of those ankles. Mm hmm. And with the heels really high out at in five times breathing. Yes. Good. Let's listen to those springs. Good. Is this number five? Yes. Good.

Stay out there with number five. You're going to lower the heels halfway down. Yes. And come in and out with the heels and little kitten heel for us ladies. Yes. Out in, in [inaudible]. Go toward the light. My jewelry. Yes. After your fifth one, you're going to come all the way in and take a little moment. Yes. Walk your arches onto the bar.

[inaudible] and so really have it be at the arch of the foot, equal pressure, heel down and curling the toes out in, in 10 times. Breathing away. Yes. Thank you. Especially on the, and I want to feel that heel connection. Yep. You don't have to look, you can just try to feel it unless you really need to look, and I'm a terrible counter, but a very good teacher, I promise. After you've done 10 heals on the bar, please. Yep. Flexing the feet.

Good out in, in a few times. And by a few, I mean 10 absolutely 10 and for me, sometimes I hate thinking parallel legs. If you just think of little toes up towards you, you'll get that parallel position of the feet. Hopefully a little more inner thigh action. [inaudible] keep breathing. Yes. And after you've done your 10th one, you're going to go with the toes on the bar only. Let's do 10 tendon stretch again. Feet one inch apart, lift the heels really high, which all the way into straight legs. Inhale.

And as you exhale, take your time to lower grabbing on reaching those toes forward. Lift the heels up. That's one a few more times you can go a little faster, a little slower. It's up to you. But what you can't do is lock in those knees. You're doing great Julie. [inaudible] but don't over bend them either. It's a very fine line. Yes. Maybe just a little straighter. All that's good. Breathing is good. Nice.

I just would like you to see these beautiful feet that took some time. Just a little bit. I mean they look just like this right when I met him. Come all the way and you guys rest. Great. So, um, all the way up, change your springs. Go down to a spring. You would do for some arm work. Maybe what you would do for your hundred. So a little lighter would be ideal. Take your foot, work foot bar down. And for me, I'd like your head rest down as well.

We're going to do a little Kathy thing that she would do. She, it was armed circle. So lie on your back. When you're ready, grab onto your handlebars, make sure you're centered [inaudible] and you can either wear your knees to your chest and cross your ankles, or just go to chair position of your legs. Let's have you do chairs so you can show the other part and it's very simple. Pull the hands down to the mat, bring the arms out to the sides and reach up to the ceiling two more times down out to the side and ceiling. Last one. That's a lie. You're going to bring it up to the ceiling. So Jim switched the cross of your legs. Open the arms out to the sides.

Press and up to the ceiling. So yeah, if you are crossed, you take that moment to uncross the legs and switch sides. Yes. Hopefully you feel the back of the armpit connection the whole time. Give me straight arms up to the ceiling ceiling and we're gonna go into the hundreds. Give me a big inhale. We're going into it slowly. As you exhale, lift your head with your hands onto the hips. Find the tummy connection and cross your legs. Jim, when you're ready. Good. Here's the special Juli treatment.

You're going to keep the zip of your belly as you lengthen the thighs away from your pelvis. Don't straighten those legs yet. Inhale, this is where her hard part is right there. You're going to straighten those legs. Think of zipping now. Pump. Inhale, three, four, five. Exhale. The position of your legs is up to you. You can do parallel if you're parallel for me, I'd like heel slightly apart. If you're doing a V, don't go for the Big v from the knees down. I want just a little v with a heel connecting udi, connecting ever so slightly.

Are We on 27 38 inhale, two, three, four, five. Exhale. Just one more breath. Inhale, three, four or five. Big exhale, straight arms and straight legs. Reach up to the ceiling. Rest your heads down and just breathe for a moment. Hardest part is what they're doing right here. He doesn't even look like they're working, but they really are 12 o'clock with those legs cause they want to show me drifting away. Julie. Yeah. That's where she wants to go, but she's not going to cause we're, we're, yes. Here we go.

So you're going to pull your hands down to your mat. Bring the legs toward you. Just rocking the tailbone up off the ground. That's it. Hello. Choo. Choo. Slowly come down while the train's going by. Slowly, slowly, slowly, slowly, slowly, slowly. Legs go straight down as the arms go up to the ceiling. I love that train. Here we go. Arms length, a little lift. That's it. Suspend the coming down. That's beautiful. Yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes.

