Studio Length Reformer Class

Hi. I'm Danielle English. Welcome to your reformer workout. We're gonna get started with the reformer All Springs on. I also have the hard handles preset. I like the tension for the supine warm up. If you have loops that's totally fine.

I'll be using a band for a bridge, but you can opt out of that accessory as well. We're gonna begin on our backs. I like all springs on for footwork. If you wanna go a little lighter in that lower body for your warm up, take off a yellow or a blue. I'm gonna go all springs.

All the way down, headrest in the up position. I have my toes on in Pilates v high lifted heels beginning with footwork. I've got the natural curve of my back rolling the shoulders down and into the carriage broadening the collar bones, inhale to prepare. Exhale, high heels as I stretch out rolling inner thighs a little up to the ceiling, feeling that spiral twist, and then resist on the way back in. Exhale as I stretch, heels only get higher in hail resist. I know it's so tempting to let those heels plopped down.

Cultivate that strength right off the bat from the lower leg, upward stability in the ankle. As I exhale, I try and keep that neutral pelvis. Belly button draws a little up and in, puffing up the heart in the chest ever so slightly pressing down all 10 fingers helps me accomplish that. On an exhale stretch, bring it back in about halfway, start to pulse. Take that carriage a little up and down, finding a stretch behind the knees, waking up the large muscles of the thighs, pelvis stays heavy. I used my breath for fourth.

Three, two, and then pause halfway, can you squeeze the inner thighs all the way together? Hold. Release. Little squeeze hold. Release. So we're waking up the midline here. A little active inner thighs squeeze.

See if you can hold it for that single count. Carriage is not moving. Little rotation swiveling in the hips for three, two. And one, open the diamond of the knee stretch all the way out. Feel the length. And coming all the way and walking up to the heels in parallel. I'm gonna flex my foot all the way back from the ankle.

Think of leaving flat footprints on the wall in front of you driving through the pads of the heels, exhale strong, press through the heels. I wanna find my glutes a little bit underneath me posterior chain, say hello, big exhale pressing out. I balling my feet. I'm trying to get the big toes and the baby toes in the same line. See if I can balance out all those little deviations from the ankle.

And especially on the way home, can I fold my shoelaces back back back even more strengthening the muscles at the front of the shin, finding that ankle stability in this position? And then coming in about halfway, this time, really send it. Give me some juicy pulses, big old balance, exhale. Exhale. You can always keep it slow and controlled, but sometimes I like to play with a little pace in terms of building heat. I'm really supported here on my heels.

I'm going almost all the way straight, almost all the way straight for three two, and then slow it down to stretch it all the way out. Can the feet flex just a little bit more? And then I'm gonna bend the knees coming all the way home. Final set toes on in parallel, high lifted heels. My foot's a little more pliable now. So I'm really gonna work those high heels as I go up and out over those metatarsals long legs, feel that space through the front of the pelvis, bend the knees with resistance coming back in. Think of trying to pull the tail to the heels. See if you can identify a little work through those hamstrings on the way in.

We get so used to letting those springs give us a free ride, and I like to say no free rides in Pilates. I want you to do the work. Muscles are gonna bring you back home. Heels only get higher as I go up and out, up and out. On your next one, bring it in about halfway.

Hold it. This time freeze the carriage. No movement. Can you lower the heels? Pick them up. Doing almost like a wall sit on my back. Lowering and lifting the heels, building that heat right at the tops of the thighs articulating through the ankle. I'm gonna try and smooth this out a little bit. Whoo, and it is tough to get rid of those little shakes.

Three. Two, and high heels. Can you hold it up an inch down an inch to finish right when you feel that heat settling in? Give me just an inch for five, exhale four, three exhale fuels that movement too. Take it all the way out strong straight legs. The move is really similar as we go into calf raise just from the ankle. Leggs are long now strong through the quad support.

The knee joint, can I go all the way under the footbar? Press to rise like I'm pushing that footbar across the room. You think of really pressing with the ball of the foot so the knees don't buckle. Option, pick up the pace. Maybe you give me some little popcorn heels, quick fire contraction, you build that heat in the calf, shortening, So there's not as much stretch happening, little burst of heat there for three faster slow to rise up and then walk it out, bend the right knee, take your prancing run, a little running prance, like to start slow, let that space really increase through the back of the low leg, opening up the arch of my foot, and then maybe I just take a little run. Peddling it out opening up bottom of the foot, Achilles tendon, feeling happy for three, two.

One, bend both knees coming all the way home, and we are gonna rock ourselves up to sit. Feeling a little more in your bodies now. I like to take it into some supine arms on a red blue. So I'm gonna take off everything that's not one red, one blue. Feel free to move lighter, listen to your body. Returning my head rest is still up.

I'm gonna reach behind me now and take my handles off the pegs. Fingers and thumbs out, like I'm wearing little mittens, arms, press forward until I can see my fingernails, just shy of the shoulder. Legs up to tabletop, slight tuck of the tail. I'm already working my imprint, and I'm trying to shrug my shoulders down away from the shoulder rest. Big sweep all the way forward.

I'm trying to tap the edge of my carriage with my handles. So there's length in the arms space in the neck, armpits hugging tight, and then inhale return. XL shoulders down. Tail up, belly firm. Inhale. I wanna try and plug into my armpits, feel my abs work before I even lift my head.

Can you create a little space away from the shoulder blocks as you sweep? And then option to add that chest lift, bring the heart up and forward like a rainbow arca towards your thighs, feeling a little space between shoulder blades and the mat. Exhale my gaze is a little out and forward nodding the chin down space at the back of the neck, adding on single leg stretch. We can take it nice and look right over that foot bar. Single leg, we're pretty supported.

