Class #4575

Two-Way Stretch Mat

55 min - Class
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Description

Open your chest and hips in this Mat workout with Katie Yip. She includes a combination of exercises that will give you strength and stability as well as a stretch for the back of your body. She also includes Push Ups on a Chair to help you move towards full Push Ups.
What You'll Need: Mat, Table Chair

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Hello. Welcome, welcome. Let's get started. We're gonna go into our delicious stretch mat today. Let's have fun. Make sure you have a chair with you.

As you can see in the corner of my screen, we'll be using that at the last part of class. Let's get started. Walk to the front of the mat. We'll go heels together, toes apart. You're going to lift the arms forward and up, glue your head to the ceiling, fold your arms fingertip to elbow, the stomach lifts up.

Cross one leg behind the other, and continue to lift your powerhouse down to the mat. So we go up as we go down with control. Lower your bottom down, uncross your legs. Take your hands by your sides. Pick your bottom up and slide yourself back.

Lie all the way down onto that mat. From here, just lie onto your side today, and let's have the knees bent and feet flat. Flex your ankles. And you're gonna take your two arms in front of you, hand on top of hand. Now, just like we've been working on in the past few weeks in your side kicks, you want to make sure that bottom waist is off the mat.

So we have your little house for your mouse. Press your palms into one another. Press your bottom leg into that mat. And like a bow and arrow, you're gonna slide the top arm across the bottom arm, across the chest. And you're going to stretch and reach that left arm across that room.

Pull the stomach in, reach the arm out, lift it up to the ceiling and bring your hands together. And again, slide the arm across the bottom arm. As you move the arm, you twist. So they go hand-in-hand, twist, move the arm, twist, and you're in your deepest twist when your arm is all the way back. Reach out through the fingertips, up to the ceiling, and bring your hands together.

It's a delicious twist. And slide the arm across the bottom arm. Pull the stomach in. Keep anchoring your bottom leg on the mat, and stretch the arm back long. Go a little deeper. This is your last one.

Reach out, cover space in the room, up to the ceiling, and bring your hands together. Now stay here. Lift your arm up, shoulder height. Reach out, past your bottom arm, and like a windmill, you're gonna circle the arm up towards your ear. Your gaze will drive the rotation.

Flip your palm up to the ceiling. Keep looking at that left arm as you twist. Reach out, come back the same way you went. Look up at that top arm, find side body length, and bring your hands together. Again, reach out, scoop that stomach in.

Look at that top arm. Watch the arm doesn't fall. It stays level to the floor, parallel to the floor. Reach out, cover space, increase the rotation. Get a little further, if you can, without letting that top hip go back.

Reach out, scoop the navel in and up, and bring the hands together. One more time. Reach out. So as you're twisting, it is imperative your top hip remains facing forward. Don't let the hip go back. The rotation comes from your belly button up.

Really stretch the arm away in opposition. So you have to anchor your powerhouse here to get that delicious stretch. Reach out, cover space, anchor through the powerhouse. Stretch out and bring your hands together. Excellent, let's go to the other side.

From here, lie on your left side. Two arms out in front of you. Press your legs together, flex your feet. Once again, find your house for your mouse. The same rules apply, right?

The principles carry over. Slide the top arm across the bottom arm, open the chest. Ooh, this is my little tighter side. Reach out and stretch. Now your gaze will look at that right arm.

Now get a little further. Open the chest, increase your wingspan. Reach out across the room to the ceiling, pull the stomach in and bring the hands together. Again, reach that top arm across. As that arm moves, you twist your shoulder back, your right rib back, your waist goes back, but you keep that right hip facing forward.

Reach up to the ceiling, pull the stomach in, and bring the hands together. One more time. Reach it across, open the chest, and stretch. Watch that top hip. Keep that top hip reaching forward.

That's your opposition. Top hip forward as the shoulder and the rib go back. Reach out across the room and bring your hands together. This time lift your arm up shoulder height. Reach out past the bottom arm.

Circle the arm up towards your ear. Pull your stomach in, watch that your lower back is not arched. Circle around and bring the arm back behind you to 90 degrees. Reach out again, open the chest, circle back up the same way you went, and you bring your hand on top of the bottom arm. Reach out, cover space in the room.

Pull your stomach in, anchor through your bottom leg. As you twist, that top hip remains facing forward. And you try to get your right shoulder to reach for the floor. You try to get the right rib to reach for the floor. Maybe the waist.

It's not gonna happen, but we're gonna try. But that top hip stays reaching forward. Reach out to this, and bring the hands together. One more time. Reach out, circle around.

Look at your hand. Once again, your gaze drives the rotation. The stomach pulls in. Open your chest. Get a little longer through the fingertips.

