Double Trouble Foot

Hi I'm Kathy Ross Nash here for Pilates Anytime and today I have the foot corrector here. This foot corrector is from Lineage Pilates in my studio I have both Lineage and Gratz. I like the new Lineage because it's longer and it bends down. It gives a bigger platform. It's a 2 1/2 inch diameter the same as Kathy Grant's footboard used on the Reformer.

I love that because you're able to get the entire ball of the foot on the apparatus. So, when I was a young Pilates student a lot of times as a dancer you use two foot correctors and actually, Romana would make some of the dancers use Pointe shoes on the foot correctors. So a lot of the foot correctors today with that long arch, you'd slide off of. But these have a nice platform that you can get the whole foot on. I'm not recommending going on En Pointe shoes.

I didn't do it. I always did it with my bare feet. So you notice that we don't have one, we have two for a little double trouble. And double trouble is not complete unless I have my partner in crime, Dana Santi. So I brought Chicago in the house to have a little...

Double trouble. (Kathy laughing) So a lot of times we'll introduce this with a ballet bar, it's easier to balance. Today, Dana and I will be using the gondola poles so that we are going to say a prayer and be able to keep our balance doing the gondola pole. I highly recommend doing it with a bar or a chair way before you do the gondola pole. Why would I choose to do it here? Many times I will choose to do it here if I feel that the student doing their foot work is not getting their entire foot, ball of the foot, on the foot bar as well as that they're not connecting through their entire body.

Small apparatus draws to the midline. You'll soon see, it works your seat, all the way from your feet. That's what foot work is, anchoring and aligning through the feet. So, we're gonna place the balls of our feet on the foot corrector and you wanna make sure that it doesn't wobble in each direction. We're gonna lengthen the toes over, glue our heels, not move our heels, and we're gonna begin our foot work.

Bend and stretch and two and as you work you wanna keep the foot corrector nice and quiet. Not rock, it's a great place to see for those people who roll on their foot, whether or not they're rolling onto their big toe, or their rolling onto their little toe, or their arches are collapsing. So fun talking doing this and stretch and bend. And stretch and go down as low as you can but keep those heels still. And bend and stretch, good.

We're gonna take our foot correctors now and we're gonna turn them to the parallel position as they would be as our feet would be on the Reformer. I use parallel position a lot for everything in my training. We're going to go onto the arch of the foot. You're gonna keep the arch lifted here so you're not gonna collapse in the arch. The arch still lifts up, heels are gonna be lifted in line with your foot and bend and stretch.

Tail bone drops down, two and up. And three, try to keep those foot correctors nice and quiet, four and up and five. You like it? I love it. (giggling) And six and up and seven and up. I can't believe they let us in a room together.

Seriously. And up. And lengthen and up and lengthen and up. Now keep your foot there and stretch your achilles down 'cause remember on the foot bar your heel pushes underneath. And bend and stretch and bend and stretch.

This might be too deep for some, so you just stay with the prior one. But for me, this really gets what ails me. Stretch and bend. That's the only thing that ails you. (laughing) Well, it's the only thing in public that ails me.

And bend and stretch, last one. Bend and stretch, good. Now you have the option of flipping your foot correctors around, some people like to. I actually like to use this is my own preference, I like to use the curve of the foot corrector so that I can really feel that my toes are spread out and I make contact. And I curl my toes over so my toes are active in this exercise with the heels.

You're gonna lift your stomach up and in and press the heel down. Keep the spine long, bend the knees. Try not to let the foot corrector move and stretch up. As you're bending and extending, you wanna make sure that that heel is in the center of the foot corrector and not in or out so that your colinear, from the knee, down through the foot and into the heel. And press, this is really great for people who can't use their back body.

For sure. Yeah, I love this. And up, and reach and up, but I don't know how sane I really am 'cause some of the things I love are just not so fabulous. Sanest person I know. (laughing) That means the world to me Dana.

