Class #3206

Transformational Reformer

50 min - Class
102 likes

Description

You will move with more facility and swiftness after this Reformer workout by Rachel Taylor Segel. She focuses on breath, flow, and power so you can move with purpose and control. She also helps you feel the support from your center in every exercise so that your body will be in it's best place when you are finished.
What You'll Need: Reformer w/Box, Pilates Pole

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Transcript

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Well welcome. My name is Rachel Taylor Segel and I'm here to teach Intermediate Reformer class with breath, and flow, and power. Okay, just like Mr Pilates hopefully would smile down on us. So if you would stand at the front corners of your carriage. As if the footwork is already beginning.

And today, if you'd lift your ten toes up a little bit and then lift your arms forward. And you can cross em like mat, just for a change, and kind of pick up your arm bones. Pick up from underneath a little and let it lift you in opposition to, even if you could keep your toes up that would be kind of cool, as you lower your hips, let this oppose going down. So you alight, wouldn't that be cool? Yes, tummy is already beautifully in, notice and you pick your knees up, place your toes apart, heels together, exhaling, and you stretch.

Inhale out, and exhale home. Good and as you breathe, with your back snuggled into the mat and your inhales slithering around in your body. You feel your feet deep on the foot-bar first. So let your foot push the foot-bar ever so, even when you come home, and the sole of the foot tone, nicely done, that's it, because you're standing upon it. Last one in.

And slither your feet forward and up, put it on a perch, put your knees together and go. Inhale out, and exhale home. And as you move, let's think about moving the coils of the springs. Rather than legs straightening, how many coils? Beautiful.

Can you pull? And what's it take? Like what parts of your body must you use, or are you interested in using, to pull the coils one more time? And exhale home. And then the heels are on, toes flexed back, you stretch out inhaling and exhale in.

Good and I'll move you left just a little when you come in. And exhale home. Thank you. Yep, and so as you move, your heels push gently into like they're embedding themselves. And as they do that, they tone your legs right up through your knees into your hips.

Maybe don't go all the way into hyperextension, just yep, and feel this lead you a little more. Beautiful. So do you feel that hip give you your left tummy? That is excellent. Yep.

Last one. Easy with no tension, and come home. Beautiful. Slither your feet down today if you would so that you almost use it like a foot corrector, and then feel your tone and your arch, knees together parallel and press out until your legs are straight but not locked and then lower the heels underneath, two, three and up, up, up. Good.

Nicely done, and again. Less pelvis, less hmm faking it (laughs). Stand on your soles. What if they maintained a capital C today? And you just lowered the capital C of your foot and picked it up instead of trying to articulate, right?

So you're standing on this strong platform of an arch the whole time and it tones your beautiful inner thighs, hamstrings and your hips sufficiently, and this is the feeling you're gonnna find in your hundred, uh huh, you let go, and you find it, here. Yep, like you're almost just standing on your left leg perhaps. Even now, and then knee bend to come home and make no noise if you can, as you lower your bar and see how your tummy works to do so. Reach behind you for the handles for the hundred. Arms straight, legs out, and squeeze together and exhale yourself forward, and pump.

Inhale for five, and exhale for five. Nice. And as you continue to turn in just a little, nice. And feel like you're gonna arc your arches as if your big toe were gonna reach to the mat and see if that doesn't give you some inner thigh coming up through your belly. Beautiful. Wrists up just a hair.

Nice! And when you inhale try not to sniff but let the air come here first. Yeah, and expand and recede in your ribcage. Changing the lungs, gorgeous. Last breath. Uh huh, and then tummy's already in to bend your knees, and your arms.

Take both handles in one hand, curl up into sitting, knees together and go down to two springs and we'll do short spine. And then you lower your headrest and you slide your straps through, tummies in, and even as you're working here, legs, feet together perhaps, belly pulls in to lift. Right, you're feeling that support, that tone in your center and you cup your soles around this strap to under your tush, knees bending. And you're home. And then the soles of the feet gently reach out into the straps to lengthen the springs and exhale up and over, that's it, then let the carriage come home as you bend and then curl inhaling and roll the spine away from your soles and cup your feet down using hamstrings, tummy and inner things.

Yeah, and then it's feet first, exhale carriage home. Good, so if you let your carriage come home a little sooner you'll bend your back a little bit more and you might like that. Good, don't work too hard. Breathe. In with the air, hot expellation brings you home.

Inhale, good. Turn in just a little bit, Caitlin, if you would. Like your thigh bones in the tissue of your muscles rotate against that tissue. So it's not necessarily that your knees are closer, although they might be, but that you feel that tone. Beautiful! Exactly like that.

