Ha Ha Heather - I see you are now competing with the guys... I love powerful women!

Just a question for the classically trained guys (I'm Polestar and BASI). Overhead (as I understand) is the 3rd exercise in the classical advanced order. Would there normally be a mat warm up first before a reformer session? Seems quite a harsh exercise to take so early with the body still warming up (especially in variations when the toes reach back for the floor or reformer frame) Does anybody know why overhead (and rollover in the mat) are placed as exercise 3. It seems Joe really liked this (by having both rollover and overhead both placed 3rd) and I understand he agonised over the exercise order. My studio manager who is peak trained, has advised there is always a mat class first before the advanced reformer, but is this true?

Great question David Sterry ,
I cannot answer your specific questions due to this:
In my opinion, no one really knows what Joe set up - my teacher Romana told us he was always experimenting with new inventions and creating material to solve challenges with clients.
tWhat we hear is word of mouth stories, and I have heard many contradictory stories from different sources.
The fact that he agonized over the order is a first for me.

I also know bodies today have different stress levels ( in those days people did not sit in front of computers all day long). So although we hold the torch for a tradition of exercise there is a place where the discretion and art of teaching comes in for each teacher.

I studied with Romana and we never did mat first, before advanced reformer - advanced reformer was its own workout.

I personally like doing over head early on in my practice ( as I am advanced) and so do my students, as it opens up their backs and gets the hips activated. Up to intermediate level it is short spine as the third exercise, so beginner bodies need to have the back decompressed and mobility restored , but by the time advanced level is being done, the above has been achieved. all this, within the modification of "every body is different and some advanced people may skip over head so soon in their practice ". These are my comments. Thank you for posting this question

Dear Niedra Gabriel . Thanks so much for taking the time to reply and for sharing your knowledge with us. I must admit, I personally love the feeling of doing either short spine or overhead after the hundred on the reformer. For me it feels wonderful. I note the clarification for overhead on this being for advanced mobile bodies. I've seen other people teach rollover (mat) where poor necks and T spines are horribly compressed as back compression (as opposed to open backs and hip flexion) are used to get feet to floor.

Got to say I love, love, love this class. Being a guy, with the fold the arms mount to the reformer and the constant ballerina links, I shunned away from Classical Pilates. I was very happy staying in the BASI/Polestar world, but this class really inspired me - having taken this class countless times (and also your back extension workshop) I'm so happy to know have found an approach that now takes inspiration from all fields of movement. Thank you so much for being the catalyst for opening my eyes. I really am truly grateful. David.

Thank you David Sterry , you make me smile. I agree that sometimes teachers get so involved with choreographic details they miss the point ( sitting down with crossed arms being discussed when the point is, use only your legs when you sit down and stand up if you want to be strong and capable). You would enjoy some of the old videos of Joe exercising in the woods, sitting down and standing up, over and over, and doing single leg squats!
No ballerina stuff here! More like cross fit really.
Ulitmately, to me, we are developing and training the body to be fit, strong and symmetrical, so we do not injure and we can get on with living an active life .
glad you enjoyed this workout.

great workout but i found it very stressful watching it

Thankyou ming , what made you feel stressed while watching? just curious...

Wow! Micah was an outstanding example of whole body strength and precision! Thank you