Legs go down as the arms go up. Two more times. Arms, legs, little lift. Good. Xcel breasts away from Mitch Snit Chin. Breslow yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Do One more like that. They're making it look so easy. Make sure you do hands to the mat first. Then legs have slowly come down. This time when your butt touches down, great. Bend the knees. Bend the elbows. Take a little moment. Big Inhale. As you exhale, come up into your hundreds position. Head lifts, reach those arms. Go forward. Point the feet. Decide if you're doing parallel or rotated.

Open and close the legs. Once knees bent in and the arms bend. Inhale, reach forward. Open-Close knees bend, arms bend two more times. Reach open-close bend and bend. Last time. Let's stay here. A little variation from my friend Steven. Feather. Hough. Big upper body curl, right leg two times only. Open and closes one more time. Yes, nothing else moves. That's the hard part.

Other side allows, I like to say sometimes it's about what's not moving as opposed to what's moving. Bend the knees, Bend your elbows and rest your head down. And breathe. Shall we move on guys? I got to. That sounds good to me. All right, so let's go. Let's get the long box. So hook those nuts back on for me. Yup. And let's go for long box please. So we're gonna do a little Cathy grant seated arms.

So put the box on as if you're going to do pulling straps. So in front of the shoulder stands. Yes. [inaudible] pad not needed. Now go to one spring I think are just light springs again, arms. It's up to you. Have a seat on top of the box and you're going to face the back end away from the sprints. This is not how Cathy would sit, but I actually really liked sitting up on the box. The arms are Kathy's, but the box is me. So when you're ready, scoot your bums back to your four fingers away from the back edge a little farther. Yeah, grab onto your handlebars. Your feet are on top of the carriage and I like to think of grabbing on, I know you're fine. Grabbing on with those ankles. So here we go.

Reach both arms for the bicep curl to begin. And for me, this is the hardest part right here. Just sitting up tall, right? [inaudible] stay here and just breathe. Inhale. And as you exhale, what if you squeeze with your legs a little bit and find that internal zip? And they're such a great job of keeping Nice flat risks, keeping your elbows, their bicep curl and release. Do a few of those and buy a few. That could mean three to eight. It's up to you. Yes. Keep breathing. Yes.

And they're doing a really good job of staying right in the bicep. You don't have to come all the way in and go all the way out. You just stay right in it. Feel the burn, feel the burn Julie, and bring the arms down by your side. Arms, palms. Face that. Inhale to press. Keep pressing, keep pressing, keep pressing, keep pressing. Get Taller. Press down. Exhale to release a few times like that.

Really squeezing and lift up and release. So yes, this is an arm exercise, but you're not going to lean, correct? Yes. So stay back just a little bit more. Miss Julie, stay back there. Yes. And release last time. Stay back there. Keep it back there as you release. Next one, please go back to the bicep curl. Do a bicep curl and stay there and squeezing with the legs.

Lean backwards a bit. Keep leaning back. Keep leaning back. Take your focus up slightly and now do your bicep curl. Here. Go. This is not Kathy's, but I like it. Yes. Deep Curl. Yes. Ms Julie. She is not rolling her eyes at me. Just do me like a tiny bit. Keep the elbows a little more lifted. Yes.

And sit up nice and tall. Last one guys, thread the arms through. Bring those straps right into the elbows. Yep. Um, Kathy would call us handlebars at the elbow. I like to call it saloon doors and owed to my father. Yes. Here we go. Making fist, elbows open. Yes. Keep going. Keep going. Keep going. Oh yeah. And release. And for someone like Julie, she just think thumbs back, thumbs back. Boobs forward. Yes.

And the rhythm is up to you. Just keep breathing. Yeah. Even you as well. Thanks. Thumb. Stay back. Thumb. Stay back. Yes. You go that extra bit. Last two guys. Yes. You got one more and say, make sure you take extra time at the back end and that's enough release. You can hook them back on the nubbies line. Your tummies like you're lying on a surf board.

Get ready for the pulling straps. Still the same sprint should be fine. [inaudible] grab onto the straps as high up as you can with your hands on the outside of the rails. Yes. Okay. So if I could, I would make them hold something here. If you want to really work your inner thighs, you could get a tennis ball and put it between here, which is an exercise in and of itself and say that holding, they're going to press the legs together. Here we go. Pull down along the sides of the machine. Inhale. As you pull, keep pulling, keep pulling, lift the chin and chest. Give me a big exhale. Smile, Gin, and exhale, release. Do that a few more times. Inhale to pole.

