Go For It Strong

Hi. I am Lara Hanlin back on the reformer with you today. We'll be started on all fours. So I have one red spring on. My foot bar is down, and I'm carefully making my way to a kneeling position with my hands, palms on the ledge, just be aware of whatever bar you have being out of the way, and the feet flexed against those shoulder blocks. Now because we have one light spring on, we do have to stay engaged and supported from the course so we don't go flying away here.

But we'll start with a nice rounded cat shape. Just taking our time to open up through the back, pressing the palms, the feet down, maybe giving that head a little shake side to side. As you inhale, draw your heart and chest forward through your palms, through that foot bar as the shoulder blade slide down away from the back. Take a deep breath in. XL think of pressing palms down towards the earth as you lift your belly, your heart up, open up through that back.

One more time, heart draws forward shoulders away from the ears gaze lifts up and exhale to press the ground away lifting in that waistline. Beautiful long stretch of the spine, finding a horizontal flat back shifting slightly forward so our shoulders are a little more over our palms and then actively pressing the palms down, think of like shoving this ledge away. Like someone you don't want close to you. We're gonna take a little serratus push up to really find that work happening from the back. Allow your heart to drop down between your thumbs as you inhale, and then actively press the palms down to lift your heart up between the shoulder blades separating your scapula, your wing, your backbones across your back. Again, just like that, allow the chest to release down.

Press this ledge away. I often do this on the mat. You could do so with your hands on the footbar. We want to really engage in our back, so we don't sink too much weight into our wrists for any exercises we are we are on our hands or our wrists. Now this time, hold that lift of the chest, pull your belly up and in, take another breath to prepare. And then exhale lifts so much in that low belly that your knees begin to hover an inch or two from the mat. We tap the knees down without releasing, excel, lift the belly up, lift the knees up. Now I'm trying my best to keep my back long, my spine long, my gaze is down, pressing the palms down, lifting the belly up to lift the knees up for two.

Waking up that core. We hold it here. We extend our legs back, press the carriage away. Pull the belly in to draw the knees back and carriage to stop her, slowing controlled length and pressing out through the legs. Zip up tight through that low belly trying not to release that lift of the heart or that lift of the belly. Zip up through the waist.

Pull those knees in. Two more times we lengthen we find a plank. We pull our abs up to pull the knees in. Think below that waistband one more time, press out. Pull it and hold the hover.

Take one more breath in. Exale lower the knees with control. Taking another arch of the spine, a cow stretch, sit bones tailbone back, heart up, and again round up and into reset. One more thing here. Finding a beautiful long line of that spine, once again, lifted through the waistline, lifted through the chest, and then float the right arm forward with your thumb facing upward.

That way, our bicep frames the ear, our shoulder alignment stays correct pulling those shoulders back, and then extending our left leg back. Now from here, equal pressure down into left palm, into that right ball of the foot and shin, point back through your left toes, lengthen left leg, right arm a little higher as we inhale, and then round and contract pulling the belly up to keep the carriage still, pulling knee and elbow towards the nose, lengthening everything out. That one spring being on a lightweight on a moving carriage creates a little more control here using the breath, using the belly, finding that length and expansion. X, I'll pull the waist line up, rounding contract elbow nose towards the knee gaze, goes back, challenge that balance, challenge your core strength, last time, lift and lengthen, exhale to curl up and in. Reach all the way back out.

And then exhale carefully lower the right palm and left knee, left foot back to the mat. Left arm reaches forward, both shoulders pull away from the ears. That left palm is up, palm facing inward, left thumb up, and then right leg extends back. Focus on square hips, square shoulders, think hip bones, collar bones pointing down, point through the right toes, lift the arm and leg a little higher as you breathe in, rounding contract, knee towards the nose, elbow pulls in, maybe tapping it. Inhale, we lengthen out through the crown of the head, out through the limbs, exhale around pulling the waist up, drawing those ribs together. Twice more.

Inhale lengthen. Exhale curling up. Using the breath. Using the belly. One more time, really reach through fingertips and toes, energy out through the limbs.

