Class #5115

Control and Precision

50 min - Class
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Description

With a focus on functional movement and bringing elements from the previous classes, you will develop your control and precision. Jamie Isaac teaches a Reformer class that will improve your body's ability to store and release energy to maximize your power and control. You will learn to move with finesse, flow, and powerful grace.
What You'll Need: Reformer w/Box

About This Video

Oct 04, 2022
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Transcript

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So in this workout, let's bring together all the elements of our athletic training, and bring them together to work on our precision and our control. And that's not just through the exercises, but let's see if we can get that precision and control through the transitions between as well. So, let's begin. We're stand next to our Reformer, I've got mine set on four springs, you might wanna go three, depends on what you prefer here but let's get this feeling good and work on that precision. So stand nice and tall.

We'll begin by just discovering some opposition. I want you to fold your arms, pressure thumbs into your elbows, elbows into your thumbs, heels together and lengthen up, and the goal here is to put your head up on the ceiling. But we're not gonna let our heels off the floor, we're gonna imagine they're glued down, so let's just keep reaching, I'm reaching the top of my head up, gluing my heels down, I'm trying to lift them, but they're not lifting and you should feel this connect here, and also this stretch that's happening through the body, this two-way stretch. Now let's allow the heels to peel off this time, keep pressing them together, lengthen all the way up, then leave the head up on the ceiling and reach the heels back down, don't just lower them, reach them all the way back down. And now we're nicely connected, let's lower ourselves down onto our carriage.

So with control, sitting down on the Reformer with minimal fuss, let's swing onto our back and have our feet ready on the foot bar in our Pilates stance. Arms down by your sides. Take a moment just to set your intention, I want us to keep focused and keep present throughout this workout. Let's begin just by pressing out, press all the way out and this is very similar to how we were just standing. Take a moment just to reach and stretch in both directions.

And then we bring the carriage in and we flow through the rest of the toes' footwork, pressing out. Let's do five more, lengthen out, and then draw the carriage back in. So the abs take us out, seat back in. All right, press our heels onto the foot bar now. We're wrapping like a bird on a perch here.

Thighs pressed together, let's push all the way out. Take that moment again just to feel that connection through the foot, abs drawing in and up and we're reaching our body this way, and in the opposite direction. Reach, reach, reach, and then bring the carriage home, and out. So that's abs taking you out, the seat and the abs drawing you back in. (Jamie breathing deeply) Let's do three more.

How long can you make your body? All the way in. Now bring your heels onto the foot bar and I love the heels one, because this, as we press out, you can really feel whether there's any imbalance, is one side pushing more than the other? Take that moment just to balance it up. Reach the body long and pull your toes back as well, especially as we bring the carriage home, and press out all the way out, all the way home.

(Jamie breathing deeply) Reaching out, drawing the carriage back, working in both directions. Working out, working home. Three more. (Jamie breathing deeply) Last one, press out, bring it back, onto the balls of our feet for tendon stretch let's press out long, as we lower, lower, lower, and lift, lift, lift. And don't just relax into this one, it's very tempting just to allow the movement to just happen for us, so I want us to take control.

I want you to draw your navel inwards and upwards, press your shoulders down, reach in opposition. Stay active through even this stretching exercise. How high can you lift up? And how long can you be as you draw the heels back through? (Jamie breathing deeply) Let's do three more.

Reach the heels, lengthen away. Last one, take a really deep stretch here, and then bend your knees, bring your carriage all the way home. Now let's lower our foot bar, ready for our Hundred. So I'm lowering mine with my feet, you might wanna sit up and do this. If you're sitting up, make sure that you're doing it with precision and control, and as much awareness as possible.

All right, legs long, away from the body, arms to the ceiling, let's rediscover that opposition for our Hundred. So your abs are scooping in and up, shoulders are connected, and let's come up into our Hundred position, I'm a little away from the shoulder pads now, here we go, reaching up, and let's pump our arms strong, big inhale, big exhale. Reach the legs, scoop the abs. Bringing the nose towards the navel, I'm looking into the navel. Good vigorous pumps, trying to keep the carriage as still as possible, by reaching really strong into the handles.