It's really not nice if it, I know, but that's it. Looked like you're happy. Yes, and really you got to board ago. Beautiful Day. The Sun is shining. We're going to get in that ocean later. Yes. Do One more your own time and just really breathe and pull. Pressing those legs together. Let me see that Chin coming up. Juliet, the very last one. Beautiful. Die Back in after this one.

Slide your hands on the straps who had tea for the tea straps? [inaudible] hardest part is this moment right here. So lift your head up in line with your spine. That's what I call angry turtle. Jim, reach out to the sides. Yes. When he reaches out to the sides, he gets a little less shoulder blady for me. When you're ready, pull, pull the hands. That's about it. And then release. So for me, I think of this as one long exercise as opposed to five short exercises. So each time you pull you get a little bit farther. Yes.

And they're doing this thing, which not a lot of people do or if not everyone does is the thumbs are on the top. It's a big Kathy grant thing where you put your thumbs with the rest of your fingers and you don't do it by twisting in the wrist. They're doing such a great job. Do One more guys get those hands all the way to the hips. Stay there. Lift the Chin Up. Julie on this last one. Cherry on the top. Pressing the legs.

Dive back in. That's enough. You guys hook close on the nubbies actually who placed them on the floor? Cause we're going to go to short box. We just placed the handlebars on the floor. Do two springs. Ideally or more. It's up to you.

And take the box on the over the shoulder stand and set up for short box please. So it's over the shoulder stands flush up against the nubbies. There's gotta be a better name for that. I keep calling them nubbies. Uh, two springs. Have a seat on the top of the box. Make sure it's centered. Julie, do you want a pad for under your bottom? Yeah, some people. You could also put a pad if you feel like you're going to slip and hook your feet underneath the strap. Okay, so here we go. [inaudible] you're going to sit up tall. Place your hands on your tummy. And for me, I like the elbows going forward and I want you to think of your shoulders staying right over your hips as you press back on your low tummy and round your spine. Beautiful. Keep rounding. Keep rounding. The hardest part is to round down here, but still say somewhat lifted.

Looked down for the toes. Miss Julie. Good Gym. If my hand was on the top of the head, could you lengthen your spine? Beautiful. Roll back. Press out on the legs as you inhale to go back. Exhale, press incur Earl to come forward. Lifting up, lifting up, lifting up. Do that a couple more times. Just like the police reps. It gets bigger each time.

Ideally if not and you have that small range of motion just to the small range of motion. These guys are going to maybe try to go a little bit bigger each time. [inaudible] and slowly come up. That's number four. Three is that that was go back one more time. Yes. This time. Stay right here. Just look up to the ceiling. Exhale, not easy. Look down to the toes.

Curl in length in Linkedin, linkedin, top of the head. LinkedIn's beautiful one more like that cause that was number four. Rolling back. Keep going. You decide how low you go. Look up to the ceiling. Huge exhale. Look down to the toes. You're going to lengthen the rib cage up and over. Drop your head, reach your toes. Give me a big exhale to stretch using your tummy.

Singing Kathy som to sit up tall. Come all the way up to sitting up tall and both hands behind the neck please. No Pole. Just the neck and you don't have for, I don't need elbows here. Let the elbows come slightly forward. Lean your head back into your hands. Lift the chin, lift the waistline. Lean back. Inhale to go back.

Press the heels out. Miss Julie. Yes, yes, yes. Take your time. Xcel to come up. Yeah. That's all it needs to be on the inside. You're curling on the outside. You're leaning. That's it. That's it. Slowly come up. Yeah. This one is one of those. Less is more. That was number two, right? Oh, that's terrible. Let's do one more and also, obviously, yeah, that's it.

And take your time to come up. Up, up. Stay lifting up nice and tall. Tilt to the right. Good. Stay there, hipsters. Don't stretch it. Stretch to the flesh. Keep leaning your head. That's it. I don't care how that's like, stretch it. Keep stretching it. Keep stretching it. Stretch that skin stretch. That's getting good.

Take your time to come up, up, up, up, up, up, up. Good to the other side. Tilt. Yes. That's it. Good. Stay there. Now as you're stretching it, the flesh, Julie, keep that hip down. Keep that hip down. Keep looking. That's exactly it. Keep going. Keep going Jimmy. That more. Get that hip down. Get that hip down. Yes. And take your time to slowly come back up. One more set. You guys tilt. Stay there and stretch it. And for both of you, what have you tried on this time? Leaning slightly forward to a forward. Yeah.

