Short and Sweet Mat

Hi, welcome to Pilates Anytime, thank you for joining me I'm Blossom Leilani Crawford and we're gonna do just a good old-fashioned, what well for me my good old fashioned mat work I wanna kind of get it done in about 35 minutes, so short, sweet, sassy and I don't know what, well, sizzling. Let's add another S word in it. So hopefully, you've done a warm up if you're a warm up kind of person which I am. But we're gonna pretend we're warm because we are and we're gonna slowly lie down as you exhale. So make sure you have room for your head when you lie down there, and just hug your knees into your chest take a little bit of a moment.

Mm-hmm, feel the weight of your pelvis on the floor, the head. Shake your head out a little bit if you need to, and from here extend the legs back along the floor reach your arms out the sides and take a moment to stretch, yes. From here circle the arms around, hug the knees to your chest really pull tight into this ball on the next exhale, lift your head up and stretch both legs up to the ceiling please, that's right, from here hold onto the backs of the thighs press that tailbone down, yes. From here reach the arms forward, start to lower the legs in to your position you decide if you're doing parallel or a little V of your feet let's pump the arms. Inhale.

Three, four, five, exhale Two, three, four, five, inhale. Three, four, five, exhale. Inhale two, three, four, five exhale. Inhale two, three, four, five, exhale. Let's mess around inhale for, six.

Exhale for six, four, five, six. Inhale for eight, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. I noticed it's rough those last few bits, last one. Three, four, five, six, seven. ago shh, shh shh, hug your knees into your chest pull really tight, rest your head down and breathe.

Extend the legs slowly along the floor bring the arms over your head, take a moment to stretch good. Bring the hands a few inches off the ground and hold right just like that, and you're gonna think inhale and exhale ribcage on the floor, now just stay there reaching. Now, if by chance you were a dancer you're gonna not reach the arms like you're holding a beach football, but just really reach, yeah. And try to straighten the arms. Now, I don't care how low your arms go to the floor I just want them actually straight so can you come up high?

Yeah that's it, and that's better for me. Inhale, because the arms are really connected and there's your stretch so from here you're gonna bring your arms up to the ceiling and hold, press those legs together. Lift your head up, give me a big old exhale and hold, yes now stay right there. From here we're gonna do a little 10 count roll up. Come up a little bit higher, that's it, stay here count to to 10 say 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 two more spots, come up a little bit right there come to 10.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Good you're gonna really lift out at the top of the head come up a little bit count to 10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 inhale, as you go forward. drop your head reach past your toes you can point or flex whatever feels good, yes, yes, yes. Now, let's take a moment here you're gonna keep that back of the head more lifted, the hands are reaching not resting start to roll back inhaling, and as you exhale you're curling you might need to bend the knees a little bit as you lower down to really get through that whole spine, bring the arms over your head take a moment and that's roll up quickly. Inhale to roll up, exhale drop your head go forward, inhale roll back, let all the way down, try to find your own rhythm and use it's your breath that dictates that rhythm, a few more times inhale up.

And when you go forward, you're gonna really lift the back of the head but look down at the floor, yes it's weird. Lift it but looking down mm-hmm. Yes, a few more yes, yes. When you go forward you're exhaling with the stomach and I like how they're doing all different things I hope you're doing it to your own timing, I really mean that. On this next one you're gonna end forward everyone and take a moment to stretch and breathe.

If your pants have slightly come off you're probably doing it right, stay here roll halfway back and just hold, just stay right there good mm-hmm you're lowering down, you're curled in the pelvis stay right there first thing heads go back just a little bit, that's right. Now right arm reaches up, just the right arm, everything else stays and reach forward other side just the left arm reaches up, you'll feel that difference yes and you're like does that really happen? Yes, let's try that again, right arm reaches up you're gonna be like wow! That's interesting! And then to the other side left arm reaches up and reach forward, both arms reach up inhale as you exhale curl through that spine as you lie down, hug your right knee into your chest pull really tight please. The piston leg circles are next. So as you're hugging your knee into your chest you're gonna still get your bootay down mm-hmm.

