Resistance Loop Reformer

I love a great reformer workout because you feel every muscle in the body, and today will be no exception because I brought along my little friend, the resistance loop. If you have one at home, go ahead, put it on. I'm working with this medium band today. Wish me luck. Go ahead, put it on above the knees, waddle your way over to the reformer, check the springs for footwork. I'm fully loaded, but you can take off a spring, whatever you prefer.

Go ahead, lay on your back, get nice and comfortable, and let's begin footwork on the toes. Give your shoulders a little space, All 10 toes on heels together toes apart, arms down by your sides, and let's start moving, pressing the legs out, pushing the arms down, drawing the abs in, and taking some breaths. A reminder, the springs are always negotiable. So if you want to add a spring, take off a spring, you do you boo boo. We're gonna push out in in a few more times on the toes. On this last one, I want you to bring the carriage halfway in just for a few pulses, out in, out in, feeling this in the thighs, the inner thighs are connected via the heels, the arms are pressing, Just small little pulses, if you can make them a little smaller, all the better.

Last two, push out with straight legs, bend the knees, bring yourself in. And now let's really start to feel the band as we transition onto the arches wrap those toes over, wrap the heels under, separate the feet, the legs just outside the hips so you can feel the presence of the band. Push out, bend in. Press out and bend in. Good. Let's push and pull against the springs.

As we warm up our body from the ground up, different foot positions will unlock different muscles. We are going to have to warm up all the muscles to prepare for this workout today. Let's do two more before we come in halfway for some abduction some outer booty presses. So keep the spine neutral. You're in that wall sit position.

Mindfully press those knees out and in, but try to keep your feet connected onto the foot bar. You should be feeling this in your abductors, those outer glute hip muscles that are responsible for pressing your legs away, for supporting the low back. We're gonna be doing plenty of these today. Two more and then press your legs out straight, bend your knees bring yourself in. Now change to the heels of your feet, but take your feet on the outsides of the foot bar so your feet are flexed your heels are pressing powerfully into the foot bar and push yourself out all the way, bend your knees, bring yourself in.

Now make sure your knees are tracking over the toes, so you're keeping everything in optimal alignment. Also, reminder, never feel those shoulders push into the blocks. We want to create length in our body. We don't wanna shorten or add any tension unnecessarily. We got plenty of tension in the springs.

In our muscles. Last one, bring yourself halfway in. Let's do both little pulses to begin, little pulses in that second position, the external rotation, I'm feeling that booty band about now. Hold it here, pressing into the heels to feel that glute connection, press the knees away away simultaneously. Come on. Break that band.

That band should be fearful of your outer thighs, not the other way around. Push out. Push out for three. For two. For one, press out. Bring yourself in. Let's go on to the toes in second position just for a few tendon stretches. So you're gonna press out.

Bring yourself in halfway, feeling again the resistance loop, but then lowering and lifting your heels. For a little stretch, for a little work through the calves, the Achilles, down, down, down, up, up, up, making sure you're not rolling, pronating, or supinating your feet in and out, you're going straight over that second toe. Putting on those louboutins and then switching back to the Tory Birch flats in and out. One more time. Press yourself out. Bring yourself back in.

Let's go for a run on the toes. Push yourself out with straight legs, not locked out, but just a little softening behind the knee, long loose energy when we work in the studio. Come on, lift and lower. Lift all the way out press through one heel at a time. Try to keep your pelvis stable. Your tailbone anchored.

Let's have a little fun here in flow for three for two. A little reward. Just a quick stretch. A chance to hold this out. Let's enjoy this moment. Let's, in fact, enjoy every moment including the other side.

So really feeling the back thigh reach as the hip opens, relaxing the ankle so that you can really take in all the goodness of the stretch. Reminding yourself, your body, that you are safe, push yourself out all the way, bend your knees, bring yourself in, and gently rock yourself up to change the position of the foot bar. So now we're gonna take the foot bar up to its top position for some shoulder bridge work. I'm changing to two red and a blue or two medium and a light, But you at home, if you want more stability, you can do two red and a green. If you want more challenge, two red, less is more. Got it. Good. Again, I'm on three springs here.