Reach out. The tailbone anchors down, the stomach lifts up, circle around and bring the hands together. Excellent work. Let's lift ourself up, and we're gonna once again lie down on our back, and we're gonna go into your hundred. Two legs into your chest, and take the arms and legs up to the ceiling.

Plug your shoulders in, anchor your tailbone. From here, lift the chin to the chest. Roll up to the bottom of the shoulder blade, and let's lower the arms and legs down into your hundred position. You're gonna go to your working level. Maybe we'll go a little bit further 'cause it's week five, right.

Now, watch that you're not on your shoulder. I want you to curl over. So you're really stretching the top of the head to the ceiling. Stomach pulls back, the low back anchors, lengthen your pelvis, and inhale, 2, 3, 4, 5. Exhale, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Inhale, 2, 3, 4, 5, Exhale, 2, 3, 4, 5. 30, 2, 3, 4, 5. Exhale, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 40, breathe in to that mat. Exhale, scoop the stomach. Feel the navel push all of the air out.

Inhale, 50, 2, 3, 4, 5. Exhale, 2, 3, 4, 5. 60, inhale, exhale, hollow your stomach. Stretch your toes across the room. And 70, reach your fingers across the room.

Pull the inner thighs up in opposition. 80, 2, 3, 4, 5. Exhale, 2, 3, 4, 5. 90, curl the upper body up and lengthen the back of that neck. One more.

Inhale, 2, 3, 4, 5. Exhale, exhale, exhale, exhale, exhale, hold it. Lift the arms and legs up to the ceiling with the deep powerhouse. Hug the legs into your chest and let the head rest. Sit all the way up.

If you have a strap, go ahead and use it. If you do not have a strap, I want you to really anchor and push the back of the heels down. Lie all the way down to that mat, reach the arms up to the ceiling, pick the shoulders up. Stretch them back, and as the arms go back, you feel the lower back lengthen along that mat. Reach through the heels, find that opposition.

Reach out across the room, plug the shoulders in. The head goes through the window of the arms. Squeeze your legs together. Curl into yourself as if you're rolling underneath the low ceiling. You're gonna grab your toes today.

And from here, elbows open as you bring your head to your knees and stretch. Whew, press the back of the thighs down into the mat. Pull your frontal hip points up. So you make space in that tiny little hip joint. And once you have that lift, go a little deeper, get the head to the knees.

Scoop the stomach in. From here, reach your arms forward. Now scoop from the lowest part of your stomach. As you roll down, keep curling into yourself. Press your legs down into the mat, articulate down.

Pick the shoulders up and stretch it back. Feel the lower back lengthen even more now. Reach up, inhale, come up, exhale, curl into yourself. Slide the heels away. Grab your toes, pull the stomach back, and bend your elbows, and reach the crown of the head to the knees.

From here, press the back of those thighs into the mat, press the back of the knees into the mat, press the calves into the mat, and press the heels into the mat to deepen that back body stretch. So right here, you see that position we need to go from standing to the hands on the floor for your push-up position. From here, pull the pelvis back, straighten the arms. Scoop from the deepest and lowest part of your stomach. Roll down, push the heels away.

Articulate down, reach up and stretch. Get a little longer through the back, the stomach pulls up. Arms up, head follows. Inhale, curl up. Exhale, stretch over.

Grab your toes, scoop it in. Bring the head to the knees, press the whole leg into the mat, but pull your rib cage and your pelvis up in opposition. From here, straighten the arms. Lift the waist. Deepen, keep the waistline up as the head goes down.

Lift the waist, straighten the arms. Scoop that stomach back. The stomach goes up as the head goes down to the knees. And if you want a little deeper stretch, really pull your toes back and you'll really feel it. And lift up, up, up, stretch those arms.

Keep scooping that stomach up. Head to the knees, stretch. Now stay here. From here, start to lengthen the waist forward along your thighs. Lengthen your ribs along your thighs, your chest to your knees, your chin to the shin, and you stretch.

And you really fold into yourself as your tailbone anchors in opposition. Scoop that stomach back, reach the arms forward. Dig the heels down, hollow your stomach. And drag yourself down. Use this as an opportunity to find a little more length in your lower back.

Pick the shoulders up and stretch it all the way back. Really big back opening. Excellent work. Take your feet out of the strap. Flex your ankles. And you're gonna slide the right leg into your chest.

Grab underneath the knee. Flex your left foot and push through your left heel as if you're standing on that leg. And you're gonna stretch the right leg up one. Bend the knee, continue reaching that right hip down towards your end of the mat. Stretch up two, bend, stretch up three.

Stay here if you can. Or if you can, go a little higher up, grab the back of the calf or grab the ankle. From here, anchor that hip and pull the leg towards your chest. And bring it back to center. Pull the leg towards your chest.

