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Hi. I am Lara Hanlon back on the Universal Reformer for a class this time using the Magic Circle. We’ll start sitting down. You can place the circle off to the side. We won’t use it for leg and footwork. Make sure your foot bar is up.
Head rest is up. 3 springs. I like to use 3 reds here set up for success, scooting our hips forward, reaching our arms forward, take a deep breath in. An exhale to round and roll all the way back down, releasing the head down, palms to the sides, shoulders right against those shoulder blocks and then lifting the legs up to a prehensile position right on the arches of the feet, feel the toes wrap over, heels drop under. As we inhale, we’ll press the carriage all the way out. Nice and long, finding that lift and leg through the legs, exhale break at the hips, deepening across the waist to return, inhale to press.
And exhale to bring it back in, lengthening through the legs, warming up with the breath, the whole body working here as we get started, feeling that inner thigh connection, those glutes engaged right underneath us, really working to pull the carriage in from the glutes and hamstrings while keeping this neutral pelvis to more times with this foot position. Once more, press out, and draw the carriage in from there. Break right at the hips, extend those legs up towards the ceiling, flex up through your heels, and then bend your knees, placing heels high on the bar, toes reaching up, inhale to lengthen back, and exhale to resist and return with control, finding that length, and then lean back home. Inhale. As you exhale think of the ribs drawing together, the low belly connecting further towards the low back, navel to spine, pubic bone to sacrum, warming up the entire body inhale and exhale to resist.
Imagine magnet drawing ankles, knees, inner thighs all together for 3. Bring it in to and resist. Once more lengthened back and bring it in from there. Send those legs back up towards the ceiling reach for the toes. Flexing just the toes, staying parallel, and then bringing the balls of the feet onto the bar in this nice high relevay, high heel position. Again, think about those magnets between the thighs, between the knees and ankles, we press out and then break at the hips to turn, sit bones, tailbone stay reaching long here. So we keep that neutral pelvis squeezing the seat tight, resisting against the spring tension, inhaling out exhaling to return.
Link them and resist for a 3. Last two. And in one more time, press. And bring the carriage in. From there, we’ll lower the feet down back to the ledge, float those arms up to the ceiling, take a breath in, and exhale to curl all the way back up.
Now that those legs are nice and warmed up, we’ll lower the footbar down. Change the springs. So we’re prepared to have our hands and then our feet in the straps. I’ll go one red, one blue. Do what feels best on your piece of equipment here.
Take that circle with you. Extend your legs long over the bar. Reach the fingertips towards the toes. Let the head release for a moment. Feel the head release between those arms, maybe give it a little shake, pressing to the palms, awakening in the upper body here, deep breath, and and exhale to round and roll down and zip up through the inner thighs through that low belly, making her way all the way back onto the mat. Here.
Now scoot a little bit away so your shoulder blocks and your shoulders aren’t fully connected, bend the knees into the chest, and then we’ll place the circle on the outside of the ankles. So get it there. However, you need pressing gently outward, slightly above the ankle bone, so it’s not right on a bone. Bend your knees to tabletop knees over the hips shins parallel to the floor point, flex the feet, whatever you need here, to feel your outer thighs, outer glutes, abductor’s medial glute, pressing jelly out. The more we engage here, the less will grip in the front of those hips and thighs, allowing us to focus on the low belly. Keep that in mind as you reach back for your handles.
Float those arms up over the chest, over the shoulders, pull the shoulder blades down, keep your gaze up, deep breaths to prepare, Excel to press the arms down by the sides and heal the arms reach up. Axcel belly pulls down palms, press down. Waking up the upper half here, using the core, pressing lengthening through the spine, through the fingertips, inhale, continuing to press outward with the circle as you exhale. Once more lift. Pull that belly button down in and and press adding a circle arms lift up and circle around and towards the hips as you exhale, inhale, reach over the shoulders, keeping tension in the straps, tension in the springs for 2 and squeeze to the waist 1 more this direction, squeeze and hold.
Will reverse around and up on the inhale, deep in the belly, press the palms down as you exhale, inhale to circle, exhale to press and reach for 2 Once more. Press to stay from here. Bend the elbows to 90 degrees matching that bend of the knees, deep breaths to prepare. Excel, we curl up extend arms, extend legs, chin hovers over the chest, press outward on your circle, bend your knees, bend your elbows, rest the head back, inhale at the bottom, exhale to curl back up and reach through fingers, toes, press outward with those inner thighs, outer thighs engaged, bend, bend, release, inhale, exhale, curl up and forward, maybe lifting the hire over the rim, sink the belly deeper to draw the knees in with resistance one more time, inhale to prepare. Axle to curl up.
