One Spring Reformer

Hi, my name is Portia page and I am here today to show you a workout routine on the reformer, the balanced body reformer, and with me today I have two very special guests, Erica quest and Lizbeth Garcia. And we are going to show you a workout that is full body and fun and very quick and short. So here we go. This also is very easy setup and smooth transitions. They are starting on the backside of the reformer facing the foot bar one red spring and we're going to keep it to one red spring for the entire workout standing straight and tall. And I just want to note too that their arms are super long so they will be able to touch with their fingertips. The foot bar, most of you at home might not be able to, so don't expect that you're going to crouch down to take hold of that foot bar.

Just let your fingertips fall where they may right foot over please ladies. And they're going to bring the ball of the foot right onto the carriage itself. And with the start they will just straighten and bend the knee. We're working here now on posture and alignment as well as warming the body, getting ready for a workout, and you're going to do a few more, four more, and that'll make a total of eight for this side. Exhaling as you extend the leg out and I think you've got one more.

Perfect. Now come in, take a deep breath ladies, and let's actually take the hands to your hips and we're going to work a little bit on balance. Now as you straighten the leg out, you're going to lift up onto a Relevate on the other foot, so straightened and lift, and then bend in lower. Good. Just three more because this is a difficult move. You'll notice that the ladies are not touching the foot bar. If they are, they're just grazing it. Just two more. They're getting a nice long lift, contracting the abdominals as they lift. Nice, wide collar bone. Excellent. Come back in and you'll bring that right foot back over the edge and they're going to watch out for each other's bums there and switch to the other leg.

Ball of the foot, right on the edge of the carriage lifted up, tall, straight and long, and extend and bend the knee. We're going to go for a total of eight repetitions. It's a good number to start with. To warm up. You'll notice that they're keeping their posture upright and tall with a beautiful smile on their face, making it look as easy as pie. And I believe you have four more. Yeah, a little slower, Erica. Yeah, there we go.

Someone is trying to win the race here and last one, take a deep breath with the hands on the hips, elbows out to the sides and as you extend the leg Relevate onto the other leg. Oh, hang on there Erica. You got it. Recapture that breath and find that core activation there. Excellent. So you can tell that you might have one side a little easier than the other.

This is obviously Eric has challenging side. It's nice to know that we are challenged, as polite as instructors, and that will be it. Fantastic. Take the foot around. You're going to come around to your right side of the reformer. Setting up for a simple lunch to warm up and stretch up the hip flexors. Hands are going to be on the foot bar.

The knee that's on the carriage is actually touching the carrot. Go ahead and press out ladies hand stay on the foot bar and then inhale as you come back in. Taking a nice long breath. Exhale, depress out. Excellent. Two more times. So we're noticing the nice wide color bone here. Liz is keeping her spine nice and long, keeping the core activated, and that was your fourth one. This time I want you to come down, lift the same arm as the leg that's going back, so lift up and feel that nice long stretch. Good.

Come back in one more time. This time stay down and a nice lateral flex. Getting that nice stretch out of the hip. Doesn't that feel wonderful? Excellent. Upright. Your torso, hand goes back onto the foot bar. Stand back up. You're going to lift the carriage knee off.

Straighten the standing leg. Now they're going to push out and straighten both legs into a split, keeping the pelvis nice and steady. And as they come in, they're going to round the lower back and feel that nice length coming out of the standing leg three more times. Ladies, big inhale out. You also might not be able to see this. You'll see it on the other side, but as you're pushing out the front foot is dorsal flexing. Toes are lifting or getting a nice stretch in the calf. I believe this is the last time. Yes, I get a head nod from both of them.

Glad to know I can still count and come right back in. Excellent. And stand up. You're going to come to a kneeling position facing out from where you are in the middle of the carriage. So here we are prepping the body for some work that's coming ahead. They're going to push out and lean the body into a star prep.