Pulling up in our waistline. We're reaching all the way back out one last time, find a little extra lift, and then release the hand and the knee back down. From there, carefully sit all the way back towards your heels. We'll lift our foot bar up together and change our springs for a little bit of a leg and footwork series today. So starting with three red springs. Once you arrive there, bring your feet all the way around onto the ledge, lift that head rest up.

Reach your arms forward hips towards the edge of the mat, breathe in, exhale to round and roll all the way back down, shoulders against those shoulder blocks. Pull the knees all the way into your chest for a moment. Give them a squeeze. Take a breath here. And exhale it out.

And today we're gonna start in our pilates stance first position heels together toes about a fist distance apart. Palms release down onto the mat to press those legs all the way out straight, inner thighs are connected, feeling that low belly, that zipper sensation all the way through the legs up to the belly button, take a breath in, and exhale bend the knees to return. And he'll be lengthen out. Exhale, we resist creasing at those hips, finding length through the thighs, all the way out through the crown of the head, really feeling that beautiful long extension of the legs moving together in this external rotation. We stretch we resist.

Inhale press, exhale return. For two, last one, all the way in to stay. Right away, we're bringing our heels to a second position on the bar flexing through the feet this time, pressing all the way out, inhale, bending the knees to pull the carriage out on the exhale. Again, working on that external rotation, inner seams of the pants, inner thighs rotate up to work the back of those legs, opening up through the hips. Lengthening out long through those thighs.

We press out, resist to pull the carriage in, out, and in for two last one, and coming all the way back. From there, we'll slide the feet down just a little bit, so our arches are on the corners. Palms continue to press down, taking a breath here with our pelvis heavy into the mat. And then exhale using the low belly pelvic floor to tuck the pelvis just an inch or two from the mat. Holding that pelvic tuck, we move into our pelvic lift lengthening out through the legs once again, keeping this little hover of the hips squeezed through the seat pull the belly in, pull the carriage back in. Again, lengthening out through the front of those thighs, pulling the belly deeper ribs a little tighter together, lengthen the legs out, resist pulling that carriage back in using the low belly, using the back of those legs for three.

Last two. One more. Pull the carriage all the way and hold that hover. Take one more breath here. And then exhale feel the hips release nice and heavy into the mat.

Should feel like a lovely lengthening sensation out through those hips. We'll lower our feet back to the ledge, reach the arms up for the breath in. And exhale to round and roll all the way up to a seat. From here, take off one of your red springs, so we're left with two reds. Arms reach forward once again on the inhale and exhale to roll all the way back down onto the mat.

I'm gonna move into a little single leg work. This time the right ball, the foot will be right in line with that sit bone. Left leg comes up to tabletop, and then right away extends long over the bar. I think about my seat belt keeping my pelvis anchored using that low belly as you stem the right leg, the left knee bends in towards the chest, and then resist to bend the right, left leg extends long over the bar. Inhale, we lengthen the carriage out, exhale, we pull the carriage in. Staying square through hips and shoulders here, gaze is up, chin is lifted.

Press working underneath that right glute for two. One more. Now we add on left leg goes in and up, flex through both heels, point through the toes, bend the left knee, bar leg over the bar, pressing out, double a pay up. We flex we point. We unveil a payback through inhale bending in an exhale to flex lengthening out through the back of the leg, squeeze the seat to point, bend and extend back over. Again, last one like this, flex opening up through the feet, through the legs.

This time we add a batma leg extends up, keep it pointed lower to tap that bar kick it up, and then same ending on velipine through. Inhale up, exhale lower lift. And return. Long, press out, staying long and strong through that right standing leg for two. One more.

And we switch to the other side, left toes on, right leg long, pressing out, pulling that right knee in on the inhale, resist a return on the exhale. Keeping those hips square, staying engaged underneath that left glute, staying open through the front of that right hip and thigh. For two. One more time all the way out. All the way in, adding that develop, hey of the right leg to the ceiling, flex through the heels, point through the toes, bend and extend back over the bar, inhale, exhale, point up, bend in, lengthening out through the front of the legs, out through the back of the leg.

So reach using that low belly to lengthen the leg a little higher, lift it a little closer to the chest before bringing it through. Again, we add on lift up, lower end kick, bend and return. Deep breath in, exhale lower, inhale lift, exhale to bend. Again, using that low belly to stabilize the hips and the pelvis working that core and glute control for two. Last time.