(Jamie breathing deeply) Let's keep those arms pumping, keep the body strong and long. And if you need to bring the legs back in at all, just to keep that control, then that's an open invite at any stage of this workout. Last one. (Jamie breathing deeply) Let's bend the knees in, bring the arms up and lower the head. Now we're gonna change the springs, ready for Short Spine, so handles into one hand, I'm just straighten my legs once again, if you need to do this with bent legs just to keep that control, then do so.

This is the transition, let's make the transitions count as well. Reach down, do two springs, lowering onto my back again. All right, now, I'm looping the loops. If you've got ropes and loops, then you want to put your feet if you can, into the short straps, and can you do so without moving the carriage? It means we've gotta connect and lift the hips, here we go.

So feet into the loops, and we're ready for our Short Spine. Stay connected as we work through this, reach out, lift up, bring the carriage in, let's bring the knees down and lower with control. Feel all of the spine getting its moment as it lowers back down. Lifting up. (Jamie breathing deeply) Just staying strong, well connected, and then that connection from the center allows us to control our limbs, control the movement, through the entire body, which brings that efficiency, that element of control.

Let's do one more, and then we're transitioning into Coordination, so let's lift up, and let's do this well, let's be precise with this. Bend the knees, take the hands into your handles or your longer loops and this is where we're gonna slip the feet out, and come up ready for Coordination. Let's take a big inhale as we stretch out, reach out, (inhales) stay out there, reach, take the legs wide, and then bring them in. Reach with the fingers and bring them back. And again, inhale out (inhales), wide together.

Reach the nose to the knees. Let's do two more. Inhale out (inhales), and last one. (Jamie breathing deeply) And then bend the elbows, lower the head. I'm moving my seat back 'cause I'm a little long on the carriage, but hopefully legs are straight, and we're ready to move into Rowing.

So let's Teaser up, through the transition, and reach the legs through the shoulder blocks, down to just one spring now. So let's go over the full choreography of Rowing, but moving through range of movement that helps you keep control, so we're keeping those elements. Scoop your abs, let's draw that in, and stay connected through the shoulders, as we enjoy this first stretch. And then reach out, up, and fold. Let's flow into the next one.

(Jamie breathing deeply) And fold in, let's do one more (inhales). Scoop your abs, reach your legs away in opposition, whatever position we're in, we're still looking to reach in two ways, two way stretch, and fold. Ready for 90 degrees, so changing the legs. And bring the arms up to 90. Lifting tall, up through the spine, lift the spine a little taller, a little more seat.

How much can you give? How much height can you give? And then let's take that shape back. Reach up, up, up, up, as we fold over the legs and repeat the Row, once again, moving through whatever range of movement is available to you. And that can change from day to day, or even just from repetition to repetition, so tune into your body and work with what you have available.

(Jamie breathing deeply) Last one, lift up tall, reach back, can we go a little further this time? Push the arms a little higher. Reach up as tall as you can with the whole of the body, fold. Let's take that Row, that feels great. And then take that fold at the end.

All right, let's place the handles onto the pegs and spin ourselves around. Now for the next Two Rowing, I like to add an extra spring so it gives me that resistance, but if you wanna stay working with the one spring and that's enough for you, that's fine too. Just whatever allows you to access the movement and connect. Here we go. Reaching up, reaching down, and then lift tall.

How tall can you lift up, up? And then let's try and touch the sides of the room. Let's do another one of those, sit as tall as you can, reach out. And the head is reaching up, as the arms touch the mat, and then lengthening up with those fingertips, reach. And then can you reach out, out, out?

Ringing every last part of the exercise out of it. Let's do one more, down, lift, out to the sides, and now to flex the feet, reaching down into the springs. So Rowing Four, here we go. Reach down towards the springs, lifting up, bring the body up, then the arms, and then reaching wide again. Let's repeat.