Head rest flat, laying on your back, Give your shoulders a little bit of space between the shoulder blocks and arms down by your side. Listen to my words. The right heel is on the footbar parallel with the hip. And place the left toe on the foot bar. So right heel on, left toe on.

We're gonna be focusing on the right leg first, but keeping ourself parallel with the left. Push yourself out just a smidge to protect the knees and now lift up for your shoulder bridge, tucking the tailbone articulating through the spine, lifting your hips up, sending your thighs forward, and then rolling down your spine, melting through the back. Let's do that three more times. Tuck, scoop, and lift, but not too high. Again, it's about the reach of your body as you lift for your shoulder bridge. Try your best to keep the carriage still.

I'm trying my best, but if you really roll through your spine, there's so many things to think about here, we are putting it all together. Last one, you're gonna hold it up at the top and give yourself a few tucks with your tailbone, tuck. Tuck. This pelvic tilt, you should feel your sits bones squeezing together. We'll do a few more It's not a thrust, but rather it's happening internally that pelvic tilts tucking and releasing the pelvis, shaping the glutes, supporting the low back, hold this last one, press that right knee out and in, the hardest part to keep the left side stable. So on that left toe, do not move press that knee out as much as you can out and in.

Close the ribs, use the core, brace the spine. Let's do a few more. On this last two, hold the position, push the carriage out and in. Maybe you go 75 out. Maybe you go all the way out, depending on your springs and how safe you feel through your back.

If this doesn't feel good, don't do it. You can put more of your back on the mat. I'm gonna do three more trying to keep that tuck of my tailbone, trying to pull the carriage in all the way. Last one, bring it in all the way and then roll through your back. I feel on fire on the back of my right leg. And my left leg wants what they're having.

Let's go. Right toe on the bar. Left heel on the bar arms down by your sides. Tuck the tailbone. Let's lift up for four bridges.

A little reset. Roll through the body. See if you can articulate the spine even more. On side two. Always an advantage to see side one work.

It's just like going into an audition, getting to see the competition, and then it's your turn. But then the expectations are higher. On this last one, tuck the tailbone, lift at the top, little pelvic tilt. Tuck. Tuck. Just like all of the pulses that we do in my classes, I want you to think less movement, more burn. It's about what's happening on the inside. It's the inside that counts. Talk.

Talk. Enough of that mushy talk. Squeeze. I want the burn, so I feel the glutes, so I'm ready for summer. Last two, hold it at the top, left leg out, left leg in. Left leg out, left leg in. Again, if you feel this in your back, you just put more of your back on the mat. Otherwise, your weight is in the shoulders, your weight is in the back ribs a little, everything that's lifted is tucked and squeezing underneath you. Let's do about four more before we push out and in for those hamstring curls.

Definitely feeling the hammy. Let's push out and pull in depending on your spring count. Again, more spring is gonna give you more stability. Less spring is gonna be more difficult. Every time you replay this workout, it's gonna feel a little different. So wherever you're at today, trust me. That's a okay.

I'm just be I'm just happy to be working out together. Last two. And then bring it in all the way, roll down the spine transition. And let's gently rock ourselves up to change the springs, to change the footbar back to its middle position, Next up, we'll do arms and abs. I'm gonna work with two red springs.

You can do a red and a blue a little bit lighter for my neck and my shoulder people out there. And let's switch our loop down to the arches of our feet as we lay on our back. Headrest can go back up. Let's go. On your back, feet on the foot bar, go ahead, grab those handles above you, and let's begin with some arm circles So I want you to begin with those arms directly over your shoulders and legs up in tabletop.

Press against the loop. Press the right leg out into a single leg stretch. And let's make eight circles down, around, and up. Good. Soften the elbows. Try to maintain that single leg stretch position against that resistance loop, elbows are soft, down, around and up.

Good. Let's do two more, and then we'll switch the legs, and we'll switch directions at the top, hold at the top, keep the spring resistance, change legs. Arms go out, around, and over the shoulders up. Good. Make beautiful circles, but never let the carriage close all the way. Good. A little softening of the elbows again, reminding your body to keep long loose energy so we can distribute the burn evenly through the arms, the back shoulders. Let's make one more circle here.

As we go into our coordination. Both legs out, bend the elbows into the body for a tricep extension, curl up off the shoulders. You're gonna press the legs out one time, bend the knees. And lower down. I'm gonna scoot a little forward on this and not add the breaths. So you're going to inhale, hold the breath, open close the legs, bend the knees, exhale lower.