Rest those feet back down onto the ledge. Once again, we reach our arms up and exhale to round and roll up. From here, we'll lower our foot bar. And change to a red and a blue. We're gonna work with our hands in the straps, our feet in our straps, a little more abdominal work, all the things, always full body.

Scoot those hips forward, reach your arms forward, make your way back down onto the mat. This time leaving some space between your shoulders and the blocks. You have room to move your arms, to crunch up when we're ready, hands to the straps, knees all the way into the chest And then press those palms all the way down to the mat. From here, pull the belly in as you shift your knees to a tabletop position. Think of keeping the palms reaching, pressing down as you bend your elbows wide. Your thumbs kind of graze the side of your waist towards your ribs, and then you press those arms back straight by the sides, inhale to bend, exhale to extend.

My chin stays lifted off my chest, neck is long, head is relaxed, for now. Feeling those triceps engaged as we bend and extend the elbows. Feeling that low belly working beneath the waistband, we're pulling the cord down into the mat to support our legs and table top. We bend We extend one more with just those elbows, adding a crunch, inhale bend. So curl up, hold the crunch, elbows bend wide, belly pulls down arms extend. Elbows bend, pull the belly and reach the arms a little further.

Adding the legs, they extend as elbows bend, knees bend to the nose, arms extend, inhale, zip up through the waist, through the inner thigh. We reach through the toes. We reach through the fingers. For a four. For a three.

For a two. Schl stay long. Reach just through the arms. Inhale. And exhale. Working a diagonal of the legs that feels challenging yet supported for your body for two.

Last one, hold it long. We pulse. Inhale to three, four, five. Exhale to three, four, five going right into our hundreds. Pull that belly deeper, curl a little higher. Can we take those legs down an inch?

Pull the belly down an inch. In two, three, four, five, exhale to three, four, five. Keep reaching long through the ri limbs, curling a little higher over the ribs. The legs a little bit closer to that bar for four. Pull that belly deeper to the mat.

Three, Last two, finishing strong using that breath, inhale to three four five exhale to three four five retree tree knees come in elbows bend by the sides, head releases back. From their feet are coming into our straps, one foot on each or in each, bend those knees in and then reach your arms down by your sides. Take a breath where you are heels together, inner thighs will lengthen out long, and then make sure those legs start parallel. We feel that anchor right across the hips. We'll point through the toes as the legs lift up to the ceiling. Flex through the heels, lower the legs back down onto a diagonal, creasing at the hips, feeling length through the back of the legs, squeezing engaging the back of the legs as they press back down, inhale to point and lift up excelled to flex and lower.

Two more lift. Open through the chest. Lifted through the chin. Lex lift up. Leggs lower down. Keep that flex of the feet.

Small circles up. Around we squeeze together. Lift circle squeeze keeping it small, tight and connected for two. For one, reverse around, press it down. Around, reach through the heels, keeping those legs parallel for two.

Last one, hold it straight, bend the right knee, left leg reaches to the ceiling, and then press the legs to meet on the diagonal. Left knee bends, right heel reaches up. Exhale to press away creasing at the hips, pulling the belly down, lengthening through the legs, bent, extend. Two more each side. Again, working parallel here.

Staying school wear through hips and shoulders for two. Last one, extend long and low. Turn the legs out, point through the toes. From here, we'll open to a small v. Squeeze inner thighs ribs everything together. Again, neutral pelvic position, working high in those inner thigh adductor muscles, feeling that external rotation, maybe a little more turned out than when we start in in our first or second position on the bar.

Two more times open, and close. Reach through the toes. We'll reach out through the crown of the head. Taking a circle, staying turned out and pointed, maybe a little bigger, up, around, squeeze together at the bottom. Inhale, exhale, pull the belly in, pull the legs tight. For three.

Two. Really nicely connected through the legs through the midsection, reverse around press to lower. We circle and reach out and away for three. Last two. Last one. Holding it here. Again, we bend the right lengthen through the left.

Opening it wide, and then squeeze the legs back together turned out diagonal. Peter pan or potashaw, bending the left reaching out through the right and squeeze. Now think of the thighs working to the same diagonal, That's gonna help keep your hips square so you don't rock off to either side. Think about that seat belt working on anchoring from the low belly, opening through the hips, squeezing tight into the legs. Inhale. And exhale reach through the toes, open, and squeeze last time, each side, breathing in, breathing out. Left knee bends, legs extend.