Down the seams of the trousers, into the springs with the fingers, and then bring the body up first, then the arms, and then reaching wide. Let's do one more and this time, see if you can work through that same movement and bring the arms with the body. So let's reach down, scoop in the abs. Rolling up, take the arms with you this time. Reach higher, even higher, squeeze the juice out.

Reaching wide, very nice, all right. Crossing the legs now. And I'm coming back down to one spring, for the Shave. All right, lifting your arms forwards, upwards, thumbs and fingers together, and let's flow through this, staying as connected as we can, as precise as we can with those movements, so the elbows are wide, so that the back body is doing the work. Two more.

And then reach the arms wide, and change the legs so that we can sit legs crossed in the other way right now, I'm gripping the handles as a fist, showing that intention, I'm gonna try if I can for a Hug A Tree, to bring my knuckles together. Inhaling out, exhale in. Inhale out, let's stay with that breath pattern. Feel strong, feel connected, and able to move the arms freely, because the center is stabilizing and connecting and making that movement feel stronger. One more.

And then take the arms wide, let's put the handles back on the pegs, and step off for some long box. So once again, I'm picking up the long box, gonna place it on the Reformer. Stay connected, stay precision. It's still part of the workout, everything that we do. (Jamie breathing deeply) All right, I'm gonna add a spring here, and do some Hamstring Curls.

So, thread the loops through. And this one, there's numerous ways of getting into this, this is the way that I'm using, use whichever one feels most safe to you. So I'll place my foot through and put that onto the floor. Place my other foot through and place that on the frame. And lower onto my tummy, lifting the other foot up.

And then this is the fun bit, can we bring the legs around without losing the straps? All right, I'm gonna hug the box, press the thighs together, reach my head in the opposite way, and then bring my heels to my seat, and repeat. (Jamie breathing deeply) And two more. (Jamie breathing deeply) And one. That feels great just to let those slip off the feet and bring the foot bar up.

Take off one spring. Ready for Swan, so let's press out. Lift the head, the chest, the shoulders, bring the eyes, the gaze comes up the wall. And then as we press back out, it's the last thing to come down. And again, lifting up, inhaling, drawing the shoulders back, and lengthen to return back out, straight as we can, last one, let's come all the way up (inhales).

And then leave the eyes to the very, very end, as we return, bend the elbows, coming all the way in. Let's step off the box again, once again, with control and awareness to our movement. Lowering the foot bar, ready for Pulling Straps. So making sure that my handles are within my reach, and lowering onto my tummy. Now, once again with this exercise, I like to choke up quite a way, but it makes the exercise harder.

So if you wanna bring your hands down and give yourself, you know, the opportunity to do this exercise with quality and success, then do so. There's no rules on where your hands go, just make it work for you. Here we go, reaching the body long, pull the arms to the hips, lift the head, the chest, the shoulders, and then lengthen as we return back. Let's repeat. Pull the arms, lift the head, the chest, the shoulders, stay lifted now as we bring the arms back.

And let's do three more. (Jamie breathing deeply) Two more. (Jamie breathing deeply) Last one, pull the arms from the back of the body, and return back down. All right, all the way through that movement from the very end, we're staying in control. Let's take the hands down the straps now for Pulling Straps Two.

Pull the arms, lift the head, chest, shoulders, and fly up and over, reach the body longer, longer still (exhales). Three more. (Jamie breathing deeply) Last two, keep long, keep strong. (Jamie breathing deeply) All the way back in, ready for backstroke. So take the handles in one hand, and step off to that side.

Let's add a second spring. And bring ourselves to sit on top of our box. You can move your seat forward 'cause that makes the exercise a little easier, a little more connected, and then lower with control onto your back. Let's make ourselves into a strong tight ball as we reach the arms up, out, and then reach them away, stretch them away. And resist as you come back in, so you're working the whole time, don't let the springs dictate how the movement goes, you be the spring that's in control.

Let's go up, out, and around and reach, reach. Okay, we ready to reverse it now, let's come down the center, out, up, in, and again, down through the center, reach it, out, up, and center, last time. (Jamie breathing deeply) And center. Bring that into that ball shape, nicely done. All right, gonna move my seat back a little, so that I can transition again, ready for my Teaser, so I'm down to one spring, lower onto my back, and readjust so you can get yourself in the right position for this.

