Class #1539

Full-Body Arm Chair

50 min - Class
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Kathryn Ross-Nash teaches a full-body workout on a Gratz Arm Chair with emphasis on the arms. She believes that the Arm Chair is a wonderful apparatus to teach the body the correct way to lift and elongate, as well to find separation between the hips and ribs, lengthening the spine. In Kathryn's words, "get ready to suffer!"
What You'll Need: Arm Chair

About This Video

Mar 18, 2014
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Hi, I'm Kathy Ross Nash here for polarities. Any anytime with Ms Colleen, we're going to do the growths. Baby chair workout today. There's lots of different variations and lots of different exercises you can do on this chair, so we're going to do a workout that incorporates a lot of different things in parts of the body and makes you suffer. So a little bit about the baby chair is the mother to the Pedo Pole.

Rumor has it, years ago there was a pedal with a bicycle seat on it and you would do the baby chair exercises on that bicycle seat. I never worked on it, but that's what the rumor is. This teaches you the correct way to lift any long gate when you're doing Joe [inaudible] work as opposed to compressing down. If you can press, then the chair, baby chair will not move forward or remain forward. It makes you lift and engage the two way stretch learning to separate your hips and your ribs and to keep your spine nice and long and create as much space in the spine as possible. Are you ready to suffer a little bit? Yeah. Okay. She's very kind to be doing this. Okay? So first thing you're going to do is hold the handles. Now if you want strength, which is what I want you to work on today, you're going to do fists.

If we're working on stretch, I'll have you elongate your fingers. So the first thing I want you to do is you're going to line up your arms, shoulder height. Perfect. Make sure the elbows are nice and even pull your stomach in and up against the chair. Separate your knees and press the souls of your feet together like you would in the seal. Very important. This engagement, keep the heels pressing solidly against here and the outer edge of the foot reaching. Now without engaging the spring, lean forward. Just round down, round down. I want you to get your tailbone down. So one thing I want you to watch is talking, right?

You want to drop the pubic bone straight down, roll up the chair, and Elongate your spine as if you're doing the wall all the way up. Notice the curve of this chair. It's on an angle, so your sit bones and your pubic bone. Can both reach down, even though they actually sit like this in you, you can really get the tactile feedback of them lengthening down as a two, right? So I want you to do, think about that instead of bearing down, lengthening pubic bone, tailbone, both go down deep into the chair. Good. Elongate the entire spine. Pull your stomach up and in and stretch both arms out in line with the shoulders. Grow tall and bend your elbows back. Go the same path you went. Good. Nice straight wrists. Stretch out.

Good. Pull the stomach in. Soft elbows and one more time. Stretch out and bend all the way in. Get ready to suffer. Stretch out and bring the baby chair back forward. Keep your back on that chair. Hold it there. Bend your elbows and keep the chair back forward.

You feel that lift and stretch. I'm going to loosen my grip on that chair. You're going to keep your back on there and one more time. Get the back up. Good. Grow up taller, stretch the arms out. And this time as you've been, bring the chair back and lengthen up the chair. Pull the stomach and bring your sternum back. Good, higher, good.

Bend your elbows and grow tall along that chair and stretch up the jet back of the chairs. You stretch out. Grow tall and good. Sternum relaxes and bring it back. Relax and bring your arms down. How you doing? Good. It's pretty nasty, right? I know, and you wouldn't think that these little springs would be so difficult. So bend here. Pull the stomach in. Now we're going to go straight out. Keep the arms there. Press down and grow tall. Think about rowing.

Don't let the arms go out to the side. Just bring them right in line with the shoulders. Lift up again. Press down and lift a little higher. Bring the arms, the height of the ears. Good. Press down. Both sides. Grow Long. Soften the rib cage off in the sternum, lent in the back of the neck. Reach out and go up. So watch your arms. They're going out.

Make them go right in front of your shoulders. That is really important. Press down in line with the shoulder. Little right there. Perfect. That's where I want it. You feel the back and arm connection. Good. That's what you want and when you open up, it dissipates that straight line down. I want it right in line with your shoulders. That's it.

Reach along the chair and come back up. Now bring the chair forward. Press and grow forward holding good. Keep it there and bring the chair up. Bring the arms up. Bring the arms up. Keep the chair up. Don't lose your back. Bring the hands back down. Don't lose your back. Where's your ball? It's awful and up.

Lift up, up, up, up, up. I didn't make it. I just teach it and press down. Grow Tall. Grow Tall. Grow Tall. Yes. And reach up. Reach up. Reach up. Now this time as you go, get taller, keep. I'm going to loosen my grip. Yes. Now as you come back, bring the chair home. Lengthen up the chair, lengthen up the chair, lengthen up the chair. Sorry.