Bend and stretch and bend and stretch, last one. Push down with those heels now as you stretch your legs, lift your stomach in, push with your heels. Beautiful, step off, return to that position with your heels together and your toes apart for the tendons stretch. So nice being able to get all your toes on here huh? Glue the heels together, don't sink in the arch, lengthen your toes over and lower the heels down, down, down, lift up, up, up.

And two, two, two, and up, up, up. Don't let those little ankle bones hit. Up, up, up, lift the stomach, lower the heels. Leave your head on the ceiling and up, up, up. Down, down, down and up, up, up.

Stretch your knees, up, up, up. Down, down, down, up, up, up. Down, down, now keep those heels together. Oh, my bottom's on fire. Up, up, up.

Work your feet and lift your seat, down, down, down. And up, up, up, down, down, down, and up, up, up, down, down, down. And up, up, up, last one. And good, now let's go right into our two align. Step off, we're gonna go to our ball of the foot.

We're gonna be hips width apart. And we're gonna do our footwork just like we did but with hips width apart. Some people, this is the position that they need to work. So we're gonna go here, there's a lot of people that I work parallel. It's a little harder because you don't have the pressure of the legs drawing together.

The further away they are the harder it is to find your midline. So let's lift our heels high. Keep them high and bend the knees. Try not to move the foot corrector. Pull the stomach in and up and bend.

What lovely pants you have. Why thank you. And two and three and up and four and up. And five and up and six and up and seven. It feels so good. It does feel good.

I know, eight. Plus you can tell which leg activates more than the other. Yes it gives so much information. A lot of feedback. A lot of feedback.

And for the instructor, it'll give you a lot of feedback for your students, and up. For sure. Up and now, suffer, lower to the height of the foot corrector pedal. Keep it there, use your feet on there. Press down and feel your toes lengthen, good.

And bend in, oh a little tremor of truth. We found Dana's sweet spot. Well, hello. You and everybody else. (laughing) You do make your sweet spot public.

And reach and bend and reach and bend. Honestly like Romana when my ankle was rehabbing used to have me lower my heel so that I wouldn't use my joint that I had to develop all the muscles that were, I had to develop the tendons 'cause I had no ligaments left. Right. I did a lot of foot corrector in my day. She loved working with two foot correctors.

It was like her... I know. She loved it. Loved it. It's so sad it was lost and good lower your...

Well it wasn't here it is. Right. Lower the heels down and bend and stretch. Good, now make sure see how your little, on your big toe try to get that little toe a little more forward. I know, I have the achilles of life.

Right? And stretch. It's genetic and stretch, bend, and stretch. Get those pinky toes down, really push them down. As low as you can go with those pinkies down.

Bend and stretch, last one, bend and stretch. Good, move your foot forward to the arch. Lift the stomach in, hips width, good. Find it there, bend and stretch. Sometimes what's great about the foot corrector, doing it like this, is if you have a student in you're really not sure that they're gonna connect to or what position that you should work their legs and feet, this can give you a lot of information.

For instance, if their heels are together and their toes are apart and they keep pushing them inside down, you know that's not a position for them. So you might try this position. Go, oh look, they can find their alignment in this position, this is how I should work their legs when I train them. And stretch and bend and stretch, last one. Bend and stretch, good.

Take your feet forward onto the heels again. Yes I'm being lazy and not switching. And press those heels down, oh wow. Bend, can you see the knee stretch here? And that connection right? For sure.

So when you have somebody and their doing their knee stretches and they don't keep their heels back this is a great place so that they learn to connect, push through the heel. And stretch up, bend again and push through the heel and lift the stomach, bend. And push through the heel and lift and bend. Notice I switch what hand is on top. I try to alternate what hand is on top so that I keep myself even.

And up, or as even as possible. Bend and up, last one, bend and good. Take your feet back so that you're on the balls of your feet again. Another thing is if you have a client and they're like come in and their in a nasty mood have them do their footwork here, 'cause the pressure of the footwork corrector hits all those reflexology points and they end up being happy. And lift up. We call 'em the

door slammers. There you go. And down, down, down, either that or give 'em a shot of vodka. Up, up, up and down, down, down. Lift up, up, up and hey, Joe had Schnapps right?