Right. There's not that much lower body weight pulling on the pelvis. It doesn't feel like you're at risk of losing that imprint. So maybe you wanna dive, oh, right under the footbar. If you're feeling spicy, exhale over, under lower is not always better. You wanna make sure we can still keep that space up and off the tips of the shoulder blades curving the back, supporting the lower spine deep into the mat, exhale, concave belly, Good. Over, under give me four.

Shoulder's still shrugging down. Reach to the edge of the map three. Two. And one, even if you were under the foot bar, come on up. We're gonna hold it. Now try and switch the legs right over the foot bar. Little single leg stretch.

My arms are like laser beams shooting straight forward energy all the way through middle fingers. Little exhale. Exhale. Sales, SIPSA, breath, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, tabletop both legs. Give me a little crunch.

It's gonna feel so small with that spring tension because it's not about the arms. I really wanna think forward. Forward. And maybe the legs come a little up and out. So maybe the legs go a little lower. Five, four, three, two, one, all the way down. Take a reset.

I like a little twist between sets. I'm building that heat through my body. My spine is getting a little bit warmer. So just gentle rotation always feels pretty good, increasing that space right where that lumbar spine meets the pelvis Right. At limbo's sacral, and then I'm ready for set number two. I'm gonna bring my legs up to a turned out Pilates v diamond here. Heels click together, knees open wide.

So I can start to get my rotation even deeper into my oblique. So I'm gonna exhale reach up and over to the corner of the foot bar. Inhale, roll down. Exhale up and over, ring out the waist, chest to the outside of that thigh bone, inhale. So my legs and my pelvis super stable here. I'm trying to create that deep twist right underneath the ribs. So it's more about twisting in that torso, my pelvis, my legs don't go anywhere.

My arms stay shoulder width. I slice them like steel swords, no bends, no breaks. And then by really twisting in my waist, my arms should arrive right where I want them to be. Big exhale. I like getting into that waistline pressing really firm triceps to the back of the arm bone.

It's tricky. I know you wanna rock onto one side of your back, but can you give me, like, a little more lift? And then I'll show you from this side, exhale. I know it feels like, oh, this is convenient to lean onto my shoulder. No. Thank you. Can we come up and off and a little bit forward? One more each side. And then try not to take a break. Open the arms wide to t. Give me a big swim, tight from armpits to waist, inhale open wide.

That big t sweep The handles come in, but most importantly, those shoulders shrug down. Plug them into your waist. Inhale. Big exhale shoulders down. Waste and wrap it like a corset.

I want you to feel firm in the sides of the torso from the underarms to the obliques. Collar bones really broad. Neck only gets longer. Adding on grand finale for these supine arms here. I'm gonna push my froggy legs wrapping that waist in come up and hale lower down.

Exhale pushing my heels through the wall. So there's energy in my legs. Maybe you hold it one Mississippi at the top. Sholders down, ribs, and waist, and concave belly. It's less about the hands.

I wanna see shoulders down away. Curve the back, sink the naval long legs, two more strong through the edges of the torso. On the last one, come up, stay up, rounding arms in long legs point the toes. Give me a little cross. You need support.

You work the legs up. A little challenge. Feeling good. Let's take it back down. Little exhale, energetic hands. Push the handles for, exhale.

Six four, three, two, one. It's so hard to talk and do that, everyone. Very good. I like another big twist, walk the feet side to side. Hold on to the pegs. Maybe open the chest chin goes opposite.

Whoo heart rate is a little elevated. And I am feeling ready to roll. I'm gonna grab my band. You can totally bridge without. Of course, we're gonna drop.

That headrest totally flat, protecting the discs of the neck. Bridge as an inversion. I'm staying on the red blue today. If you would like more support, you've got those tight hamstrings, low backs feeling a little gripped today. Go heavier two reds or above.

Red blue, a little spice your hamstrings have to work a little more to keep that carriage stable. I'm gonna step into my band, open the legs, almost to the edges of that foot bar. So the arches of my feet are wrapped heels connect, knees open over those ankles, arms down by my sides. Inhale to prepare, exhale without moving the carriage. I'm trying to curl that tailbone so far up through the band. It's a scoop to lift tail up.

Abs in, squeeze the seat belly firm. My corset's wrapped tight at the top. I press into the arms triceps firm to the arm to the mat, exhale roll it down ribs, belly button, tail up. Carving out that lower abdomen. So it feels like I'm really undulating my back.

You wanna feel like a snake. And to be honest, the first bridge never really feels that great. We feel a little sticky, a little disconnected. By about that second or third one, though, I'm gonna start to flow, tail up my low abs draw it. Squeeze the glutes, push into the feet.

Squeeze your seat so you're opening your pelvis, but exhaling the ribs, those upper abs down. And then exhale massage that spine bone by bone into the mat. Like a deflating balloon, can the air leave the lungs really going one vertebra at a time, concave, scooped out shape in the belly, like you're being hollowed out with an ice cream scoop. Adding on, as we curl up, holding it at the top four pulses, one, two, three stretch that band, little inhale, and then exhale roll it back down. Trying to pull the tail to the heels. My carriage may wander out a little, but that's my battle.

Trying to keep that carriage pulled and hips to heels working through that posterior chain. That's it. Bone, by bone, tail up, absent. Whatever strength band you have, just adding a little extra resistance. I also love this wide turnout position of the feet. We get to feel really stable and grounded with the feet wide.

Little tiny flutters, waking up the abductors, connecting to my rotators. Oh. One more like that curling up four pulses. It's almost like I'm planking on my back. I wanna feel really connected to the tummy here, especially on that roll down.

It's like abs flex to push each bone down into the mat. Can tail up. Can you pull the hips to the heels? Like, oh, create that little bit of traction, opening up your lower back with that nice control on your roll down. Now we're gonna switch it up with just a hinge, little spicier. Just give me a big glute squeeze up, inhale down. Little tap of the tail. Inhale exhale. Inhale exhale.