And this last time you come down, exhaling, lengthening the waist, take your handles and let them slip through the straps, knees together right off the bat. Elbows bent, coordination. Head and shoulders up, and inhaling sneaky, open and close your legs, exhale, first the feet then the arms. Beautiful. Inhale, uh huh.

And as you breathe this next breath, slide it up your spine, like mercury in a thermometer. Open and close, hot out your mouth. (heavy breathing) Nice breathing. And one more time and we'll do a few criss-crosses. And as you criss-cross, feel that, you could still move the carriage away from its springs, like another two coils.

Bend the knees and exhale bend the arms. Take both handles in one hand (laughs), and curl up. Tummy in and knees together. Even if you don't teaser. With one spring and slither all the way around and press your calves against the shoulder blocks a little bit.

Knuckles to your breastbone. Feel like you're velcroed down your hamstrings into the mat so that more than you moving, if you would, Kara turn your palms this way and get a little more shoulder out of it. Feel like the carriage, you're gonna push the carriage out in front of you rather than you're gonna roll back. So as you inhale your carriage starts moving forward. Keep it coming.

Keep it coming. And then to keep it there as you arm open, keep it there as you bring your crown to your knees, hands to your tail. Keep it there, don't let it go in and out, and lift your arms and circle around, exhaling your breath. Good, now we're gonna go a little faster, tummy in, knuckles to shoulders and inhale. Let the carriage go way out in front of you, hold it there as you open.

Hold it there as you curl. So don't move it, bend you. Hand to your tail, don't move it! Nice fight! Hands to your tail, arms lift, arms around third and last time. In with the air, keep those calves forward in the same position they have been. Beautiful.

Curl bend round, hands to tail. Lift and bend the spine more, reach way up over your toes, yep, and tummy in rolls you up, elbows bent. Higher than your shoulders. Good, so I'm pushing you to go faster than you might like. Inhale, tip back.

Uh huh, chin down a little bit, gives you more hundred. Chin down a little bit more. Yep! And then belly up as you stretch and forth and then let the velcro of your hamstrings move your carriage out from underneath you. Beautiful. Hands to your tail and up, bend and reach forth, curl up and again, Caitlin hold on a second.

Elbows bent, yeah, and chin down looking at your feet. Yeah so you get a little of that. Nice. See what do you think? Push the carriage out, and don't let your legs move.

Nice fight. Belly lifts you up, stretches your arms and reaches you out and over that was gorgeous. Velcro holds the spring, control. Yeah! Reach for your toes, flex your toes if you want to and take hold of them. Take a nice deep breath, shed tension, pull the tummy in and come sitting up.

Let's turn around and face the other way. Alright. Okay so you slither around and you scoot your tush up against the shoulder blocks and your wood handles are parallel to the floor so that probably means you're outer hand is just a little high in your mind. And now take your velcro thigh bones, or hamstrings, and move the carriage away from your fists, inhaling, and exhale down. Good and let your inhale slither up underneath your collarbones, your blades, and exhale around, we'll go faster.

And in and exhale, and (inhales deeply) (exhales) one more only, in and ex from underneath, yep. And ex, flex the feet, curl the crown to the knees, and let the hamstrings take you away from your fists. Keep the carriage back there as you roll your spine up, up and up. And open your arms, exhaling her again, curl it over, don't work so hard Kara, please. Breathe and enjoy.

Come rolling up. (inhaling) Yes! And up and open, so yes, yes otherwise how can you get to the end? Inhale, bring the outer foot back gently, and feel the hamstrings. Yeah! So good. Cross the legs.

Right, we have a long path to go. (laughing) So see if you can cup your feet to your sit bones a little, kind of like crab. So that you feel that whole platform down there that's gonna help you without a lot of shoving around. It's gonna help you move that spring and you can even look at your springs. So as you inhale, how many coils could you open?

And as you exhale, come all the way home. So your thumbs go really low and inhale again, nicely done. And exhale home too. And inhale up, less neck, less. More hips.

Yeah. Let your hips take you before your hands. Yeah! Open the arms to the sides. Change legs, that was so beautiful. And hug a tree.

In with the air, and out. We'll do one more and then we'll reverse the breath. Come from under, could you crab your left foot? Yeah! Nice. (huffing exhale) Good left side just a little extra.

Uh huh, beautiful. Enough. Lock your handles and step off, we'll do swan. So you're breathing and you pull your tummy in as you pick your box up, and get your towel and wipe off your sweat. That's a good idea too.

And you add a spring, and if you want a black pad on the edge of your box you're welcome to do that. Or under your feet. Okay. And then you step on, hands on the waist of the box, toes apart on the foot-bar, and then upper thigh against the box. Then exhale yourself like you're, yes beautiful Kara, hands in front of your elbows by ears if you would.

