Athletic Recovery Reformer

Hi. My name is Ed Botha. I'm from Sydney Australia, previously from South Africa, and I'm delighted to be back on Pilates anytime. Today, I've got Mandy and Martha with me, and they're going to be joining me for, an athletic recovery reformer session, right? So in my mind, athletic recovery, it's not just a resting, rejuvenating stretching session, right? There's some work involved Right? So I always like to to address the the hip abductors and adductors and getting the spine to move through all its ranges of motion. Right? That that to me is the true, or recovery in its true essence. Right? So, enjoy the class and, I look forward to your feedback. So ladies, if you could have a lie down on your reformers for me setting up for, the footwork, I'll do your spring.

So I I prefer if you keep your head rest down, martha, so that, for me, that's important for the neck alignment, so that we are getting that head back in line with the spine as opposed to just starting in a flexed position. So, I'm Botha have the ladies on three reds and a blue spring. So in other words, three and a half springs, right? I feel that's a great combination, for everyone that we can all work on. So we're going to start on our heels parallel, please. Awesome. So your feet are dorsi flexed, and your toes are relaxed. Alright.

Good. So we've got our knees parallel. Your arms are drawn down next to your side. So we're Botha just take a deep breath in to prepare. And on the exhale, we're gonna press the legs out fully extending at the knee joint and then drawing back into the stopper, and exhale to go out. So although this is just, the conventional footwork, Guys, there is just so much going on in the body, and it's just such a wonderful time to address and realign your body.

So what I'm looking for, as Mandy comes in, she really wants to work on her door's reflection, but without curling her toes back. Alright? That's it good. And she's Botha come back in, flex a little bit more through the feet, good, Mandy, and exhale. Alright. Martha, I want you to really think of pressing equally through both legs. So start pressing through your left knee.

Straightening. That's beautiful, good pulling up through that kneecap. Excellent. Alright. So we're really starting to address all the little mechanical details in the body. It's at keeping some pressure on the insides of the feet. We're Botha push away one more time, exhale, full push away, and then come back in and touch the stopper, and to the toe position. Awesome.

Good. Alright. So the feet are in a moderate plant to flexed position. So what I always say is if you could use the the frame of the footbar, that gives you a nice line to work with. Alright? So I'm Botha lower yours a little bit farther. Right? Most people tend to lift the heels a little bit high, and then they're not able to keep that position when they push the legs out. So we're Botha exhale to press out, lengthen all the way out full straightening of the knees and gliding back and in. Good. And again, exhale to push out all the way full straightening of the knee joint and gliding back and in, lower the heels a little bit there, and exhale. So as Martha is pushing out and in, I'd really like her to keep the heels nice and steady there.

Beautiful exhale. So all the intrinsic muscles of the feet and the ankles are working together to keep that joint stable. That's it. Good. And then come back in great and you guys can pause on the stopper. Attach the heels together.

So I go straight into the the small v and exhale to push out and coming back. And touch. Good. And exhale to push out all the way. Good. And coming back and in and out. Beautiful. And one last time, please.

So exhale to push out, and coming back, and in. Great. Okay. So what I'm Botha do is I'm gonna load up another quarter spring, so another yellow spring. So I'm just Botha switch the spring around, and then I'm gonna go straight into the prehensile. Okay? So I feel this is probably the most, valuable of all the footwork exercises when it comes to recovery. Because we're really getting that ankle to work into its full dorsi flexion, and obviously that's what we need to get down into our full squat and recovery position. Okay? So You could go onto the ball of the foot, wrap the toes over the bar. Alright? Everyone's Botha look a little bit different in this position, right?

Cause it really depends on the length of your toes, alright? But as long as you're getting that lovely stretch, over the front of the foot. Now guys, you know, when we teach this exercise, the first few repetitions I'd like it to go a little bit slower. So as you push out ladies slowly start drawing your heels under the bar, but keep the toes wrapping. So could we do that? So you can keep going. So not too slow, so just off the real time and hold. So what often needs to happen is there needs to be a secondary movement when you get to the top. Where you really pull your heels under the bar. Right? Could you feel that, Martha?

You had an extra, centimeter to go there. Awesome. Guys, now you can focus on keeping your heels down as you draw back in. Where this is quite testing is in the pelvic position. We tend to wanna go into hyperlaudosis when we come in. So we Botha think about the abdominals. Alright? So if you've just come off a nice long run or a cycle, This feels great on the ankle joint. So we're going to press out with the legs.

That's it simultaneously starting to think about lowering the heels. I don't mind if it's a double movement at this stage. So we're drawing wrapping the toes good. So we keep that wrapping sensation. Just see that the knees don't collapse in either good.

So the hip abductors need to stay engaged Alright, and hold. Okay. Guys, so let's try do it in one flowing movement now. So as you push out, you lower the heels and then inhale to pull back in straight away. Alright? So here we go. We go exhale, push and lower. And inhale to come back and in good, just watching the spine, exhale to push and lower. And you can see Mandy, you guys can keep going. Mandy has her hands just around the the powerhouse area, the abdominal area, so she can feel that she's not letting that pelvis dip into anterior or the ribcage flaring. Alright.