Right hand goes on the right ankle, left hand goes on the knee. Give me a little push of that shin up toward the ceiling, yeah. Now, head stays down yes that's it. So the push-up is the counter to the belly and the hip staying down. When you're ready bring your left leg up to the ceiling and hold.

The left leg is up the right leg is hugged in. Point the foot that's in the air, the leg goes down to the floor inhale. Then out to the side and up to the ceiling and hold, that's your exercise and go down to the floor out to the side, up two. Inhale down out to the side, up three. Keep that booty down, yes.

Yes, for one more time, inhale, exhale. Reverse the circles please, to the side underneath you, up one. Keep the ribcage and butt down on that right side, yes two. This is the one where I always like to say, it's not about what's moving up three, two more, it's about what's not moving. Yes, up for one more time, exhale.

Up, five hug both knees in, take a little moment to stretch grab onto the backs of your thighs please. Inhale as you exhale, lift your head up keep those arms pulling the legs or pressing, and when you're ready, you're gonna rest your head back down hold onto your left leg this time. Left hand on the left ankle, right hand on the left knee. It's hard enough to save harder to even do probably, right leg goes up to the ceiling take a moment. Now, right now take stock booty down, ribcage shoulders right.

Outside head is on the ankle so if it's your left leg you hold on, that's it. So the right leg goes down to the floor, out to the side up one. Yes inhale down out to the side up to, some sides are easier than others. Inhale exhale, up three. Inhale, exhale stop right at the top, that's four.

One more time, exhale reverse the circles please to the side, underneath you up one. So when your right leg is circling you wanna keep that left ribcage down on the floor, which is why I'm poking my friend here, yes. You can't see it, yeah there you go. Exhale ,what number are we on? One more time exhale, hug both knees into your chest take a moment to pull, grab onto the backs of your thighs please give me a big inhale.

As you exhale lift your head up take a little moment here. Now press your thighs forward as you come up into a balanced sitting position, as if you're getting ready to do rolling like a ball you're just gonna take a moment there and breathe that's it, stay here and balance seek your hands to the front of the shins, pull the heels in close easy rolling like a ball, please roll back and forth a few times three times, pull. Yeah, exactly. Mm-hmm, flex those feet, if you are having the feet hit the floor yeah that helps and I really want you to grab onto legs, everybody balanced up top stay here, balancing I know gotcha. Elbows on top of the knees, make fists see if you can roll in this position.

Roll back, yes oh yeah that's what I say when I do it, yeah two more times flex the feet as you roll back and whoa, yes you got one more, come back up balance up top stay here put the feet down, the soles of the feet come together let the knees hang open, let your head hang over go for an easy inner thigh stretch, this is your little breath. I say easy inner thigh stretch, some stretches are easier than others, right. When you're ready use your tummy sit up nice and tall, the stomach series is coming up. Big inhale, as you exhale lie down and just listen because I throw curve balls in. Welcome to my class.

When you're ready hug both knees into your chest, you guys pull really tight. Single leg stretches first, right hand on the right ankle, left hand on the right knee, big inhale. Exhale, lift your head and stretch that left leg forward. Now, stay here you are in a parallel position the belly is engaged, the booty is down. Right, here we go change legs and pull.

Change, pull. Change breathing with it, pardon me Julie. Yes keep going side to side, if you need a slower rhythm or a faster rhythm, go faster or slower. Hug both knees in, pull really tight take a moment. Arms and legs reach forward, inhale reach arms and legs forward yes.

Bend the knees in, and pull. Again, what I like about this is that's where the tailbone is down, keep it down stay there, arms go back, count to five. One, two, three, four, five. Circle the arms around, bend the knees into the chest, pull tight. Arms back, legs forward, the tailbone is down.