Make sure your seat is safely on the box, feel your body long again. Now we're a little stretched out here, but you can still connect, still find that control, bring your chin to your chest and press into the handles, we'll do four of these, and I want this to be about, how the hand strikes into the handle. Can you get the hold of the hand, horizontally holding the handles out, and then resist, press into the handles as you come back? Let's go straight back up for three. (Jamie breathing deeply) Reach. And return.

(Jamie breathing deeply) Two more. Reaching up, lift those handles, press into them, even as we come back down. Last one, we're almost there. (Jamie breathing deeply) Reach. Press the handles. Abs deep.

Lower ourselves back and take a well deserved stretch here. Reach the arms back, and then we'll roll up to sit, ready for our Short Box series. So with control again, add a spring, turning the box around, and let's go get the bar. (Jamie breathing deeply) So I'm gonna fish out and hook out my foot straps. Step on in.

And then place the bar down on the carriage. Now, I've heard it said that Joe Pilates really didn't like the sound of the strap, and it would quite irritate him, so let's pay homage to him and see if we can keep the strap as quiet as possible throughout the whole of this Short Box series. All right, so I'm gonna press my feet into it, pull my toes back, fist on the navel, rounding up and over. Let's take the first one back, press out through the heels, rounding up, rounding over. Take it a little deeper this time.

Rounding up and over. (Jamie breathing deeply) Little deeper still. Chin to chest to come up. Two more. (Jamie breathing deeply) And on this last one, if you feel that it's available to you, let's take a stretch.

And just reaching back, open the front body, now we've come all the way back, that feels great, but we still gotta come up, so strong abs, seat working, all the way up to sit. Did you keep your strap quiet? If you did, well done. All right, let's take the bar. Keep that control as we lift it up above our head.

And we don't have to make big movements here, big range of movement, it's all about control, so lots of seat, press the heels away, hinge them back, and lift. Up, back, and then lift to return. And again. (Jamie breathing deeply) Two more. Keep reaching, all the way in opposition through the heels, through the fingertips.

And sitting tall, slight hinge forward for Side To Side. Now I'm gonna change my hand grip on the bar, and just reach, feel that stretch, as I'm anchoring down through the opposite hip and the opposite sit bone. Let's reach to the other side. (Jamie breathing deeply) One more in each direction, reach it over, stretch it out, and the other side. Anchor in as we reach.

And now sit tall, let's twist and reach. So abs deep, lots of seat, twist, look to the back corner of the Reformer, coming up, we go to the other side. (Jamie breathing deeply) Lifting tall at the top, and can you keep the control in the exercise even at this top end of the exercise? So we're working through the entirety of it. One more each way.

Lift and twist and reach. And coming all the way up. Let's put that bar down now, that's some of the toughest stuff we do. How did you go with your foot strap? For tree, it's a different story.

It's a little tougher to keep it quiet, so let's keep the focus on the exercise and see what happens with the foot straps, so we're gonna sit tall, straighten and bend the leg, three times. Now walk the hands up to your ankle, abs deep, and let's rock just once here. So we're rounding back, and we can begin to climb our tree. One, two, three, can you keep it vertical as you come back up? And again.

Coming back up, let's go all the way back this time. And indulge in a stretch if that's available to you. Coming all the way up, take a stretch here, now bend your knee, hands over the toes, sit forward, make this about the spine as much as it's about stretching the leg, and just reach, lift the heart forwards. If you can fold even closer, then do so, but we're aiming to put the nose on the shin rather than on the knee. So just stretch looking forwards.

(Jamie breathing deeply) All right, now take the opposite hand to the outside of the foot, or outside of the ankle if that's more available. And we'll just take that stretch across the body, just to get into that hip complex, IT band, and just give that a little release. (Jamie breathing deeply) All right, let's change legs. You can immediately feel the difference through both sides of the body. Let's do the same on the the other side, so sit tall, straight and then bend, three times.