Back to parallel, legs lift up to the ceiling, take those straps, flex through your heels, enjoy a moment to stretch out the back of those legs. And then when you're ready, carefully take your feet out of the straps. We'll hook them back onto their poles. Nees could be bent or straight over the bar arms reach up on the inhale and exhale to round and roll up to a seat. We'll continue to work a little bit of one leg at a time starting on our back.

So I'm gonna keep one red spring on. Take a breath in, has always roll back down with care and control. Head is still on our headrest shoulders against the blocks and then we'll start. With the right foot in the loop. So press your way out here.

Right foot comes in. Right leg will lower on a diagonal as the left leg lifts to meet it. Now you might feel a little uneven, which you are. One leg has weight to it. The other one doesn't anchor yourself with your core. Press into the palm, stay square and open through the chest. Take a breath in to prepare.

Begin to lower that right leg down as the left leg lifts up into a scissor. Inhale, we switch, exhale, we switch engaging right underneath that right glute and hamstring. Inhale. Belly button pulls down, leg switch on the exhale. Inhaling and exhaling staying anchored through that low belly.

Switch and switch feeling an assisted stretch with that right leg being in the loop, maybe lifting it up a little higher without lifting in the hip, feeling length through again, the back and the front of those legs. For two. One more. And press this time, right leg lifts up just a perpendicular, make sure you can control it there, exhale lift just the left leg up to meet it. Lower the left leg down, pull the belly and lift the left leg up.

Lower and lift using the low belly to lift and lower this left leg for three. For two. Last one. Lower the left leg down, let the right leg lift a little higher till that left foot comes to the bar or ledge and then carefully take the right foot out, rehook your strap and switch left foot into its strap. We'll start by pressing left leg into the loop, bringing it to a diagonal. Right leg comes up to meet it.

Really important that you can find the core connection, that seat belt across the pelvis, using the core, pressing into the palms to stabilize here before any movement happens. Inhale to prepare, exhale left leg presses down, right leg floats up. We switch on the inhale left leg to the sky, exhale use that left glute and hamstring to press into the strap. Switch and switch. Breathing it.

Breathing out to belly button keeps pulling down, pubic bone pulling down to the sacrum to support the low back and pelvis. Scissor and switch, pressing that left leg from the back of that glute and hamstring for two. Full range of motion for one. And switch left leg lifts a perpendicular. Hold that gluten hamstring strong to keep it there.

Pull the belly and flip the right leg up to meet it. Right leg lowers. Right leg lifts. Inhale down. Exhale up. For four.

Really crease at the hip three. Zip up through the waist. Last one. Lower the right leg all the way down until it finds the bar or ledge. Letting that left leg float up and then carefully taking left foot out of its strap.

From here, once again, arms reach up, deep breath where you are, round and roll all the way up. So working on our back one leg at a time parallel. A lot of hamstring glute max. We're gonna do a little side leg side laying leg work for outer thigh abductor outer glute. You could change to a lighter spring if you wish. I'm gonna challenge myself. Stay on one red today and start with my right leg again.

I know I'm facing away from you, but I wanna stay even. So I mean staying on my left forearm. I'm bringing my right foot into my loop. I'm making sure my left forearm is pressing into the block, care, into the headrest holding onto this block lifted in my left waist. My left heel is in line with my hips, and then I extend my right leg out straight.

Now holding my leg up here at about hip height again. I'm working my outer thigh, my outer glute still core engaged support the body here. From there, start by kicking that leg forward just like we would do on the mat. And then point through the toes to press the leg back at least until it's in line with your body, maybe slightly further behind you, flexing kick forward on the inhale with control, point, and press back, lengthening through the front of the hip engaging underneath the seat. So as my leg kicks forward, I make sure to keep my pelvis in this alignment.

I'm not tucking. I'm squeezing my glute. I'm staying connected in my low abs to support myself here for it to crease right at that hip. Feel that stretch. Point and press it back. One more time, flexing forward, point and press back to stay, making a circle, point through the toes, stay parallel forward around and back for five.