Yes. Up, up, up. But I could do without the white fish. And well, I could probably go for the cigar. Well that's a given. Who's kiddin' who?

Yeah, hello, up, up, up. Oh my kennel is tayamo. Right. (laughing) It's a after cigar not I love you. Don't let anybody let you think that it was that. First litter was all cigars, lift up, up, up.

Down, down, down lift up, up, up. Down, down, down, last one. Up, up, up and down, down, down. Good let's go back to the heel together toe apart position. So I'm gonna do what's known as the two by four exercises on here.

I really feel that everybody should do two by four exercises all the time. You see how many of your clients, right, their toes don't bend. They don't bend in any direction and so you go to put them against and they can't the shoulder block and they don't bend. So if you don't do your two by four here do it without a two by four and then do it with a two by four and then get 'em on here if you can. Good, so we're gonna come back up.

And we're gonna do a little tendon stretch to prep for a simple lower and lift. Gluing the heels together but this is in a count of one. You go down and up, down and two, down and three, down and four, down and stay up there. Now bend the knees, try not to move the ankles. Lower the heels, try not to change anything.

Stretch the legs, lift all the way up, good, bend your knees. Keep those heels glued, lower the heels down. Press through the feet and stretch. Lift up and bend, heels down, and stretch. Lift up and bend, heels down, reverse.

Bend, don't change your height of your head. Press through the legs, lift the stomach, lower the heels, bend the knees, lift the heels, keep your height. Switch the hand, lift and lower. Bend, lift, stretch, and lower, excellent. Move it to parallel to repeat and we do this in three positions and before I forget, don't do these all together.

Pick and choose what one you need for your client or yourself, what series. Who's kiddin' who? Sometimes I do an entire workout on here. Legs together, but it's really a lot. Good, pull the stomach in and lower and lift.

And lower and lift and lower, how good is that? So good, good for the ankles. Not a lot of exercises, we lose the ankles. A lot of people lose the strength in their ankles. And you know, how are you gonna wear high heels if you don't have strong ankles?

Exactly. Priorities people, priorities and good, lower your heels. Bend your knees, lift your heels and up. Actually, like a lot of athletes need this because they need the propulsion to push off right there's that push off, right? Deepen, lift and reverse it.

Bend, lift the middle, press down, stretch, and all of this anchoring and aligning is going from the feet all the way through the spine. And then you get the beautiful reflexology points which are stimulating the inside of the body. Lower and lift, good, let's go to hips width apart. Notice just like in the mat work, where you begin with your legs together, you challenge your stability by opening those legs up for a lot of things. (laughing) Like what?

Open leg rocker compared to rolling like a ball. Perfect. Shall I go on? Please. (laughing) Lower and lift, lower, well, you know how it is when the legs go wider, it's harder to control. Well, they have to be more independent.

Oh you know. They gotta each have their own mind. Well they usually do. And up, lower and up, lower and up. Bend your knees, lower your heels, stretch your legs.

Lift it up, bend your knees. Sometimes I think like mine are two different people. Stretch. Yes. Oh no, that's my mind and lower down.

(laughing) Stretch and reverse. Lower, bend, lift the heels, stretch through the legs, lower down, bend, lift through the heels and stretch. Lower down, bend, lift through the heels and very good, good Da. Thank you. Let's step off and step up for front splits.

So we have front splits on the Reformer right? And like, to me that's so dangerous. You know, not that I'm afraid of danger but I prefer teaching them here with the bar, with a ballet bar or a chair first because they're learning to balance on something that's unstable where it's not a Reformer where the carriage is sliding. So I am very, very big on safety. Safety first.

So, this is a great place to teach your clients your front splits. So your gonna just place your heel here. We're gonna begin with the heel. And then we're gonna place the heel here. Most important thing right now, square off the box.

Technically, I could turn this foot out but because I have my heel lifted, I am working on the variation that I was taught with the heel up against the shoulder block for my front splits. Okay, let's put the pole out into that left hand. And have our hand on our right. Okay, bend that front leg and square off your hips. Right away you can feel a big opening here.