Now walk the hands to the ankle, rock just the once. And let's climb down our tree, make your tree strong, make it a good, strong, well planted tree. Climbing up, a little deeper this time. And then on the third one, if you want, you can take a stretch. It's an invite to do so.

(Jamie breathing deeply) Take a moment here, before we climb back up. And we enjoy or endure, whichever one relates to you, through the rest of the stretches. So sitting forward, sometimes it's different on different days, so let's just stretch. And then bring in the nose a little closer, towards the shins. (Jamie breathing deeply) And then taking the opposite hand to the outside of the foot, holding the handle, and just pull that across the body almost towards the opposite shoulder.

You'll feel this, let's call it a glorious stretch down the side of the body, down the side of the leg, and into the hip and seat. (Jamie breathing deeply) Very nice, all right. So Side Sit Ups. Let's turn and face the side, have your leg over or have your leg hooked, whatever works best for you here to sustain this length and opposition, reaching strong through this leg, out through the top of the head, let's do five. Here we go, down full range of movement.

Lengthening to come up. Two more. (Jamie breathing deeply) And then the best bit comes now 'cause we get to stretch. Reach your hand down to the floor, stretch your arm over, we get this beautiful Rainbow stretch, but stay connected as we're stretching. And then my favorite stretch in the whole Pilates world as we rotate here and get that QL a little bit of a stretch as well.

Okay, so now we've had that glorious stretch, the challenge now is you can come up however you want, but if you want to try and work with me, we're gonna bring it up with control, hands behind the back of the head, and then come up using the whole body to come all the way up. Let's turn and do the other side. So changing the foot position, I like to hook my foot and drive it forward. And we're keeping this top leg as straight as possible. Let's find that length in opposition as we move through the biggest range of movement we have available to us.

(Jamie breathing deeply) Two more. (Jamie breathing deeply) And then the good stuff that lies ahead, it's the stretching, it's what we all really come for all right, there's that Rainbow stretch, and then just rotate, and you can pull on the frame, increase the stretch. (Jamie breathing deeply) And then we're ready to come up with control. And that's the Short Box done. So let's step off to the side, and we're moving now into our Long Stretch series, so work with me with this.

See if you can stay centered and controlled as we move the apparatus away and clear ourselves ready for Long Stretch. So picking up the sticky pad, foot bar comes up. I'm already on two springs. Let's pick up the box, the bar, sticky pad on, headrest halfway up. And then everything returns to the end of the Reformer.

So that's part of the workout as well. All right, can you get on for long stretch keeping the carriage quiet? So that's a challenge in itself. So we have to almost think of long stretch as a Pilates Plank. Can you find that Plank before you're even bearing weight on the on the Reformer?

So one hand, one foot, and I'm already thinking about my Plank position. And let's see if we can get on quietly without the carriage moving. Now find that length in the body, reach as long in opposition as you can, so heals away, head in the opposite direction as we press out, and then draw the carriage back in. And the abs should work really strong to close the carriage, just press out. Let's do four more, with a little more flow.

Bring it in. So even as you're coming back in, you're still pressing the heels away, activating the back body. (Jamie breathing deeply) Let's say two more. (Jamie breathing deeply) Draw that all the way in, keep that same control as we lower for Down Stretch. Hips forward, lift your heart, shoulders draw back, let's press back, and lift to bring the carriage home.

And again, get that stretch through the front of the body, one more time. And we flow into our Up Stretch without, well, keeping the carriage as quiet as we can. Lifting the hips, rounding the upper body, press the carriage out, resist the carriage as it comes home. And again, press it out. Resist, press the heels in opposition, press it out again.

Every part of the body is working. Let's do two more here. Pressing the heels into the shoulder blocks to resist it coming back in the last time now. And then bring the carriage, all the way home. And we're ready to step into our Elephant.

Round your back, reconnect with the abs and lift the toes, here we go. Pressing back, drawing it the carriage back in. Doesn't have to be a big range of movement here, just a controlled movement. (Jamie breathing deeply) Let's do one more, and then challenge this on one leg for Arabesque Two. So bring one leg through the center, we're still thinking about that Plank position even though we're here.