We breathe in fives, inhale to 3, 4, 5, exhale to 3, 4, 5, right into our hundreds. Legs extended log pressing out on that circle. Breathe then, exhale pull the belly deeper, press out a little bit wider, handhale. And exhale for more breaths and exhale out to 3453 maybe lower the legs another inch. 2 and out.
One more breath. Axel 2, 3, 4, 5 stay hold reach, tear it apart 1 more inch with controlled bend the knees and mend your elbows in and release the head down. Take the straps back over those pegs, remove the circle from the outside of your legs, rest it on your shins and give your knees a hug. Take a moment here. Deep breath in.
Deep breath out. Squeeze the knees in close release or the hips, the thighs, the low back, and then place the circle between your ankles We’re moving into some coordination here with the circle now between our ankles once again slightly above the ankle bone. Knees could always be slightly bent, but we’ll do a variation with the legs as Sharitas, you can get them starting here perpendicular without lifting the pelvis. So keep it really anchored. Make sure you still have a little space between shoulders and the block.
And then take those straps once again. Press your hands into the handles or the straps until your arms are over your shoulders. Think two perpendicular lines here, arms and legs reach to the ceiling deep breath in as you exhale squeeze tighter into your circle. Begin to lower those legs down to your point of control. Inhale here to hold, exhale press the palms down, curl chin over the chest, Lift the legs back up to the ceiling, but keep that low back and pelvis anchored.
We lower the head back. Arms reach straight up. Legs lower to your point of control, squeeze the circle, pull the belly down, curl up over those ribs, and he’ll take it back. Axel to press and curl up. And he’ll keep reaching long through the arms and the legs. Squeezing tighter into that circle, deepening lower into your waistline for 3, exhale press and squeeze for 2.
Lyft and squeeze one more time inhale, exhale, curl up, hold just the legs lower for 5 inhale. Pull the belly deeper, squeeze the circle tighter for 4. Use the breath. 3. Can we reach higher over the ribs, lengthen through those fingertips to squeeze and lift one more time lower.
Squeeze lift and stay. Bend your knees. Bend your elbows. Release it down. From here, once again, release the straps take the circle out for a moment and hug those knees in deep breath here, exhale. Let it go.
Give your knees a little rock side to side. Let your circle just rest on your chest for a moment. We’ll place our feet into the straps. So do so however you need to get there. Maybe you press yourself out.
Just making sure you’re safe as you do so and then bring those heels in. Will take the circle and place it once again between the ankles. Nice graceful placement here. Once you arrive with it secured even when your legs extend them out on a 45 degree angle. Palvest stay squared anchor here. Try not to tuck, lengthen through the tail, open through the chest and shoulders.
Deep breath into prepare. As you exhale, can you squeeze your inner thighs a little bit tighter? Waking up those legs even more here. Keep reaching through the heels and lengthen to lift them up without lifting the hips. Feel a link through the back of the legs, deep breath, and squeeze the circle tighter. Press from those lutes and hamstrings lower the legs back down and away.
Inhale to lift doesn’t have to be huge movement here. It really depends on your body. Working within your own alignment here. Feel the length through the back of the legs squeezing into the inner thighs. And then that engagement from the glutes and hamstrings in the low belly to lower, a 4 more just like this, inhale to lift, exhale to lower.
For a 3, squeeze and press. Inhale up to draw the ribs together. Pull that belly button a little deeper to the spine one more time. We lift lower and hold. Keep reaching through the heels squeezing into the inner thighs, begin to bend your knees, think of finding that ninety degree table top position, press those heels out and away, squeeze inner thighs a little tighter, resist to bend inhale, exhale to lengthen out and away.
Resist to bend. Pull the belly down. Reach through the heels and squeeze the inner thighs tight for 4. Exhale to reach. And 3, keep squeezing into your circle from both high and thin or thighs or adductors and low into the belly, get into that pelvic floor, lengthen and press one more time, inhale bend, exhale extend from here, point through those toes, lift those legs up, and bend them if you need to take the circle out. We’ll bring the legs together.
You can place that circle off to the side, and then we’ll take some smaller leg circles staying parallel point or flex do what you need take it down and away, circle around and, think about the width of the reformer inhale and exhale. Press down, squeeze the seat. Circle around and up really focusing on our parallel alignment here for 4 around and left. 3 and, 2, squeeze at the top 1 more this direction, flex, reverse, around and down squeeze together, break at the hips to lift. Squeeze. Keep that connection.