And good and press reach forward. Bring the chair forward. Come on, Colleen. Up, up, up, up. There it is. You feel that beautiful and come back and bring the chair home. Lengthen up your chair. Keep it in line with the shoulders. Engage you. What happened to my feet? Press them together and good breast. Reach out.

Reach far, reach far. Good girl. Good correction and reach up. Reach up, reach up and bend in. Good. Isn't it awful? Yes it is. So now we're going to go out of the 45 just like on the [inaudible] pole and your chest expansion. You're here. You're going to go on the 45 degree angle to engage here.

So bend your elbows in first. I like to always go from the straight position. You're going to stretch out forward. Open your arms to the 45 press down and grow tall like you're pressing two magic circles. Reach out and go up, up, up. Good. Press down and grow. Tall, soft elbows. Press your feet together. Where's my tailbone? Thank you. Press and up. Up, up, and press down again. Grow Tall. Beautiful.

That's what I want to see and find this line right in line with the shoulder, 45 degrees and get ready to suffer. Press and bring the chair forward. Good. Keep it forward and bring your arms up. Yes. Press grow tall out of the crown of the head, pressed the feet together. The feet are connected. Feel the connection of the arm and the back into the powerhouse and press down and grow tall. Good girl. Press the feet.

Lengthen up. Uh Huh. Press this time. Bring the chair down. Yeah, and press and bring the chair up. Up, up. Good girl and press. Bring the chair down and press.

Bring the chair up. Okay. And press. Bring the chair down and bend your arms and relax. Ready? Circles. Okay. Bend your elbows. You're going to go through all those pathways. We just hit. Lengthen out.

Lift up, open. Press to the side, not too right, not too wide. Soft elbows. So it's the joint is soft and the muscles are doing it. Inhale, bring it in line with the shoulders all the way up. Nice. Full breath. Exhale, ring the lungs out. Soft elbows. As you press down, inhale, bring it forward and up. Open. Press the soles of the feet together. Feel the spine lengthen up and good. Reverse it. Inhale, come up, grow tall. Exhale and down.

Okay. Inhale, lift up. Press your feet. That's it. Exhale, press down. Grow tall right here through the crown of your head. One line from the tailbone through the crown of the head up and press and grow. Bend your elbows. Before we do the full circles with it forward, take a little rest. So think about the, your crown in your head is here. Not here. So you want to lengthen here. You see the royal?

You know I know where my Tiara should say. Yeah. Okay, so it sits right here. Not here. Here. I don't know I my daughter playing. Dress up. What? She's little here. Okay. I want to feel lended. That was your rest by the way. Okay. Okay, so stretch forward. Bring the chair forward. That's it. Good. Lift up.

Open the arms. Keep that chair forward. Coleen. Keep on your, this has to relax. Inhale, bring the arms up. Open the arms. Think about rowing right here. Slow more resistance as you go down. Inhale as you bring the arms up. Now open to the 45 keep your back on there and resist it. Grow Tall. I want to see more resistance. One more time. Inhale, come all the way up, open to the 45 where's my, get along my chair and reverse it. Inhale.

Exhale, press open and lengthen up the chair. Inhale, keep that chair forward. Where's the back ribs? Lengthen. Good. Inhale up. This is why the chair back moves so you could really suffer and up, up, up, bend and relax. Good girl. So that's the lift that you want to feel.

Especially like when you're doing your rowing's that you get that as you go down, you go up. Okay, so we always go up. So now we're going to do it where you're going to move the chair. You're going to bring the chair forward, bring the chair back. This'll be like a vacation. Bring the chair forward and bring the chair back. Ready and stretch out. Bring the chair forward. Inhale, lift up.

Stay on the chair. Where's my back? And Open? Press grow. Grow, grow. Inhale, reach forward. So keep the arms straight, just like before. Open to the side. Exhale, bring the chair back. Inhale, bring the chair. Don't bend it. So just like before, making it easier. So you're right here, right? You stretch, you go out. Inhale up. Exhale. Don't go too low as you come home in front of your thighs. That's it. Inhale, bring it up, bring it up, bring it up, bring it up.

Open and press grow. Tall and good. Let's reverse it. Inhale, come up, Chin back. Exhale, press down. Anchor the tailbone. Separate the ribs and the hips. Good. Inhale up, crown of the head. Beautiful. Exhale, lengthen as it goes back. I want you to feel that. Keep moving, that tailbone go down as you're coming back and feel the tailbone ad's not about the going forward. It's about the work and break bent.

Start over that one and stretch out. Good at it. And press and lengthen. Tailbone, waist, ribs. That was good. Bend and relax. A second. Good. Okay, so what we're going to do, we are going to now go onto boxing. There's several ways that we could do boxing. So today for you, what we're going to do is we're going to keep the shoulders on there to begin. Okay? So first thing that I want you to do is as you box, I want you to anchor your spine. Go into this position, right, elbows up. Go ahead, press your feet together, stretch the right arm out in line with the shoulder, and then bend it in. Good. Stretch the left arm out in line with the shoulder, keeping the entire box on the chair and bend it in.