You feel a stretch. Hopefully in the back. Leaned your head into your hands as you slowly come up, up, up, up, up, up, up. Last side. Push into this retina. No, don't do that. Don't do the ribs. Top of the head. Yes. Keep the hip down. As you stretch the flesh. Stretch it. Come away from me. Go away from me. Yes, yes, yes.

And use your tummy as you come up. [inaudible]. Stay here. Inhale. And as you exhale, twist through your waistline. Twist to the right. That's it. Ah, and come back to center to the other side. Twist to the left. Good. Good, good, good, good, good, good. And come back to center. One more set. Nice big twist.

[inaudible] that's all it is. Reaching that left elbow up as you do. So I'm back to center. Last side. Big Twist. Come back to center and that's enough. Alright guys, kick one leg out from underneath the loop. Let's do a little bit of the tree holding onto the underside of the thigh. [inaudible] look straight ahead. Lift up tall. Even right now, the hardest part.

Easy. Exhale. Straightish leg and bend the knee. Try to point the foot. Often people flex. And I think that's, that's kind of silly. It makes it harder on the hamstring. Last time. Walk up to the calf. The elbows are slightly bent. Feel the belly connection. Feel that circle of energy. Here we go. Rock backwards. Just about there.

Slowly press that hip leg forward. Slowly. Sit Up two more times. Round the spine. Rock back, curling. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. And slowly come back up, up, up, up, up. Last time. Rock back and slowly come all the way up. Up, up. Say sitting up. Tall. Flex and point the foot please. Lifting up taller. Julie. Taller still. Yes. Yup. And then circle the foot and circle in the other direction.

I'm being his foot. Okay. All right. Change sides. Let's say that on the other side. It's got a little, a little something. I know you can't help it. You got a little funk in there. Holding onto the underside. Extend for three times pointing the foot. One [inaudible]. I would like to just not, I try to pretend it to nice and easy.

This is nice and easy. Last time. Walk up to the calf. Elbows are bent open. Feel the circle of energy rock backwards. You're pressing forward in the hip as much as you're pulling back. Take your time to come up, up, up, up, up. Two more times. Elbows are open. Rock backwards. [inaudible] that's it. And press the leg forward to come up.

You've got one more to go. [inaudible] rock back. Yeah. It's a hard one. It's asymmetrical. You're trying to stay centered. What? Sit all the way up. Sitting up nice and tall. Tall, tall and point Julie. Sometimes to sit up tall, you might have to walk lower down the leg and lift up taller in that back. Yes, taller, lower the leg and sit up taller. Yes. Circle the foot. Yes. Yes. He does want it to be in foot and then circle it yourself.

The circle in both directions. Excellent. All right, you guys step off for a moment and let's just set up, we're going to do stomach massage kind of enough. Um, Kathy sat away. Let's bring the box in front of the sh shoulder stands and let's go to three to four springs. I have to admit, I think this is a, I can't remember where Kathy got this from. Cathy definitely did it, but I don't know if it was Kathy's or maybe Carola's. I'm not really sure. Foot bar is up. We're going to do stomach massage. [inaudible] yes, so have a seat on the top of the box. I'll show you how to get into it. It's a nice way to do a stomach massage for most people. Put your feet on the foot bar in the position that you're going to start in and here it goes. So some people cannot wedge themselves down here. These guys can.

But if you have a hard time sort of wedging yourself and you push into the feet and move the box out, move the carriage out. No, no, no. Move the care just to push it yet. There you go. Lift your butt up and send your hips down with the carriage out. Yes. And make sure your low back is wedged up against that box. Put your hands on the front of the carriage. You're in a rounded spine.

The elbows are forward. Straighten the legs, lower the heels, lift the heels and bend the knees. Inhale, lower lift. Put a belt on. Inhale lower lift and come back into more lower lift. And in last one. Keep those heels together, Julie. The whole time. Come back in. Stay here. If you are on four springs, take one off.

Hold onto the sides of the box, the top of the box. Find a place where you can hold onto the rest your hands on the box, but sit up tall. Let's try that other idea. Yeah, sit up tall. Julie, press down, lift the chin up, straighten the legs, lower the heels. Lift the heels. Yes. So it's as if I had my hand on both of your heads and especially as you came in, you lift up taller, taller, yes. Chin up. One more. Yes. And come all the way in. Take off a spring. Both of you. Yes. From here.