And then inhale, lift your hands up and behind you. Circle the arms out to the sides, stretch forward, keep that foot-bar down with your arches, and up, and forth. Hover and feel. Yeah. So keep your arches pressing down into the foot-bar.

Don't let your heels come with you so much, but contract your soles (laughs). Atta girl. Yes! So beautiful! And forth, good and contract your soles. Now, a time when you might not, and therefore you might think that your foot is less important than it is. Inhale, get those arms behind you, so beautiful.

Circle, and forth. That's it, and up again. Sorry I'm giving you the one direction. Less, less. Torso, breath.

So good. Yes! Tummy in. And step off. Beautiful. Alright.

Take away your black padding, go to one spring for pushups and T and shoulders, collarbones maybe to the front corner of your box. Scooch back just a little bit. Long legs and active soles. So we'll do T, knuckles down towards the floor the first one. Uh huh, and as you inhale, your eyes, nose, chin, chest, forehead goes up and in swan and your arms go back.

In with the air, and expel the air. Beautiful (laughs) and again. Inhale. You are making your own accompaniment. And exhale.

Nicely done. Lower you shins just a little maybe to get more tummy, and in with the air, uh huh, and exhale the air. And then slide your hands to the end of the straps for T, lift up and get your humorous bone high. Uh huh, and pick up your blade off your back as you inhale. And keep your blade up and your humorous high as you exhale.

Keep it up there. Nicely done. And again, in with the air, work less hard, breathe gently, less, less. Yeah and then up, up. Touch me.

And again, last one. Inhale, up, up touch me. Where am I? And exhale home, stay up with me. Yes! Yes! Oh that will look gorgeous on the film.

(laughing) That is beautiful. Take 'em both in one hand, spring for the backstroke. And have a seat on the edge of your box. Tummy in as you curl in upon yourself. Knuckles together, way up above your head.

So you have to really pull your tummy in to make the straps valuable for you. Yeah! We'll do two and two. Inhale the arms, legs up and open and forward and hold it there, and then with control. One more time. Up, open and forward and hold it there, shed tension, exhale, reverse it.

Very beautiful you two. In, open, lift, and curl in, knees to nose and vice versa. Press, how does that feel on your shoulder? Good. Open and lift, feel you're coming home, give you a rebound, you're gonna take both handles in one hand and curl up into a little teaser and go down to one spring for the teaser.

Nice control. And lay down with your tush back just a little. Alright, so that, feel if you would your hamstrings against the box moving the spring coils before your hands. So you chin comes up, your feet come up, but your hamstrings, more than your hands and circle exhaling. Nicely done, yeah.

So come from here more than your palms. Make it just a little smaller if you don't mind. Yes. Yes! Great control. Last time up, hold it, and then lower the back first. Yes, beautiful, exhaling your breath as you finish.

Tummy is so in, because you've exhaled every atom! And then curl your chin and your feet and in with the air, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah, reverse your circles, exhaling. See if you can move the springs from your sit bones, your tush, your hips. Something other than your pecs. Yeah, low. Keep 'em up, and lower the spine.

Yeah! Do we have one more in us? Gently, you can choose whichever arms you like. So you're pulling the spring coils away with your pelvis. And your spine unfurls up and whatever arms, doesn't matter because it just aids your breathing. So you lift, good.

(laughing) Yeah I know! You lift up, your breath, right, and then as you exhale, beautiful. And then stay there for a whole breath once you've back-bent. Shed tension but keep hold of your bellies. You're not panting, you're just, yeah. And then both hands, take hold of your handles, curl your chin to your chest and step off, and hook your handles and take away your box and we'll do the long stretches.

Alright, so you're breathing in and out on purpose as you move. You have a black pad on your head, rest if you wish it and you change your springs if you need to. One to two, something like that. And you step on, one hand one foot, other hand other foot, and you feel your heels together-ish and back a little bit. And your big toes are kinda reaching for one another even though they'll never touch, and that gives you more inner thigh.

Now you take the soles and invite you back inhaling, and exhale forward. Uh huh, and as you move, you try and be as efficient as possible. This would be you, like one of the bunnies that live here, (laughing) hopping through the room. And yeah, it's like this is not hard exercise for you girls. Keep your heels back a little more, and feel your arches do more.

Do you notice how you get more hips and belly? So nice, last one, enjoy your breath. Come home exhaling, gently lower your knees, flex your feet against the shoulder blocks and bring your hips forward and your chest high for the down-stretch. And as you go back, feel how your breath goes up in opposition. Yes.

And how the springs stretching suck your air into you. They pull your diaphragm back, up and back. Keep it up and back. Don't go too far. That's it.