Lifting up this arm here. Excellent. From here, the arm is gonna stay out like so, and they're going to bring the hips underneath them to get this beautiful long stretch here. In this side of the body now pushed back out again and pull in. Good. So twice more ladies, cause I know this is challenging really working here in the shoulder area. Good. One more time. Eric is making this look so easy. Excellent. And then come right back in. Oh, little loud there, but no worries. From here. Let's have you guys turn to the back.

You're going to do your kneeling abdominal. So face the back. Yep. Bring the knees right up against the shoulder as hands onto the rails. Excellent. We're going to start with a flat back ladies. So you'll pull the bed in with an exhale. And again, they have one red spring. Inhale to return. Good.

And I'd like you to do a total of eight. So really keeping the collarbone wide here. The shoulders pressing down, abs, drawing and tightly good. How are you doing over here? Lizbeth good. And you're going to count to eight. Have you gotten to eight ladies since your last one? Okay, excellent. From there, move back on your carriage to midway and take the hands onto the shoulder rests themselves. You're going to bring your right foot onto the foot bar.

You might need to move back a little bit more, Erica, so you've got some room for your torso there even more. You can let the foot hang right off the edge. Perfect. The knee that they're on is right under the hip and go ahead and extend the leg out. A lightweight here. So you really want to be careful that you're not pushing out with a lot of speed and emphasis and you're working mostly on controlling through the breath and once you've reached four, we're only doing a couple of these. I think this is your last one. Good. Excellent.

And switch sides. So we're going to do an easy switch here to the other side. Again, noting that the knee is underneath the hip and as we push out, you're seeing the torso stayed nice and controlled, not wavering, not tucking under. Nice. Once you've reached four ladies, you'll stop. You notice Liz Beth is keeping her neck really nice and long there. Eric has doing the same and stop and come in.

You will now turn to the other side into that kneeling position for our star Prep, I'm going to be the star of their stars. All right? Push out the carriage, reach the arm over the head should give them both a high five because they're doing so wonderfully. And from here, keep out with the arm and you're gonna pull the carriage under and they're getting this really nice stretch along the side of the body. So just for, and again, you guys at home might find that one side is particularly easy there than the other since you're harder side. Okay, we seem to be hitting the second side is the hardest one every time when she reached her fourth one, is that a yes? Okay, excellent. You can come off to the other side and let's set up our lunch on the other side. So from here, they're going to set their toes up right at the edge of the reformer there where the stands are, the carriage knee rests on the carriage itself. Hands on the foot bar.

And Go ahead and press out getting a nice hip flexor stretch elongation through the torso and come back in. Keeping the knee resting on the carriage twice more. How are we doing? Good. Alright. Alright, fantastic. One more time without the arm and then they're going to add the arms. So the same arm is the leg that's going back. It's going to lift up. So they get that nice longitudinal stretch as well as a nice hip flexor and thigh stretch all the way up underneath the shoulder too. Yup.

And this time actually stay out. We did one extra on this side and laterally flex towards the bent knee in front. Oh, that feels wonderful. And backup straight hand back onto the foot bar. This time both legs are going to straighten out and they come into that split position. Feels so good.

You'll notice on this side you can see the toes lifting in front round as they come back in straight leg that they're standing on again. Good. Twice more. You notice that they breathe really well without any queuing. That's what we get for Polonius instructors. So well trained last time us.

Excellent. All right. From here you're going to come to align down position on the reformer. Still one red spring. I'm actually lying down all the way. Yep. Good.

Alright, so easy does it? You're just going to straighten that. You want your head rest up, Erica. You're good. Okay. So you're gonna straighten both legs out and stay into that position there with the leg straight. Lift your upper body. So sliding the ribs towards the hips, hovering the arms, and now they're going to jump. So as they bend the knees, the head is up so they can notice where the foot bar is. And I'm going to make you do 10. So there's three, four. So while this is a leg exercise, it's also a lot of abdominals.

I think they'll agree to that. Oops, I caught you there. I think these are the last two. Excellent. And rest. Bring your knees into your chest so you get a nice little stretch there, Huh? Excellent. Now from here, place the right foot into the strap. Reach behind you. Can you guys get it? Okay. Yup. So straighten out the foot bar leg.