Good shoulders, hips, stretch. Use all the tactile information that that chair is doing, giving you, right. You have everything along the back like the Mat, but then you have where you can sit in your tailbone down, your pubic bone can anchor down so you can grow nice and tall out of that. That's it. And Bend in. So important for the arm back connection and bend in. Good.

Now we're going to bring the chair forward. Let's be nice to arm stretch forward to bring the chair forward. Keep the chair forward, bend both elbows. Keep the chair forward, stretch out the right hand, just the right hand and bring it home. Grow Tall, stretch out the left, grow tall. Bring it in line with the shoulders. Stretch out the right and bend it in. Stretch out the left and bend it in.

Stretch out the right and bend it in. Stretch out the left and bend it income home. Now you're going to have four boxing's to bring it forward for boxing's to bring it back, keeping the shoulders there and still stay in line with your shoulder. Okay? And box forward. One, two, three, four and back to three, four and front two, three, four and back to three, four and front two, three, four and back. Back, back. Relax the arms. So now I want you to go into the center and I'm going to actually step there for you to have a target. You're going to round forward.

So only your low back stays on there. Just like when you do a spine stretch forward, right? And you're going to be in this position and you're gonna box with the chair home, right to a central line. I'll be your target. And then you're gonna do it with the chair phone, and then you're gonna do it with the chair, forward and back. Okay? First stationary. That's always the way we learned it.

And I'm your center target. Pull the stomach in. Lean forward. Good. Keep the chair back. Roll more forward. Roll more forward. Roll more forward. Good. Now Bend your elbows. Keep the [inaudible] and boxed to my hand. Hit me. Come on, give me a little punch. Punch. Come on, get me, get me, Colleen, I'm making you do the chair. Be Angry at me. Press, press, press, press, press, press, breasts, breasts. Come on. Hit me faster, faster, faster, faster, faster. Stretch those arms. Stretch them. Have you ever hit anybody? Stretch, stretch, stretch, stretch, stretch.

Okay, so there has to be somebody you want to hit. Okay. Get a visual. It's easy for me. Trust me. I have a list. So now we're going to bring the chair forward. Okay. It's much nicer in this position. So stretch out your arms. Bring the chair forward. Round, forward. Beautiful.

Keep the chair forward and now box. Hit me right here. Come on, get me, get me. Come get it. Get it, get it, get it, get it. Hit it. You can twist on this one. Twist, twist, twist. Come on, stretch it. Think Rocky. [inaudible] come on, get me. That's it. Good. Good, good, good, good, good. And relax. Good. Now forward about four.

Power back or forward or back. Ready and go. One, two, three, four and back to three, four and one to get me. Come on and back to three. Four and forward to for energy, energy, energy, energy, and good. Relax. Good girl. Who knew it'd be so nasty, right? Okay, so now we're going to have a little bit of dessert because you've been working so hard. We're going to do the hug. Okay. It's the same as sponge. Church forward. First thing we're gonna do stationary hug here three times.

Bring the chair, fall over three times. Moving forward and back. Actually let's do, we'll do six so that you can do three breaths with each. Okay. Inhale. First. Exhale that exhale and inhale. Okay, so elbows are up. Now this is arm position is very important. If I am like this, this does not get engaged. I am a woman over 25 I want this engaged. Just go like this with your hands.

And when you do the hug, this is what I want you to feel. So take your hands like you're going to be on a table. Soften your elbows. Now you see how the elbow is above, right from there. Don't let the elbow drop. Rotate the Pinky in and lift the elbow against that. Just like you wrap the muscles around your legs.

You wrap the muscles around your arms. So now you can feel this working. Elbows are going to be up. Lift the elbow, wrap the pinkie in. Inhale, bring it in. Exhale, resist with the elbows. Push me, push me, push me, push me. Inhale, fill the lungs all the way up. Exhale, push, push. Where's that pubic bone? There you go. Inhale in.

No tucky. Pucky Xcel, grow tall. Reverse the breath. Inhale, exhale, squeeze it out. Inhale, grow big. Feel the back expand. Exhale, squeeze out the air. Good. Breathe through the nose. Nose is for breathing. Mouth is kissing and eating. Delectable food and drinking. Lovely wine and maybe having a vodka and good all the way in.

Elbows up. Not that I would ever, and lengthen. Lengthen. Lengthen. Relax. The arms. Very good. Now we have to suffer and have the chair front. Okay, so pull the stomach up and in elbows are lifted. Inhale, bring the chair forward. Bring your arms towards each other. Keep it there. Xcel soft elbows so your shoulder blades are moving. Touch the fingertips. Open the back, squeeze the shoulder blades, open the chest, touch the fingertips. Open the back. Soft elbows.