Yes. Yeah, last one. Good. Ever so braver, yes! Nicely done. Tummy in, chin to chest, go up with the hips for the up-stretch.

And you inhale, press the heel-bones down and out. You curl the tail and come forth and you curl the head, and roll in. That is beautiful. When you press your heels, give me a little more hamstrings. So stay up in my palms.

Yes, up in my palms, and feel your belly that is so beautiful. Stay with me as you curl in, that is excellent. Heels to my hands. Yes. (Kara breathing heavily) And forth.

Beautiful, if you want to do the combo you're welcome to do it. Mmm hmm, so you're balanced. You're like a riverbed and the currents of the river are just running right through your body. Last one, in and stay there. And then lower your heels for the elephant.

Toes up. And dig your heels down gently as you inhale, out to exhale home. And exhale home. Beautiful. And exhale home.

Okay let's go a little faster. And exhale. And exhale. Rest a little. And feel your heels go away, yes! And then push your air out of you, beautiful! Rise up onto your toes for the arabesque.

And we'll just do this very one. Right leg up as you push inhale tug your heel down and under and cup the carriage home to your hairline. And we change legs. Good, so cup your heel down like, ripped Christie's fabric and feel it, not your back. Your ex, yes! Beautiful.

And step through with that leg, to the floor. And enjoy a, be careful you don't slip. Alrighty, and we'll turn around for long back stretch. (laughing) One hand, one foot. Other hand so you're up-ish.

Not down, but just up and back. Just a hair, yeah. And then move your spine down, curl your tail away from, lift up your pelvis and exhale home. Very nice. So you're breathing.

Work less hard and see if you can let the air come through to your ribs faster than your sniff. What if you didn't sniff? Yeah, how would the air come in? Nice! And exhale. Just that, if you had one thing to say it would be exhale.

So exhale. And step to the floor. Nice, Kara. It's weird (laughs) but you know what? You inhale so beautifully that you're working like way too hard to do it.

Why? You know, like (sniffs), all that tension doesn't give you anything. Your breath is great. Yeah. Alright so we're gonna do the stomach massage.

Choose your weapons. Choose your springs. Bring your black pad. Tummy in as you have a seat. (inhales sharply) Lift with your knees, your toes, or lift with your belly.

Your toes is what I mean to say. And your palms back as you, smooth and with control, exhale it home. Let your breath come up your torso into your lungs under your collarbones near your ears. Don't move that carriage around with too much effort. (heavy breathing) Shhh, yes.

One more time. Lower a spring. And bring your arms behind you on the shoulder blocks. Lower lift, and exhale home. Gorgeous.

Yeah, let the breath come. Like you want to change your ribs. (exhaling) I tell my clients, if you can break your bra I'll give you a free lesson. (laughing) Yeah, so it's down here, it's not up here. Now the sweatiness, so how can you lift your humorous but pick the shoulder blocks up?

Last one. (exhaling) Nice, reach down and lower a spring and then keep that long waist, elbows float higher then maybe. Yeah, inhale stretch, exhale home. Keep your soles and heels where they are. Don't lower them.

Keep your soles. Nicely done. Left one especially. And not the ball of the foot as much as the arch. Yes.

Yeah! That is gorgeous. That's the perfect path. Good and then bring the arms down and twist. Inhale, and exhale. Good.

What if this part was more important? Not your instep, but your arch. Yeah, search me out. Yes. Yes.

That gives you plenty of tummy. Gorgeous. Come home, put your feet on the wood. Make little fists, arms just ever so slightly then your shoulders and inhale for several and exhale for several. And then out to the sides just ever so slightly higher, was what I meant to say, I think I didn't add that word.

Mmm hmm, and then bring them up and lift your knees, and swivel off to the side and step to the floor. Nicely done! Alrighty. Let us, would you like to do tendon stretch? Two legs. So you're on two springs.

You step on one hand, one foot. Other hand and you tumble forward and you feel this beautiful hip pressing through your arches to inhale and exhale tumble forward. Beautiful. And it's almost as if your shoulders are the foot-bar. That you're going underneath your shoulder foot-bar with your spine.

Right, and coming around it from the other side. We'll only do one more, that's so good. Less time, enjoy your exhale. Perfect exercise for that. Tummy in, steps you off.

Very good. Let's take the foot-bar down and do semicircle. And you're already on two good springs and then take your peg and put in in the hole, probably closest to you. I'm just gonna change this so you have a little more room there. And you exhale, have a seat.

Tummy in as you pick your knees up and place your toes apart on the black bar. And then see if you can keep the carriage home as you, that's the nice thing about the towel under her back, lift your hips up high and slide or walk your shoulders forward up and over. Good, so you're gonna feel those feet with the heels together. Uh huh. And you're not gonna move your feet so that you move your spine.