Inhale, hold, open close, bend the knees tabletop, reach into the springs, exhale slowly down, strong intention, inhale hold, reach, open close, bend and resist, resist, resist to come back up. Two more of these. Exhale. One last one for the road. Open close, bend, and then lower. Rest your feet, rest your arms for just a moment.

Let your knees rock from side to side. And that break is over. Let's put the resistance into the springs just with your hands right over your heart center. Both legs are gonna come up for a double straight leg stretch. Name of the game keeping the legs long.

And only lowering to your point of control, exhale lift. Be very honest here. The minute you feel those legs, start to pull you forward in your back. The party's over, so make sure the naval pulling into the spine, back ribs, tailbone stay anchored. I remember when my pilates instructor used to step on my stomach when I did this.

I'm not gonna do that to you today, but imagine, yes, that you've got pressure on your powerhouse, try to keep it engaged, bracing the spine, let's do this one more time. Down, down, down, lift up, up, up, up, up, up, up, pressing on that circle, pressing on that loop, whatever the heck it is, last one, and then bend your knees. You can go ahead and place those handles back onto the pegs, and let's scoot ourselves just a little forward for our crisscross. So both legs are going to stretch out, press against the loop, cradle the head, lift your chest, and only bend the right knee as you twist to the right, back to center. Stay on that right side.

Lift and twist and center, holding on to the nape of your neck, twist and center, keeping that left leg still easier said than done. Let's do four more, lift and twist opposite rip to knee, all the air out. Inhale. Two more. Oh, boy. This is tough.

One more time, hold it here and pulls that knee and the rib together, up and twist, up and twist. This is brutal, but effective, up and twist, up and twist. Let's go for eight. Let's go for six. Let's go for four, three, two. Oh my goodness.

Break is over. Other side. Both legs out to the 45. Cradle the head, lift your chest. And let's get this over with. Just kidding. Let's embrace every exercise opposite rib to knee.

So my right lower rib cage lifting to the knee, my right leg against the loop, some extra feedback to push into, that loop is a godsend, up and twist. At least that's what I'm telling myself right now. Up and twist. I'm definitely feeling my right side stabilize. Let's do one more and hold at the top.

Come on my little babies. I'm watching you lift and twist. Lift and twist. Pulse against that resistance loop. You can do this for eight For six, breathe for four, three, two, one.

Unbelievable. Let's rock ourselves up to celebrate. What better way to celebrate than with with some single arm work? You're gonna put the resistance loop back above the knees. Let's take the foot bar down so it's out of our way. And I'm changing to one red medium spring, whatever works for you at home, lay on your side, get into a fetal position, make sure your sits bones are to the back frame of the reformer, and make sure you're nice and comfortable.

So stacking the shoulders, stacking the hips. Let's go ahead, grab the loop with the arm. So we're gonna be working in opposition today. When the arm comes down to the hip, the top leg is bent. When the arm comes up, the leg is out.

Let's work. So it's either down, together, or reaching apart. So you want the arm in your periphery. So don't let that arm hang backwards. Rather, have it slightly in front. Again, the elbows a little soft. You should be feeling that left outer hip as you stretch the leg.

And then resist the loop to come back in. You're stretching away, and you're stretching together. Let's do that one more time. Great. Now keep that leg out, but sweep the arm forward, the leg backwards, and then reverse it. So the leg sweeps and the arm sweeps back.

Working in opposition, arm forward, leg back, leg forward, arm back. I always feel like posh spice from the Spice Girls when I do this move, reaching to the camera, whatever fantasy floats your boat. But we do want that long graceful reach reach reach in two directions, and then squeeze. Oh, my booty is on fire. Yours should be, too.

Come on. We got this one more time. On this last one, sweep forward and sweep back, hold it, bend the elbow, bend the knee, and extend. So when the elbow bends, the knee bends, Let's do this a few more times kicking out and bending in. Push and pull. Three more.

Last two. Last one, kick to me, kick to me, and place that handle back down, and rock yourself up to a seat. That same leg, that same left leg, is now gonna be working to the back. We are working every direction today. So get comfortable.