Good. And back in, and just do two more times. So exhale to push heels down, inhale to pull back in, and last one, exhale to push, and draw back in, and draw back in, and pause, and relax. Okay. So, you know, you should feel that the the muscles around the shins, like the peroneal muscles they're alive. And, you know, there's there's quite a strong link between the peroneals and the glutes. So if the peroneal muscles aren't firing, are around the shin area, often it's your side with your weaker gluteal as well. Okay. So that's quite interesting.

So it's important that we get them active early on in the session. Okay. Beautiful, guys. So if you could just slide down away from your shoulder rest. So I'm going to one and a half springs. Awesome. And you can put your hands into your straps for me, please. Good. Now arms are going to go vertical, put a little bit of tension on the ropes. Good.

And then we're going to bring the legs up to the tabletop position for me there. Alright. So we're Botha do a couple of the coordinations, alright? So on an exhale, you're gonna lift up Ed, chest, and then reach the legs out long, and at this stage I just want you to hold the legs out. So the arms are Botha come a little bit closer to you. We're Botha do open and close, bang, bang, and hold. Beautiful. Now, we're gonna bend the knees in slowly and draw up a little bit higher, letting those knees come in a little bit deeper than 90 degrees.

Then the arms lift up, and the head and chest goes down. And now the legs would be sitting a little bit deeper than 90 degrees. Alright. So we're Botha do that again. So we're gonna exhale and lift up, hold. And now we're Botha open and hold pause, and this is where it would be nice if someone can spot you, and you're gonna bring your legs together.

And I'm just gonna give you a little bit of feedback there. So squeeze squeeze squeeze squeeze squeeze squeeze squeeze my other squeeze squeeze squeeze squeeze and bend and come back in a little bit deeper and then back. Alright? So I'll do the same with Mandy, so she's Botha exhale. She's gonna lift up. We're gonna lengthen out the legs. We're gonna open And then we're Botha close.

So if you don't have someone doing this for you, you just go really slowly, slowly, slowly. So if you imagine you're doing this exercise underwater, and you bend your knees good, and you lift the arms up and the head and the chest goes back down one last time for me, please. Oh, yeah. Had exhale as we go up. And we go open and close. So you're on your own. Good. Bend the knees.

Slowly. So you're working underwater, underwater, underwater, you're lifting a little bit higher slowly. There's resistance coming from all angles, and then the head and chest comes down, and relax. So we're really just getting that spine to move into correct flexion. Yeah, as simple as that. Alright, ladies, I'm gonna change to one blue spring, and we're gonna go into single leg side lying hip work. Alright? So if we could use just the strap that's going to be on your front side. So if you guys turn to the middle, you have a choice either, Martha, you're going to have this arm underneath you and you can lie on that arm. So that depends on your shoulders.

Is that okay with you? Alright. Then what I recommend, Mandy, if you're on your own, you use your bottom leg against the frame, and then you could just push out with that leg against the frame, and then you can hook your foot into the strap. Right? Then your bottom knee, you just pull it up into a little bit of flexion there, and then you can push your top leg out. Mhmm. Cool. Alright. So we are going to be in a straight line, but what we don't want is the rope interfering with our movement, so I often just bring the hip into a little bit of flexion. Okay? So it's it's not a big deal if it's inflection.

So guys, what's particular about this is that I wanna get those anterior fibers of the glute medius, functioning. So we do this in a little bit more medial rotation. Mhmm. So you're letting your foot drop. So what's important is that your heel's Botha stay above your toes. Right? So this action of medial rotation, because this is athletic, recovery is really important for your running gait. Okay? So if you, you know, often we find that athletes limit themselves in their gait because they are in too much, hip external rotation. So the glute maximus is taking over.

So we want this to just turn in a little bit. Good. And now we're looking for this little gap under the waist so that we know that the obliques are sandwiching the spine, Beautiful. Alright. So it's just going to a couple of hip abductions. So very small. It's one, and down. And two, and down. So, Mandy, try lift your heel up a little bit toes down. Three. Oh, there we go. And four, it's different, right?

Satleties make a massive difference. That's it good. Just up and down. So there. And down. You know, traditionally in in the bassi repertoire, we get taught this exercise with a little bit of a softening in the knees, alright? It's really difficult to soften the knees under the tension of the ropes. Right? So by all means at this point, you are straightening the leg to try keep the space. So try keep the toes down and release. Good. Now, from there, we're going to a little bit of hip flexion.

So we're Botha go forward. And up and down and back. Yeah. Yep. So you're following at the forward and lift, and it's exhale and back. Good. So mother try to keep the toes down, heal up. There we go. Good. So it's really going to get into the anterior part of the glute medius.