Really draw it tight like that magnet sensation Don’t let them bounce for a 3 and lift with control. 2. 1 more. And, from there, bend those knees all the way in, take your feet out of the straps, bring yourself on home here, and let the straps release down back onto their poles. Legs extend long, arms reach up, deep breath in, squeeze those inner thighs together even here. Use that core connection to around and roll all the way up.
Whoo. We’ll let our legs relax a little bit here. Switch to one spring. I will be using one red for some pulling on the straps upper body work with the long box. So you can grab your box. Place it on your reformer in front of those shoulder blocks.
Make sure it’s nice and square. Now this is going to be a really fun mount that we’re going to try. I’m gonna sit on my box to start. Think of, like, when you get in for hamstring curls, We’re gonna place that circle yet again in between our ankles, really squeeze it, try not to drop it, and then flip your body on around. Kinda like a fish out of water.
We lost it. Kind of. We’re good. Happens to the best of us. Chest slightly off the edge. Reach for your straps.
Keep your legs extended and engage. Yeah. If you don’t use them, you’re gonna drop your circle. Arms reach down, inner thighs squeeze tight, shoulders pull away from the ears, inhale draw the arms down and back to the hips, exhale resist arms back forward. Use the breath. Inhale as you pull your arms, maybe lift your chest slightly.
Exhale. Pull the belly up and in. Let the chest lower slightly. Open up through the shoulders, through the back, reach to the back of the room, exhale resisting long through the back of the neck. Let your back lift. Keep your neck in line with your spine, exhale pulling belly button up and in away from the box really supporting your back here for 3.
And resist. Keep those legs lifted. Hamstrings, glutes, inner thighs, really engaged too. And forward. One more time. Arms, lift up and back hold, really extend longer, straighter through your triceps, bend your elbows in. Extend your arms back.
Inhale, bend. Exhale, lengthen. Are those legs still lifted? Booty engaged, belly up and in. Inhale. And exhale for 4. 3.
Press it longer. 2. Think of working both directions. Last time, hold those arms straight, lift everything up 1 more inch. Slowly lower with control. Let your head release for a moment.
Your legs kind of release, but not really because we’re still holding that circle. Don’t drop it. Walk your hands down lower onto your straps or handles, reengage the glutes and hamstrings, lift them up. Point flex, whatever you need so you don’t cramp here. Reach the arms to a tee. Pull the shoulder blades away from the ears and lengthen through the back of the neck. Inhale as you pull that pinky finger side of your fist towards your hips.
Exhale open right back to that nice wide tee. Squeeze between your shoulder blades, exhale open with resistance. Keep this lift of the upper body of the lower body. Like, we’re flying. We pull, and we open with control for 4. Squeeze between the shoulder blades, keep sliding them away from the ears, nice, open back in the neck, and we reach inhale, Paul, keep those palms facing down one more time, Paul.
Open wide. Slowly release straps hook back onto those pulls, bend your knees in from here, flex through your feet, Hands could hold on to the front of the box or come to the low back. We’ll do a little bit of a hamstring curl variation here without the straps. You should still feel it. Pulse your heels higher to the sky, squeeze gently into the circle, feel this right underneath your seat.
Your knees are lifted away from the box. Your pelvis is pressing down often in hamstring curls. We see this. You’re not really working anything other than endangering your low back. Instead, press your pelvis down. Keep your belly button lifted. Press the heels to the sky from there.
Pull your heels towards your seat inhale. Resist back to about 90 degrees as you exhale. Squeeze sit bones and butt cheeks together, inner thighs together, pull and lengthen it slightly for a 4. Can you keep lifting your knees away from the floor for 3 squeezing into your circle for 2? And extend one more time. Pull heels to glutes.
Reach the heels back straight up to the ceiling. Puls it higher for 5 little higher for right underneath the butt cheeks. 3. 2. Last one, lift and hold. Let it release all the way in and down. You can take your circle out from there.
We will not reverse that dismount. Press yourself all the way up. Alright. From here, we’re gonna spin around, do a little teaser work. I’m gonna stay on one red. Do what you need.
If you need to make adjustments, go for it. Pick your circle back up. Walk your hips towards the front of your box. Let’s place the circle back around the outside of those ankles. If our inner thighs, a little break, move back to those outer thighs. So walk your feet apart, think of gently pressing outward with it, reach your arms forward, take a breath in, and begin to round and roll back to the tips of the shoulder blades. Pull the belly back.