Keep it even for four. Continuing to work that outer medial glute backside of the leg. Three two. Pressing that headrest away lifted through the chest. Reverse the circle back up and around for five.

And four, finding greater length through that leg, three, two, and one, press out with control, bend that knee in. We'll take our foot out carefully bring the carriage back to rest. Keep your strap hooked as you switch to the other side. We do the same thing again. Four arm is down, knees pulled in here.

Really pressing that forearm in pulling your left foot into the strap with control here and then pressing that leg out. So make sure hip presses forward. You have a good view here. Your bottom ribs are lifting up that leg is reaching up. Right away, we crease at the hip, leg kicks forward, inhale, point and press back, squeeze from that seat, zip up tighter through your waist. No movement in the upper body.

Flex forward. Point and press back. Again, just like we would do with our side kick on the mat forward and press, lifted in that bottom waistline, reach through the heel, point and press back and out through those toes. Really finding a stretch in the back of the leg, a lengthen a stretch in the front of the thigh. Working to stay stable with that core, press and reach once more forward, press and reach keep that point little circles forward around and back inhale, exhale, zip up a little bit higher and tighter in that core for three. Use the breath shoulders away from the ears too.

Last one, reverse back and around inhale and exhale press and circle. Stay square for three. Lift in that waistline for two. Last one, press to hold, feel your leg growing longer. Like someone's pulling those toes to the bar, and then with control, you resist to bend your knee in carefully taking that foot out. Again, hooking our strap back over the pole, sitting all the way up. Well, again, stay on our one red spring as we work some upper body facing the back, thighs, knees up against our blocks here.

And then grabbing for that higher part of the strap somewhere above your hardware. Squeeze your hips up and forward. Roll those shoulders down and back. Think of this beautiful long line through the body here. The more we can tuck and squeeze our seat that we so nicely engaged forward.

The more we open up lengthen out those hip flexors. Start by pulling those arms back engaging into those triceps, pulling the shoulders down, punch to the floor inhale, pull the belly button back as your arms resist forward. Chest expansion, pull those arms back, open up through the chest, exhale deep and through the belly to resist. Two more just like this. We pull.

We resist. Again, pull. This time resist just to the hips. Little pulses back breathing in twos. Keep lengthening the arms further to the floor, crown of the head higher to the ceiling, inhale.

And exhale. Really engaging into the core lifting up in those thighs for two. Exhale back and back one more breath. Hold reach a little further behind and with control, resist those arms in. Slowly, sit your hips all the way back and down.

We'll take both straps into our right hand as we carefully staying on one spring spin around. Our feet are flexed against our shoulder blocks here. Make sure you don't get your straps twisted. My hands come one hand four fingers in either loops. My elbows are slightly bent.

My arms or hands are right in by my hips. Take a breath here, pull your belly up, lift your hips up squeezing the seat forward, pulling those shoulders down and back. We move into our chest expansion, front, reach those arms forward and up in line with the shoulders. XL, lower the arms back down towards the hips. Gorgeous arm exercise here, still very much working. Our glutes and our core to stabilize the whole body so we don't face plant right onto that ledge, scoop and reach, resist a lower. It's not a bending or an extending of those elbows.

Think of serving yourself to matcha, chites, martinis, whatever you're in the mood for, right towards yourself, maybe in the window or in the mirror. One more just like the scoop and reach. Resist to lower. We keep the shape of the elbows. We take a circle forward around and down. Reverse out. Forward and down.

All alternating inhale. Control the exhale with resistance out, forward, and lower. Two more of each breathing in. Zip up through that waist. Inhale.

Palms facing up, arms lower to the hips, last set reach, open and lower. Last time out. Forward hands to the hips and hips down to the heels. Carefully place your straps back on to your poles. We'll lift our footbar back up and add on an additional spring. So I am going to add on another blue here.

You could add on red a blue, whatever you need, round through your spine, feet firmly back up against those blocks. We're gonna go into our first two parts of knee stretch series. So really feeling this scoop in the belly, open up through the spine. Kinda like that cat shape we started with, but now palms are really pressing into the bar. Squeeze your glutes to press the carriage back. Pull the belly up and in to pull the carriage in.