And yes, the TFL is also very active here. And bringing it forward and up and down and back and let's just repeat that one more time. So we're Botha bring it forward, we're gonna go up, and we're gonna go back, back, back, back, back, and hold there. Alright? Now we're gonna bring it forward to about 45. So I'm not gonna bring it too far forward maybe put a little bit of tension on.

And the reason I'm bringing it into that 45 is so that there's a little bit of hip extension coming from that hamstring, right? Now, Manny, it's not up and down. I want you to think down and then back to the original position. So it's drops going down and back to the original. So we're going down and back to the original. You guys are doing such a a super kind of job of keeping those hips stable.

Give me a little bit of knee ex hip extension, man. Ed said pull the leg back a little there we go. That's it. Excellent. And excellent. And excellent. Good job and hold.

Now we got one more. Let's bring the leg back, bring the leg back, bring the leg back, bring the leg back, and now we're gonna turn down and we're Botha bend the knee and now I want the knee to go a little bit higher than the strap. Can you do that? Mhmm. Mhmm. Can you do that? That's a knee higher than the strap. So, yeah, you're actually gonna hook the yes. So, again, you feel you're putting a little bit of tension and hold. Okay. That's it. Now, what I want you to do is practice a little bit of medial rotation.

So just go one and out. That's it. And two good. So it's not the kicking out with the rope there, so we're just rotating. Three and out. And four good. So it's all about internal rotation at this point. And five.

So that rope's giving you a bit of feedback. So press into it. Six That's a good and if you're really good, you move the bed to seven with your knee, and highly unlikely, though, and relax. Well done, guys. And straighten the leg out. Good. So we're Botha bend the top knee bottom leg presses against the frame of the football.

So can you get there? Good. And then you can take the leg off, then just lie on your back, and then you get a deserved stretch. Alright. Remember stretching is a privilege, alright? No flexibility without strength first. Okay. So what we'll do is we'll do figure four. Mhmm. So, Landi, we're going figure four first so you can just ride the carriage in. So if you're not very flexible at the spring, take you in as far as you need to, if you feel you've got more in the tank, then we just go into a little bit of a deeper stretch.

Yep. Is that alright there, mother? Cool. Good. Awesome. And relax. Two sides to every story.

Mhmm. Roll over, please. Botha leg, use it against the frame of the footbar, push yourself away, hook your leg into the strap. Bottom knee is bent. Yep. And then guys, just a tip on on the setup, what I tend to end up asking everyone to do is to scoot their pelvis a little bit further forward than they think. Right.

Most people end up with their backside a little bit too far back. You guys are are good. So you wanna be straight down the center of the carriage. It doesn't matter if the bottom knee is off the front of the carriage. Alright. So we've got the medial. Alright? I'm starting the leg not too high and then stacking. So we're Botha hold this position.

So you guys can just hang out there while I have a little chat. So this is good work. Just hanging out there. Alright. So guys, you know, what I'm looking for here is, you know, ASIS PS and then the rib cage. So it looks like I'm holding a big loaf of bread over here. Alright? So that should all be in a nice line. Okay? So if I see this, then I know the rib cage is rolling forward or the pelvis is rolling too far forward and back. So you want to feel that you're really nicely stacked and on that hip bone. Okay.

So let's go up and down. So we just go one and down. And two Good. Now you guys have got good internal rotation. Three and down. And four and down. Good. Five.

Excellent. And six. And exhale, seven, don't forget to breathe. Eight, two more times, and nine, and one more time, and then 10 good. So we return to more or less hip height and then we go forward, not too far forward, up, down, and back. And we go forward two, up down and back. So with Mandy, I'm just gonna put the brakes on a little bit to go. Three, so stop about there, up, down, and back. Alright? And four, so remember if you were doing this with weights or just doing it on the mat, then bringing your leg forward could work to your advantage because you're Botha get that hamstring to possibly stretch out. But here, the ropes pull you forward.

So the work is actually keeping the leg from coming too far forward. And keeping that hamstrings switched on throughout. Alright? So it acts as a stabilizer as well. And just do one more time for me, guys. And bringing it back yes.

So now find that position, about 45 degrees of your of hip flexion, where the hamstring is still holding that strap nice and firm, and then we do the drops. So it's just down and up, one. And two, and three good, and four, five, six, seven, let it drop, and eight, let it drop, and nine, let it drop, and 10. Good. Take the leg back. So remember this one's that unique setup.

We're gonna bend the knee. Alright? So let the leg come forward. Alright? There we go. So I'd say that your your femur So, Mandy, before you go, is kind of at 45, so you can push away a little bit, that's it, is more or less 45 degrees of your spine, and then it's just pressing down. That's it pressing down with the knee. And four.

Good. So your heel can lift for five. Good. And six. And seven. So it's almost like a reverse clams. Eight. Exhale nine, good. And exhale 10.

Beautiful then push it out, so let's get that leg out straight, straight, straight, straight, straight, straight, straight, right? And then bend the top leg, bottom leg can reach out. So you find the frame and we can take the leg out, you can hook your strap, and let's give it a little stretch. So on your backs, so you cross the working leg, Mhmm. Yeah. I don't think you you need to guess which one that is, and then lift up and take it into a stretch.