You can have your hands on the shoulder blocks. You can have your hands on the frame of the reformer. Whatever works for you, But give yourself a cat cow, extension, inflection, so you can find the spot right in the middle, that long, neutral spine that we keep aspiring to. Keep that as you kick that left leg and bend the knee, tap back in. So it's a push and a pull.

A push against the loop and a pull. Noticeing how the resistance loop differs to the springs of the reformer, but also how they're quite similar, always creating muscle confusion as the resistance is always changing. And our muscles are always growing stronger with every pilates anytime workout. Let's do four more, push and pull, and then, of course, we're gonna practice pressing it. Make sure that foot is flexed to to the back.

I want you to activate all the muscles in the back of the leg. On this last one, please straighten that leg in one line, micro bend and push push small little pulses. I'm telling you small movement. You just give that knee a little bend and you press back out. Is your heel flex? I hope so. Your foot flex.

You're pushing that heel back for four three. Hold it for the rainbow. Point the toe, Arabic gonna tap across at the frame, and you're gonna lift and tap out. So tap from one side to the next But try not to secure your hips, meaning I don't wanna see any belly dancing moves, at least not when we do this exercise. Up and over, after class. That's a whole another story. But up and over, let's do this three more times.

Can we make that rainbow a little bigger? But again, I don't wanna see you move your torso keep that corset on a beautiful, evenly distributed rainbow, and down. Now scoot back a little bit for fire hydrants for a true abduction, you're gonna lower on to the right forearm, bringing your thighs in alignment, long neck abs in, assert your shoulder down your back and bring that same left leg, Now you're bringing it to the side, which is abduction. Make sure your thighs are in alignment. You want to make sure your torso is long, that there's space between the ribs and the hips.

It's up, up, up, down, down, down, fire hydrants are not all created equal. You're gonna have to give me some quality fire hydrants here by lifting, lifting, lifting, lifting, and lowering, lowering, lowering, lowering, not just up, down. No. Up up up, down, down, down, on this last one, hold it at the top and little pulses up, up, up. How small?

That's up to you. But if you can get that knee higher than the ankle, not here, up here for six. For four, three, two, come to stand. Face me. I got you.

Lift that same left leg that we just worked up and down. Lift the arms with it. That feels good. Just give me five more. You're doing great.

Soften that standing leg, lift that leg straight out and straight in. Good. On the last one, hold it up. Small circles. Eight to the front, the size of a dime.

We got this. A little too much kombucha last night. Reverse it. Don't keep the balance. Look at one thing if it helps.

Shoulders back. Last one, hold it, hold it. If you're feeling good, let's see that relevate onto the toe, and come down, suit new, other side. Let's lay on our other side, bringing our back side to the back frame of the reformer, make sure you're stacking your shoulders, stacking your hips, feeling that left waistline, lift off the mat, Let the arm come down and when the arm comes up, the leg is gonna go out, out, out. So again, you're working in opposition.

When the leg is in, the arm is in, when the leg is out, the arm is out. Squeeze in. And squeeze out. I can't emphasize emphasize enough that back shoulder connection here, making sure that you don't let the springs pull you back. Keep everything slightly in front of you. Let's do this two more times and then we'll go into the sweeps.

Great. And now the sweep, leg long, palm back, reach the leg behind you the arm forward and then kick in front of you and sweep the arm back. Finding the two ways stretch from the fingertips to the toes and then tightening all the muscles down the midline of your body. Good. We'll do this a few more times. Breathing, lifting that left waistline. I would love to see that little mouse hole underneath your waist.

Yes. Sweep, sweep, sweep. Anybody else feeling the glutes about now? On this last one, hold the arm back, hold the leg forward. We're gonna bend both elbow and knee and kick both out.

It's bend and straight and squeeze that arm into your body like you're holding on to a newspaper, an Us Weekly wherever you get your news, bend and extend. Good. Just give me three more before we annihilate the glute from the back. Last one. Good. Sweep that arm back up. Place that loop back onto the handle, and let's come back to all fours for some kickbacks on that right side.

So I'm gonna give myself a well deserved cat cow once again. Just so I can find that sweet spot. I love the reformer because I have so many options where I can place my hands. It feels a little bit better than when I have my hands down on the mat. So shoulders down the back, abs in tight. Let's go straight back on that right leg I'm already feeling it from the side lying work, but now it's about the underside of your seats. So feel that hamstring glute connection.