Warm up through your spine a little further here. Find that hover hold, exhale to curl back Can you press your heels down into the bar and to the ledge wherever they are? Keep those knees in line with the hips, pressing slightly outward of that circle. Use the hands if you need two more times inhale. Axel to around and contract back.
Pull the low belly back first. Find your articulation. It’s important here throughout the Pilates work, inhale. We never wanna use momentum. We don’t wanna throw ourself up or down, work within your spinal alignment to your mobility.
Bury then. Exhale rollback. Taking our time. One bone at a time. Find the hover at the shoulder blades inhale.
Exhale to curl the body back up. If you need to make any adjustments, go for it. From here, we’ll grab our straps right in the right hand, left in the left hand, and then make our way all the way back down from here. The knees drawn to tabletop Keep them there. Let the head if you have a safe head and neck alignment here, release back. Arms open. Deep breath in to prepare. Begin to curl up.
Chin back over the chest. Press palms into the straps. Start to curl your body up. Legs will stay bent pressing out on that circle. Fingertips kinda reaching towards the rim of the circle.
Pull your shoulders down, lift your heart, lift your gaze, inhale, and exhale lower the upper body down. Remember that roll through the spine. That articulation, use it here. Pull the belly deeper. Legs remain bent. Another just like that in here. Excel, pull the belly button down, curl the body up, scoop from your waist, reach the arms towards your toes, palms stay lifted, pressure into those straps shoulder blades slide down the back inhale, exhale to lower with control vertebra by vertebra, taking our time, knees bent to tabletop. Inhale.
Excel this time option to keep the knees bent for a little more challenge. We’ll extend those legs straight Keep pressing out on the circle, lower the arms towards the hips, press into the palms, reach fingertips towards your toes, inhale lower, Belly button pulls back arms reach up 3 more times. Take it down. Zip up through the waist and lift. 2 Keep pressing out on that circle.
Abs pulling back in in one more time. Inhale. Excel reach and stay. Take a deep breath and lift everything a little higher. Legs maybe stay straight if you can. Lower everything down.
Keep the circle in the legs slightly hovering. Let the head and the arms float back. We have one more fight for it deep breath in, exhale turn over the chest, tear the circle apart, pull that belly button back reach up, up, up, find yourself in this beautiful v position, lower the arms, inhale, scoop the arms, and lift exhale for 4. Press and reach. Belly pulls back in and 3.
Press and reach fingertips and toes to and scoop to lift one more inhale. XL reach stay. Take one more breath in. Slowly lower in 4. Pull the belly deeper. 3, lengthen longer through those limbs. Find the hover to let it go on 1.
Let your head and your legs release. Let your straps drop. Take a breath in. Curl up, chin over the chest, hug your knees in. Take the circle off your ankles and place it on your shins. Give them a squeeze.
Forehead curls up higher to those knees. Deep breath here. Press into your palms or reach your arms forward on a high diagonal, stay lifted, right leg extends, lengthen out that thigh, switch legs, exhale, lengthen out the left thigh, breathe in, switch exhale. A little more core work, little single leg stretch to keep activating in the belly, lengthening out through those legs for 3. Really curling higher over the ribs. In this position, we obviously can’t rest our head.
Knees draw and curl higher. Arms reach by the ear as legs long. Pull the belly and draw the circle over your shins. Reach out and back Zip up tighter through your waist. In this position, we wanna release a lifted over the rib cage shoulder blades hovering off that box to.
Palms pressing into your circle one more time lengthen draw it all the way in. Give your knees a hug. Let your head release back one last time. This time, hopefully it feels good with control, reach the arms up, lower the feet all the way down, take a deep breath and chin peels over the chest, exhale to round and roll all the way. Taking a moment here.
Give yourself a moment to be thankful for everything you just did on that long box. You we’re gonna turn our, box to a short position. So headrest will lower down. We’ll flip the box. It can be in the front if you’re on the shorter side for me. I place it on top of my shoulder blocks, nice and square, then add on a couple more springs so you’re secure with your carriage.
We’re gonna reach for this strap underneath sit up on the box and hook the feet under the strap for support. Moving into why not more core work? Grab your circle. Scoop back slightly so that strap is nice and taught here. I like to find my sit bones firmly planted on the box So I’m not sinking. My knees are soft, so I’m not gripping in my thighs. This time, the circle will be between our palms.