So now we're putting the hip in some kind of external rotation. Right? So getting that glute medius and the TFL to to relax a little bit. Alright? So those are the muscles that we were working. Now they're getting stretched in external rotation. Good. So you're just breathing into that. Good job. Alright. So, ladies, if you could hop up for me, and if you don't mind grabbing your knee pads, so I've got some knee pads there.

So I'm using these if your carriage, might put a little bit of pressure on your knees. You definitely it's it's not a, essential, but sometimes it gives you a little bit more comfort, and I'm connecting all the springs on Alright? And then if your footbar has a setting to go one higher, then you can go ahead and do that for me. So, you know, this is pretty much as close to vertical as it's gonna get, that's gonna make a difference for this next exercise setup. Alright. So, no, not yet. Alright. Yeah. So we're going the other way. Okay. So what we wanna do is if do you mind if I demo this position for you, right? I'm gonna pop my head rest up as well, and I'm gonna double up my, knee pads and I'm gonna pop it right to the back. Yep? So on the edge of the carriage, then I'm gonna take my knee and I'm gonna place it right at the back end of the carriage, and then I'm Botha step my other foot forward, and I'm just wedging in for a little bit of balance over there.

And from this position here, I wanna lift up so I'm getting my quadricep to stretch out getting that little bit of TFL. So it's gonna feel really good after the exercises you've just done. Right? So guys, it's it's important that you use this the ball of the foot in the little gap between the Ed and the carriage to keep you nice and stable. Alright. So give that a try. You see, use the shoulder rest for balance before you pop yourself up. So if you know or if you have a inclination to being tied in the quadriceps, then, you're gonna wanna use that for balance. So, Mandy, if you could put your hands down a little bit.

And guys, what I'm doing with Mandy is I'm scooting her knee right back. So you wanna use this whole carriage. Is that okay there? To your advantage, Martha, can I do that with you as well? So if you look at my my knee was right to the back. Is that alright? Yeah. Cause we wanna take the knee into full flexion. Alright?

So remember, we wanna stretch out the wreck femme which is a muscle that crosses over the knee joint and the hip joint. Beautiful. Alright. Now, try get your back up as straight as you can. So you could even lean your body slightly backwards, manly. Good. So if you can imagine there's a wall behind mother Ed, her thoracic and her sacrum would be up against the wall, right? And then once you have that, if you're comfortable in this position, alright, then start thinking about a little bit of a posterior tilt of your pelvis. That's it. Then you should feel that work just creeping up over the front of that hip. Good.

Awesome. So, you know, any physical activity requires some degree of of hip flexion. Alright? So this is obviously an essential stretch for recovery. Takes a lot of stress, or far lower backs. Mhmm, if we have nice open hips but obviously very strong hips as well. Good ladies and then relax. You can lean forward. Beautiful. And then I would just hop right off so we can move your knee pads across.

And so we're just going to slide those all the way over. That's it. Beautiful. So it would just be just off the line of your headrest because bearing in mind that your front leg is in line with your headrest and you don't want to end up on a tight rope. Cool. So now I'm going to pull this leg back a little bit. Good job. Alright. And once you've got that, you're lifting up through the spine and then try lean back a little bit.

So think of your backside going to your heels. So, okay. So, mother, what I'm going to do is before you do that, sir, have a look what I do with my mother, we're going to bring your pelvis forward. Is that okay? Right now, start lifting your spine without your pelvis moving. So you can see there's an element of extension happening here. Alright? Is that alright? Good. And then arms, let's bring them out for balance. Okay.

There's nothing wrong with doing that. And then you're Botha scoop your pubis to your nose Yes. And now if you feel good about that, we can move your whole spine back a little bit more. How's that okay on your knee? Good. Man, are you good there? You're getting a stretch? Excellent. So you're just keeping that lift.

Awesome. Good job. And then we're Botha lean forward, place the hands, boom, and you guys can step off. So far? You're breaking my heart.

Alright. Okay. So I'm just scooting the the knee pads across. So guys, we're Botha go into the, lunge standing. Alright? So just a regular hip flexor hamstring type position, and we'll just add some knee extensions into that. Alright. So beautiful. That's the language of those lunge.

So so, let me show you here. Yep. Standing lunge. So, toes in line with your foot. So I've got the foot bar up nice and high. What I like about that is the spine position. Alright. So I start toes in line with the bar, hands, again on the end of the bar and then you're going to push out and you want to get your back up nice and straight in that position, right? Then we can work it from there. Okay.

And just notice I'm trying to keep my heel flat against the shoulder rest. Yep. Yeah, so we've got one red spring still, so one spring on. Start hands on. Okay. So for this one, we can keep our hands on all the way and then we're gonna push out and then what I'd like is this need to come up to 90 degrees more or less, so the knee stays above the heel. That's it good. And the the, you know, the only reason I could get them to close to 90 is because I've seen that they're both pretty flexible in this position.