Lift the back neck, always a reminder to look forward and to look down. Keeping yourself nice and even through this exercise, kick out, tap in, kick out, tap in two more And then with that flexed foot, with that leg out straight, I want you to hold it and give me those little baby presses, push out, push away. Push away. Good. A few more here, feeling the fire up and down the back chain of that right leg, but also focusing on the stability on your left side.

Plenty to think about four more, three, two rainbows, up and over tap, up and over tap. The reformer, a perfect distance to strive for as you work from side to side. Make a beautiful rainbow. Tap, but never at the expense of your form. You should be able to balance something on your low back should not have to spill up and over. Kombucha sounds nice about now.

Up and over. Tap, up and over. Down. Let's do two more. We'll settle in for the fire hydrant. Side two. Great. So scoot a little back so you can come down to the left forearm.

Lengthen your spine out as much as you can. You're gonna take that right leg up and down. And we talked about the movement quality here. I don't wanna see up, down, up, down. It's up up up up up down down down down down.

Just when the leg is about to touch the mat, it lives right back up. No breaks. Up time under tension. Lift. Lower.

When else can we truly isolate the abductor muscle? The fire hydrant, one of the best places to find it. Woof woof woof. Up, down. On this last one, hold it at the top, little pulses, lift up.

Oh my goodness. This burns. Keep the spine long. Stick that booty out. Pull up the low ribs. You can do this.

Let's go for eight. Holy moly. I gotta put out this fire. Go for four, three, Two oh my gosh. I swear I'm very dramatic, but this is not acting. Bring yourself up to stand.

Right side, point that toe out, bring the arms up with you. I'm just happy not to be doing a fire hydrant right now. I can do this. Lift and lower. Up up up with the arms, down, down, down. Check-in with your breath.

Balance, your center. We're finding the flow. On this last one, we're gonna hold it up and make those small circles to the front. How small Really small. The size of a dime, so small. I can't even see a move.

Reverse it. Eight. Say with me. Don't touch the floor. We've got this. Breathe, look down, find a spot on the floor for the Relay.

Come up onto the toe. You got this. I'm flying. I'm flying. And I'm grounded again. Amazing.

Let's do some middle splits, but let's take off the loop. Woop. Because we need these arms are asking for a little work, and this loop, multifunctional. I'm gonna show you how I'm gonna work with one red spring, and I and I'm gonna put the foot bar in its lowest position because that's just gonna give me a little extra assurance on my standing leg. So one red We're gonna come up to stand safely onto our standing middle split position, one foot on the standing platform.

You can take this foot about midcarriage or to your liking taking the loop against the arms against the wrists. When you push the carriage out, we're gonna bring the arms up overhead at the same time. So you're gonna push against the carriage as the arms come up overhead, careful not to shrug, and then inner outer thighs bring the carriage back in. Let's do that a few times. Up up, up, up, up, staying tall, try not to hinge forward, grow taller as you come out.

That was nice. As with every exercise, The body is recruiting the correct muscles, the proprioceptors, the stabilizers, give yourself a chance to settle in so you can find how the exercise can work for you. Let's do two more, and then we'll go into our repeater. Last one, bring yourself in. Great. Now, get low into a squat, row the arms in, and then as you row the arms out, you're going to straighten the outside leg, your right leg, pull it back in.

Let's work with some tempo here. It's out. And in. Push out row in. I'm feeling my shoulders right now, but then also feeling the inner outer thighs and my glutes. What an awesome way to start class with all that footwork and bridge I can really feel all the inner outer thighs, keeping me nice and low so I can crush this final standing series here. Let's do a few more.

In and out. Let's go for three, two, and we're going to finish with some skaters. Bring yourself up. Now you're going to bend the knee that's on the carriage push the carriage out, add that little twist over the leg, and bring yourself in. Let's put that into a flow. So it's out and reach, out, and twist.

You've gotta control that carriage. I was showing you what could happen. That was better, Dane. Let's do that four more times. Outwist.

Outreach. Last two. Three. Good. Last two. Oh, my shoulders are feeling this. Last one. And up.