Gentle pressure inward, roll those shoulders back, find a beautiful lift through your waist to prepare deep breath in as you exhale begin to round and contract I hate to say it, but it feels the right alignment with that scoop. If you think of getting yourself punched right in the gut here, curl back Keep that low belly connection. Breathe and press into your palms, exhale curl back forward and up shoulders come over the hips, taking an extra breath here to lengthen tall. Exhale scooping round back, low value initiates, fingertips and heels reach forward, inhale hold at the bottom. Exel, pull the belly back to curl back forward and up shoulders over the hips, staying rounded before length and being a little taller, breathing. Excel pull that low belly back pubic bonus sacrum navel to spine, curl down inhale, exhale round, forward, and up. Option to stick with this or take it further same breath inhale, exhale start to roll down. To your point of control, maybe that means the head and the arms reach all the way back.
Arms reach up. Excel to roll up. Pull the belly back back back before lengthening tall once more inhale. Axcel round and contract zipping up through that low belly connection before lengthening out. Arms reach overhead.
Inhale fingertips high. Snowching over the chest. Belly scoops back back back. Find that curl before lengthening up. Inhale, press into the palms. This time, roll back to where we were for those first few, a position you can maintain with that scooped out sensation in the core, press into your circle inhale.
Twist slightly over to the right as you exhale, opening up through the waistline, inhale, rotate to the left as you exhale, inhale center. Knees and hips stay square working into our rotation center, twist into that left oblique, one more extraction, twist right, center. Twist left. Come back to center hold. Pull the belly back, curl the self all the way back up. Once again, find those sit bones sitting nice and tall, arms stay long, squeeze the seat a little bit, really lift out of the hips with a flat back. We hinge back on the inhale.
We come right back up to vertical. Think of a tight zipper here. Those arms stay straight out in front of our heart to start, and he’ll hinge back. Exhale lift up and healthy of lengthening through your spine all the way from your tailbone at the crown of the head. Press into the palms a little tighter, knit the ribs a little tighter to the midline once more, inhale hinge back.
Exale this time to stay. Arms lift overhead. Arms lower back down. Find length through the arms maybe by the ears as long as we don’t display the ribs or arch the back. Staying really connected in that low belly for 3.
Press and reach for 2. Inhale, use the breath. Press into the palms, knit that waistline a little tighter. One more time arms lift. Arms lower. Hold. Lift all the way up. Once again, finding this beautiful lift of the spine.
Spin the circle. Palms will be pressing to the insides, but pressing outward. Lift your arms up. Pull your shoulder blades down. Really press outward with your palms and find a little more lift in the waist.
We’ll take our lean up and over like a rainbow to the right side. Now press evenly into both palms so we don’t shift from our shoulders, we really lean from our waist, exhale lift up from the obliques, up and over to the left. Inhale, exhale length into vertical. Lean right. Lift to center over to the left. Back to center, feel the pressure outward with your palms engaged in your back and your triceps here. We’re working our arms here just as much as anything else. We keep that pressure out into the circle to pull the shoulders down.
Arms stay the same. We move into our twist over to the right side on the inhale twist from your obliques, knees, and toes stay straight to the ceiling, reach back on the diagonal, really pull back from your right waistline, lift back up to vertical. Square back off the center, lift to twist, inhale, reach up and over exhale. All the way back up. Find those sit bones.
And center. Again, think of wringing out the lungs like a wet towel. Twist twist. Twist. Reach up and back. Inhale. Left. Exale center one more time.
Twist up and over. Lift a little taller. Move through center and rest should feel your arms working nicely there. Whoo. We’re gonna move into our oblique. I’m gonna face you to start here, which means my left foot is hooked.
My hips are squared off. My shoulders are squared off. Let that circle just rest down for a moment. I kinda have mine draped over my head rest. Right foot will hook underneath the left. If feels supportive.
Maybe it’s bent up here. Again, always doing what feels best with your alignment, your body, your equipment. I bring my right hand all the way down. Maybe you have some support there or it’s on the headrest, but take a moment to let that left arm reach up and over the head to really lengthen out the side of the body. I like to start my obliques here, my side work with this stretch to help us lengthen out our IT band or hip where we often feel a lot of work happening. We don’t want that working when we move into our obliques. We wanna focus on the abdominals, those oblique muscles.