So the hips are squared off abdominals are drawing in. Good. Arms are straight. Eyes are looking straight ahead like a sphinx. So, yes, there is that element of the spine extending as soon as you push back too far and your spine goes on a diagonal, then you're Botha lose the the flexor on the back leg. Alright, ladies now, for for those of you who can say, I I wouldn't do this with anyone who's got any kind of hip, pathology, but keep your position with your front legs, see if you can lift your back, knee off by straightening it slightly. Good. So they both got lovely hip extension in this position here. So again, just look at this.

It resembles that swan position. Yeah. Abdominals are supported back leg is straight then bend the knee down and touch good and we'll just do that one more time. So we're going to press out and straighten good. Lovely.

And then bend the knee and bring it down and what? Simon didn't say times two, right? And we're Botha push out with the front leg we're going to end up in a hamstring stretch. So so with the front leg, we're going to push out over there. Good. Yep.

And hold. Right now guys in this position, the hamstring doesn't really get much stretch. So what we really need to do is coming back to that prehensile is it's all about the dorsi flexion of this foot. Yeah? So it's all about so, Martha, just feel This is where the magic happens now. So flex the foot more, soften your knee a little bit, flex the foot. Can you feel that's where your stretch is? Yeah. So, you know, most people don't really have true hamstring tightness.

It's often sitting behind that knee So it's where the calf is attaching. So it's it's all happening then. If you're athletic, then it's definitely coming from there because you're using those feet and calves all the time. So a foot goes flat, bend your front knee and then just start lifting and coming back in and relax. Let's go around to the other side.

So if you could just slide your pad across. So, yes, we do go into that hamstring stretch, but think more of the dorsiflexion of the ankle. Yeah? Okay. Yeah. Alright. So we're setting up, so the front leg, the toes are Botha be in line with the bar. Hands are close together, nice upright spine, yep, and push away with the back leg, but as you're doing them, others start lifting your chest up and push away back leg, back leg, back leg, back leg, back leg, Good.

And then this knee bring it, to over the heel. Alright. And guys, this is it's another position where people tend to over rotate as well. So think of opening that side of the pelvis slightly. Yes. So now you can focus on dropping the hip of the bent leg and lifting the back hip up. Alright? And that's going to help you when you're doing the the lunge forward on the wonder chair or any of this going up forward exercises, right? It's that lifting up of the back hip. Okay. Alright.

Now the back knee can start straightening so we can add in a little bit of knee extension, thinking of pushing away from your back heel. It's a good habit to get into straight away. Yeah. Good. And then soften the knee down. Beautiful. So once again, they're keeping nice and still.

They're not coming up and down. They're just driving away with their back heel. So whenever we can practice dorsiflexion, we do it. That's it. Good. And bend beautiful. Good.

Now guys, we stay nice and low and we just start pushing away with the front leg and pause their mother now flex your foot early for me. Flex your foot early. Flex your foot early. Good. That's it. So this hip, I'm gonna just pull it back slightly. Good. And there we go. Yes.

And yeah, I'm just Botha give you a little bit of pull back there. There we go. It really feels great on your calves afterwards. And then guys, first, the foot comes down like you're pressing the accelerator, bending the knee, and the back leg is you're resisting the carriage coming in, lifting up through the spine. You wanna get your swan. You wanna get your swan. You wanna get your swan, and come into the stop.

And touch. Good. Now, just if you could just take one of your knee pads and scoot it over in line with the shoulder rest, and then we are going to set up for a down stretch. So one red, one yellow, please. So sorry, ma'am, you could just scoot them directly across from where they were. So one red, one yellow, and the feet against the shoulder rest. Now from here, you're sitting down on your bum, right?

And I'd like you to go into flexion first before we go into the down stretch. So, you know, we've just gone into quite a bit of extension with that lunging position. So it's just nice to get that little bit of stretch out. Now from there, you're going into flat spine again. Mhmm. Now we're Botha return back to extension. So the pelvis comes forward and we're Botha lift up here so we're just on the knees and pelvis is pressing towards the footbar, chest is up and hold And again, we've set up by working that dorsi flexion, to get those heels pushing against the shoulder rest. Good. So if you could just think you're pushing yourself out of the swimming pool, so you're just climbing out of the pool, getting that proud chest position.

Keep that exact arc of your spine and on an exhale, we go backwards. So we exhale. So we maintain our shape, keeping the hips lifted a little bit there and then inhale pull with your lats to come back up. So we're coming up and up and up and up So, you know, very similar position with the spine with it from the lunge. So we're going again. We're going exhale as we push back.

So we keep a little bit of extension, and you just a little bit of abs there. Get the thighs to touch and inhale to pull back all the way up and use the lats, use the lats, use the lats, and lift, good, and exhale as we go back. So abdominal's good. And inhale to pull and lift, pull and lift, pull and lift, pull and lift, pull and lift. And then one more time, exhale to go back.