As you inhale, you lay down onto over the edge of and into the springs. You gently press out searching for the end, hips down. If your shoulder will take it. Then tail curl, uh huh, and push (laughs) feet and arms and come home with control. Exhaling.

Keep your heels low. So what if your heels were as stable as the foot-bar? Give or take. So you roll down, we'll just do one more and then we'll reverse it. Inhaling.

You slowly, you exhale out your hot breath and you keep your hips down, right side too. And then you curl your tail up the middle. Beautiful. And your heels didn't touch the wood and now they're not gonna lift high but as you come home your hamstrings therefore, curling your knees over your toes and working, yes that is so excellent! And then keep those feet as you reverse. So you keep your hips up and heel push out.

Start at the top, roll down through into and over and, uh huh, and then come home. Curl the tail up and through. Leave your heels where they were, and one more time. Inhale, turn in just a little. And as you do, notice you get more inner thigh and belly.

When you come home the same is true and when you come forward, yes. Good. And then tummy in, slither yourself back onto your carriage, or walk your shoulders, and step to the floor. And then we will do chest expansions. So you take your pegs out please and pick up your handles on the way back.

And like your springs, so if you want to do the two heavy springs, that's great and if that's too much you're welcome to go a little lower. Okay you hold onto the leather loops as you inhale, and you lift your arms up into your shoulders and you take the carriage in front of your hands, look right, look left, face center and a hot exhale. Don't pull your shoulders down so much. Blades down is great. Inhale, let the arms come up.

Yeah get something here. Look left, and right. See if you can straighten your elbows and wrists as you come home, and keep them straight almost like your hands come behind you before your upper arms. Beautiful. Look, look, and then milk it on the way home.

Exhaling, yes. We have one more to do. Squeeze the inner thighs just a little bit together so that you feel that come right up your belly and then the hot exhale, and your diaphragm rises! Yes! Take both handles in one hand, turn around and add a third spring for the thigh stretch. Scoot your knees all the way to the shoulder blocks and take your hands further down and if you would, look down, Romana would say look at your belly. So she wanted you really curled.

But at least look down into the well and then before you tip back see if you can move the carriage forward. So don't tip back but move the carriage. Yes! And keep asking, doesn't have to be perfect. You're just wandering. Keep going.

And exhale, let your arms slightly rise and come home, exhaling without arching your back. And again, move the carriage forth. Atta girl. Turn in your thighs just a hair, yep. And exhale, nice, yeah.

Inhale, and lift the arms. Exhale, beautiful. That is so good. And if you would like to take an arch you're welcome to do so. Give me a little more inner thighs, pull your tummy in so you have less wrists, more tummy and inner thighs.

Lift the hips and arms forward, that was beautiful. Nicely done. Take both your handles in one hand turn around and go to one spring for arm circles. So you flex your feet against your shoulder blocks and you're thinking about the heels pressing back, kind of opening the soles and toning right up your inner thighs into your lower belly as you inhale, big time, unhindered. No sniffing but with a, I don't know, an experiencing of the sponginess, the freedom, the expansiveness in your lungs.

Stretchiness. Then reverse. Like stretch your lungs with your arms. Yeah. Last one.

Nice. Take them both in one hand, step off, and toss them into the well and we'll do short box. So tummy in as you pick your box up, uh huh. Settle behind your shoulder blocks and then take your bar and when you come forward like your springs so that remember you have two. Mmm hmm, take your straps and surround the strap with your ankle so as you flex your feet around them, and pull them hip-width, so you feel the outer hip, mmm hmm, nicely done.

Good. And then you hug around your ribs and you curl your spine forward. And you really press your forearms in your hips start first, they swivel around your leg bones bringing your sacrum to the mat. You keep it there as long as you can on the return, exhaling, hot and full, keep 'em down there, keep it down there, keep it until you can not. Nice! And again.

So hips swivel, rather than back moving. Good, and then exhale hot and full. Nicely done. Keep your calves still on the edge of the reformer. Don't let 'em move.

Yes! Exhale left side a little extra. If you want to take an arch you're welcome to do so on this last one. Flex your feet, keep your calf right there. Tummy is in, in, in, as you curl up and you exhale once again, easy neck, easy chest but keep breathing. Beautiful, take your bar, lift your elbows by your ears, and make sure that you cup your bar just a little bit forward so your wrists are straight and they're by your ears as you tip, as you swivel your hips here too.

Inhale, tip your body on your leg bones and exhale come home. Yes, scoot back Kara, would you mind? Just an inch. Is that okay with you? Uh huh. Okay.

I'm not sure. And exhale home. Yes! And pull the bar into you today, just a little. Uh huh, so so that you feel it tone your upper abs and your shoulders. Nicely done.