It's a little bit lighter for me here. With one red and blue versus two reds. A little more work to pull that carriage in from your abs versus letting the springs do it for you. Inhale out, exhale in. We press and pull.

For two. Last one, hold the carriage in, release your sit bones, your tailbone back, articulate through your spine to find that length, that beautiful flat back, still lifted in the heart, lifted in the waist. Keeping that flat back. We squeeze the seat to press out. We crease at the hips to pull the carriage in.

Being very cautious that we don't tuck and tilt our pelvis here, press pull. Squeeze the seat to pull up in the waist for four. For three. Last two. Last one.

From there, round back up into your spine and lift your knees all the way up. So we find a relevant position, feet against the blocks. We're in our stomach pull downward dog on Relovey position. Press the carriage out from here. Inhale, lift from the belly to pull the carriage right back up as you exhale. Again, just like that pressing out, feeling the low belly pull you up Again, a little lighter, which makes it a little more challenging instead of having those two reds. I'm staying on a red and a blue. I really wanna feel the work coming from my core.

I'm gonna transition to one leg. My left foot stays down. My right leg extends back. I'm keeping my hips, my shoulders as square as I can. Left leg presses out, and belly pulls in to lift in that left thigh, pulling the carriage in from the core.

Right leg stays in line with the hip. I like to think of it just being square through the hips, through the pelvis. One more. Pull the carriage in from there, draw that right knee all the way into your nose, bend your left knee until it hovers. We press the left leg out.

Pull the left knee in out, and in. I keep a slight rounded shape in my upper back. I add my right leg in. And out as my left leg presses out and in. Think of your single legged knee stretch for four.

For three. Last two. Last one. Pull that right knee in, lengthen your left leg up, step your right foot back, square off through the body, extend your left leg long. My hips are square.

My left knee, toes are pointing down here, so I don't open my hips press the right leg out inhale, crease at the hips, lifting that right knee and thigh, pressing out, pulling the belly up, pulling the leg back in. For a three. For two. Last one. Continue to press the palms into the bar.

Pull the left knee in. Shift your body forward. Lower right knee to hover. Press the right leg out and in. I'm lifted in my chest.

I'm lifted in my waist. I add my left leg, pull it in, extend it back in, and back for four. Three. Two. Last one.

Left knee in. Pike the hips up, both toes back onto the mat. Both heels flatten down onto the mat. Take a moment. Allow your chest to press back. Your heels to press down.

Give your head a little shake. Feel this link through the back of the legs. Nice stomach pull downward dog stretch. We press the carriage out on the inhale. Pull the waistline up.

Pull the carriage in on that exhale. Loosening out through the neck. Press out. Pull the belly up, pull the carriage in two more times, lengthen back, and lift it in. Last one.

Come all the way back in. And carefully kneel all the way back down onto your mat. From here, we'll take one spring off, staying on that red, moving into our Eve gentry, hip flexor stretch right foot against the block, left foot right towards the front edge, try and press the right hip forward, pull up in your waistline, and take this lovely lunge stretch, pressing out, pulling the belly up, pressing right glute forward to bring the carriage in. Inhale out, and exhale zipping up through the waist. Still very much engaged in our core and our seat.

Sholders pull down heart lifts up once more. Inhale. And exhale. Staying lifted. Flip your right arm up by your ear. Stay lifted in the waistline and then take a moment to side bend over to that left side. Left knee stays pressing forward.

Right hip stays pressing forward shoulders, pull down and back deep breath in, and exhale come all the way up. We'll switch to the other side. I'm gonna climb right back over here, place my right foot to the front, my left foot back up against that shoulder block pressing the pelvis forward zipping up through the waist, taking that lunge pressing out on the inhale, pulling the carriage in as we exhale. And join these moments, slowing our breath, our body back down. Greatful for all the work it just did for us.

Last two lifting out through the waist, out through the crown of the head. One more time. Inhale press out. Allow this to feel good in the body. Reach that left arm up.

Take a breath in. Lengthen up and over to the right. Making sure that right knee tracks forward, not letting it open, staying connected in the core. One more deep breath in, reach a little further. And come all the way up.

From there, we'll lower that arm down. Take a step off to the side of our machine. Thank you all for joining me for this extra fun, a reformer class today.