You can always keep this a little slower, a little more controlled again. Carriage isn't really moving. I like to integrate just a little bit of pace. I like to say faster than what's fun, maybe a little quicker than what you would choose if you were just working out on your own. And then hold it up at the top.

Little pulses. Little exhale tailbone up and out. Trying to reconnect to my upper abdominals drawing them in as I press through my triceps. Now give me a little exhale soft in your jaw. Yeah. Right about here is where it wants to tighten up.

Give me four. Three. Two. Squeeze lift hold. It push the carriage out, start to stretch the legs, and then tail up and out through the band wide, spread on the band as you come in, push into the feet, squeeze glutes up and out, and then wide knees tail up ribs down and together. I only wanna go as far as I can keep my control through pelvis and spine.

If you're dipping the tail arching the back, opening the ribs, skip it, roll down, reconnect. We don't want it. I want quality over range tail a little up and out, and then I go higher as I come back in. Pelvis may drop a little, but no arch ribs stay stitched together. Don't pop your stitches, and then come back in. Push and pull for three. To treat it like that plank on your back.

Use everything available to you. A lot of abdominals in bridge, and I feel like it's not talked about enough. Hold it when the carriage is in. Just the right leg. Give me a little out in on your band.

My band says it's a medium. It's barely moving, but I feel it. I don't wanna know what the heavy band feels like. Little exhale. Press hold left leg in out in out little windshield wiper. Can you stabilize through the right side? Can you pull the carriage back in both legs windshield wiper, eight, large, seven, six, exhale, five, four hips up, three, two, press inhale, exhale roll down like you love it, bone by bone, tuck the tail drape through the spine, Carriage comes all the way home.

I love Bridge. It's the great equalizer. It's always humbling no matter who you are. I am always humbled by Bridge. I'm gonna lose my band, giving myself just a little happy baby stretch to soften through the hips. If this feels tight and extreme to you today, grab the shin bones instead.

Little friendlier, or maybe you can grab biceps engaged. Oh, open that seat, rock the hips. It's a great shape to be in. It's the exact opposite of that bridge, so it just helps us recover. And now we are ready to get up and off our backs. I always feel like after those three exercises, you're ready for anything.

I'm gonna go to one blue going into some single arm work here. I'm gonna put my band away. On my one blue, I'm gonna start kneeling with my knees pretty far back on the carriage as I'm facing side here. So that the curve under my kneecap is, like, right to the edge of that upholstery, and then I'm gonna reach underneath my support arm to grab my handle. And again, I am on a blue spring.

If you ever wanna work lighter in this single arm series, I would say yellow. Slightly tuck the tail. I'm in this prone position to get the challenge for my abs, for my upper back, just like I would in planking, but we're gonna do a little draw the sword. It's a prone draw the sword today. Exhale unfurling that arm like a wing, stretch all the way through the wall.

Palm faces down. And then as I put my sword away, my palm's gonna face up, and I try and keep a little tension in the rope. Instead of going all the way over here, can you stop at the v of your ribs, slight tuck at the tail, gazing a little out and forward, and then exhale unfurl. Belly button in abs feel hugging me tight like a little belt, right as I exhale. Like, I'm trying to cinch my belt to the next notch in an inhale reset. I exhale elbow forearm fist. Inhale. I love taking this draw, the sword facing the ground.

We're working against gravity a little more, and I'm so much more aware of my upper back. Right at the back of that scapula instead of just the back of the shoulder itself. Like, I really feel my wing connected to my back. 30 shoulders softened down. I'm trying not to twist. If you find yourself twisting, really common, your body's smart.

It's trying to help you out. Can you square off the shoulders really make the back of the shoulder, the upper back do it on its own? One more nice and strong. No holds or pulses here. Big exhale.

And then I'm gonna bring it in slow. Yes. I'm gonna take this bottom hand now transition it to my shoulder rest, maybe scoot a little bit away. I'm gonna press the hips forward. I'm along. The shoulder block that's furthest away from my front hand so that it can take this really extreme lateral flexion now. Deep side bend, I squeeze the glutes, press the hips forward, hug the tummy in, and then I'm gonna look down to protect that neck.

Overhead press, give me a big tricep extension, and then inhale slow, Ben. So this can be a little uncomfortable. It's a deep squeeze in that bottom waistline, but my glutes are firm. I try and tuck my tail. Instead of rounding forward, lean that chest back open your heart and think of blocking out the sun with your hand. Like, it's really bright in your eye.

We push up and overhead from there. No break in the wrist. Inhale. Exhale tighten the muscle support as you push it away. I'm trying to draw that shoulder down to create space in the neck as I press.

This is a tough one. My classes really don't enjoy it when we do it. Because it's so challenging because it's kind of a funky deep extreme position. Just give me one more big inhale. Exit, press up in a way, push down through bottom hand.

Can you hold? And then bring it all the way in slow. After all that work, we're gonna sit down. So I want you to sit in mermaid. Like closest to the foot bar is the one that wraps in front, and we're gonna open both arms, palms face the ceiling. Trying to drop this inner sits bone down the one closest to the headrest so that I'm really balanced through pelvis.

Just take a centering moment here, exhale shoulders down, chest up a little hinge, neck feels long, and I'm really using my waist to kinda draw in so that I'm not tipping over. Like, I'm a little teapot. Keep it really vertical here. Right up and over. Finger tips don't have to touch. It's like there's a force field, then you just bring it back down. Excellent.

Inhale. I'm tapping into my right shoulder and bicep now because I'm gonna use it in this next section. And then we're gonna place that foot our hand down and behind us wrapping around the edge of that carriage. Option one, you can take a nice twist off in your bottom elbow overhead reach to that foot bar. Coming back, you stay really grounded on the carriage.