Last time, hot exhale, go all the way over today. Tummy in rolls you back up, erecting your posture and side-bend, inhale to the right and exhale center. And again, you're like expanding your cage. (heavy breathing) Don't shape your body, breathe and be breathed. Yes, be expanded, exhale like you're filled with air like a sailboat sail.

Nicely done, last ones. Stay there bring your legs together if you would. And then you're gonna come, you can come up on your hip if you wish, or not, but we'll do the twist. Inhale up and over to the right and exhale, bring your left cheek back on too. Good, and up and over to the left, pull the bar in to you and it'll give you more armpit, belly, and support.

Yep, very nice. You have one more to do. Inhale, good. Push up and start home from here. Nice! And left, so push that strap up, up, up-up-up! And keep it up! Keep it up as you come.

(laughing) And we'll do the tree. That was good you two. And then gently stretch, okay. Like it's an expression of your breathing rather than you're fiercely searching for something. Just express your inhale, and your exhale, yeah.

And let your back open and let your belly come into your organs. Last time up, stay up, and then as you flex your foot and point your foot and feel how it changes not just your foot and calf but your hamstring, and maybe your gut. So when your foot, your sole changes, you feel it in your body. And then maybe a couple of circles each direction. And again, it's not just ankle, it's all these bones and joints.

And it comes up and it changes your torso. Reverse if you haven't. And yeah, you're shedding tension where you don't need it. That is so excellent. You climb up, you tip back to your tree as the trunk, erect, and you walk down.

Inhale, the belly pulls your hands lower. Uh huh, and to your exhale, and you climb back up. Beautiful. So keep your hands high longer as you go down. Uh huh, and then get your hands higher sooner as you come up and it will make you use your tummy better I'm thinking.

One more time. Low belly, mid-belly, keep your hands like they are forced to come down and then you climb up. Reach up, yeah. Reach up and then put your right hand in your right instep and put your hand on the side of the hook, and take your leg to the side for, open the hip. Keep your inner thighs reaching for one another.

Nice, yes. Go where you will but remember this is contrology, so you're not just trying for a stretch. Tummy in curls you up, taller than you thought you could be, and then bend your knee and cross it over. Beautiful. Other side.

So you gently lengthen, and (exhales) regress, or something. Yeah, you're just like a seaweed. Hmm hmm, not even so much. Yeah. Last one up, stay up and flex and point.

Try it with your hands down here if you would Kara. Yeah. And build, this strength yeah. Nice. Nicely done.

And see if when you move your foot, it can travel through your limb, all the way to your heart. Like could it tug on your heart somehow? Through that so as (inhales) through the diaphragm (exhales) and as you finish with a point you start to walk up, you're already kind of lifted just naturally, and the torso lengthens not your neck and shoulder high, but your waist, and you tip back and then you climb down but your hands stay high longer. And then you climb up, yeah beautiful. You feel how that just sets you right into there.

Especially left. So you walk it down. Good. And your tummy is in and you're not gonna sniff this time but you're gonna expand your ribcage. So expand your lungs.

Yeah, and then if you have to exhale you exhale. That's alright. And then expand your lungs to float up and climb all the way up. Good, hands on the strap and on the foot. Keep your inner thighs together-ish as you open the leg and roll back.

Feel how your tummy, it takes you away from your inner thighs. You're splitting your femur bones and therefore your pelvic floor and then tummy lifts you up, (Caitlin moans) Don't work too hard on it, just enjoy my help. (Caitlin laughs) Bend the knee and cross it over. Ahh! And step off. And take away your box and your bar.

Breathing as you do so and we'll come back for the long spine massage. While you're back there you're gonna take your black straps and we'll put 'em on through, let me help you, and then we'll go faster. So you put them through the, two. Good. And make sure you like your springs.

Two springs. You've got it, your headrest is down and you lay on your backs. Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you had the second one. I would have taken it from you. And tummy, and as you bring your feet up over your face, and that bends your spine like rolling like a ball, like open leg rocker, it bends your spine.

You bring the soles. Then if you would, keep your feet over your face with the carriage home. So you put your straps on and you lengthened your legs above you. Mmm hmm, and as you exhale you're gonna rise up into the jackknife, and the carriage will be home. Then you open and you start here.

Inhale, and together, and exhale up (exhaling). Open. And inhale, and feel the soles of your feet like you just did foot corrector. Uh huh, not squeeze my toes so much but the arches. Yeah get the carriage to come home a little more Kara, if you would.

That will bend that mid-back for you so nice. And then the soles give you the hamstrings like in the upstretch. Or like in the elephant. Or coming up in the knee stretches. A little faster.