Open the chest, open the back, open the chest, reverse the breath and schoolies the air out and resist. Resist, resist, and squeeze the air out. Good and resist. Resist. Elbows up. Elbows a good. That was it. And schoolies the air out and resist. Resist, and relax. Good. Good.

Now we are going to do the hug where you're moving it forward and moving it back. It's actually pleasurable in a sick sort of way. Okay. Remember I used to fight. I found that pleasurable and scoop. Inhale, exhale, left in, up the chair. Inhale, lengthen. Exhale. Feel the waistline grow longer. Very good. Inhale, exhale, press the fee. Anchor the tailbone, reverse the breath. Inhale, and then exhale. Grow tall, grow tall, grow tall. Inhale.

Now really push me XL excellently. Feel that all the way down your back. Good girl. Inhale and exhale. Exhale, exhale. Good. We're gonna give you a little break right now and what I want you to do is your going to come and you're going to kneel and face this chair. So have your knees together and we're going to work a little chest expansion.

Okay. Now the beauty of this is, you know when you use sometimes ribs come out, not that that has ever happened to me before in my life. This chair really gives you a lot of feedback. So what I want you to do is I want you to almost lean forward and feel your ribs on there. Drop them down and see that angle of the chair. Use that angle of the chair for your body and you're going to look over there. There's the valley of hope right there. So you want to keep your focus there, right? You go up there, you're lost right down there.

So you are going to use this angle. Now feel your pubic bone against the chair to like you would with the Swan. You want to anchor the tailbone down there? You feel that opened your back up? Yeah. Good. I want that anchoring. So you're anchoring the ribcage. Your bosom goes over this edge. Very good. You're gonna reach down back and draw your shoulder blades together.

Hold, hold, hold and return your hands down. Good. Reach down, back together. Don't let that chair move. Drop that sternum. Hold, hold, hold and return again. Reach down, back together. Stay, stay, stay, and return. Now you're going to add the head. Turn, reach down, squeeze, drop the rips. Where's hope the valley of hope? There it is. Look to the right, right. Don't let that move. Just rotate and center. Don't lift that Chin. Bring it to the left. Good and center. Now, length in the spine as you bring the chat, the spring home, and again reached down. Squeeze. Isn't it nice here?

Look to the left look center. I actually like to sometimes introduce pull straps here and center and return. Good again, reach down, squeeze this, look to the right center. Look left center, reach down and return the spring. Don't release this. When you return the spring, you still want to lean forward and reach down at that same pitch forward that we use when we stand and we do the arm springs, turn, look left and center look right and center and reach and return.

So think about when you're out standing off the Cadillac, right? You don't want to be like this. You're in this pitch forward so that the buttocks is engaged, right? And so that the ribs are dropping. Once you feel that we're now going to move your body back. Okay?

So find that looking at the valley of hope. Don't, there's no hope in the ribs. Okay, so shift back in one solid piece there. You feel that? Now bring me your neck. Good. Reach straight down and chest expansion here. And don't let the chair move and good and return. That's it. And reached down. Don't let the chair move. Squeeze the shoulder plates.

Connect that arm all the way down to the back. That's it. And bring it back. And so you have to anchor down as much as you anchor up. So you're growing in two directions. Otherwise the chair moves and says you were naughty girl and come back and again, reach down back together.

Look to the right and center, look to the left and center. Grow tall and return the spring. It's pretty awful, isn't it? And reached down. Schoolies look left center. Look right. Center and relax. Very good. Good.

So I like to switch from sitting to kneeling to sitting to kneeling. So you're not working in one plane for too long. We're going to do another set of exercise and then we're going to go back to the seated now. Okay, Jeff, we're gonna work on, this was your post strap, right? Okay. So let's actually take your hands down out to the tee position that you'd be on the reformer and you're looking over the valley of hope and you're hoping that the chair will be done soon. Drop the ribs down. No, it's such a great workout.

Drop there. Lift your hands a little higher. Good pressed straight back and squeeze the shoulder blades. It's awful. Hold, hold, hold. And Return. This is what you should feel on Poles. Strep.

This engagement. Before you move, press back and squeeze. You feel that squeeze here. The shoulders brag the hands, which dragged the spring, which worked the powerhouse and release and stretch. We use hold. [inaudible] oh, they love when people go, I can't work my arms in. Hmm. Reach the hands and release. Good to go. There's no arm work. I'm like, really? I don't know.