Good. And inhale to come back up, come back up, come back up, come back up, and hold. Beautiful. See curve it for me. So go round, round, round stretch it out, stretch it out, stretch it out, stretch it out, stretch it out, stretch it out, stretch it out, Awesome. Okay. Now this is, you know, one of the most difficult exercise in Pilates is the scooter, right? It's easy, but it's so hard to set up.

So guys, all I want you to do is lift your bum up off your heels. Right? So you're in the seek of, man, you can lift a little bit higher. That's it. So you're pressing pelvis forward, alright, arms pressing down. You can lift your head up a little bit. Now, just take your whole unit and just step over to the right side of your carriage for me. So in other words, left knee is coming here, right leg is Botha step over to the side, but try not to change your shape. You've created a beautiful shape.

Good. Arms together, remember they were over here and they were together. Good. So knee is Botha lift up off the carriage, so that's your position. Alright? Now try not to change anything, inhale push away with that left leg, exhale bring it back in. Some Mandy kneel for a little bit more.

Get inhale to push and exhale. So inhale to push and exhale. I want you to think more about your abdominals when you push back inhale and exhale. Good. Inhale. And exhale straight arms, mother, one more time, inhale, and exhale, bring it back in pause.

Right. Now, I wouldn't want you to put your knee down and walk around the other way. I want you to climb through the middle. So you feel that same position that you've been working on. That's it. So you're kneeling your pelvis is always lower than your shoulders, then you step over to the outside. Good. So you're all set up.

You feel like you're nice and low. It's it's a you think there's this really low ceiling above your reformer. That's it. And we go press in and out and in and out. Good. And in and out, and in and exhale pull. We'll do three more. Inhale to push, exhale to pull. Good.

Inhale to push exhale to pull pause and go inhale, man, he's get with us, and one more time, and inhale, and exhale, bring it all the way back in. Up nice and tall. Good. Mandy, if you could walk around to that side of your reformer, and you guys can face your shoulder rests for me, please. Yep. So you're Botha stand, facing your shoulder rest. I'm gonna take off all your springs. So your shoulder rests are if you were standing, if you could stand perpendicular to the Ed, So we're gonna keep the Ed, please.

There we go. Cool. Alright, sir. Okay. So just think of your, mandy, your right hand, left hand, Martha is Botha move in the direction that you wanna go, spread your legs for me a little bit, Jay. Good. A nice straight spine. Okay. So you want your hands to be down your centerline at this minute.

Awesome. Alright. So we're just doing a little pendulum. So we're Botha push the carriage away and let your spine rotate and go and go. You can drop down as low as you feel comfortable, and then just exhale as you pull back to your center, and upper back, staying nice and long. So we go inhale to push, So you see the hands are going in the direction that you wanna go the fingers, letting yourself rotate and exhale to come back. And so we're getting this lovely rotation from the trunk. So we go inhale body can dip, right? And there's no reason why you can bend your knees here if it's your hamstrings, but obviously this does facilitate a lovely stretch on the back of the legs as well.

And inhale, we'll just do one more time so you're getting that lovely stretch. Good beautiful rotation, exhale to come back and relax. Good. And then to walk around to the other side. So perpendicular. Alright, so if you could set up to the middle, and then, Mandy, it's going to be your left hand is going to move in the direction that you want to go.

So if I could change, so we're going that way. Yes. Okay, mother, can I switch your hands for you? Pop, and then that one. Yep. Mhmm. Awesome. And let's push away for me. So what's happening when Martha goes into this rotation?

She's getting this beautiful stretch of her rhomboid as well. And then exhale as she comes back. And so this is just pure kind of joy. There's nothing hard about this, but the spine's just doing everything you wanted to be able to do and exhale. So if you were swinging a tennis racket, I guess a golf club, even turning your surfboard, it all requires this rotation happening through this thoracic spine and a lovely stable pelvis.

Good. Let's do two more. So we go inhale to go. Lovely rotation. Exhale to draw back.

Awesome. Good one more time. And inhale to go. And exhale, good to draw back and in. Good job. Alright. So, ladies, I'm Botha hook on one blue for you, and we'll do a kneeling rotation. So if you could face this way for me, ma'am, you're Botha face in.

I'm gonna place the knee pads towards the end of the carriage. Good. And you're gonna go into tall kneeling for me. Alright. Exactly. So, obviously, you just always wanna be careful because the bed is unstable. Then with your outside hand, so, Mandy, it's Botha be your right arm.

Yep. You're gonna hold. And basically if you could use bent arms slowly pull the arms into your chest. Good. And then just turn square so with your shoulders and your hips. Cool. Beautiful. So you're just staying up tall. So from there, we're just Botha punch the arm out without moving the Ed.

Mhmm, and then pull the arms in. Good mother, so your challenge has not to move the Ed. It also keeping the arms down your center line. Good. And bringing it back and in.