Stretch that back knee if you bend the knee you can tuck and there's only one time we tuck. Stretch the back leg when you duck. Stretch the back leg, square off the hips, drop this hip, good, pull the stomach up and in. And now what I want you to do is, you're gonna press through both of the heels. And then you're gonna stretch the front leg and press through both the heels as it bends.

And stretch the front leg and press through both the heels. Back leg stays straight. Gotcha. This is your moving the carriage back Gotcha. And your bringing the carriage home, move your carriage back, pelvis goes back just like when you're in the Cadillac and you're doing those legs stretches or you're on the ladder barrel and you slide forward and back.

The pelvis is doing the action. Now stay here, bend the back knee, stretch the back knee out and push through the heel. So you're driving back, bend the back knee. Keep that box square, stretch the back leg. Two, bend the back leg, stretch the back leg three.

Now, bend both legs deep, stretch both legs. Bend both legs, stretch both legs. Bend both legs, stretch both legs. Bend both legs, stretch both legs, bend the front leg. Now, press both heels straight down, press them down, down, down, down and release.

Press them down, down, down, down. Right. And release. Press them down, down, down, down, and release. Now, press them down and shift forward.

And come back, press them down and shift, think going up front. And back, press down and shift and very good. Release it and let's change sides. That was quite lovely. Thank you.

On to the second side, put the pole in the other hand, hand on your hip, take your front foot, just like you put your front foot on the front foot bar first. Place the heel, take the back foot, place the heel. Pull the stomach up and in, press through both heels, square off your box, drop your tail bone. Really stretch that back leg. Remember if that back leg, see what happens, I shorten my front body when it bends.

Push through that leg, it's moving the carriage behind you. Right from there you're gonna keep the heels pressing. Stretch the front leg and bend the front leg. And stretch the front leg, move the pelvis evenly, and bend and press and bend. Now the back leg bends and push through that heel.

Lift the stomach, bend and push through the heel, open the front of that hip and bend. Push through the heel, now bend both legs, press that one both legs straight but the heels go down and bend. Lengthen those toes over, press the heels down, lift. And bend, press and lift, bend that front leg, push through both heels, push, push, push, and release. And push, push, push and release.

And push, push, push, I'm gonna break into song. And release. Like we're havin' a baby. Oh yeah. You should just breathe.

(giggling) And push, good, shift and push and then release back. Now shift and push like you're takin' off on the starting line, that back heel pushes through, pushes through, pushes through and up and push that back heel. Push that front heel, open that back hip. And come up, now as if that wasn't enough joy, we get to change the position, yeah? So actually what we're gonna do is we're gonna take this one.

We're gonna flip it here so the long side is here. And you could of had that for the other one, I was just bein' a little lazy. Take this foot forward. Now we're gonna challenge the balance even more. And if, once they master this, then I feel that they're comfortable to put their foot on that foot bar for the Reformer.

So, you're gonna take, this time we're gonna take our back foot just 'cause it's on the heel. There's more stability and you're gonna place your front foot on the ball. Now you're on that angle again, like you are on the Reformer. She had a shot right before. (laughing) Take the left hand out to the side. Totally workin'. There you go.

Bend that front leg, square the hips, elbows up to so the arms work and stretch the leg. And bend in, make sure that back heel and back leg is straight so you're pushing through that leg and you lift the stomach to straighten and bend. And this ankle doesn't move just like on the front splits. And up, good, bend that front leg now keep it there. Bend the back leg and push through the heel.

Bend, think about the kicking knee stretches, right. Here it is and press, good. Now bend both legs, press both legs, bend both legs, press both legs, bend both legs, press both legs, good. Draw the foot in and down and we're gonna reverse the positions. Flip this one back and flip this one forward.

Forward. Forward. Heel, hand, ball, make sure your heel's in the center. All your toes are on there. Don't you love these foot correctors?