So enjoy this moment to relax through the hips, through the waist. Take a breath in. Exhale it out. Now as you start to come up, do so from your obliques, yeah, try and keep this fairly relaxed. Take your circle between your palms, find a diagonal from heels through the crown of the head. We press our palms together, draw the circle right in front of the to reach your arms out long.
Take a deep breath and exhale bend your elbows wide. Pull the belly button back and in for 4. And bend it in. 3, elbows, bend wide arms pull and belly pulls back in an inhale. And exhale.
Last time we reach, pull it in, inhale reach your arms long, exhale. Little oblique left. Lower an inch, lift an inch. Keep that circle right in front of your heart. Exhale up for 2.
Last one. Lift and hold. Inhale twist to the floor. Exhale twist to the ceiling. Inhale.
Exhale. 3. To sit up hips stay square twist from Euroblakes. Last one. Twist all the way down.
Let that circle release, crawl your hands out as far as you can on the frame, let your head release, getting even deeper into that side twist, that side stretch for the body, deep inhale, deep exhale. Let this feel good. Let your body relax for a moment. Don’t worry. We’ll get right back into it. Crawl those hands back up.
Keep your circle where it is. We’ll make our way over to the other side. Right foot hook. Into that strap, making sure it’s secure, facing the other direction. I like to hook my left foot, do what you need.
Make sure that strap pulls taut and then lower left hand all the way down or wherever you need. Feel the length through the side waist. Reach that right. Our mouth relax the shoulders, the hips, the back, take a breath in. Exhale. Let it go.
Enjoy this moment. We’re releasing some tension in the hip in the body and the mind and exhale. So start to make your way up, think of bringing left fingertips to the floor, maybe to that headrest if you’re a little bit on the petite side. Take that circle back between your palms, lift your body up, bend your elbows wide. Belly pulls back in and inhale arms lengthened in front of us. Excel elbows bend. Really pull the circle towards your heart for 4.
Resist as you bend it and squeezing into it for 3. Can you make it an oval for 2? One more time. Extend the elbows. Bend the elbows.
Arms extend to hold. We take a breath there. Exhale lift from your weight, right waist, inhale down, exhale lower, and lift for 3 Keep those hips square. 2. 1. Lift and hold. Twist to the floor. Inhale.
Twist to the ceiling as you exhale. Again, circle stays in front of chest. We’re not twisting from the hips. We’re not twisting from the shoulders. We’re working our obliques. One more inhale.
Exhale. Twist all the way down, release your circle, walk your hands away, and enjoy your stretch. Well deserved here. Take a deep breath and exhale twist a little further. Shake the head. Yes.
And no side to side. Relax through that low back. One more breath to stay. And exhale. Let it go. From here, crawl all those hands all the way back up and in. Take your foot out of the strap.
We’ll step on off to the side. Gonna hook my straps back over the pegs just so they’re out of the way. And transition my box off to the side of the reformer. Grabbing my circle as I do so, we are going to use both prop for some side work here. And by side work, I mean, glute work with the box on the side.
So I’m gonna place it here so you can see. Place it towards the front edge of your reformer, pretty flush with the reformer, and then one spraying, maybe a blue, maybe a red kind of depending on your resistance. Will be weighted there. Circle comes into the hands, and then you’re gonna stand up on that box facing the foot bar. If you feel like your balance is unsteady here, maybe you don’t stand on the box, maybe you modify, maybe you need to hold on to the foot bar, listen to your body, make sure you’re safe, 1st and foremost, right toes towards the front edge of the box, towards the front edge of the reformer. My left toes back up against that shoulder block on a nice modified relevay position.
So I’m gonna stand up here and square my hips off as much as I can, place the circle between my palms, reach my arms out long, keep pressing that left hip forward, roll those shoulders down and back, and then begin to bend into that right knee. Think of our hip flexor stretch, our Eve gentry stretch, a nice lunge to start. Take a breath in. And then exhale stand back up, letting those arms lower towards the thighs. Arms reach forward, left leg presses the carriage back on the inhale, exhale zip up through the waist to pull the carriage back in, pressing out and back.
Axle draw it up and forward zipping up through that low belly for 2. And then one more time inhale. And exhale. Making sure that right knee presses right over the right middle toe. We bend in, bending elbows and left knee together, inhale. And exhale this time.
My elbows hug in tight to the waist. My left knee pulls right underneath my hip. Inhale to bend. Excel to length and then extend getting a little bit lower for 3 and press 2. One more.
Hold the arm straight. Bend the left knee in about halfway. Little pulses down for 5. Resessed for 4, press into that right heel. 3, using glutes and hamstrings to keeping the body square. Last one, come all the way up, making sure that carriage is at rest as you step both feet onto the box.