So we'll go two more times, so we push the arms out. And bringing it back in in, and then push the arms out, and bringing it back in. So how does that springfield, does it feel doable or okay? So we're going to add a rotation to that. Okay. So Let's push out and now this is where we've got to get tightness. So really think of stretching those arms out in front of you. Try lift them up and I'll see if you can rotate a little bit beyond your center without your pelvis.

And inhale back. And then let's go a little bit back beyond our midline and exhale. So all you guys want to think about is your head and your sternum moving together. So if you're moving a couple of inches or centimeters, that's fine. Right? But you wanna keep that beautiful alignment of chin and sternum and exhale. Good. So now we've just added a little bit of resistance to that freely moving thoracic spine that we rotated. Good. Let's just do one more. Inhale and exhale. Good to our inner oblique as drawing, and then bring it back in.

Good job. And you can hook your straps for me. Excellent. And so let's hop off just slowly, and I'll pull the knee pads forward and we're going to do the exact same thing on the other side. Alright. So the first one, you were taking the strap with your outside arm, or if you want to call it the inside, if that's where your foot bar is. So, this one here. Good. And then we're Botha bring it out in front of us. Oh, sorry, and then actually pull it into your chest.

So pull it into your chest. So this is the easiest position to hold is where it's on your sternum. So it's nice short lever, alright, and all you're working on is keeping square. Mhmm. Alright. Now, from there, we just without moving the bed, we just push the arms out in front of us. Exhale. And inhale.

Good. And exhale. And inhale, this really works really nicely on a Cadillac spring as well. Yeah. And exhale to push. And let's go two more times.

Exhale push. And back. And this last one we push out and we're Botha hold. So we're gonna push out and hold and hold and hold and hold. The little higher mother shoulder down left side.

Now rotate past your midline, so against the tension, against the tension, and now we slowly, we give in with that eccentric contraction and exhale, and then try turn the sternum just beyond. That's it good. And inhale and exhale. Good. Just beyond and inhale and exhale. And let's do our last one and exhale. So we're going just beyond just beyond just beyond beautiful and then rotate back all the way.

And then just safely hook your strap, and then you guys can hop off there for me, please. Alright. So we're going to use one red and a yellow one Ed, and one yellow, and mother, if, I think let me bring you around to the side. And we could just push these out the way. We don't need them the second.

So you guys could step your inside leg to the front. So I think you should have enough space. So if I get you over there, so you're gonna step over to the front. Awesome. Hands can go on to the frame and then this time you're gonna step your leg onto the edge of the carriage. That's it. Correct.

So you're going into the skating single leg position. Now try roll yourself up to standing. Lovely. And you're up in a nice tall position there. Good. Right. So what's going to happen is I'd like you to bend the knees, push the carriage out a little bit and just a little bit just a little bit just a little bit and now I might try to get your spine a little bit more upright for a second. Good.

But now, Mandy, we're going to take our weight to the center. So try try yes. Beautiful. Good. Try to be a little bit taller in the initial phase, but that is Botha change. Alright? So this isn't the the bassy skating single leg. We're gonna get to that, right? Right now, all I want you to do is to sink a little bit lower but without moving the Ed, sink a little bit lower.

Keep the carriage still and then push up a little bit with the legs. Good. A little bit longer, longer, longer through the legs mouth, and then sink down. So we're going down. Try not to move the bed and up. So we want to keep the tension, and then down.

And up. Good. So we're putting a little bit of tension back onto those quads. So we're going down, try to minimize your forward lean, and up. Okay. So the ankle dorsi flexion again, and down. That's why we need it, and up. And one more time and down and then come up all the way, good, and then bring the carriage into the stopper. Alright. Now keep it on the stopper.

Now bend as deep as you can where you don't lean forward. Beautiful. Now transfer your weight slightly to your standing leg. Good. Right. Now your right leg, Martha, left leg for Mandy, is just doing abduction and push away. One and back.

Without changing your height to two and in and exhale so that legs are sweeping out three. Try keep the hip down. And little bit posterior four. Good. And out for five.

Good mother. Can you straighten this leg? So try get terminal knee extension. Six. There we go. And reaching, reaching, reaching seven, so I want straight leg, and one more time. Full length, full length, and then bring it back in, and then come back up nice and tall. Good. And then roll down.

Safely. I guess it's not so safe when you're so close together. And then step your leg off that's on the carriage first behind you. Good. And then let's walk around.

So maybe, Mandy, you step up first, roll up and then Martha after you. There we go. You have to give yourself some room there. Good. So your foot that's on the carriage is wedged. You're going to roll yourselves up.

So we've still got that red and yellow spring. So we're curling back up, curling back up, curling back up. Beautiful. Alright. So, Mandy. Yes. You're gonna squat.

You're gonna push the leg out, then you're gonna center your body. Good. Hold there, and then mother we're Botha center our body. Good. Now try go a little bit posterior with her pelvis. That's it. Good. Now just keep your carriage, Madia, I think you can move yours out a little bit further. That's it. And then just hold it.