How strong can we be? The whole body working, that full body integration. Changing legs. (Jamie breathing deeply) One more to do. (Jamie breathing deeply) And then let's step down to the floor, ready for Long Back Stretch.

So for this one, the same thing, we're gonna step on with as much control as possible. And then you have an invitation, you can join me for the full movement, or you can just hold this position, whatever feels like the right challenge for you to keep and maintain the control. So bend the elbows, let's press out, press the heels away as we bring the carriage back. And again, pressing out with the seat through the heels. (Jamie breathing deeply) And let's reverse the movement.

(Jamie breathing deeply) Everything getting its moment of work. The entire body all working together, last one, press it out, bring it in. And of course for fun, we're gonna do those three tricep dips. (Jamie breathing deeply) Last one. And then stepping down carefully to the side of the Reformer.

Now, stomach massage, I'm not gonna lie, it's not one of my favorites, it's not everyone's favorite exercise, but we still have to do it. So place your sticky pad where you can to allow yourself to access this exercise. So for me, I'm just giving myself a little bit of room. And then this way I can focus on the exercise rather than being uncomfortable and compromised. So abs in and up.

Let's press out, let's stay connected through the entire body. Even though, we're in this rounded position, (Jamie breathing deeply) we're still working in opposition, pressing out through the heels and through the top of the head. (Jamie breathing deeply) All the way out, and bringing it all the way in. (Jamie breathing deeply) Let's do two more. (Jamie breathing deeply) And then bring the carriage home, hands come back to the shoulder blocks, open the heart here, lift the spine.

Same exercise, different spine position. (Jamie breathing deeply) Make this about the muscles of the torso lifting the spine tall, rather than just blocking yourself out with the arms. So soft in the elbows. (Jamie breathing deeply) Two more to do. Feel that shoulder stretch as well.

Last one, come all the way in, let's take off one more spring, so we're down to just two springs now. Lift the arms forward, sit as tall as you can, you keep reaching, reaching, reaching, let's press out and back for two. One more, here it is. Now add the twist. Press out, lift tall as we twist, reach higher as we return.

Lifting tall, reaching high. And again. And up, one more on the other side. Bring it all the way in. And then step down to the side of the Reformer.

Ready for Tendon Stretch. So still on the two springs. Place the sticky pad to the end of the carriage. And stepping up and on. Be careful as you get on, the range of movement doesn't have to be big again, it's all about just keeping that control.

Scoop your abs, it's almost like we've reversed our Elephant position now, press the heels, and draw the carriage back in. And again, press the heels, and then lift the abs to bring it back in. I'm not moving a large way, a big distance, but I'm trying to keep as controlled as possible. And then stepping down onto the floor. Okay, we're ready for semi-circle.

So lower your foot bar, and onto your back. (Jamie breathing deeply) Now in one movement, keep this as precise as possible. Let's see if we can press ourselves all the way out, and reach into the arms, lift the heels, and let's just move, let's see how we can flow through this. Lifting the hips, stretching the spine, mobilizing the back, but also getting that lovely stretch through the front body, and lifting the hips, let's reverse it. So we're pressing out, lowering down, and lifting the seat up.

Let's do two more. (Jamie breathing deeply) All the way in. And now bring yourself halfway up the carriage, take hold of the ankles and have a little moment to stretch. Maybe even just moving from side to side, adds a little difference to that stretch. And then draw yourself, pull yourself all the way in, and bring the knees in just to counter stretch.

All right, stepping up now. Okay, so from here, into Chest Expansion. So we stay with our two springs, and bring ourselves onto our knees. I wanna hook my toes, so I'm feeling really strong, once again, reminding ourselves about that precision and control. Inhale, let's look, and look, and center, and resist the carriage as it comes back here.

Don't just let the springs, pull you back. You are in control. Everything working now for this last one. (Jamie breathing deeply) And exhale as we come back. Let's add a thigh stretch.