Now flex that left leg and try to lengthen the back of that left thigh along the mat. Deepen the stretch to your nose and hold it there. Flex your foot, point the foot, stretch that leg. Flex the foot, point the foot, flex the foot, point the foot. Now stay here.

Take your left hand to the outside of the ankle or the leg, right hand by your side. Pull that leg up towards your left shoulder. But keep that right hip down. So this hip has to really anchor down into that mat. So there's your anchor, the right hip.

Then stretch the leg across, bring it back center, anchor the right hip. You can even take your hand here to push the hip down. Bring it up to your left shoulder, anchor the hip, bring it up to your left shoulder, and now bring it back center. Both hands on the leg, and stretch it up. Take the right hand to the inside of the right leg.

Anchor the left side and bring the leg up towards your right shoulder. Bring it back center up to the right shoulder. Now anchor that left side. That's your point of stability. Again, up to your right shoulder.

Bring it back center, both hands on the ankle. Stretch it again, stretch it, stretch it, stretch it. Now stay here. Hold this position with your stomach and your powerhouse. Press your arms into the mat.

Let's go for your single leg circle. Reach it across, down, around, and up. Now grab the back of the leg, catch it, stretch it a little deeper. So I want that stretch to be even further. Release, circle across, around, and up.

Catch it, stretch it again. Circle across, around, and up. Catch it, stretch it. Across, around, and up. Catch it, stretch it.

Across, around, and up. Don't forget that left leg. Catch it, stretch it, reverse. Open, down, around, and up. Catch it, stretch it.

Open, around, and up. Catch, deepen the stretch. Circle three, scoop and lift. Circle four, scoop and stretch. Circle five, scoop and stretch.

Whoo. Stay here. Leave the leg where it is. Take the left hand to the outside of the left leg. This time your right arm goes to a T. Press your right arm down.

And you're gonna reach that leg across the body to your left hip. Go as far as you can to the left hip without letting the right hip release. When you can't go any further, that's when you begin the rotation, just like how we did in week four. Right hip comes off, waist comes off. Rib comes off.

Get that stretch, stretch it, stretch it. Come back, right rib. Waist, hip, cross the arms. Stretch it again towards your nose. Switch, one arm is on top, left arm to a T.

Right hand to the inside. Open the right leg out to the side. This time going as far as you can to the side for that stretch. Anchor that left side in opposition, bring it back. Cross your ankle, stretch it.

Right arm to a T, left-hand to the outside. Reach that leg to the left hip. Then peel the right hip off. Peel the waist off. Oof, big stretch. Peel the rib off.

I feel it just as much as you guys do, trust me. Reach it across. Come back, rib, waist, hip, cross your arms, stretch it to the center. Open the leg out to the side. We'll have nice, loose hips after.

Reach out, anchor that left shoulder in opposition. And now pull the right leg out of the hip and reach it down. Pull it out and reach it down. Bring the leg back up, stretch it. Now hug the knee into the chest, like your single leg, full bent, hug it in.

And slide the leg down and just feel how different that hip feels after that. Slide the left leg in, grab underneath the left knee, hug it into the chest, and try to pull the thigh in as much as you can. Flex your right foot and lengthen the back of that right thigh on the mat. Stretch up one. Bend the knee.

Stretch up two, and continue reaching that left hip down towards the end of the mat. So both sides of the waist stay long. Stretch up, hold it. Now stay here, or, if you can, grab a little higher up the leg. Pull the leg up towards your nose and stretch.

Bring it center, pull the leg up towards your nose, stretch it, and push, and lengthen the right leg in opposition. And stretch it, hold it there, flex the foot. And point and flex, push through the heel, push through the toe, push through the heel, push the through toe, stretch it again. Take the right hand over to the outside of the left ankle. Left hand goes to your left hip, and you can really press your left hip down.

Bring the leg across the body and lift it diagonally up towards your right shoulder. Bring it center. It's a really small range of motion. Bring it up towards your right shoulder, and center. Bring it up to your right shoulder, and center.

This time cross, take the left hand to the inside of the left ankle. Right hand to the side. And you're gonna pull the left leg to your left shoulder. And bring it center. Over to the left shoulder, anchor through the back of that right leg, and center.

Over to the left shoulder. Bring it center back towards your nose. Both hands grab the leg, pull it in, go a little deeper this time. Anchor the back of that right thigh. Now hold this position with your powerhouse.

Hands by your side. Circle the leg across, around, up. Catch the leg and stretch. Across, around, up, two. Catch it and deepen the stretch.

Across, around, up, three. Catch it, now really pull the leg in. Circle four, catch it, stretch it. Circle five, and stretch. Reverse, open.