It's a nice place to be. So getting that rotation in the waist, I face the floor, and then I'm gonna bring my chest back to face the side. So there is a little rotation there. And then if you wanna spice it up, level it up here is my favorite. I'm gonna push into this bottom hand, keep that arm straight, pelvic lift as I dive.

I wanna look back over my bottom hand, think of pressing the hips forward as you take it back over that bottom wrist. So a little side plank here, strong in that bottom armpit hips forward, you twist and dive a little backwards, and then slow, set yourself down light as a feather. It's part of the exercise, no crash landing, big exhale opening through that hip flexor on this side closest to the headrest, it feels so wonderful. Moving that spine a little rotation, a little flexion, even a little bit of extension here. So we're really using our range.

Two more, whatever you've chosen to do, grounded on that carriage or a little pelvic setting it down gently. One more big exhale. Reach hips forward long even from middle finger to your kneecap, and then we bring it all the way down slow. I love a really nice integrated arm series where, yes, it's arms, but it's posture. We're using our legs.

We're using our back so much more than just a limb. Turning to face the foot arm. I'm gonna tuck my toes up against the shoulder rest for some kneeling front. We're doing a little around the world here. Taking the handle in an overhanded grip, I like thumb under handover.

I lean a little forward just to find my spring tension, always being careful when we're kneeling facing front. Getting ready for a shot put, I lift my elbow. I open my other arm out like t. And then I'm gonna follow the pull of the rope a little up and back. Here's your wind up. Like, you're leaning back over a shelf. Now I'm gonna exhale, hug the abs in as I launch my shot put up out and across the field, take a big twist away from it.

I I ball my bottom hand here, just following the gaze. So inhale. You have to give yourself a little up and back. There's a little extension over the shelf in your wind up. Now exhale abs in. Belly button to spine twist and press So a little rotation, it looks fancier than it is. This arm is not moving.

It's following the rotation of my chest. So if I think of rotating my heart down into the left, my left arm should just go along for the ride. So don't overthink it. Think of keeping that shot put close to your shoulder just like track and field. Getting ready for the LA Olympics, you're gonna make the team big exhale up, big, no, big twist.

Inhale, a little lean. Again, I love a little extension. Into rotation, end of flexion, multitasking. Your time is valuable. Big exhale. Shot foot does a lot in one move. One more. Big exhale.

Yeah. And then bring it all the way down slow. Stay where you are. We're gonna go into shot put second side. It'll also give you a nice other view of it. So I'm gonna bring the hand close to my shoulder, lean a little forward, balls of the feet push into those shoulder rest.

What we call closing the chain for that glute hamstring, little tuck, chest proud arm open. Inhale, I let the rope guide me. I go a little up and back over the shelf, and then exhale shrubs in, lean a little down into the side as you launch that metal ball across the field. Inhale, big exhale twist and press. And I'm kind of drawing this line up and back forward around. It's a big spiral. If you've ever seen them do the shot put event, They lean, they circle around three to four times, and then they put their full body weight into it launching. So that's you. Live the fantasy, big exhale. I love the release.

This gives me through the front of the pelvis, nice twist in the waist balancing out the muscles along my back. Three. Go ahead. From your pause, take a little up and back up and back and then exhale. Sometimes I find we miss that wind up, that little extension And then finishing your final one, exhale bin away down into the side. Good slow. Bring it back. Sholders, for sure, a lot of deltoid there.

I'm gonna take it to face my other side of that single arm work walking my knees all the way back to the edge, open hip width distance. I have my knuckles on the carriage for that support arm. I reach underneath. My footbar hand takes the handle. Hands come up into that v opening of the ribs. You want knuckles or palm.

I just don't like when my hands drag on the rails. So I like knuckles on the carriage, tuck the tail long, extended upper back, and now unfurl your wing. Trying to keep both shoulders square. That's a tough part. I know that twist wants to happen, but on this exercise, no twist. Use your obliques to really keep you centered.

Shoulders and hips like a cereal box, keep that rectangle of the torso and then unfurl all the way up and out over that foot bar. This draw, the sword, I think of it as a pull, and then it's gotta switch to a punch at some point so you can finish that line. Trying to pause it before it passes the torso. So you're working on that resistance on the way in. Two more. Unfurl. Oh, yeah.

Big exhale belly button up, heart forward long through the back of the neck, and I'm gonna slowly bring it in. If you need to put the handle down, you can. I just bring my support hand now to that shoulder rest closest to my legs. I scoot a little bit away from it. Those hips press very far forward. So my glutes are working.

Don't let the hips sit back behind you, tuck. Press deep side bend. I feel the stretch on my footbar side. And then I'm gonna pull that handle just over my eyebrow. I'll remember block out the sun.

Look down at your bottom hand and shrug your shoulders down. I exhale belly button and squeeze glutes, press the handle up and away. Inhale as we come back in. I exhale roll the knuckles so you don't break the wrist. This one feels a little heavier working through the underarm, the lats, sides of the body back of the arm, trying not to let it creep into the neck. Big exhale.

Four. I pushed down into the shoulder rest to help me work my shoulders away from my ears. Again, tuck the tail, squeeze the glutes deep side bend in the waist. Two. And one all the way, hit that diagonal. Can you hold breathe? And bring it down slowly.

I like to put the handle down just for a moment as I transition to my mermaid sit. I'm gonna wrap that footbar leg in front, picking up the handle now in my head rest hand. Arms open. It's really easy to lean into that hip closest to the foot bar. So drop the sits bone, balance out that nice vertical line of spine. Little hinge here.