And I'll just lift up a little bit and then down. So, up and down. So all it is is just a steady carriage position and the dorsi flexion of the ankles, and then you're getting that little bit of knee flexion. Little bit of knee flexion, but the hip abductors are working to keep the pelvis, sorry, the carriage stable. Go do three more. So we go one and down. And two and down one last time and three good and then bring it all the way up and bring it in and touch. Good.

So now staying on the stopper, bend both knees, staying vertical. So you've practiced the vertical. Awesome. Go a little bit of a tilt. Yes, but without swaying good. Right. Now the weight is transferred towards the inside legs are inside being close to me, and now the outside leg is just abducting.

Press away. One and back. Working on the knee extension. Two and back. And excel we did eight three and back in. Good. And four lovely and back in.

For five lean back a little bit more, and exhale six and back in and exhale seven and back in one more time and exhale eight and back in and up we go, you can roll forward. And then my they've used Stepo first for me, one and two, and you can get a box for a long box. Thank you. Awesome. Alright. So I'm Botha use one blue spring. Yeah. The foot pads can disappear and we're gonna put our box in the long position.

And what I'd like to do is lying chest over the end again towards the headrest side, and we're going to play around just with the pulling straps, two positions, but we're not Botha use the straps for the first few, Manny. So I think let's just work on our positioning first. So chest is over the edge of the Botha, right? Leg are together, arms out in a t position, right? Yep.

Good. Alright. So what I wanna get at in this position is that Mandy is in a long line, but I'd like you to think of her arms being possibly a little bit higher than her shoulders. So we're starting to get that little bit of adduction of the scapula, just a little bit of adduction of the scapula. Now, ladies, when you lift up into extension, that's what you're Botha do with your thoracic, so you're gonna lift up, then your arms, it's almost like they're pulling down into a slight diagonal, but it's really just because the chest is lift it up that the arms are pulling down a little bit lower so that our pinky fingers are coming towards our thighs, but not necessarily having to touch. Then as you lower your chest back into neutral, your arms should feel like they're lifting up a little bit, a little bit higher than your shoulders, so those rear deltoid muscles, and rhomboids have to work to keep your shoulders stable. So we do that again.

So as you lift into extension, the arms feel like they're gliding down at a bit of a diagonal. Right? So the arms are coming to a diagonal position. So their little fingers are coming down towards the thighs. So I always feel the mistake people make is they pull the arms back too high. Alright? And then bring the arms out. Now feel that they're lifting a little bit, manny, but the chest up slightly.

Good. Good, mother. That's it. And I'll relax. Okay? Can we do that with the ropes? Yeah. Let's do that.

Okay. So if you want to hold, I would just hold the hands onto the clip, alright? So make it a little bit longer for yourself, Mandy. Yeah. So if you hold too high or too low, it kind of loses its tension. Alright? So bring the arms out to the t position.

So immediately when people get things in their hands, they start changing that rotation of the shoulder. So arms are perfectly in the t position. Now, keep your spine in a horizontal. That's all you Botha do, but hold the arms a little bit higher than your spine just slightly. Now, guys, start your extension, so lift from the crown of your head and start pulling the arms towards your hips or towards your thighs.

Can you come up a little bit higher there, mother? That's a good, Mandy, a little bit more. Turn the palms down, Mandy. Good. Think of the tips of the shoulder blades coming together, and then lift the arms up, Mandy, and the spine, not too low, not too low, not too low. Arms can go further forward.

Further forward. Hold. Hold. Hold. Hold. I'm gonna bring you up just a little bit more, Mandy. And we go again. I had lift through the spine, lift through the spine. Arms can come a little bit lower.

Good. And arms come up. Arms come up, but it's actually the chest that's just lowering a little Ed, bring the arms a little bit further forward, manny forward, forward, and hold, and hook your straps. Good job. And then you guys push back into the rest position for me. Ah, slowly.

Good. And then you can hop off there for me slowly. And if you don't mind just putting your boxes away for a sec, and then I'm just gonna take your springs off, and I'll pop the foot bar up. Sorry. And let's just move that out the way there. And you can hop into the the well again.

Mhmm. Pacing your foot bar. Alright. So you want to stand close enough that you're going to go into a little squat down. Alright? So it's again, just to get that final bit of dorsi flexion of the ankle, rather be careful of your knees. You're only going as far as you feel comfortable, right? So basically I would just be close enough that I can sit down and take a very gentle hold and just get into that lovely little stretch there. Okay? It's obviously really important that we're able to get to a comfortable position and just make sure your foot bar is nicely locked. Good.

Yes. So, while they just push the knees out just gently there, you're really thinking of your sacrum just dropping in that position. Are you okay there? Mhmm. Good. Beautiful. Good. So they Botha got a lovely squat now. Right? These are nicely aligned over the second and third toes, so we don't want the knees falling in and get a little bit of upper back extension and then push yourselves back up to standing all the way up and you can turn and take a bow. Well, then guys.

Thank you very much.