Across, around, up. Catch it. Deepen. Circle two, scoop, stretch. Circle three, scoop, stretch. Circle four, scoop, stretch it.

Reach through the right leg. Scoop and stretch it, bring it center. Take the right hand to the outside of the left leg. Left arm to a T. Reach that left leg over to your right hip.

Go as far as you can. When you can't go any further, you peel the left hip off. Peel the left waist off, peel the rib cage off, and reach through that right leg. Come back left rib, left waist, left hip. Cross the legs and stretch it.

Switch your arms. Right-hand to a T, left leg opens to the side. Now this time reach it out of the hip and down to the floor. Reach out and down, stretch, stretch it. Bring it back center, cross the arms, stretch it again towards your nose, and push through that right leg.

Reach it across the body. When you can't go any further, you peel that hip off. You peel that waist. You peel the rib off. Keep anchoring that left shoulder.

Come back, left rib, waist. Oh, such a good stretch. Hip, stretch it. Open the leg to the side, reach it, reach it, reach it. Open, open, open.

Bring it center. Stretch it. Hug the knee into your chest like your single leg pull bent. And slide the leg out. Ooh, nice loose hips.

Reach your arms back, and roll all the way up. Let's go for your rolling like a ball. Slide the heels in towards your bottom and pick your elbows up. You're gonna lift your back up, and we're gonna roll back and pause on our shoulders for three counts. That's the control part.

Ready? Stomach in. Roll back and hold, two, three. Roll up, hold, two, three. Rock back. Hold it. Two, three, scoop and lift.

Two, three. Roll back, hold, get that stretch. Roll up, balance. One more time. Roll back, hold, two, three.

Roll up, hold it, two, three. Let's go right into your series of five. The right leg comes in, the left leg extends out. Reach that leg down, slide it in. Reach the right leg away like a bicycle, stretch.

Open the front of the hip, stretch. Feel that hip open. And stretch and stretch and stretch it. Upper body up. Stretch it, stretch it, stretch it, stretch it.

Reverse back pedal, reach out. Reach two, reach three, open the front of the hip, four. And five and six and seven and eight. Double leg pull. Two legs in, let the head rest, lift the upper body up.

Reach out, hold it there. Stay. Reach your arms to the floor now. Circle your arms around the floor. Reach over your thighs or in your hundred position. Scoop your stomach and hug it in.

Inhale, stretch out as long as you can. Lengthen your pelvis, arms to the floor. Circle around on the floor so you get that chest opening. And bring it in. Two more times. Reach out, circle around, curl up, scoop, and in.

Reach out, get a little longer on this one. Circle around, hold it, scoop and bring it in. Let the head rest. Lift the head up. Single straight leg, and, just like we did before, stretch it into the split stretch.

Stretch, stretch, pass through your teaser, and change. Deepen, deepen, pass through your teaser. Stretch, stretch, change. Stretch deepen. Change, stretch deepen.

Stretch, deepen. Stretch, deepen. Stretch, deepen. Stretch, deepen. Get the knee to the nose if you can.

Touch your nose Touch your nose, touch your nose. Two legs up. Pull yourself up. Hands behind the head. Elbows open, stomach in, and lower down.

Really feel the length through the front of the hip and the pelvis. Scoop and lift the two legs up. Reach it too, lift that upper body up. Breathe in to the mat, exhale up. Inhale down, breathe into that mat.

Stabilize from a strong center. Exhale up. Reach it down. Go a little lower, go a little lower. Maybe you touch the mat today. Lift it up.

Woo. Two more times. Reach it down. Go all the way to the mat if you can. Lift it up, one more time, reach it down. We can do it.

Go a little deeper. Get deeper, go deeper. Hold it and up. Bend the knees in, criss-cross, twist, hold it. Grab that right leg, hug it in.

Pull yourself up, up, up, and change. Grab the leg in. Lift your upper body up, up, up. Change. Pull it in. Lift it up, up, up.

Change. Pull it in. Lift it up. Pull that left leg into your chest. Up, up, up, change. Up, up, up, change.

Grab the leg, up, up, up. And up, up, up. One more time, up, up, up. Sit all the way up. I told you stretch mat is still very difficult.

It feels great, but you're still gonna work. All right, separate your feet so they're wider than your mat and let's take the arms in front of you. Lift up as tall as you can. Take a big inhale. (breathes deeply) And exhale, curl in. Deepen it, deepen it, deepen it.

Inhale, roll all the way up. Lift the arms up to the ceiling. Circle them behind you. Do a shoulder roll, and lift your chest forward and up. The tailbone lengthens down in opposition so your back is not arched, but you're pulling your chest through your shoulders.

Reach the arms forward, inhale. Exhale, curl in. Pull the rib cage up. Inhale, lift your lower back. Circle the arms up, around.