Let's safely come off of the reformer, and let's take it to the other side. So again, that one red spring. Oh, just wanted to give my arms a shoulder roll. Forward him back. Safely come on to the standing platform, and then find the best spot where your toes, your feet are in alignment, and you can walk your foot out as much as you want.

What a beautiful day, what have you Let's knock outside two arms out in front shoulders down the back. Remember not to hinge on your middle splits, but bring the arms up overhead, and then bring the arms out in front. Good. Although one foot is on a movable carriage with one spring and one is on a standing platform, try to feel even through both legs. So you're really rooted. You try to create as much symmetry through your body.

Last few. Long sweep up. How high can you get the arms without shrugging the shoulders back. Good. Think of the chest expansion. Think of the other exercises that help us feel that connection. And then get those arms up a little bit higher, press out on that resistance loop.

Last one. Good. Now sit back for a squat, bend the elbows in for a row, and you're gonna push out and in on the carriage. Good. So stay in that consistent squat, feeling that burn in the standing leg. The carriages out the arms are out.

The carriages in the arms are in. Again, try to find some tempo here. Good. I want you I want you breaking a sweat here. Find the flow. We've got a few more before we attempt our skater, our twist, as a former figure skater, I'm expecting a lot out of you on this last one as your coach. And let's go for our twist. So you're gonna bend the knee on the carriage.

You're gonna twist away and then bring the carriage back in back to center. So we're putting all the moves together out with the arms reach away. Keep the carriage still. Easier said than done. Right? Out, twist over the leg.

Out, squeeze back together. Last few. Outreach. Out pull. Outreach.

Oh, that one felt great. Just takes a few. Okay. This one, everyone, our best one yet, the last one, the last thing the judges see I'll take it. Bringing yourself back in, safely come down off the reformer, and I've got some great news for you. This resistance loop that's given us so much burn, a, b, See, let's stretch on our back.

I'm changing to two red springs to medium, lay on your back and take the opposite loop to foot. So I'm taking the loop over my right shoulder and I'm placing it on the ball of my left foot for a well deserved figure four stretch. Take that right knee over the left foot over the right knee and then press that knee away. If you want more stretch I would take that foot to the ground, see if you can fish around at those springs safely. And then as they say in yoga, the Shavasana corpse pose enjoy that stretch.

We did so much amazing work, the footwork. Oh my gosh. We were so young at the start of class, the bridges, the side body arm work. The splits. Take that leg up or a hamstring stretch. Now make sure the knee is again a little soft.

Your hips are nice and squared, and this is the best part. We're taking that left leg across the right side of the body, but instead of twisting in the back, I want you to keep the back down and feel a good honest stretch with your hips down neutral. It shouldn't take very much to feel this. Or I need to know your secrets. Oh my goodness.

Take that leg out to the left. You can either hold on to the rope if that feels good. I just kinda let it lay passive. Namaste. Wakey, wakey. Let's do the other side.

Mindfully take off that loop make sure you put the loop over the right shoulder where you found it and we'll grab the other loop. Left shoulder loop to the right foot. Figured four you can either hold it in if this feels good here, of course it feels good, but if you want, you can take the foot all the way down, fish for the floor, and this allows you maybe to get a little more passive while still feeling that stretch. Enjoy the peace as you scan your body, sending loving messages for all the amazing work that you've done. Take that right leg up.

Take both hips nice and square. Right leg goes across the body, keeping that right hip pinned down. So again, I don't wanna see over twisting. It's not about that right now. It's about stretching all of those glute and hip muscles for making sure they have a moment to isolate. And if you're doing this correctly, you're not only feeling it up here, but you should be feeling it all through the back of the leg. Squaring off the foot, and you've got those springs to assist you.

So you don't have to stretch or try so hard. You can just accept and let it happen whatever needs be. Take that leg out to the right, make sure you're nice at 90 inter thighs stretch. We are free of the loop. It feels oh, so good, but we know that we'll be back.

That loop isn't going anywhere. Let's go ahead, take this one off, and let's check-in with each other on our feet. Gentle rock yourself up to the side. Let's come to stand, taking a moment to feel the energy through our bodies. I hope you feel different than when we started the workout. I know I sure do.

Take a deep breath, bring your hands to your heart center, and have a beautiful day. I'll see you next time.