Yes count to five. One, two, three, four, five. Circle the arms around, really reach back straight arms, here we go reach back, just over. That's it, straight one to five. Circle the arms around, last one.

Look down to the navel, Kathy Grant would say. Go ahead, count to five. One, two three, four, five. Circle the arms around, pull in, rest your head down please. look side to side with the head.

Sometimes when people would look up in class, Kathy Grant would be like, I don't know why you're looking up at him, he's busy. He can't help you now, he can't help you. I know that's the worst, like he can't help you now, like it's hopeless. From here the bicycle sit ups are next. Bring your arms down by your sides, give me a bicycle motion of the legs, high choo-choo train.

So, when you're ready. Now pretend, I think of going through something like you've got some, I don't know come up with an image. Springs, if you're a Pilates person right, or molasses I don't know, come up with something that has resistance. No not yet, not yet, when you're ready, lift your head up in the direction of the hill. Hands on the handlebars, and it's uphill you're gonna slowly bike uphill.

Pause your legs to do it the second time. Yeah, come on up, hands up higher, hands up higher, yes do what you can even if you're just biking that's good. Inhale as you exhale bike down, use the bike, it's a big bike, big yes. Rest your head, rest your arm but keep the legs going, yeah. Yes, that's it.

We lift your head up in the direction of your hill, hands on the handlebars and slowly bike up. There used to be this guy in New York who'd ride a giant unicycle, do you remember that Cynthia? No, yes stretch while your right leg up to the ceiling hold onto the right leg with both hands, yes inhale, and as you exhale lower the torso down with control, you're pressing that leg forward as you lower the torso into a single straight leg stretch. Pull, pull change look at your navel. Change, tailbone is down, head lengthens back against it.

Pull, pull, change. Pull, pull, change. Pull, pull, change, pull that's enough everybody rest both hands behind your neck. Please breathe, inhale rest the head down good. Inhale, and as you exhale use your arms to lift your head up yes.

Yes, yes and we are really using the arms so as you're lifting the head with the arms you're also might to be pressing the head back just a touch. Extend both legs up to the ceiling, please. Elbows are wide ish, lower both legs down inhale, you decide if you're parallel or in a V. Slowly lower the legs, or bring the legs up not lower. Yes, do that a couple more times, inhale lower the legs, press the head against it right now yes and slowly come up with those legs.

One more time, lower the legs and as you come up press the head back into your hands a little bit as the legs come up, bend the knees into your chest twist to the right and the torso. Extend that left leg forward and hold right away to crisscross, change again. Twist and hold. Change, twist and hold. Change, twist and hold for faster.

Change one and one, and two and breathe, and three, three and a four, four hug the knees in pull tight, rest your head down it's over. Rest your head, put your feet down, pelvic lift everybody. Oh and you know what, you can even go pass like this neutral like really yeah, just like yes. You can really lift it up, really stretch, yes that's it. Now, from here inhale and as you exhale both arms reach up and over your head taking it back, the hips are still lifted, and on the next exhale reach back, reach the knees forward and slowly come down.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Keep those arms reaching back extend the legs forward along the floor, any way you wish sit all the way up tall and standing up tall take a moment the hands are the height of the shoulders, give me a big inhale. Separate the legs a little bit past the shoulders, inhale and as you exhale go forward, spine stretch forward if you have really tight hamstrings you could roll up the back of your rug, and sit on it yes. And use your tummy, sit up nice and tall do this a couple more times. So here we are, we're in spine alignment, when you're ready drop the head to go forward crown the head goes forward.

The hands say the height of your shoulders if that's okay now Jia hands a little lower for you Julie head up higher, yes. Now use your tummy to sit up tall doo doo doo doo head is the last thing to come up, last one drop your head, spine stretch forward. It's spine stretch forward, not shoulder stretch forward now everybody stay here. I wanna be able to see your ears above your upper arm so you might have to lower the arm a little bit and maybe lift the head, it's good but still chin toward the chest ish, that's right even more some of you. Yes, but still lifting beautiful.