Take the hands back. Do a shoulder roll and lift your chest up. Stomach in, soft ribs. One more time. Lift, curl in, roll up, circle, get a little taller.

Lift off your lower back. Hands back, shoulders back, chest up, tailbone under. Flex those feet. And lift all the way up. Now go ahead and take your hands on top of your thighs.

Lift your back. And you're just gonna let the head go down as you slide the arms down and grab your ankles and stay here. Keep your hands fixed on your ankles. And I want you to think of the roll up we did, the third exercise that we did. Pull your rib cage up and behind you, as if my hands are around your ribs, and they're being hooked up to the ceiling.

Pull your rib cage up to make space in your lower back. And as you lift your ribs up, you're gonna press the back of the legs down into that mat. So you're gonna really open that back body. This is such a deep stretch. It doesn't look like a lot, but it's a lot of internal movement.

You're lifting the navel up as you're reaching the back of the thighs and the sit bones down. Scoop, scoop, scoop. And now keep that lift as you bend your elbows and curl into yourself. So even though you're curling in, your rib cage is still pulling up to the ceiling. So I'm getting that deep, deep, back stretch.

And now scoop your stomach in, straighten the arms, lift your back, anchor the tailbone. And as you lift your back, you're gonna bring the head down. So a lot of elements of opposition here. Head down, rib cage up, scoop that stomach in. And scoop as you straighten the arms.

One more time. Lift your back, curl into yourself. So as much as your head goes down, you feel your navel and your waist lift up in opposition. Scoop to straighten the arms, and then roll all the way up. The head is the last to come up.

Ooh, that is a big, big stretch if you do it correctly. Let's go into your open leg rocker. Slide the arms down again. Grab your ankles, find that same lift. Point your toes, and now scoop your stomach as you slide the heels towards your bottom.

Just like we did in the rolling like a ball, we're gonna pause for three counts, resting on our shoulders. Reach up, hold it here. Find that same lower back opening that you did in your spine stretch forward. It's the same exercise here. So lift the rib cage up to the ceiling, press the legs into the hands.

Now keep that as you roll back to your shoulders and hold. There's your spine stretch forward. Lift the waist, press your lower back, and open the chest and balance. And again, scoop to roll back, hold it. Press the thighs to the ceiling.

Scoop that stomach in. Lift the navel up, press your lower back down. Open the chest. One more time. Take it back.

Balance. Hold it. Lift the waist up. Make space in your back. Press your lower back down. Wooh.

Hold on. We gotta do it again. I didn't come up. And come up, open your chest. Now lift your waist and draw your legs together. Flex your feet, if you can.

Grab your big toes or continue holding onto your ankles. This is like that roll up we did. Lift your chest up along your thighs. Stretch, stretch, stretch. Straighten the arms. Two more times.

Lift your back up, stretch up. Flex those feet up, up, up. Scoop and straighten the arms. One more time. Lift your back up, stretch it, stretch it.

Get the waist against your thighs, chest to your knees, chin to the shin. Scoop. Straighten the arms. Let go. Reach for your toes. Roll down to your mat. Bend the knees into your chest.

And you're gonna have your hands in a T position. Or if you have handles, go ahead and use your handles for a little extra chest opening. Two legs up to the ceiling. Let's take both legs to the right. Bring it center.

Over to the left, bring it center. Let's increase the twist. Legs to the right as you turn your gaze to the left. Try to get the left ear to the mat. The head and feet come back to center at the same time.

Go legs to the left, turn your gaze to the right. Scoop your stomach in. Head and heels arrive together. Twist, look to the left, legs to the right. Scoop as you come center.

Twist, look to the right, legs to the left. Scoop and center. And bend the knees. Come all the way up. Let's separate the legs. Once again, a little wider than your mat.

Flex your feet. Take your arms to a T position. And this time take the arms behind you so you have a little more chest opening. Lift your back up, and you're gonna twist to the right, and the arms are gonna stay behind you. So you have to really open that chest.

Once you've gone as far as you can, you reach the left arm forward and saw off that right pinky toe. Roll up in the twist. Take the left arm back. Open the chest and turn to center. Twist to the left.

Keep that right arm back as far as you can. Twist, twist, twist. Then when you can't twist anymore, the right arm reaches and you reach for that left pinky toe. Roll up in the twist and turn to center. Arms go back, twist, and reach head to the knee.

Roll up in the twist. Take that left arm back and center. Twist and reach. Roll up, right arm back first, center. One more time on each side.

Twist and reach. Roll up, left arm back. We want that open chest and center. Twist and reach. Roll up, right arm back and turn to center.