Yes, they feel so good. It feels so nice. Good and press through the ball and the heel and stretch the front leg. Bring the pelvis forward and try not to lose the pressure as you stretch the leg. Reach through the foot, bend and reach through the foot, bend forward, bend the back leg, keep the box square.

Stretch through that back leg, bend the back leg, keep the box square, make sure that knee lines up with your heel. The hip and the center of the foot so you're strengthening the alignment that you really need for efficiency and propulsion. Bend both legs, stretch both legs, draw it up in the middle. Bend, think going up front, draw it up, up to stand, bend, draw it up and bend. And draw it up, excellent Dana.

Thank you my dear. It's almost like you've done Pilates before. (chuckling) Okay so now we're gonna have some more fun and we're gonna work on our side splits. Side splits is another exercise that can be horribly frightening. We're gonna actually begin, let's do parallel first.

Okay. We're gonna do parallel first. Yes. So we're gonna take our foot correctors and we're gonna put them fairly wide as if the carriage was out. And I can put them as wide as I want.

Because you are Kathy Ross Nash. (laughing) There you go baby. Okay, so what you're gonna do is I want your heels on there, 'kay, 'cause the heels tend not to, actually let's flip them Da. Okay. Let's put 'em like this, yeah. I want your heels on there.

'Cause to me the heels are the part that wobbles a lot when you're in the side split. You know, people aren't comfortable in that so you're gonna be in your parallel position. You're gonna press down and stretch and draw the legs towards each other. And bend and press and draw the legs towards each other. And bend, so the ankle's getting that stretch.

That position of the ankle, see how it's coming in a little? Yep. Is the same as in my front splits and in my side splits so some people might go, oh the alignment is off. No it's not, my heel is lined up with the center of my foot. Right.

But as I bend my knees and I push out to straight, that's my moving the carriage out and my ankle needs to be able to move that way so that I don't tear it or sprain my ankle when I'm moving in real life. And press, good. Draw it together and now we're gonna work our carriage in. Good. And bend and draw the legs together as if the carriage is coming in, in, in, in.

And good and if I was really evil, I might through a magic circle in there. Oh, yes. I know right? The more toys the better and press up, up, up. Nobody ever complained. No, I mean

just think, we'd have a pole, a circle, two things on our feet. Take this show on the road. I'm telling you and up, up, up and bend, Kathy, Dana and their toys. Yes (laughing). Swipe right or swipe left to take this class.

(laughing) That's what they have to do. For sure (laughing). Oh, they're never gonna have us back here. And stretch, good. Now if that wasn't enough pleasure.

We're going to now take it so that we're gonna be turned out and you're gonna go the turn out that works for you. Eventually, you know, if you're gonna be doing gondola, you wanna be pretty far turned out, right. So I like to do this prior to teaching gondola. Also, think about going up side. Okay, you're gonna see going up side in this exercise.

You know what, because of that I'm gonna make you do this one. Turn this one parallel, she's actually going to do the going up side variation because I heard that. So, she's gonna go parallel this foot like it's on the pedal and this foot's gonna be here and you're going to press. And come back, stretch it, you feel that? Yeah. And press.

I like it. I know. It really works this and two and press. And lift up the center line so it's not that you're shiftin' side to side. You're pressing those heels down so that you draw up the middle, bend, and press and draw up the middle.

Other side. How much fun? So much fun. Good, put your pole in the middle. Pole always works better in the middle.

Yes. And bend. Press your heels down and draw up the midline good and bend, remember that's what the small toys are for, drawing up the midline. Correct. And up, up.

Everybody's head go so dirty around here. I'm telling you, we're just talking about Pilates. Right. And up, bend. Did you ever here the rumor that he used to run out when the girls did open leg rocker?

Say that again? There was a rumor that Joe would run out when he was, when the girls were doing the open leg rocker. Bend. Oh. I'm not saying it's fact.

I'm just saying it's folklore. I'd think he'd run to. No run, yes. Oh, I thought you said. Yes. I thought you said run away.

No, run out like of the back room. Got you, oh. And change and now we're gonna go to this position. M'kay, make sure they're on the same angle. And we're gonna go the ball of the foot, the ball of the foot, to heels turned out, gondola preparation.