So now you're going to do the same thing. Keeping the ribs in. You're going to press back and just like on the reformer, you're going to draw your pinkies together. Joel, let it rotate so that you keep that connection. Think about where you going for breaststroke, right? So you're going to draw together. Keep pressing back as you lift it up. Brought together and lifted up. Okay, so reach out to the side over the valley of hope. Drop the rib cage, press back.

Well go back up. Press straight back. That push back more. Push back more. Now draw your pinkie storage, your Toshi. Yes. And now press back as you lift up. Uh Huh. Do you feel that on your t? On your reformer? Yeah. Not like Ted.

This is what I want you to feel and press back. So you see that connection. That's what I want all the way down. That's beautiful. And press all the way up. But you will never get that unless the ribs go into the right position. Keep pressing back and go down. One more time and lift.

Oh, oh, oh and relax for a second. That's the isolation of the movement. Okay? Now the next thing that we're going to do, I'm really sorry, is that we're going to change the hand and you're going to push back with your palm down. Okay? Okay. And it's the same exercise as we did here, but you're going to do here, okay? Yes. So think about when you're doing rowing, right? And you're going to go down. That's how you're going to elite, right? So you're going to lead with the pinky.

So lift out, keep this risk nice and long. I know they bite a little and press back. It's worse. Holt ribs, ribs, ribs, good girl. And come back. Will you still talk to me after this and press, press risk. Good girl. And return and press. Press, press yes. And Return.

Now we're going to turn our hands so we're going to press this way. Okay, so really lead that. Get that thumb down as much as possible. Perfect. Lift the hands up and press ribs in n n n and really good and look over the valley of hope and stretch my cute little shoes. Press, press, press. Not Little cause they're on my feet. And reach back and press press. Good. Press and release. Very good.

We'll give you a rest and you can do that away from the chair. You know like we did the first ones. You could do them with your body away. Okay, let's sit back to where we were in the beginning. Precedents, souls, the feet together. [inaudible] very good. Roll all the way up. Hold on. Two here.

I think everybody should have one of these to learn how to do the lift that we need to do. I thought the, this chair was so important that 13 years ago when Basil worked for Grads, I had him copied the one that Romana had for Joe and that was the first one that they made bringing us back. Ah, this back there. So this joint is open. Good. Now we're going to do the hug like a spine stretch forward. Hey, so you're going to round forward, keep the chair back three times, and then you're going to round forward with the chair back, and then you're going to move it forward and back. Okay, so pull the stomach in and hug round forward. Keep the chair back. Push back with equal intent as you stretch forward. Enjoy that. Rolling up the chair Vertebra by Vertebra. And exhale as you go forward. Round Peel yourself, push back.

Very good. Go little deeper, a little deeper, a little deeper there. Now lengthen up the chair and enjoy that you roll your spine like a strand of pearls rolling out. And exhale as you roll down, lift the waist off of the hips. Lengthen Open. That little spot that I touched on before. Good. Little deeper. A little more forward, little more forward there. You feel that beautiful and roll all the way up.

Now bring the chair forward, bring the chair forward. As you go forward, keep the back there. Keep the chair forward as you roll up. So you now, that's that beautiful Lens. That's nice. Fill the lungs and then exhale. Squeeze the air out, peel off, lift, lift, lift, go deeper, deeper, deeper, good and roll all the way up, up, up, and again, stretch forward. Pull the stomach in, deepen elbows up, up, up, and roll all the way up. Ring the chair back, and inhale, bring it forward. Exhale as you go over. Inhale and exhale as you roll back. Inhale, lift. Exhale over. Inhale, lift. Exhale. Now on one breath.

Inhale here, exhale over. Inhale, roll up. Exhale over. Inhale, roll up. And again, exhale over, and inhale, roll up, roll up, roll up, turn your palms up. And good. Now we're going to work on shaving. So what we're going to do is we're going to do the shaving in three different places with the chair in different positions. Okay. And you can do any variation when you work. So begin with the palms up.

Reach forward, press the thumb and forefinger together. Bend your elbows, keep the chair home. Touch your forehead, pull the stomach in and stretch out. Keep your whole back on there and good bend in. Elbows, back, press. Scoop the stomach up and in. Bend in, elbows, back, scoop up and in. Now lift. Bring the chair forward and uh, bend in. And now bring the chair forward as you stretch out and bring it to the crown of your head, crown. Remember where the Rye and stretch out.

Remember where your Tiara sits and really pressed the thumb and forefinger so the whole arm is engaged. It's like using all your toes. And Ben, Ben, Ben, Ben Bent. One more time. Stretch forward from here. Lean over, peel your upper back off. Keep the chair where it is, not so far. Little less, and shave off your head. Hands. Go all the way down. Lift your head a tiny bit. There it is. And lean forward. Keep the chair, scoop. Elbows go back. Resist. Press your elbows back to open your shoulders.