Just saying hello to now. Left shoulder and bicep, kinda giving your body cues. That's where about where we're about to move from. Even in seated, I'm trying to find a little lift right up between my shoulder blades. Like, there's a flagpole there. Shoulders shrugged down, trying to keep that drop through my headrest hip, so it doesn't lift.

And then I'm gonna bring my foot bar down hand my foot bar hand down, wrapping over that back edge of the carriage. Here's my prep. I'm going to bend the elbow closest to the footbar to twist and reach, giving myself a little stretch from hip through intercostals on that headrest side, and that's a nice place to be. Still working the rotation to overhead reach, more grounded, more supported. You know where you're going now. Push down into the hand.

If you liked that pelvic lift, I want you to take it. Again, hips wanna sag a little backward squeeze glutes, push the pelvis forward even though you're twisting, a little down and back over your support hand, like side plank, anchor down through the palm to feel the lift of that bottom arm pit. So it's not just the stacking of the joints. Really feel like the muscles are pressing you up and away from that carriage, and it's so nice for the front of the pelvis. Front of the hip. Hit flexors got a really nice extension here.

Three. Inhale light as a feather on the descent. No crash landing. Big exhale. Two.

And finishing one big press, reach for it squeeze the glutes, hips forward, look down at your bottom, wrist, energy through middle finger of top hand, and set it down gently coming all the way home. I'm gonna put that handle on the peg. Feeling like that was very thorough around the world for those single arms, but so nice and connected in that upper body. Moving into some side overs on the short box. I'm gonna add two red springs just to keep my carriage locked in place.

I'm pulling up my safety strap that's down in front of that gear bar. You know, just kinda jangle it till it's out of there. Grab your box. I like my box to slip over the shoulder rest. Stopping just before the pegs, giving my legs just a little more space, a little more distance. If it works for you to be in front of the shoulder rest, totally fine.

I sit on that box. I added two reds to my blue spring just to keep my carriage really stable. Pulling that strap from the depths, I'm gonna slip my footbar foot in as I turn to face you. Bottom leg comes out from underneath like that mermaid sit like that figure four. I'm gonna bring my hand down to the headrest just to find my position and really scoot my hips towards the edge of the box. Until I feel that foot lift, I've got tension on my balance body strap rolling my top hip forward, tucking the tail, squeeze the glute. I pull the ribs in before I even move.

I wanna find this foundation. Stacking the hips like little bunk beds, really rolling the toes down, heel kicks up. I'm locked and I feel firm. Top hand behind the head, and I'll give you some options here. I always like to start with at least one diagnostic, like a little supported side over here, push through the hand. Lifting up. I'm like, okay, I'm feeling connected. How are we doing today? You can stay here the whole time pushing through the hands, still feeling your waist work on the way up.

I'm gonna wrap my bottom arm today, and I like the wrap because I can get lower. I wanna bring my head close to the headrest and that x tail, kick into that heel, strong side of the leg, little tuck in the tail, hips stays forward, stacked inhale bottom, shoulder to the headrest, leaning my head slightly back. I keep the collar bones really open so that we're not rounding, we're not closing off the spine. Inhale, how low can you go exhale to slower? You come up. It's gonna be a little more challenging. So you're not using momentum to crank it out.

That's it. Inhale, you always put your bottom hand down anytime you need especially if you feel that pelvis falling away from you twisting. It's not worth it. Come back, find that foundation against stack the hips, tuck the tail. Feel your glute and the side of the leg fully engaged. Can you give me two more? Hello? Can you go getting deep into those obliques?

Nice side, Ben, and then we're gonna pause. Reach the arms up in a way. I'm gonna take a little twist to the corner, a little down an inch, up an inch. Rotating in my waist, I try not to take the pelvis with me. It's more like this scrunch through side body, like a wet towel. I'm trying to get a little bit of water out of that waste.

Little inhale exhale four. Inhale exhale three. Two. And one, bringing your hands one at a time to the rails, walk it out. My favorite stretch, but I really don't let myself do it until I do the side overs first. So whatever motivates you, you walk those hands out. Big inhale, like a long child's pose.

I like to bring both hands to the back rail. Open the chest for a little deeper side body stretch. And then use the hands, walk yourself back up, and then we'll go right into second side. I'm gonna switch the legs one foot in other leg out shifting myself towards the back edge of the box until I feel tension in my strap. Leg probably wants to turn out.

We wanna think toes down outer edge of the heel kicking up. Stacking the hips tuck the tail, one hand behind the head, inhale supported side bend, always just checking in each side is a little bit different. And then you're good to go wrap that bottom arm, inhale. How low can we go? Exhale kick strong, slow. Bring yourself up from there. So we wanna stretch those muscles, extend them, and then ask them to flex, contract. It's twice as hard, stretching out the muscle.

So we try and take a little depth here and then contract reaching that leg long. I'm slightly internally rotating this top leg because it really helps me support the back. Yes. I'm in a little extension, but I wanna keep pelvis really squared off. Try about two to three more depending on your pace. Inhale.

Big exhale. On this final one, if you can try not to take a break, come up, stay up. Reach reach little twist up and out to the angle little exhale. Inhale. Exhale. And we're not bouncing.

The pulse is really controlled. It's like an elevator. I want you to stop on each floor. Boom. And then inhale, exhale three, inhale, exhale two, little more water out of the waist, one, and walk it all the way. Out safe on your landing hands, go for our head falls off the neck.

I love that stretch. It gives me through that lower side of the back head, hangs heavy. And then both hands up and over to that far rail. I open my chest to the windows. Use your hands, walk yourself back up and in.

I'm gonna change my springs to one red. You can tuck that safety strap back down in there. I'm gonna shift my box back to be in front of the shoulder rest if you're already there. No change for you, but I'm gonna now make sure I can move that carriage. And I'm gonna pop off my handles for loops.