Which both arms forward, sitting up tall. Hardest part is right here, right? Could you tell and so that's what the box is helping me. You have to lift up. Here we go. Straighten the legs. Get Taller as you come in one. Keep the knees slightly open. Get Taller as you come in two more times. Keep lifting up, up, up, up, up one more time and keep coming up. Up, up. Good.

Let's try this. Straighten the legs. Reach behind your twists with that right arm going back and come back together. Try to have both legs straightened at the same time. Go reaching. Look at the back hand and come back in. That'll keep your hips from twisting. Yes, and come back in last.

I'd big twist and come all the way and put your feet in the corners of the foot bar. [inaudible] yes. Put Your hands at the center of pushing into your hands at pulling with your arms. Straighten those legs. Give me a big exhale. Exhale with the stomach in. Stay here guys. Bend the knees a little bit. Stay here. Inhale, and as you exhale, I want you to whistle one more time. Like that big inhale bend. And as you try to straighten your legs, whistle as you do it, we'll keep whistling. They're whistling. Are you whistling your, of course you're whistling. Yes. And come all the way in. All right, move. Remove the boxes please. We're getting ready for the long stretch here.

So long stretch down. Stretch. Yes. The spring should be too [inaudible] or one. Depends on what you need. Whatever springs you use for the Pushup, that long stretch position, you could grab a pad and put it underneath your head. Rest with the head rest up. If you want some sticking [inaudible]. Jim doesn't like that, so he's not going to do it. And if you're really tall, maybe the second gear. Yeah. All right, so push up position. You guys toes on the headrest. I like to think of though.

You're going to feel the rise of the head rest right underneath the ball of the foot. Find that long. Push up position. [inaudible] so in your mind's eye, can you feel the hips lower than your rib cage? Your head higher than your rib cage. Here we go. Let's push out. Inhale to push out energy in the heels as you come in. Exhale to come in. Good. Keep going. Inhale to push. Take your time. You're an exhale.

Lifting that number three. Spot that rib cage up. Yes. Keep going, Julie. Head higher than the ribcage. Love. Yes. Two more. Press those legs together. Sometimes heels too low is not that. You want the heels right over the balls of the feet. Yes. And come back in one more time. Use these legs. Go use the museum.

Use using a yes. Slowly come in with control. Kneel down feet against the shoulder stands please. [inaudible] so let's talk about this for a second. Give me this leg. When you put the foot down, I want you to really tuck the toes under and then really make sure they're parallel. And then slide that foot back. Don't enough so that you're really opening up the foot. Yes.

So that when you slide it back, open up the sole of the foot. Yeah. Do that on both sides. I want you to get a stretch across the bottom of the foot. Now bring the hips forward. Yes. I'll even let you bend your elbows a little bit. Thank you. Good. Stay there.

Hips forward rib cage forward chest opens, shoulder blades back. Chin is up. Here we go. Push. Let the press you back and just push back against it in the heels will get pushed back in. Inhale to push out. Think belt as you come back in. Press back against those sh shoulder sense. Beautiful guys. A few more. Take your time. Let the machine push up up, up. Last time. Inhale to push out. Let the machine push you back in the machine. Will do.

I just have to go with it and breathe. Stand up on the machine, please. Elephant. So the elephant position ideally is the heels all the way back, but you can also walk forward so that your heels are right underneath your hips. It's up to you. They're going to each make their own decisions. So in this position, make sure your parallel lift all 10 toes, push the carriage out, exhale to come in.

I had a friend who used to say one inch out, one mile in. Yeah. And again, let the springs do it. Let the springs do it. Let the springs do it. Yeah, a couple more times. [inaudible] exhale to come in. You got one more big exhale to come in. That's enough. You guys step off the machine for just a moment. Remove your pad and then let's get ready for new stretches. So kneel back down on the machine and we're going to do a little cat just to prepare to prepare, cause Kathy, um, and I do, our knee stretches in a different way.

So you're going to drop your head and round your spine. [inaudible] even right now, even though you're not using your heels, try to press the heels back against those shoulder stands. You're not even moving yet. Slowly reverse your spine from the bottom to the top. Exhale as you lift your Chin in chess. Yes.

Drop your head round your spine. Come forward with the upper body and as you sit toward the heels, really lengthen the waistline. Curling. Tuck the cubicle before. Yeah, there it is. Keep curling. Keep curling. Nice long waistline. Here we go. Push out. Inhale, exhale to come in little faster. Find your own rhythm. Exhaling each time you come in, but find your rhythm. Good. When you got a nice rhythm going, you're going to not change your rhythm and slowly reverse your spine into the extended position. Yes, really? Jaw Muscles stretch up. Good. Keep the machine moving slowly. Go back to the rounded spine. Take your time.