Scoop. Elbows, press back, lift your gaze a little bit. Bress think of the Valley of hope. That's the angle. It will be there soon. And Bend and scoop up. Open the arms out to the side. Very good.

Put your left hand on your waist. Uphold the hold the sufferings not over. So we're going to do the bat so you can keep the left hand on the waist and the right arm is going to stay. It's actually stays in this position. As you rotate around, this hip is going to anchor and you're going to peel off of the baby chair. So you're going to reach up and around and peel off the baby chair and come back and bring the hand down, left arm out, up and around. Peel off real twist. Pelvis doesn't move. Okay.

Chair doesn't move either and reach out and around like you're reaching around the world. Nope, come back. So it's a twist, which means your head has to stay center, right? So you're going to twist around your center access, soft elbow, that's it. And reach out. Even though this peels off, you feel the difference at it. And then come back and bring the hand down. Good, right to the hip. Other arm, good center access. Reach out and around the back is what's moving.

That's a good, that's a twist and come back. You feel those oblique muscles working and change sides. Good. Reach out, scoop. Pull the stomach and soft elbow. Lengthen. Reach out, reach out, reach up, reach out and then come back. Hip, waist, rib, chest, shoulder, those lovely changed sides. And again, reach out. Pull the stomach and keep your back here.

Reach, twist here, twist here, twist here. Good. Pull back, the hip, the waist, the rib and down. One more time. Each side. Reach out and stretch. Reach, reach, reach, good and come back. Come back, come back, left side and reach out. Pull this stem again around. Twist. Get this rip. Acts of these ribs.

Have to stay on there and then you're going to come back. Waist, ribs, shoulder, beautiful. Come down. Now what I want you to do this time, you're going to bring the chair forward. You're going to work both arms. One arm is going to go in, fold in as the other rotates around. Bring it back. One arm rotates in. Okay, we're building up to the butterfly. I like to break exercises down so elbows are lifted. Bring your chair back forward and fought.

This arm has to work as much. There you go. So it helps keep that center line and on wrap. Now this might look like a ballerina exercise, but to me it looks like a throw and switch, twist, twist, twist, good and open. You feel that? And again, reach down with one arm up with the other rotator around. Yes. And then untwist hip, waist, shoulders move.

Your body is one reach. Think about your snake in your twist. Right there is your snake in your twist and open, open, open, and relax. Good. Okay, so that if you have somebody who compresses on their snake in their twist, a great place for them to find that length. Now what you're going to do is the full butterfly. You're going to bring the chair forward, reach down and around, bring the chair back, bring the chair forward, down and around.

Bring the chair back. Okay. Arms out to the side. Pull the stomach in. Bring the chair forward. Reach down with one arm and back with the other. Keep this spring alive. Nope, don't lose your center. That's it. And then come back. Soft elbows and open. Good girl. Elbows. Hands forward. Soft, right elbow. Reach down and back thinking you have two big globes and you're reaching out.

Reach up and out, up and out, up and out. And then come back. And again, lengthen the spine. Center access. Don't let it lean over. You're reaching around soft elbow and then come back. Come back and relax your arms. Good.

Very good. So let's do a small arms out to the side. So it's the all in the same family, right? You're going to twist down and reach the opposite knee for this. Arm's going to rotate and reach down. Keep the hip pulling back. Yeah, keep that hip back. Keep the hip back.

Keep the hip back and come back up. So let's let the chair move forward with you. Okay. And bring the chair forward. Twist. Either option. Is there good this hip poles. Don't lose my hip. Don't lose the hip. Don't lose the hip and feel the difference.

Now reach for your knee with this hand. Reach for it, reach for it, reach for it, and then come back up. So if you do it from the beginning, reaching for the knee instead of reaching up, the spring will end up where it should be. So reach down for the knee. There you go. Peel off. Good and roll back up. That was better. It felt that. Yeah. And other side twist. So it's great about this. If you have somebody who shipped, you shift in the saw that you can find the connection of the arms, the back here and roll back and they can really feel this solid base.

And again, twist, reach, good. Pull the stomach in and up. And one more time. Reach, twist, pull the stomach in and come up. Come up, come up. Beautiful. So we're going to bring you up again so that we can get a little break from this position. And what I want you to do is you're going to kneel they thing here.

And what? Yes. Let's continue with your twist. We'll stay on the twist workout today. So you're going to have your arms to the side, soft elbows, and you're going to rotate to one side and come back and rotate to the other side and come back. Okay. Now let's have your whole body on there, right? Looking over the valley of hope. Ribs are dropped down, arms extend to the side, elbows are up, good ribs struck more ribs. Good. And twist to the right. Keeping the center access. Lift that arm. Feel that. Yeah.

And Sandra and twist, twist, twist. That's [inaudible]. Beautiful. Coleen and center. You'll think of me tomorrow. And twist, twist. I'm sure it will be loving thoughts and turn and twist. Twist, twist, yes.