If you've got loops, again, no change. You're good to go. Easy transition. One red short box in front of the shoulder rest long loops on. I'm gonna sit facing the back of my reformer. Taking one loop over that same leg all the way up above the knee.

Now the setup, I think, is maybe more challenging than the exercise. You've gotta get your hips as far to the edge of the box as possible. So slide, slide, slide, Well, slippity slide, pelvis over, and then back. Like, I'm trying to get all the way in to this back corner of my box. Only then do I feel like I've got plenty of space on my box to be in this little side plank position? And then I'm gonna lift my leg up. I like the hardware coming in front of my thigh, so feel free to adjust that stacking the hips. I love doing side overs right before this because you need your waist. You need that side body.

So you're super charged right now. To support yourself as we start to press the heel a little up and back to the corner and then bend it, creep it forward slowly. I'm up at hip height, hips are stacked, bottom forearm along the back edge of that box, back meaning away from you, my fingertips are facing the risers. You can bring your top hand to your hip for a little more challenge. If you're feeling unstable, press into the box and really work on that side plank with your forearm.

Every time I'm gonna try and hold it, so I'm squeezing my glute, opening the hip crease and creating space and length at the front of the side, front of the hip, and then we bring it back in here. Shoulder softened down. My collarbone stay really open to the back of that reformer. Two more. You're trying not to let that leg drop down. It may not get all the way straight.

I have a little baby bend in my knee, pressing back through that heel. And then inhale, I'm gonna let it creep forward and bend. Now I'm gonna think of a knee circle. Like, there's a pen right on the tip of my kneecap circling around. I don't let the carriage drop all the way into the stopper. And I wanna keep some tension in that rope as I do this really nice meaty circle Again, that red spring, I feel it. You can always do this on a blue just to lighten the load a little bit.

And I'm trying to maintain the stable pelvis as I push up and away from my box. And then reverse it. I like this heavy lifting. I like the challenge of being on the moving carriage, but perpendicular to it and a little higher. So everything just feels You know, we've upped the stakes.

It's an exciting way to play with your sideline. About three more. Three. I did reverse that direction. Two. And then I'm gonna pause heels together.

Open your clamshell just a little bit to maintain the tension on your strap if it adjusts, set it back, and now open, only close a couple of inches. I'm gonna reach my top arm to the ceiling. Trying to get out of that shoulder joint, little rotation, little rotation, small clamshell, but big impact, really heavy, little exhale, four. Three best side plank of your life, two. And one, can you hold it back an inch from there?

Maybe the carriage moves. Maybe it doesn't heels together. Little rotations. Five. Four.

Three, two. One, bringing it down. I carefully slide my hips back to the center of the box, help yourself home safely, slip out of the loop, second side. You can always pause, take a little figure four stretch if you need between sides. I'm gonna get right into it.

Slide your hips over to the very edge of the box. That's step one. I use my hands to kinda stabilize my carriage, and then I think of bringing my bottom seat into the back corner of the box. And then as I come onto that forearm, I adjust my strap, and it's like I'm in this little kneeling side plank here, lifting the waist shoulders down, I'm gonna lift and find my parallel, and then I'm pushing back through my heel. Squeeze the glute, lift the leg slightly up as you go, and then inhale bring it back forward. It starts bent. I'm trying to extend, but lift and think of reaching up and over.

So that heel stays just at about hip bone height. I know it wants to kinda press down to the ground. That feels way more inviting. You're trying to work to keep it lifted, keep it lifted abs in. Don't poke those ribs forward, and then bring it back slowly.

Both hands to the box will give you a little more support. If you feel like you're sinking into your shoulder, that invisible crane is lifting you up. I say it should look like you're having your high school portrait taken. Like, the collar bones are open. You're leaning on that little tray at the Sears portrait studio, looking up in a way. So it should be really regal, very formal in that upper body, even though you're doing a lot of work down below.

Finish the one you're on, bend the knee, give me a little pull forward, up back and around circle and pull it. Inhale forward big exhale firm the waist right when you're doing that heavy weight lifting. Inhale to exhale circle, pull it back. Ear and shoulder far away from each other. And then can you reverse it? Take it a little back to your foot bar up and forward? Not so far forward that you lose the tension of the rope.

Wherever you feel like you need that support. This is my wonky side, so I like to bring my hand to my hip to really work on stabilizing my pelvis because this is the one it loves to roll around. So I'm gently nudging my hip bone forward as that leg circles back. To, fighting for that stability, and then heels together, try and keep a little tension on the strap so it doesn't slide. And then I from there, clamshell, rotate.

Hip, stable. Maybe you reach that top arm to the sky. It's your grand finale. Finding that rotation, heavy lifting, press it back heels together. It's pretty small because I wanna live at that highest point in my range. Can you hold this last one, Breeze, and then just give it to me really small, little exhales?

Small, move the carriage even an inch, five, four, three, lifting bottom waist, two, and one all the way back in. Hey. Let's slide out of the loop. Bringing yourself safely back to the center of the box, putting it down, again, a little figure four, if you just need to reset. Now that I've got my abductor's really nice and connected, I'm gonna take it to a blue spring. One blue, I'm going lighter.

Hands on the box. I'm gonna mount coming up into standing lunge. My foot's just gonna step back gently to the frame of the reformer, walk up to the fingertips, and we're gonna start nice and low in this sprinter star. Both knees bend like two right angles. I wanna square off my hips rolling the hip of that back leg a little forward.

And then as low as you can stay, can you just extend your back leg? Bring it back in. Great place to stay. I've got about 80% of my weight in my front foot, so I'm starting to fatigue that gluten hamstring, pushing just with much as intention through that back side too. So glute tightens on that back leg before I come back in. Maybe you play with the balance. Slow skating on that way out as you lunge.