We’ll move into some side controls. Right foot onto the ledge here, pulling it back towards that back corner, left foot right towards that inner side of the carriage. Little tuck of the tail here, so the tailbone’s pointing down. We have a nice zipper sensation for the low belly, crown of the head reaching up arms reaching forward pressing into the palms into that circle for some engagement in the upper half. And, Hal, as you press the carriage out, Excel, lower the arms down, circle down towards the pelvis as the inner thighs draw together.
You inhale to lengthen out axle bringing everything back in with control for 3 and together. Keep in that tuck of the tail that lift in the knees and the thighs. One more inhale to press and exhale to bring it in. From their heel toe or step this left foot wider to your point of control here. Again, tuck of the tail, zipper up in your core, reach those arms straight out in front of the chest as we press out wide reach the arms up overhead, link through the fingertips, Excel arms come back to heart center, reaching fingertips, forward, shoulder blades down, lengthening out.
Feel that low belly connection, a lift in the knees and thighs pulling us back to center for 3. Bring it in. Inhale out for 2. Exhale together. One more time. Press.
Pull it in and hold from here. Keep the carriage still. Squeeze your inner thighs. We flap back over. Tailbone towards you, forehead to the back of the room fingertips towards the carriage.
Deep breath in. Carriage doesn’t move. Straight back up to vertical. Squeeze the seat underneath you. Pull the belly back in one more time.
Flat back over. Keep pressing into the palms, lifting in the knees and thighs. AC still come all the way back up, up, up carefully. He’ll tow that left foot back in, and you can step down onto your box and all the way on to the floor. We’ll transition for our second side here. Let your circle release for a moment.
Box will be coming to the other side of the reformer. Again, making sure it’s lined up towards the front edge and close towards the edge of your piece of apparatus. Stand on up to start, getting into position carefully, left foot towards that front corner, right foot. Hold on if you need, comes back in that high relevay against the shoulder block right away. Think of tucking your tailbone underneath you. Press your hip forward. Again, it’s just like that Eve stretch. Really finding length for the hip flexor here.
Arms reach out. Shoulders pull back. Start to bend into your left knee as you lower down, pressing the carriage out into that right foot. And then exhale pull the carriage in, lowering arms towards the hips. Press out and down, left knee right over that left middle toe, exhale zip up through the waist squeeze underneath the seat and into the palms lower and lengthen to lift down and back.
Draw the ribs together. Pull the belly back in in. 2 more length and down. Exhale up. This time we lower and hold inhale, exhale bend your elbows, bend your right knee, and elbows tighten to the waist.
Reach the fingertips back through the heel. Pull it in. Inhale and exhale. For 3 keeps zipping up tight through that low belly focusing on that pelvic stability. Squared us across the hips and shoulders and and reach all the way out arms stay straight. Right knee bends in.
Keep the carriage still for our pulses for 5. Little lower for 4. Squeeze right underneath those at bones 3. Little lower 2. Little lower. Hold on 1.
Come all the way up, make sure that carriage is at rest as you step back onto your box. We have our second side for side control. Left heel towards that back edge. I were nice and safe as we get up here. That tuck of the tail is so important here.
Don’t lose it. Don’t press out so far that you lose it. Reach your arms out, roll your shoulders down, inhale press out. As you press inward, feel that length in your outer thigh. Really lengthening and strengthening those abductors, medial glutes, inhale, exhale, resistance squeeze into the legs. As you press the carriage out, can you press your palms a little tighter to the midline and then pull it back in? Inhale. And exhale once more and bring it in.
From here. Arms stay long. He reaches out a little wider. Get there safely. Press your pelvis underneath you.
Roll the shoulders back, pull your belly button back and squeeze those glutes forward, and he’ll press out this time lifting those arms up. X. How we’re reaching back forward lifting in the knees in the thigh. Some lengthen out and up. Pull the belly back in in. Press the palms together.
Really knit the ribs together. Press to your point of control. And then can you squeeze the inner thighs all the way together, bring that carriage all the way in? Imagine the legs are going to touch one another. Think of that magnet sensation.
Squeeze and lift. Last time, press out. Keep the arms up. Squeeze into stay. We have 2 more of that flat back keeping the arms by the ears, sit bones, tailbone reach back, fingertips, cram it ahead forward.