And Center and twist, twist, twist and centre and twist. Two, boys, twist and center. Good. So what I want you to do now is you're going to do a long back stretch. So you're going to take the bar and you're going to bring them straight back behind. You. Open the chest up, press it, press it, press it, bend and lift your elbows. Lift your elbows, lift your elbows. Press down and grow tall ribs in lean slightly forward there and bend in. So this can be done in both positions. Forward and back.

We're just doing forward right now for this workout. Now lift your elbows up, Colleen. Stay with lift the elbows. Lift the elbow. Stay there. Keep the elbows there, pushed back and in. Lift the elbows pushed back and in. Lift the elbows pushed back and in lift the elbows go down. Let's repeat it and reach back all the way. Ribs in bend and lift your elbows. Stretch out. Bend. Lift your elbows.

Stretch back, bend. Lift your elbows. Stretch back and relax. Oh good girl. Very good. Okay, so um, what I want you to do from here, we're going to do a little bit of sluck. A t. Okay. So why don't we face this direction and I want you to have your whole side along here. Now some people do put a pad underneath to make it even. I don't. And I'll tell you why. I'll tell you why. Because to me, if I'm using a piece of equipment, I'm going to use it as is, if I want an even surface, I'll take this exercise over to the Cadillac.

This is a brilliant position to teach the length that you need to get on both sides when you do sidekicks, because one side is shorter than the other, right? So you're also, you're learning to get that length to keep the box square when the cert, when the, the, uh, topography doesn't elicit squareness. Such would be your sidekicks. So the other thing I love is if somebody has a little scoliosis, it lengthens that side out and it gives that side a little opening and it works that you know, in a different way. So the first thing I want you to do is you're in a place, one hand here and you're going to soften your elbow. Now we're going to make sure a little ribs are in Nice.

We can be together or apart, whatever you prefer. Either one is acceptable. You're going to take this arm and let's curl the wrist in. Now there's 20 million ways to do this exercise, okay? For you. I want you to reach forward and just move the scapula. Just like in hug. So we're working on that little more bent elbow position.

Okay? I love all the variations. They're all right in, they're all good. So begin right in at your sternum. Touch your sternum, good. Straight out like you're gonna Punch somebody good. That's the theme for you, Lee. Push with your elbow and draw your scapula back. You feel that? Now bring it back the same pathway and curl it in and reach it out. All Open Up. Reach it forward, curl it in, reach it out, open up, reach it forward, curl it in.

Now move yourself away from here and still keep that same length long and reach forward. So you want your thigh on there. Good. You feel that? I like this position and in and stretch and open and stretch and in and reach forward and open and forward and cause you're being such a good girl. You get to add something. Reach forward now. Open and twist, twist, twist, twist, and come in and bring it in. Reach forward. Pull the stomach in and twist, twist, twist. Good girl.

Scoop it and come in and reach forward and twist, twist, twist, twist and center and good. Let's go to the other side. You're almost there. Good. So good. So lean against there and you know this is the, the position is going to vary on the person. You know, somebody who's very, very wide hips. Drop the ribs here. There, you feel the difference there. I don't want you collapsing, right? I want you lengthening every time you have a surface in polities, you want to use that surface to lengthen yourself. That was it.

You feel that against it. Elbow rips, right wrist in and reach directly forward and open the elbow. Pull the stomach in and bring it up back and bring it in and lengthen. Stretch, good. And in and lengthen. Stretch. Squeeze my hand. That's it. And you feel, feel how that made you more stable. Remember the trinity, the Tummy, the tissue, the inner thigh. We prayed to the plot. He's God and twist, twist, twist and center and down.

Tailbone drops. Grow Tall. Remember how nasty it was to move that chair that was, did you feel that? That was beautiful and remember what it felt like to move that chair and reach and rotate, rotate, beautiful arm and back connection and come back in. Very good. Okay, so we're just, I'm going to do that of these and now I want you to sit back in that first position that we were in and we're going to do a little rowing and it's going to be students' choice as to how to move the chair cause all the chairs are optional positions. So you're going to begin here. We're going to have a little fun.

You're going to inhale, go out, exhale, go down, inhale, go up. Only thing I say, wherever the chair is, it has to stay at us to stay at us, to stay at us as day. And hopefully it will be moving somewhere and ready. Inhale to go out. Exhale to go down in line with your shoulders. Inhale to go up. Where's my back? Where's my back? Open press grow tall. Grow tall, grow tall, grow tall, Chin in and relaxed down and inhale out and exhale straight down.

And inhale, lift up and exhale your body on that cheer group. Tall Chin in. Oh and good. One more time. Fill the lungs, squeeze them out, lift them up. Grow tall against the chair. Lengthen. Lengthen. That's a girl and good from here. Head goes down. Peel yourself down, then slide yourself forward.