Exhale up, open, and inhale down. Never stopping. Constantly moving. Exhale up, keep your legs together, to come down. Keep your legs together this time if you would ladies.

Alright, so then once they're together, keep 'em together, and we'll reverse it. Yep. Soles up into the strap. Good. Nice.

That's it Caitlin, so stay in on that left. And you might like twisting your left strap a little bit when you go home. And it will take that leg into your hip on the left side a little bit better. Last one, when you're up there, stay there, drop your straps into the well behind you. Curl your spine to sit up and step to the floor.

Turn around, lift your headrest, lift your foot-bar for knee stretches. Uh huh. Round back, arched back, knees up. And, inhale out, exhale home. And exhale home.

Knees squeezing gently together. And feel how your exhale is swift and complete. Yes, complete, last one. And change your spine, and go. Inhale, exhale.

Good, keep your pelvis up. Right, like it doesn't move. Just your legs, like a pendulum in your hip, not your low-back. Good fight. Good.

Last one in. Curl yourself, lift your knees but keep your shoulders forward over the spring-bar as you go out, and exhale home. Just eight, no more than. Beautiful. You see how beautiful, you don't move your pelvis and your knees off.

The other ones are probably too beginner for you. (laughs) Isn't that nice? (laughs) And then come home, step to the floor. And add two springs and we'll do running and bottom lift. Good. Lay yourselves down.

Parallel feet. Soles of the foot contracting to stretch your springs out. One leg bends, and then the other. And as you inhale for four movements and exhale for four, beautiful, feel like you're putting more weight on your bending knee that you might have. At least 50:50.

So that you don't rock your hips at all. Mmm hmm. Both you ladies put your hands on your pelvis, as you run. So when you run, 50:50 on each leg, both legs should compress you into your hips sufficiently, simultaneously, so that the pelvis doesn't rock. Nicely done.

Yes, exactly. So straighten both legs. Tummy in bends you home. And bottom lift. Arches on the corner.

Like chopsticks, you're femurs come in and pick up your hips. You inhale stretch, you exhale. Good, expand the ribs. Expand the lungs stretchability. Yes.

And expanded in a place where you're not used to expanding it. Left side a little extra. Left foot, left hip. Nicely done. Good.

Start with the arches. Less time. And end on the arches. Beautiful. Did you feel that difference.

That was so, excellent. Roll down. Knees together and step off for side splits. So beautiful you girls. Okay so one spring or two springs, however you like.

Tummy in, so carefully as you step up. You've welcome to use a pad if you want to. Then carefully onto the wood and toe-heel out don't try to move the carriage so that you're working your hips and arms are out to the side and make use of them. Like let them, not only stabilize you, but also pick you up. As your legs split open inhaling, and exhale home.

Feel how the legs going apart pull your diaphragm down, and bring it up. Right. How they tug on your organs in your belly, and exhale you. Beautiful. Yes.

So good, and the moment, out to in, its not a moment. It's just the same thing, go out to come in, inhale to exhale, yes nice. Good, let's stay in the next time. Staying in and pick the flower. So go way forward.

Yes! See if you can touch the floor. Tummy in rolls you up, unfurls your posture and then keep your hands at your breastbone and arch your bellies. Tone them. Stretch them and make them contract to bring you center. Open the arms to the sides.

Toe-heel in without moving the carriage. So feel your hips strengthen, deep, nicely done. Bring the other foot, and turn to the other side, yeah! So beautiful. Okay onto the wood-bar first. Wood-frame first and toe-heel out.

Breathing deeply and smoothly, with control, let the arms plug in and pick you up almost like when you split your legs you don't go down in space. Yeah. Nice. And as the legs go out they pull on your diaphragm they enter so much air you can't believe it, and you exhale. They just suck it in like a bellows and then you push it out.

Yeah, and it just, it pushes out. It's so nice. It's just normal. Even though we're focusing on it. Good.

Let's see if we can stay out and do saw. If you don't like it you can come in. So you inhale and twist, bend and twist your spines. Tummy in rolls you up. Good, bring the opposite ribs to the thigh.

Yes, twist around. Bring yourself around this way. Beautiful! Belly lifts you up, squeeze the carriage home, and keep squeezing it gently as you toe, oh ho ho ho, inhale in your left foot. Well done. And step off too the floor.

Foot-bar up for the front splits. Two springs and tummy in. Why is that like that? There you go. Uh huh.

As you step up. Place the right foot, ball of the foot on the foot-bar and hands on shoulder-width. And then hop your back foot back. Good. Would you mind if I asked you to bring your foot more left?

This one? No, no the back one. So heel on the shoulder block. Oh okay. So you don't compress your sacrum but you feel nice and open.