Find it. Keep lifting the knees in the thighs, weight into the toes, exhale squeeze the glutes underneath you, pull that belly back in and stand tall once more, inhale hinge. Exel to stand all the way up, up, up, how grow longer through your waist, lower the arms, and he’ll tow that right foot in with control. From here, you can step on off to your box onto the mat. Place your circle down. You can even leave your box and the circle there.
We’ll place our bar back up and then change to 3 reds. From here, maybe you want a little lighter, a little heavier, we’re gonna lay back down onto our backs, swing those legs around, We’re setting up to finish with some pelvic press pelvic lift and running in place. Take your circle with you. Reach your arms forward. Breeze. And and then exhale to roll back down, finding our way back down onto the reformer with a flat headrest If you didn’t adjust, it should still be there.
Separate your feet a little bit wider than hip width here and then place the circle between your inner thighs. Now the higher it is, the harder it is. Also, maybe the more meat you have in those legs, I like to get mine kinda mid hip and knee. Closer to the heels here. Palms press down. Tothes can be pointed or flexed.
Let the knees open for a moment. Take a breath in. Now as you exhale, squeeze into your inner thighs, draw the ribs together, pull the belly down, feel those adductors engage, inhale to hold it right there. Excel, pull the belly button down so much that your hips start to curl up, feel the low belly activate first, then fire up the glutes and the hamstrings, reaching the hips all the way up, pelvis lifts, belly pulls down, knees reach straight forward over the middle toes, chin off the chest, deep breath, and exhale to roll back down chest away from the chin vertebra by vertebra. Take your time. Enjoy this articulation even though you’re squeezing the heck out of those inner thighs and the glutes and the circle.
Finally, release the hips, release the circle at the bottom. Once more in here, hips stay heavy, exhale squeeze your circle to stay. Work into those inner thigh muscles. Take another breath in. Pull the belly down, begin to tuck and curl your hips up. Feel that scoop of the low waistline.
Reach your pelvis up. Pull your abs down, knees straightforward. We’re aiming for a straight diagonal. From knees to hips to shoulders. Stay lifted. Keep squeezing.
Press the carriage out. Inhale. Pull the carriage back in really press into the feet, maybe into the heels more so keep squeezing the seat in length. And only as far as you can go without losing that connection in the circle, as you can see, I’m choosing not to straighten my legs all the way. That would limit my form here. I want my hips to stay lifted. My abdominals and glutes and inner thighs to stay really working to their best ability for 2 drag it up and in.
One more time inhale to press. In her thighs squeeze tighter, belly pulls deeper, lift all the way in. Hold it here. Imagine a strength pulling your pelvis up higher. Squeeze the circle tighter.
Take a deep breath where you are. Slowly lower in 4. Take your time. Move through your spine. With control. 3 into the middle of your waist.
Keep squeezing that circle to finally release the hips on the mat on one. Let the knees open. Take the circle. Let the soles of the feet come together. A much needed butterfly here for a moment. Letting those inner thighs release.
They should absolutely need this right here while you’re here, flip your headrest back up. Shoulders against those shoulder blocks palms pressing into the circle. Arms reach up to the ceiling. Knees will come back together and balls of the feet come onto the bar. Press the carriage all the way up.
Keep that circle right over your chest versus over your face. That way, the shoulders stay down the next day’s long. Squeeze your inner thighs and your glutes. Take a deep breath and press into your palms as you lower your right heel under the bar. Feel a stretch for those hamstrings. Gently release the circle, lift your heels. Press into the palms, lower your left heel under the bar.
Feel that leg through the back of the legs, inhale lift. Exale press and lower. One more nice and slow lift and lower. Moving a little quicker. With a pulse of the hands breathing and twos we switch.
Puls it in and in switch the legs. And exhale. Use the breath. Pull the belly deep, really lift in the knees and thighs, lift in the glutes. Think about your whole body working.
Can you squeeze that circle to an oval? 4 more. 3 more breaths. Pull the belly down in and lifting the legs too. Last one. Lift both heels up and stay.
Squeeze your inner thighs together glutes together, palms together, take a deep breath in. Excel lower the heels under the bar. Lift the heels up. Press and lower. Squeeze those palms tighter for 2.
Lower and squeeze in our thighs connect to one more. Lower and squeeze. Lift the heels high. And bend the knees all the way in. Lower the feet back down onto the ledge.
Take a deep breath here. And exhale to roll all the way back up to a seat. Well, I am very sweaty and well worked, and I hope you are too. Thanks for joining me for this maybe fun, maybe magical circle class.