Then roll up the chair. Don't move it from its position as you roll up. And with arms, shoulder height. Today I'll be a little more evil. Shoulder Height, shoulder height, ribs, back, ribs, back, ribs, back. Lift all the way up. Open breasts, grow and relaxed. Down and here. All the way down. Peel down just like you did. Now slide forward.

Reach forward scoop. Now roll up Vertebra by Vertebra, leaving arms, shoulder height. Today either option is it acceptable? But I want this shoulders cause I think it's harder for you. That's it. Inhale all the way up. Open press. Feel the arms pressing down. Feel the body lifting up. Field, the feet pressing, tailbone anchor. One more time and stretch all the way over. Pull it in its reach forward and pull the stomach back in opposition.

Press your feet. Roll up Vertebra by vertebra, low back, waist, ribs, shoulders, back. Lift all the way up. Oh, been press grow, grow, grow, grow, grow, grow, grow, grow, grow. And because you are so wonderful, you're going to inhale up. Exhale, bring the chair forward. He and he'll open your arms to the side. Roll back up the chair, move it back. Exhale, stretch it forward. Inhale, roll it up, massage the back out.

Exhale, ring the lungs out. Inhale, roll up, up, up, up, up, and reverse it. Aches in help. Heal yourself up. Lift up, open the chest, open the back, stretch forward. Good. Fill the lungs all the way up. Roll up that chair. Open everything up and scoop it in and roll up. Up, up, up, up. We're gonna do one in each direction to get you nice and dizzy and inhale up.

Exhale over. Inhale straight up. Exhale, open. Inhale up and exhale over. Inhale up and exhale, enjoy it. I'm enjoying it too. Inhale up. Exhale, peel off. Inhale, roll up. Exhale down where there's joy, there's suffering. Turn face. The other way for squats to finish your workout. Good. So you're going to stand on the chair.

I love teaching squats here. Take your feedback. So your heels are against the back edge. Make sure this foot lifts the arch. Now a little bit more forward too. You're really solid. You want to be able to feel your heels. So what's great about this position is your heels are anchored, which they have to be so that your buttocks is engaged, but the pitch forward puts you into your stomach.

So it's that same anchor dynamic where you're like doing an elephant or all the work we are pushing through the heels, stabilizing through the heels, yet pitched forward. Okay, so you know, reach forward, scoop the stomach and bring the arms up. That's it. Now Bend your elbows to 90 and lift your elbows higher. So their shoulder height, shoulder height. Good, little higher. Your shoulders are right here. Now to engage your back more. Stretch your arms just to touch. That's it.

See the light came out cause it was right. Pull the stomach down in squat with your knees directly. Open your legs, feet a little more. Coleen squat with your knees directly over your toes and keep lifting your arms. Lift the arms, lift the arms. The chair will prevent you from going to forward. As you squat, press through your feet. Now why's my back arching?

Scoop this press sit, sit, sit, sit, sit. Pull the stomach in and yeah, up, up, up, up, and squat. That's it. Lift the arms as you go down the arms. Go Up. Oh, and pull the stomach in and up. One more time and squat. Lift the arms.

Lift ribs, tailbone. Hold it there. Five, four, three, two, one. Press through the arms. Press through the arms. Connect that arm to the back. Reach your hands forward and down. Colleen, thank you very much. That was beautiful work. I hope I didn't kill you.

Comments

2 people like this.
That was amazing! You both did a great job!
Isn't Colleen just Stunning! It looks so easy but you know it's soooo hard!
1 person likes this.
Very excited! I am fortunate to own a Gratz Arm Chair - attempted to join in the fun. I have a lot of work ahead of me - grateful to have Kathi as my teacher! The squats were new for me - LOVED!! Thank you PA and thank you KRN!!!
2 people like this.
What a fantastic piece of apparatus! Why is this not as prolific in some studios as the other equipment? Defiantly on my shopping list when I expand my little home studio.
YEAH!! DON"T YOU LOVE YOUR CHAIR!!! Jon it's a must for EVERY studio LOL I have two and just ordered a third. Students can work on them after and before their lessons!
I didn't make it up, I just teach it. I have to tell my clients that all the time! Hmm reminders of times with Julian Littleford.
1 person likes this.
Baby Arm Chair is my favorite piece! loved this workout! You are awesome Kathy!!!! Please do a ped-o-pull one!!!
Dear Kathryn
Could you tell me about your tactile cues you did during the T pulling straps ( betwenn the blades) it' s for contraction or not squeezing too much ?
Sorry my english is uhmmmmm
Monica
Super ! I lOVE IT !!
So use to love the baby chair now not so much!!!
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