And if you don't like it, don't do it. Alright so keep this arch toned. It doesn't have to be high but it has to be supportive as you inhale back. And exhale forth. Good.

And inhale, right. So here you are doing tree again. And you feel how easily your chest on your thigh, so keep your chest on your thigh if you would. And instead stretch your psoas. (laughs) Yes. Beautiful.

Uh huh. So nice. One more time. Out (inhales deeply), and in (exhales). And then stay home, lift your back heel up.

And bring your back leg parallel, so hop your toes to center a little bit against the shoulder block and lower you knee down gently. And then we'll do the knee down splits. So you inhale back, tummy in, and you exhale forward. And even though it's not possible think of keeping your shoulders forward longer. Like over the foot-bar longer.

What would go for a seconds, third. Right, could you kind of taffy-ize your body so that your heel, your calf, your knee, your thigh, your pelvis your, yes right! One more time only. Beautiful. Yep. And come home and stay home.

Lift that left arm, and side-bend over, good. And then the tummy contracts to lift you. Both arms up, elbows by your, stretch your belly. So not just your quad, but your tummy. Up out of, and then contract it up out of, to bring yourself center.

Nice! And change sides. So left ball of the foot. Knee way forward, bend your knee way forward so it makes it easy to get your back foot back there. Uh huh. And keep your left sole up, it's just a little as you inhale press back, and exhale home.

And your hips are trying to be square but if they don't, there's no perfectness about that and you don't want to let it hinge you. You do want to keep your thigh on your chest and your sole up. Yeah, like in tree. So nice, and exhale, fully, hot. Like when you exhale you want to, it's as if you're reciting a poem.

It's that important and specific. Yes, because every moment of your exhale is a different part of your belly and a different vertebra. Last one home and then lift your back heel, hop your foot centered on the shoulder block and lower your knee. Heel back as you, keep your chest forward-ish, in opposition to the moving of the carriage. Move the carriage before you move you.

Yeah, and then go with it, inhale and exhale home. Nice. And let that tug on you so that it fills your whole body with air. Mmm hmm. Up under your collarbones, under your shoulders.

Yes! Under your blades. You could picture your blades like lifting off your back with the air. So beautiful. Last one, come home. Tummy in as you take your right arm up and just lift up and over.

See if you can sneak a little bit more air in. And then come center, and then the belly picks you up and lengthens. It lengthens. More than anything you're interested in your tummy. Yes.

And then your tummy contracts, to bring you center. Good. And enough. Step to the floor. And when you stand there, so now stand there and lift your ten toes up.

And you should feel like, this is where you are meant to be. On the dome, on the trampoline of the sole of your foot, and that when you're there you have a little bit of the whole circumference of the muscles coming up your legs, into your hips, and that your pelvis, like a pediment, or like these buttresses, sits, no buttress is the wrong word, but you know what I mean. Sits on your pelvis and your sacrum can rest there. You don't have to tense your tush. You don't have to hold it a certain way.

You already exercised such that your body is now in its best place. So you don't have to arrange, right. And you move with more facility, with more swiftness, like your breath, it moves your body faster. You know those kind of things. When I look and see, those are transformational things.

Yeah. And they make us happy. (laughing) Most importantly. Alright. Thank you you two, that was very good.

(clapping)

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Comments

2 people like this.
The wisdom of Pilates in motion, ahhhhhhhh big EXHALE!!! 😊 Thank you so much.
2 people like this.
completely lovely.
2 people like this.
Rachel, I love the little nuggets you drop with each class. "Don't make the shape" let the breathe move and expand you, and move with less tension. So important. So lovely to have a lovely flowing class.
Michele M
2 people like this.
Definitely felt the presence of my movement with my breath! Thank you for beautiful cueing and bringing awareness to my body!:)
3 people like this.
Such fantastic fun! Inspired me to go straight to my reformer to move and breathe. Thanks Rachel!
3 people like this.
Thank you for a wonderful, quick, difficult workout! Loved your instructions and tips.
2 people like this.
Almost didn't do this because I wasn't really in the mood for a classical flow today. So glad I made myself do it. Your instruction was great. One of my favorite cues, (there were many) was in doing climb a tree when you said keep your arms high on the low leg when going back and reaching high when coming home. What a difference in the abs! I hope I said that right, will have to go back and re-listen. thank you Rachel!
2 people like this.
Thank you Rachael. It was beautiful and fulfilling! I loved how lifting through your arches gave more attention throughout your whole body.
Karen L. Burka
i love this classical flow and nice to see all of the energy move in unison. One question? I was taught that the head stays in line with the spine. there seems to be a break there at certain points? thank you.
Karen tell me more exactly your question ok ? Thanks for watching! And questioning! Rachel
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