Now take your arms back in line with your shoulders. Twist to the right. Take your left hand to the outside of the right thigh. Right hand goes behind you, do a shoulder roll, and you're gonna lift your back as you twist. Look behind you, lift your back, deepen the twist without shifting in your pelvis at all.

Just remember everything from the navel up rotates. Everything navel down stay stable. You have to anchor a lot through that lower body. Now hold this position. Try not to untwist.

Lift the arms up. Turn to center. Twist. Take the right hand to the outside of the left thigh, left hand behind you. Lift your back and deepen the twist. Lift your back, go a little further.

Now hold this position with your powerhouse. Lift the arms up, and center. One more time on each side. Twist, go for the assist. Open the chest, deepen the twist.

Lift your lower back bones, deepen the twist. Hold this twist. Just lift the arms up. No assist anymore. And center. One more time.

Twist, go for the assist. Lift the chest up. Deepen the twist, lift the chest, deepen the twist. Oh, it's an amazing back stretch. Hold this position, arms up, and turn to center and rest.

Ooh, so much work being able to sit up tall. Draw your legs together. Let's flip over onto your stomach, and we're gonna go into your single leg kick back stretch. So let's have your two arms in front of you. If you have delicate knees, I ask that you only bend your knee to 90 degrees.

Forehead down. Squeeze your legs together. Now lift your navel off the mat so you have that little tunnel. But press your frontal hip points down in the mat. You're going to bend your right knee.

Reach the right arm to the side, circle it back. Grab the foot with your hand and pull the heel towards your bottom. Anchor that left hip in opposition. Pull the heel towards your bottom so you get that stretch in the front of the thigh. Now watch that your hips are pressing down and the stomach is off the mat.

From here, if your heel is towards your bottom, you're allowed to move on to the next step. Keep the heel directly in the center of your bottom and just lift the thigh off the mat. It's not gonna go very far. Lift the thigh up, up, up, and lower it down. And again, lift the thigh up without disturbing that left hip.

So anchor that left hip down in opposition. Bring it back down. Lift the thigh up, up, up, bring it back down. Let go of the legs. Circle the arm back forward.

Bend your left knee. Circle the left arm to the side. Grab the foot and pull the heel towards your bottom. Now watch that your knees are staying together and that knee is not turned out. From here, if your heel is towards your bottom, you're allowed to move to the leg lift.

Keeping your heel towards your bottom, lift the thigh up and stretch the front of the hip. Anchor the right hip in opposition. Bring it down. See, mine barely moves. I'm trying to keep that alignment. The hips down, heel to your bottom, inner thighs stay together.

Lift the thigh up, and bring it down. Lift the thigh up, bring it down. Let go. Circle the arm to the side. Let's add on. Bend the right knee, reach back.

Grab the foot, pull the heel towards your bottom. From here, lift your thigh up. Now from there, start to push your foot back into your hand as you slide the left arm up and stretch, stretch, stretch, and then pull the heel towards your bottom as you slide left arm out. Two more times, push the foot back into the hand to lift the chest up, up, up. Reach out and slide heel towards your bottom.

One more time. Push the foot back, lift up, up, up. Now if you can, you're gonna circle the arm back. Both hands grab onto the foot, press and lift your chest up. Stretch it up, up, up.

And from there, lower down, and take both hands to the front. Other leg. Bend your left knee, reach back, grab your foot. Pull your heel towards your bottom. Lift your thigh up.

Now push the foot back into the hand to lift your chest up. Square your shoulders, press up, up, up. Scoop your stomach and stretch it down. Whew, such an amazing stretch. Press the foot back.

So as my foot pushes back into my left hand, I feel how much the back of my leg is working. Not my lower back. It's my tush, my hamstrings, and my stomach, and my upper back a lot. And reach it back down. That's what gives me the stretch.

Nothing in my low back. Press back, open the chest, stretch it. Now stay here. Circle the arm back if you can. Both hands to the foot.

Now push that foot back, and lift your chest up, up. Oh, it burns your bottom so much. And lengthen all the way down. Circle around. Sit back on the heels and stretch out your lower back.

And the head goes to the knees. Come back onto your stomach. Now both knees are gonna bend. Reach back and grab your feet. Pull the heels to your bottom.

Stretch 1, 2, 3. Now push your feet back, lift your chest up. The knees reach down as the chest comes up, up, up. Forehead down, pull 1, 2, 3, press it up, up, up. One more time.

Pull, 1, 2, 3. Press it up, up, up. Let go. Circle the arms forward. Sit back on the heels and stretch out your lower back in opposition.

Good, roll all the way up. Let's spin around for your short box. If you have a strap, go ahead and use it. If not, once again, say a prayer. Good luck. No, I'm just kidding.