It's like you're doing the moonwalk dragging yourself backwards. Pushing out. I keep my body weight heavy over this front thigh trying to find that stability in the pelvis. Pushing out anytime you need the box. That's why it's there for you. So you can always put those hands down or maybe just one hand, one fingertip if it doesn't feel like the full balance is in the cards.

Today, it's totally fine. That's why the box is there. Totally by design. Heavy footprint in that front foot, maybe you can get just a touch lower. A little stamina endurance moment.

I'm already tired from being on the short box with the my thigh in the strap, and now I gotta hold that low lunge. On your next one, push the back leg long. Now keep the back leg long. Like, you're taking a big step up a fly to stairs heavy in that front heel. Stand up and take your time. Remember, no free rides from your spring. I want you to do the work.

So slow and controlled descent. Now, think heavy heel pushes down, abs, hug them up. Like, I'm pulling my body through space with that tight corset heavy in your standing heel, then I'm gonna take a nice big hinge. My hands are just palms pressed today. So I can focus on the work in the lower body. The more I press my palms together, it gives me this nice activation tightening up front body. So it's a tool I really like to use. About two more full range.

Oh, back heel is high and energetic so that even as I'm standing up, I don't wanna drop that back heel. I really wanna keep my weight 80% with this front leg. Can you come low? Stay low. Hold it. Maybe you do a little kick out. Little stretch of the front leg, and then pull it back in.

You can always use the box if you need that balance buddy or try it on your own. Those hips not twisting, leg does not have to go all the way straight. Just three. Yeah. Little variation of that Russian split. And then slowly bend the knee.

Transition your hands to the box coming and you can choose feet can stay low going right into a plank. I'm gonna walk my feet up high, pilates v, high heels. This is like your peak of class using everything up until this point getting ready for this full body plank. Exhale to pike high heels push down through the hands, drop the head. Slow as we work ourselves back out. Control your descent.

Push down through the hands. Nice handstand sensation. I feel the down of the arms to feel the lift of the tummy. Head hangs. Can you look for the wall behind you ears between the biceps? Full inversion of that spine.

It's like tail trying to stack overhead. Belly button on a string being pulled to the ceiling. One more, push down to feel the up, strong arms, help you find those lowest transverse apps. Coming back out, parallel the feet, tuck the tail ribs and tummy come up and in, strong thighs. Can you push the carriage forward, squeeze the glute hover and then pull the carriage in. Brush your toes back, single leg, lift with this little front push of the box, the carriage. If you don't wanna lift a leg, stay right here.

Push and pull. Squeezing the seat, eyes gaze out over the risers, or back to that single leg, brush the toes back. Like you're in the sand. Burush them through the sand boop. Squeezing my glutes.

I try not to lift the hips. Try four. Three. Two. One, finish it. Beautiful. Ben the knees. Step one foot down.

Come all the way in. We're gonna step both feet carefully to the carriage. And just take a forward fold, re centering here. Ben one knee at a time. Little cha cha for the hips.

And then I'm gonna stabilize myself hands on the box always to start parallel other foot on the carriage. It's in front of the box. I step my opposite foot back, make sure it's the side you didn't just do. Ben both knees. Just a little up and out. Sprinter lunge on low, like I'm at the starting blocks.

I'm trying to look where I'm going. If you look down, hold posture falls. So things shine the heart a little out and forward. Maybe you test that balance. Back leg long, I squeeze the glute, and then I stay loaded about 80% of my front foot.

Heavy footprint, my quad has to find that support. I'm trying to get low, rock the way a little back into the heel, so I'm also aware of that glute. Inhale. Big exhale square off the hips push from the back leg. Inhale. Faxale tightening that tummy as we stretch.

Trying to move with the carriage, even pace on the way in and the way out. One more. And then I'm gonna keep that back leg long, heel high, and energetic now step down heavy through your heel. I talk about the heel a lot. That heel weight, the heel's the gateway to the seat.

We wanna feel heavier in that, like, back edge of the heel to really ignite the posterior chain, glute hamstring stands you up as you root down through the heel, abs draw up and in, and I'm taking my carriage pretty slow. If you let it, those springs will boss you around, but I like to say you are the boss of your springs. You are always in control. You're driving the bus. Palms pressed shoulders down.

I've got that press to feel my biceps. Chest tightened, tummy draws in. Just helps me find that ab connection. One more full range, heavy, heel stepping up finding that footprint, pressing down into the carriage. I'm gonna come low, take a nice dramatic hinge for it.

You wanna feel like a long diagonal, and then start to find that little kick out. Like a little Russian split prep here back heel high. I'm pulling up on my kneecap of the back leg. If you ever need fingertips to the box, sometimes it helps if you're looking for more depth, more range, you can come down support on the box. I'm gonna stay a little lifted, challenging my stability a little more than my flexibility here.

Just three. Two. And one, Ben, both knees, you're gonna catch the box no plank this time. That was just a fancy intermission. Between your lunges a little bend to step all the way down.

Hands on the box find that ground underneath you. I'm gonna rotate to a long box. Staying on my blue spring. I am gonna drop my foot bar down one click. Just to get a little space for my legs coming face down on the box for some pulling straps, opening the chest back up after that planking always feels really nice to me.

I'm gonna go through my loops like bracelets, walk my hands up above the hardware. Arms to the outsides of the rails. I'm gonna drop my chest, squeeze my heels together in Pilates v, pointed toes, definitely a bonus, if you can. Tuck the tail, squeeze the glutes, head, falls like a ragdoll. On my exhale arms sweep back chest forward to the risers, open the collarbone, squeeze a pencil with the shoulder blades, and then give me a little semi circle before we come back down. XL, squeeze, glutes, tuck the tail, inner thigh, zip up point energy all the way through the arch of the foot, the big toe. And then I'm gonna open out and around as I come back.