So I'm adding a spring, bringing my knees up to the shoulder blocks now. And I wanna continue that challenge by holding in the same place, but making sure I only go back as far as I can, whilst maintaining, yep, you guessed it, control and some precision. So let's lengthen back. Lengthening the body in opposition. Lift the arms, and then return.

Let's repeat that. Lengthening back, let the seat lead rather than the shoulder blades. (Jamie breathing deeply) We'll do one more, with the seat leading, abs scooping, body lengthening, feel that in the quads, and lifting up. Now on this last one, let's let the shoulder blades just take a little moment as well. So we start with the seat leading, and then let the shoulder blades lead, just arch back where you can, chin the chest, and bring it all the way back up.

Handles onto the pegs as we turn around for some kneeling arms. Now, bring your spring tension down, so I'm just going to just one spring. It's arm work, it's shoulder work, so choose whatever works best for you. It's light, so don't go diving straight into the spring well, let's lift forwards as we kneel up. And as we did in the Teaser, let's move the arms but stay focused on where the hand, is in relation to the handle.

Making sure the handles across the hole of the palm. So you might wanna really push a little more with your little fingers and feel the work even deeper. Let's do one more of these, (Jamie breathing deeply) And then bring that into arm circles, all the way around, lifting up, out and around, moving through a range of movement that you can keep control. It might be a small range, it doesn't matter. Let's reverse them.

(Jamie breathing deeply) Bringing that back. Whole body working to stabilize and mobilize. One more circle in this direction. Reach into the handles and return back to sit on your heels. (Jamie breathing deeply) Okay, I'm gonna add the extenders onto my handles now.

Let's do this as quickly and carefully as possible. Ready for some Frogs and Leg Circles that are coming up. Let's do the other one. Once again, staying present, this is all still part of the workout. (Jamie breathing deeply) And I'm lowering my headrest, ready for Cork Screw.

So with control, lowering to my seat, add in a spring. So I'm onto two springs, onto my back. And take a hold of the carriage, you can hold the the the pegs, the back of the shoulder blocks, even the carriage itself, legs up to the ceiling, let's take them to the right, down and around to the left up, and lift, and lower, resist as you lower to the other side. Round and lift. And as you lower, just resist like someone's pushing on your feet.

Let's go again, down around. And lift. To the left. And lift, one more time, to the right. Just moving through a range that you can control.

(Jamie breathing deeply) Resisting all the way back down, bend the knees, lift the headrest, and we're ready for Frogs and Leg Circles. Can you put your feet into the straps without moving the carriage again? And then bring yourself down, ready to go. So take a moment just to reset 'cause we don't wanna throw this exercise away. Connect, so as we reach the legs out, we stretch the head away in opposition.

And let's flow, with four more. (Jamie breathing deeply) Two more. And on this last one, let's stay out for leg circles. Go as big as you dare, but make sure the rest of the body is quiet. Just the femur moving in the hip joint.

(Jamie breathing deeply) Two more. (Jamie breathing deeply) And reverse, going through that same maximum range, while sustaining that control. Let's get two more done. Reaching the legs long. Last one.

(Jamie breathing deeply) And then bend your knees, and we're just gonna drop those straps into the well behind us. Ready for our knee stretches. So foot bar picks up, and very carefully, kneeling on the carriage, ready for round back. So take your seat back, curving up. Now I wanna say this about the knee stretches, let's not get too hung up with precision and control here.

Let's just let the actual essence of the movement, which is this dynamic, athletic movement, just take precedent, okay? So don't worry too much about quality control as we move through this exercise. (Jamie breathing deeply) One more, and then go straight into arch back or flat back, press it out and in. Out and home. Work the abs, work the legs.

(Jamie breathing deeply) Last one, bring it in. Now we're ready for knees off. Abs deep, hover the knees and let's go, out and pull it home. Accent on the in, let's really bring that carriage in. Stay round, stay strong.

Two more. And then keep the knees off as we step down carefully to the floor. Ready for Running. So once again, lower ourselves down to the seat and then onto our backs. Two springs, arms by your side, press out.