Attach the strap onto the right foot, bring both knees above the chest and then extend the legs up and you can extend. Extend them out into this 45 degree angle with the heels in, toes out. The working leg is your strapped leg. The other leg is going to stay extended out and you're going to slide the leg right along the inside of the calf and then press out. Inhaling as you bend and exhaling as you reach out. Good.

Six more ladies. Keeping that leg that is not strapped. Stretched out nice and long. You'll want to watch that the pelvis is staying steady and also the torso is staying steady. What number are we on, ladies? Okay, six twice more. This is a really great workout for the leg that's not strapped, believe it or not, which you'll find out soon enough. Now stop there. Bring the legs to a parallel position. You're going to bring the strap leg, knee into chest and take the other leg into the well.

We get a quick stretch here. Excellent, so they're getting this beautiful hip flexor stretch. Feels wonderful. And now take the leg that is strapped up above the hip. I'm just going to move your knee into alignment here, Erica. Excellent. All right, and then they're going to do a little wave towards you. So they come towards the bent knee that's in the well and then back and twice more. Just get a little stretch there. You want to stabilize the pelvis, keep the core activated, really feeling the abdominals working and they also get that nice stretch along the side of the hip there and come back in. Lift up your unstrap leg, find the foot bar.

Got It there we go right there and then you'll switch. Other leg goes in. What's good for one side is good for the other strap light goes in. Now as you set up. Yeah, you want to make sure that the torso is nice and long here. Beautiful. Turned out heels in, toes out. Beautiful.

And then let's start the work with the strap leg sliding the heel right along the inside of the calf. Beautiful. How's that feeling ladies? Good. All right. They're doing a wonderful job of making this look very easy and I believe you're halfway there. So we've got four more. The breadth really helps here with that muscle elongation as well as the muscle activation in the core. And it's very hard to keep this unstrapped leg steady and that was it.

Good. And finish bringing the strap knee into the chest. Take the other leg into the well. Excellent. So we're getting that nice hip flexor stretch, which is much needed after all of that work. Good. And now extend the leg straight up to the ceiling and you might find that the flexibility is a little different on each side.

Sorry about the cold hands there probably feels good. Now let's give a little wave. So you'll wave towards the bent knee that's in the well and then back twice more. Good. Really keeping the legs steady. That is here underneath last time. Excellent. Lift up the unstrapped leg. Find the foot bar again. Got It, got it. Unstrap this time though, take the straps into your hands.

We've got a little bit more work here in this supine position. Really targeting now the abdominals and we'll start with the, so bring the knees into tabletop. Shins parallel with the floor and we'll just start with a simple press down with the arms. So getting warmed up here. Good. Inhale to lift and an exhale to lower. Oh boy, there goes to train. We're not on that train though. This time.

Lift the upper body and you'll come into that crunch position. Lift up tall. Stay here. Open up the knees to the side, coming into that diamond shape. Keep the head up. You're just going to take the arms out to a diamond position there and bring the arms in if you need to. You can bring the head down, but I think you guys are doing just fine here. Yeah, they make it look so easy, don't they? One more time. Good. Bring the knees together, bend the elbows and let the head rest for just a moment. Good.

Let's do some triceps while we're here. However the upper arm and press the arms straight and bend and three more. So we're just getting, this is a little intermission before we do some other hard work. Good. One more time. Excellent. Lift the arms straight up. Come back into that diamond position.

Bring the arms slightly out to the sides. As you lift now you're also going to extend the legs out and I'll move out of the way so I don't get pierced by the legs. And then inhale to bend. Bring the arms out, knees out and lift up. Good. Can we do six more ladies? Good with the breath. They can do anything for any amount of time, I think.

Good. So here you're really looking to see that the lower back stays on the mat, especially when the head goes back down. You want to feel that zipped up position and the inner thighs reaching it, extending from pubic bone all the way up to the heels. And what number are you on now? I think this is a seven. Okay, one more time. Now stay there and the a hundred turn everything parallel.

Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth, except that we're only going to do 50 inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth for the Nice wide open collarbone. Feel that pressing down from underarm to hip twice more ladies, letting you off easy with just a 50 excellent stuff. The arms bend, the knees, head goes down. Lift the arms up, place the feet onto the foot bar. You're just going to go for a nice little stretch. Let the knees go to the right. Good. Yeah, you can let the arms down if you'd like. Good little stretch here for the waist and a breath of fresh air and you can go ahead and place your straps onto the pegs as you take the knees to the other side. Quick stretch. All right.

We still have a little bit of work left to do. So from here you're going to roll yourselves up and you're going to turn yourself into the a prone position. So on all fours facing the back end, you're gonna come into that position that we were in earlier where the knees are about midway through the uh, carriage. They're going to come back here. Hands will be on the shoulder rest. You want to make sure that you've got room for the torso so you have this nice long space. Move back a little bit more. Lizbeth. Yep.

So you've got a little bit of space there and your right foot is going to come back onto the foot bar. All right, so let's just test this out again. We did this move earlier. Go ahead and straighten and bend the knee just twice. What we're going to add on here is the piece of upper body work with abdominal engagement. So this time ladies, as you press out, lift your bottom knee. Yep, good. And then lower down and bend. Good. Three more times, press that you're doing okay. There are kind of no, this is a tough one. And then come back in. Need down.

Go ahead and twice more. Press out a yes and you can leave the knee down if you need to on this one. Erica, if you'd like to press that, you're going to stay here and you're going to twist towards the other elbow here. Yep. And then come back and lower down. Come in, push out again, twist, rotate. Feel that nice crunch working those obliques coming back in. You also notice this is a lot of work here in the upper body.

Good foot. Doing all right there. We have those nice grippy socks on from toe socks. It's a real help. Good. And that was your last one. Come back in and let's take a break for the wrist. So go ahead and sit back onto your heels. Ladies.

Interlace the fingers and let's just do a little rest for your wrists. Shake them out, come back. We've got the other leg to go. Set up, left foot on the foot bar. Good. Making sure that you might want to move back just a little bit, Liz. Just, yeah, there we go. Good. So the knee is underneath the hip. Start with a straightening and bending of just the foot bar leg and come back in. So you just get a tester here one more time. Make sure that it's okay. Good. And now I think you've got it. So let's lift up the knee as you press out.

Good. Lower than knee as you come back in. Excellent. I think they're working pretty hard right now. I'm thankful that I'm here and there. They're good. Twice more. And one more time. This is a lot of work up here in the Scapula area.

She's keeping her neck nice and long. Abs engaged and let's add the twist now with the rotation towards the other hip. Excellent. And then come in and their breath is really helping carry them through this movement. It's very helpful to have that exhale as they twist good. Twice more and make sure the knee when it comes back in is a little more back this way.

Lose then that way you'll have more room to bring the carriage back in. Last time they here we go. Out and in and knee comes down. Come all the way in. Excellent. Sit back onto your heels again. A little rest for the wrist. And this time let's actually take the back in the hands together and just feel the stretch here. Excellent. All right, so let's have you step here to the center ladies. Good. And we're going to go for a nice little cool down.

So taking the heels underneath the hips, feeling strong and straight through the legs lifted in long through the waist. Roll the shoulders, lift them up, back and down. Big Smile on the collarbone. Three more times. Using the breath to inhale and lift the shoulders and an exhale to set them back down on the rib cage behind you last time. All right, and we'll take a nice deep breath in and a deep breath out. Now just the shoulders, up and down. Inhale, deep. Exhale.

Arms up and down. Big Breath and an exhale. Shoulders up and down. Now rise up onto the toes. Ankles stay nice and straight, right up over the ball, the big toe, and then lower hands to hips. A little knee bend here and let's try that again. Hands down by your sides, up onto the ball of the foot and lower hands to hips and bend. One more final breath. Deep breath in, arms up, and a big sigh of relief. Huh?

Beautiful job ladies. Thank you so much here. I can lose back.