Shoulder shrugged down to my hips. I think of pressing my heart forward out of the chest as I wrap my shoulders back and in away from the risers. So it's not about popping up high. It's can you create the space in the neck, this little slide forward of your sternum, and then a little lift? On the next one, reverse it, can we lift the arms up and then swim through the mud pressing all the way in before we lower down? Shoulders down heart forward.

Just finding the activation now a little bit more through the underarms, a little swim to rise. No creases in the back of my neck skin. I'm trying to keep it really neutral. So that right between my shoulder blades, right below my shoulder blades, is doing more of the lifting. One more, swim. Arms, arms.

And this time, knuckles face into the body, press the knuckles back, puff the chest a little forward shoulders down. Separate the legs. Can you give me a little swim? Chins gonna just slightly lower down. My arms are gonna try and supercharge just a little bit. Four. Arms back chest. Step. Step.

Step the glutes. Two. And one, I'm gonna lower her down. Oh, let the body go soft for a moment. Loops to the pegs. Use your hands. Walk yourself out to the risers. Palms are gonna face in towards one another.

Reconnect the heels, squeeze the glutes slightly tuck the tail. I'm gonna pull my elbows wide, and then you can hold it. Maybe you can extend one arm, replace, and then come back. And then exhale shoulders down elbows wide hold, extend one arm. Wrap. That's your controlled version. If you wanna go for it, it's fun.

It's like a little ride. You're gonna fly. I want you to pull, hit a tee with both arms, catch, control your descent. Sholders down heart. Feels like it's shining a little forward. And then again, chin down ever so slightly.

I caught myself with a little lift, so try and come back to neutral. And again, if the jump, the fly is not for you, wide elbow pull shoulders down, maybe half of airplane, one arm out, and then bring it down. I'm gonna jump, working my posture, slight extension in the upper back, feeling that whole posterior body tight from my upper back through my glutes, my hamstrings, Boom. Big exhale. Three. Two. And one, catch, slow. Oh, let yourself enjoy that traction. Spring pulls one way.

Arms just extend. Oh, yeah. Ready for the wind down. Use your hands coming all the way back in. I'm gonna dismount. I'm gonna take my box away, setting up for feet and straps as I walk the box just away from my carriage.

Set it down. I'm gonna change my springs to two reds. If those legs are feeling a little fatigued, you can always move lighter on that red blue. I'm gonna leave my foot bar as it is. If you wanna prop it back up one position, you are welcome to.

As I find myself all the way down, I'm gonna lift my head rest back up for support, pushing off one foot at a time, feet and straps, arms long. Heels together in Pilates v starting with some frogs. As I find my v, I wanna inhale, diamond knee stop about where, your tabletop would be, exhale pushing just over that foot bar, Keeping the pelvis like a bowl of water, you're trying not to spill. So we have a little curve through the back that natural s curve of spine is here. Heels pressed together like you're holding a $100 bill. Don't drop your money, push forward, like you're pressing through mud.

So there's some nice directional intention going forward as opposed to going up with the springs. Really use the back of the legs, track those heels out long forward, almost like they're on tracks. And then straight legs, inhale, turn out Pilates v with pointed feet. Give me some sweeps. Feeling the length as we kinda wrap through the edges of the leg, the calf.

Exhale pressing back down. Tail stays heavy. So don't go so high that the knees bend or the hips disconnect from your carriage. Almost think of tipping the tailbone down slightly as legs go up. Just to break even. Let that next one take you into a circle. Inhale.

Up to open, exhale circle sweep. Only letting the legs go as high as you can keep them straight back of the pelvis, sacrum grounded exhale. Heart is open. Heart rate breath starting to return to normal. Circle remains a really nice even pace.

And maybe you just see as one leg trying to track faster than the other, can you make them go the same pace so pelvis doesn't wobble? Reverse. Inhail, on the way up? Exhale, press down. Slow circle going through that straddle, seeing if you can create that symmetry in your two legs to keep your bowl a little more centered, not spilling. Really reestablishing that range of motion through the hips after our banded work, our side lying, it strengthens us, but it makes us feel tight. Here's a really nice way to actively recover.

And then option here, I'm gonna go through some short spine, dropping my head rest all the way flat, starting in Pilates via exhale, stretch the legs, inhale legs up and over my head. I press down through the arms, trying to bring my carriage in to dock hips naturally lift now. I really activate belly button in lifting high. The feet right over my eye line as I bend the knees over the shoulder rest, I'm gonna exhale. Keep the feet in the same position.

No change. Rolling down my spine, like I would from bridge, bone by bone, only at the last second do I drive those heels through? Maybe two more inhale long legs, dock the carriage gently, exhale, tail up, abs in, press through the palms triceps give you a little scaffolding of support. Inhale, we bend the knees. Exhow, can you keep the feet there? Roll down through the spine.

Carve out those abs, they tail up low tummy hollow, getting a really nice decompression of the low back right when you're at your warmest end of your practice is a great place for this articulation. Last one. Kindly like a little inhale. And then exhale. Deflating balloon just like our bridge, bone by bone, dropping that tail down.

I'm gonna take a little butterfly elbows to the inner thighs, peeling open the hips. Biceps engage. I think of arching my back to drop the tail down. And then taking your feet out of the straps one foot at a time, find the foot bar, taking yourself home safely. We're gonna dismount off to the side as you come up parallel your feet, just sealing our work here with one last breath together, soft knees, big inhale, take up space, feel your body, take a little inventory, exhale scoop the belly, dive the head down, track the spine right through center. Shake the head, no.

Nod the head. Yes. Inhale into your back. Exhale tuck the tail, abs, draw in belly button to spine shoulders fall down, standing proud, standing tall. Thank you so much for joining me. Take it with you.

Have a great day.