Once again, this is one of those exercises that we can tend to throw away or just relax through. But I want you to stay connected and still working in opposition. (Jamie breathing deeply) Feel the stretch, but be in control of the stretch. One more on each leg. And then bring the carriage in for Pelvic Lifts.

So place the feet wide on the arches, lift the hips, and let's press all the way out, draw it all the way home. All the way out, all the way home. (Jamie breathing deeply) Keep those hips lifted. Abs scooping fiercely. (Jamie breathing deeply) Two more.

And on this last one, bring the carriage all the way in, no excuses, just keep it in there. Keep it there, as very carefully we lower down through each vertebra back to the mat. And then let's step off to the side of the Reformer. Okay. So ready for some splits and lunges. So we'll start with side splits.

I'm coming down to one spring for this, adding a sticky pad on the carriage, and a sticky pad on the frame. I'm very carefully gonna step up onto the carriage. Step onto the frame, once I'm secure there, let's heel toe out to the sticky pad. Arms out to the side. Now keep that carriage drawing in, let's press out.

Hold, draw it in, and hold. And again, pressing out, and hold, draw in, and hold, one more time. Press it out, really stretch it out this time, zip up to bring it back in, and hold. Heel toe back to the middle of the carriage. Carefully both feet onto the carriage as we turn around to repeat on the other side.

Heel toe my foot out, and connect. My adductors working strong to close the carriage. Here we go, we press out. Hold, draw it in, hold it in. And again, press out, hold, draw it in.

Hold it in, last time. Hold, bring it in, and hold that in. All right, let's step down very carefully onto the floor. Ready for our Front Splits and Lunges. Adding a second spring for me now.

And placing the sticky pad on the headrest. Very carefully step up, and place one foot on the foot bar. Now try and resist the want to jump back here, let's heel toe it back. That's the control that we're showing, keeping the carriage quiet. And let's press out for three.

Draw it in. Keep the hips square, as you can. One more time. Bring it all the way in. Now bring the arms up, behind the back of the head.

Let's see if we can make the front leg do the work this time, strong through the back leg, front leg straightens, and bends, lifting your chest tall. (Jamie breathing deeply) Once more. And in, now reach up, roll down. Bring the knee to the carriage, for our Lunges. Here we go, let's press back.

And draw the carriage back in. So we press back, straightening that back leg and try and keep it as straight as you can, as you bring the carriage back in last time. Resist it back in. And let's take a stretch here. Ready to repeat all on the other side.

Change the feet on the foot bar. And then heel toe your foot back, pressing through the outside edge of that foot. Here we go, straight and then pressing back. Draw the carriage back in. And again, pressing back.

Draw the carriage back in, it's like you're resisting that carriage every time it comes back. Resist it from closing. Now find your balance, coming up, bring the hands behind the back of the head. Straighten the front leg, and bring it back in. Two more.

(Jamie breathing deeply) Last one. (Jamie breathing deeply) Arms lift up, down to the foot bar, and we're ready for our final stretches here. (Jamie breathing deeply) Resist the carriage back in. Two more to do. Just enjoy that stretch, it's really a great way to bring the workout to a close, last time.

Draw it all the way in, lift your heart, lift your arm, take a deep breath in. And then with that same control and precision that you showed through the workout, return to stand next your Reformer. And let's keep that control and precision going throughout the rest of our day.

Comments

1 person likes this.
Awesome class 🙏🏻
Thank you Lisa OToole 
1 person likes this.
Great presentation of classical movement. I’m sure Joe Pilates would give you a thumbs up👍
1 person likes this.
A great class. I so needed to work on transitions. Thank you James.
1 person likes this.
Nothing beats the classical routine. Loved the clear and simple cueing. Big inspiration! 
1 person likes this.
Awsome class! Thank You! 
1 person likes this.
Wonderful to watch the basics transition smoothly. Thank you!
Gloria A Wow! Thank you for such a kind comment. I'm seriously blushing right now!
Mandy N Yes! Transitions are so important. Thank you for working out with me.
June L Thank you! We are so blessed to have Joe's work to keep us inspired and motivated. Good skills working out with me 👏
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