Really feel the back of the legs anchor down to help you. Press the thighs down into the mat and take the hands to the hips. Lift your back, and you're gonna roll back all the way to the mat. Grab your elbows and stretch back. Feel the low back lengthen.

Bring it to your hips. Reach out through the crown of the head, soften the sternum, ribs, and sit all the way up tall. Again, your gaze is forward. You feel your pelvis pool away from your thighs. You lengthen the back of the thigh through the heels.

So you're opening that hip joint as you roll all the way down to that mat. Grab the elbows and stretch it back. Arms to the hips, chin to the chest. Press through the back of the leg. Slide the heels across the room.

Sit up tall. One more time. Scoop to go back, push through those heels. Articulate down, grab the elbows, stretch it back. Arms to the hips, roll up, press those thighs into the mat. Press them down, and lift all the way up to sit.

Take the hands behind the head for your flat back. Lift the back of that neck as if somebody's picking your ears up to the ceiling. Scoop the stomach in and soften the rib cage. From here, hinge back, reach out through the heels. Get a little taller as you come up.

Lift the waist, hinge back. Reach through the heels, lengthen the back of the neck. Scoop your stomach in. Sit up tall. And lift your back, hinge back.

Flex those ankles. Reach through those legs. Come up, up, up, stay here. Take the right hand by your side. Left arm up by the ear, lift your back.

And you're gonna side bend over to the right. Press up. Lift your back, side bend over. Open that left side body. Reach out to come up.

Lift, side bend, stretch. Come up. One more time, side bend over, hold it. Bend your elbow. Grab your ear. Deepen the stretch.

Extend the arm out, arm and the ear together. Lift up, change the arm. Left arm down, right arm up. Scoop the stomach in, side bend over to the left. Open that right rib cage, push and come back tall.

Lift the lower back bone, side bend over. And as you're side bending, you want that your ribs are soft and that your chest is open. So you want to open that right shoulder. And press up. Side bend over, scoop that stomach in.

Anchor that right hip, press up, side bend over, hold it. Bend your elbow, grab the ear, go a little deeper. Open that side body. Extend, press all the way up, and lower down. Take the hands behind the head.

Lift your back for your twist. Twist to the right, hinge back, reach out, reach out, reach out. Scoop to come up, and center, lift, twist. Lengthen the side body. Come up and center, twist.

Reach up, scoop into the left hip to come up and center. Twist, reach out, scoop into the right hip, and center, and rest. Let's do your tree. Grab underneath the right knee, and just like how we did lying down, we're doing it seated up now, and it will be a little more tricky, but we can do it. Hug the leg in, stretch out one.

Same thing like we did in a single leg circle. Two and three, walk out to the ankle. Lift your back up, reach the head towards the knee. Scoop, come forward like you did in your rolling like a ball. Scoop to go back.

Now, leave the leg where it is. The pelvis goes back. You lengthen it down, hold it there. Curl in. Scoop, the lower back goes back.

Keep the leg right where it is. Open that low back. Curl it in. This is just like that spine stretch forward. Low back goes back.

Anchor the back of the leg, and then walk all the way down. Open the chest, reach the arms back, and stretch. Arms come up, chin to your chest, climb up the tree. Don't let your leg move. Bring the head to the knee.

Now sit up as tall as you can. Lift your back up. Flex the foot, point, flex, point, flex, point. Now cross the right ankle over the knee. Lift your back up.

Take the hands by your sides and spine stretch forward. Roll all the way up, and let's go to the other side. Slide the left knee into the chest. Hug that thigh in deeply. Stretch out one, stretch out two, stretch out three.

Walk out to the ankle, lift your back. I don't want you to be back here, right? I want you to lift your spine up. Then reach the head to the knee. Scoop your stomach as you come forward.

Really anchor that right side. Go back. The leg stays at 90 degrees, and you just feel your pelvis pull away from your thighs. Low back touches the mat only. And curl in, don't move that left leg.

It stays right where it is. And the low back lengthens past that mat. Go a little further. Deepen that stretch, curl it in. Low back goes back.

Then walk down the leg, roll all the way down. Reach the arms back and stretch. Arms come up, chin to the chest. Walk up, grab the ankle. Sit up as tall as you can.

Lift the back, top of the head to the ceiling, flex, point, flex, point, flex, point. Bend the knee, cross the ankle over the knee. Take the hands by your sides. Lift your back and spine stretch forward. And roll all the way up to sit.

Excellent, from there, go ahead. Take the hands in between the knees. Hold onto your ankles for your seal. Press the soles of the feet together. And once again, we're gonna roll back and bounce for three counts.

Ready? Press your feet. Roll back and hold. Two, three. Press your lower back and balance. Two, three.

Scoop to roll back. Hold it, two, three. Squeeze your feet together. Hold. Two, three. Roll it back.