Bend the right leg, keep that heel down. Draw it in, bend the right leg, keep the box square. Watch that this hip doesn't go up as you stretch, draw it in so the pelvis moves laterally and up, other side. Bend, keep the pelvis straight. Press the heel and up.

Bend, press the heel and up. Bend, press the heel and up, good. You're gonna bend the right leg, press both legs deep, keep that left one bent, and then stretch both legs. Bend the left leg, press both, go a little deeper. Oh, press and up, ya'll will feel this later.

And bend, press, stretch. Somebody asked me the other day if I still got sore? I'm like, yes all the time. Bend, stretch, and up and bend, press down. You always work at your 100%, whatever your 100% is.

Some days it's lying on the couch watching, you know, Netflix's. Waving the old arm. Waving the old arm, that's right. Press and lift up, bend deep, deep, deep. Push the heels down and stretch.

Bring that carriage in, bend deep, deep, deep. Press, draw it in. Bend deep, deep, deep, press, draw it in. We worked the carriage out. Now we gotta work the carriage in.

Good, bring them together. Close it all up Kathy, close it all up. Yeah, I'm not as good at this one. Onto the balls and bend your knees. And stretch, press the heel and bend and stretch, press the heel and bend.

I always like to do a little prep work. Stretch the heel, bend the left, right leg. Yes, dyslexia. Bend both legs, stretch the right leg. And lift, bend the left leg.

Bend, stretch and lift. Bend, yeah I know. I don't make it up, I just teach it. Stretch and in and bend, really gets all those points that don't like to work. And in, good.

Now we're gonna put them back out where they were but we're gonna flip them because Dana and I are gonna have the joy of being on the balls of our feet, which is really gonna challenge the balance. Notice you don't hear me say wrap or squeeze or any terms. I believe the action should illicit the physical response and if I'm not queuing the action and I'm telling somebody to fire something that's not suppose, that's not firing, it's because I don't have the alignment correct, okay. Amen to that sister. (high fiving) Grab your balls, I mean get on your balls. (chuckling) Good, get all your toes on there.

I love that this bites you if you're naughty. And lift up, ready. Bend and press and two and press. And three and press, bend the right. You got bit? No, I did not get bit.

I got bit one I got on. Stretch, I asked for it, and up. Bite me. I said, bite me. Bite my feet, oh it's a whole new foot fetish.

And up (giggling). Title of your next book. (laughing) Fix your foot fetish or not. Or bite me. Bite me.

(laughing) That's yours. Mine'll be Foot Fetish, yours'll be Bite Me. In and stretch and up last one. Bend and deep and stretch and up. Good, come down and now we get to draw them in.

We're gonna actually go for a little run. Oh, okay. Okay. So, let's have, you can choose whether you wanna have your heels together toes apart or parallel, either one is fine. I love to teach running here because so many times people like get on the Reformer and they're going like, I'm like, no babe, no.

It's an up, it's an up, it's an up. You really find your up with your foot. Time to get it up Dana, get it up. Get 'er up. Get her up Lassie.

Good press all the way up and don't change the hips. Lift, you see how it makes that lift happen. Yep. Lift. Nobody wants to be down here, this is not pretty.

Lift up, let me get with you. Left leg and lift and let's go for a run. Lift and lift, lengthen the toes over. And lift and lift and lift and lift and lift. Very good now, just 'cause we did our toes we get to actually do our heels running.

Flip it the other way. You can have that turned out or parallel. It's up to you. Your goal is to eventually do everything parallel. I didn't say it, Romana did.

And run, one, two, three, this works back here. Six, seven, eight, two, two, three, four. Five, six, seven, eight. Very good, flip it one more time. And the creme de la resistance don't die, don't do this at home.

Make sure there's firemen around, cute ones to save you. Start swipin' 'em now, swipe now, prepare. (laughing) Usually do this with the bar, I mean at the bar. We're gonna jump and one, two, three, four five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, and off.

Good work Da. Yay! That's it. (clapping)