Take your time. Really lifting that rib cage job and that's enough rest. Yeah, we'll say the knees off for another time, but that was plenty. So when you guys are ready to step off the machine, go to four springs. Let's get ready for running. And if forced friends is too much, you can go lighter. But we're going to go for, for lying your back.

The head rest is up to you right now. It can be up parallel legs, about one inch apart. Go all the way to straight legs. And here's a nice tip. When you go out, just take a peak at your feet. Are they the pinky toe equidistant from either end intendant when you're ready to do running, running, when you're ready, one heel lowers and the other leg that's it just stretches. And so when you're doing this, don't let the toes get crunchy. Lengthen them length. Yeah, there you go.

And let's end with the right lifted left leg, stretching now and now let's push off the right ball of foot. Push off that lifted. He'll change. Push off the lifted heel. Yeah, just a little change up just to get those feet. My son [inaudible] has told me that they're about the number of bones in our body and I realize that there's a lot of bones in those feet that need to get taken care of and sometimes it's nice just to do a change of, of the emphasis of this exercise. Come all the way in guys. When you're ready to go to lighter springs, what you would do a pelvic lift on cause that's where we're ahead where we're headed next. And take your head rest down. Let's do two different pelvic lifts. Head rest down when you get down there. Yep. Okay. Feet into the corners, pushing down into your hands. Lift your booty up.

Let the knees slightly open. Yes. Let the chin lengthen. Good. Inhale to push out. Exhale to come and maintain that level of your pelvis as you come in. Yeah, a few more times. Hopefully the knees are going right over the toes. Yup. Let's go for eight. Eight seems like a nice number and as you're doing it long, that's exactly it. Keep the rotation of your legs.

Make sure you go all the way to straight each time. I'm going to guess that's five totally wrong. You can say something. You can say it's totally wrong. This is eight. Um, and slowly come down and then this is a change up. Bring your feet together so the arches are on the bar. That's it. Curl the toes. Heels are apart, but the knees are together. Yes.

Hopefully you can see that pushing down into your hands. You're going to lengthen the spine and just hinge up three inches. That's it. Yes. Feel equal weight on both legs. Knees are together. Heels are apart. Push out to straight legs. Keep the length of your spine as you come in. Xcel energy out of the top of the head. That's one. Eight of them.

Yes. It looks surprisingly simple, but it's actually somewhat difficult. I'm going to say somewhat cause somewhat could mean a lot of things. Yes. How are we doing? Are you exhaling as you come in? Are you breathing? I hope so. Knees still pressing one of my favorite Kathy's things. She would say friendly inner thighs. If they get to know each other, they might like each other. Don't lift too high, Julie.

Let's say that that was eight, come all the way in and come down in one piece. And Bree, good. And let's just have a stand. Let's just end standing. Step off your machines. Yeah. [inaudible] and let's just see how that feels. Yeah, that's good. And so when you're ready, just breathing there. I'm gonna take a peek at you this way. [inaudible] sand parallel legs.

I know. Take a look at the outer edge of your foot. Thank you. And say there, and just close your eyes and let that all settle. And when you're ready, lift all 10 toes and just feel what that does. I'm not going to say, but you can hopefully see what even did for me. Breathe. You're going to open your eyes, lower the toes. Try to maintain that posture. Inhale as you reach up.

Big exhale as you come down. Sure. Want to go for a swim? I do. Thanks guys.

Comments

2 people like this.
umhum!
Wonderful as always. Love how you packed so much into a short time. I believe that stomach massage version came from Carola. Great flowing class I look forward to doing and teaching to my own clients. Lovely work that feels so good.
Thanks so much for sharing.
Z A
Great thank you Blossom.
Did anyone else have audio issues with this video?
Darcelle ~ I'm sorry you were having audio issues. I recommend restarting your computer to clear away the other processes that are running. If you continue to have trouble after that, please email us at contact@pilatesanytime.com.
Once Again Fab… Would love a fun props class when you're in town again :)
and knobbies = pegs…. lol
1 person likes this.
Precise cueing...Thank you for your expertise
1 person likes this.
Love it! Clear cues and I loved using the box as a prop in the stomach massage series! Thank you!
Kati, just FYI I believe the box for stomach massage came from when Kathy Grant worked with Corolla Trier. Happy New Year!
Wow! So much great energy, joy and fun - thank you Miss Blossom :)
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