Hold, two, three. Roll up. Hold, two, three. On the next one, let's roll back, roll up to stand. Roll back, hold. Two, three. Roll up, stand up, and lower the arms down.

Excellent work. Let's go ahead and grab our chairs because I'm gonna move my mat a little bit. I'm gonna grab my chair, and we're gonna go into the leg stretch. So this is mimicking what we would do at a studio. But since we're at home doing this workout, this is our ladder barrel today.

So we're gonna take our hands to the chair, and you're gonna walk your feet back and think of your single leg pull bent. Bend the knee into the chest, and put your foot on top of the chair. You might have to adjust that left leg. So maybe go back a little bit further so that your hip is right over your heel. The head is down.

And once again you find that spine stretch forward. Push down through the back of that leg. So your right sit bone reaches for the floor. Now from here, you're gonna bend your knee as you come forward and stretch. Open the chest and push down through that left heel.

And now scoop your stomach first. The pelvis is what straightens your leg. Pelvis back, pelvis back, pelvis back. Scoop your stomach in. Bring your pelvis forward.

Open the chest and stretch it. Now do your best to sit on that right hip so it doesn't hike up. And scoop your stomach and stretch it back. One more time. Come forward, open the chest, and scoop the stomach.

The pelvis takes you back. Now, stay here. You're gonna lower your heel down. Lift your heel up. There's your tree, lower the heel.

We're gonna flex the foot. And as you flex, continue pulling that hip up and back. And point the foot, and flex, tailbone curls under. And point the foot, and bend the knee, and take the foot down. Let's go to the other leg.

Single leg pull bent, take the left foot up. Readjust your right leg as needed. And now you're gonna press that left leg down, bend your left knee and come forward and stretch. So I always do this stretch at home. It's just such a fantastic stretch.

Opens the low back. It opens the front of the hip. Just feels fantastic, and round your back and straighten. And scoop your stomach in. As you go forward, you feel the two legs separate from one another.

The left knee reaches forward, the right heel stretches back. And open the front of that right hip here. And scoop the stomach, stretch it back. And come forward, the tailbone curls under. And stretch, open that chest.

Now be aware to sit on that left hip. So your left hip isn't hiking up. And scoop to go all the way back. Now stay here, flex the foot, lift the heel. Lower the heel.

As the heel goes down, you have to pull your rib cage up, up, up, and point the foot. Flex the foot, lift the rib cage up, up, up. Don't lift your shoulders now. Point the foot, flex, lift the ribs up, up, up. Point that foot, bend the knee, and take the foot down.

Roll all the way up. Now we're all loosey goosey now. We're so stretched out. I got to gather us up back together. We're gonna go into your pushup here.

So take your hands to your chair. And from here, the hands will be shoulder distance apart. Walk back out till you're in your plank position. Zip your legs together, and lengthen through the crown of the head as the heels press together. Option one.

You just stay here and you hold this awful plank position. Option two, we go into the pushups. Bend your elbows, press up one. Bend your elbows, press up two. Bend, press up three, hold it there.

Round your spine. Stretch, lower the heels. Let's do that again. Lift the heels up. Curl your pelvis forward.

Feel the pelvis go through the chest. The chest goes through the shoulders. Stomach in. Watch that your back isn't arched. I was being bad.

I got a little carried away, and three pushups. One, press, two, press, three, press, hold it. Scoop. Take it back. We have one more set. Lift the heels, articulate forward, stomach in.

Lengthen the back body, lengthen the front body. Three pushups. One, press, two, press, three, press it. Scoop and lower the heels down. Walk your hands towards your chair.

Just let your arms dangle. Anchor the legs through the heels. Pull up through the inner thighs to roll all the way up and open the chest. And that is your stretch mat for week five. Thank you so much for joining me.

Comments

Federica A
1 person likes this.
Another great class, thank you so much!
3 people like this.
Even though I will probably never get my nose to my knees in any position, I still love stretch classes like this. Personally, I thought this class was inspired! I wore 5 lb leg weights which worked for me. I am much more lengthened, worked-out, & a bit sweaty. Thanks Again Katie:) 
3 people like this.
Thank you! Love the strength and stretch combination.  :)
1 person likes this.
Really enjoying this series
1 person likes this.
Lots of modifications for me, but this was such a great class! I did it first thing in the morning and my body was very appreciative for the stretching! 
2 people like this.
An essential class for me. Very well designed and presented. Healing! I am going repeat this class and pair it with a favorite classic mat in my que. Thank you.
1 person likes this.

Excellent!
1 person likes this.
Thank you for fixing my  body...That was sooo needed ;)) 
Carrie S
2 people like this.
I need more of your workouts!
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