Use your tummy as you sit up nice and tall, tall, tall both hands behind the neck please. Good, now they'll want us to go wide in the elbows, right but you're actually gonna bring the elbows slightly forward bring the ribs in, yes and so when you're ready, right elbow to the outside of the right knee. I'll talk you through it, we're gonna be okay. Mm-hmm, left elbow to the inside of the knee that so that right elbow stays the left elbow comes in we've now made a knee sandwich, and for purposes of this we're gonna call it knee taco, open up the left elbow thank you and sit up nice and tall. We're gonna knee taco to the other side, left elbow to the outside of the left knee, right elbow to the inside knee taco yes open up the right elbow and sit up tall, we're gonna do it faster Right goes outside, left inside.

Open left, and sit up tall. Other side inhale, big exhale open one more set, you're gonna go reaching the hip stay still, you open you find your Center other side, outside no hips yes. I lied I want one more set, here we go right goes outside, square the shoulders thank you very much. Sit tall, hold. Left goes outside, right inside square those shoulders yes, and sit up tall and hold, did you feel your waistline?

I hope it's a yes. Draw those legs together, give me a big inhale reach the arms forward as you exhale roll halfway down and hold, that's exactly it. So in this sort of curled position you're gonna try to slide the heels in and as you slide the heels in, the belly curls that's me trying to find my abs and extend the legs forward. It's as if it's winter, but it's not. But winter is coming, you know what I'm telling?

(chuckles) Sorry ,I've been watching Game of Thrones it's really a problem. Slide in again and hold, keep this beautiful curl try to grab on to the calves. If your hamstrings are tight you're gonna go for the backs of the legs you're gonna extend the legs out to the sides and bend the knees. Do this a couple more times yeah, yeah. So keep going, you're gonna extend the legs.

So um, you know it's hard this is hard and bend the knees. The rolling is actually kind of easy, just balancing up here is hard which is why I'm just chatting away and then keep those elbows slightly bent, last one. Extend and just hold it there, and you think, "Oh I'm gonna get to rule." No, draw the legs together, bend the knees whoa. Yes extend up so when you're extending from the low belly, that's beautiful. Open the legs out to the side, keep that little bend to the elbows in yeah.

Draw those legs together ha ha ha, and bend the knees I swear we're gonna roll eventually. Extend up, open the legs up and just hold it there from here chin to the chest to roll backwards open leg rocker now. Mm-hmm, look straight ahead, balance up top literally look straight ahead oh. Hold it there yet, hold it there yeah. I know it's hard holding it here, isn't it?

Chin to the chest, roll back one more time, maybe two. Yes, press the legs forward find that lift to the chin yeah, let's add on chin to the chest roll back, keep the chin to the chest this time stay looking down toward the pubic bone, oh yeah. Try it, yeah, yeah nice guys, do it one more time. Keep the chin to the chest as you come up, oh yes stay here, bring those legs together inhale and as you exhale lie all the way down take your time as you lie down hug your knees into your chest pull really tight and breathe. Give me a big inhale please, as you exhale stretch both legs up to the ceiling we're gonna do some corkscrew action small one to begin, you're gonna keep the hips down and take the legs to your right, go forward big exhale as you come back to center.

Now, let's play around let's put your hands at your rib cage sort of faux French right mm-hm. to the left with the legs, go center big exhale come back to center, a little bigger the feet stay together as you go to the right, down low, big exhale reach that foot and come back to center. Reverse to the left, down big exhale just one more set like that nice and big moving those hips, keep the feet together yes. Big exhale and center weight goes in the left hip, down to the tail bone over to the right side and center hug your knees and pull tight extend the legs fall it along the floor bring the arms overhead take a reach and lengthen in one motion sit all the way up, stay there open up the legs again a little bit past the shoulders get ready for a saw. Open the arms out to the sides, let's all twist to the right, left little finger saws off the right little toe drop your head.

Yes, yes actually Julie stay there. Yes, that's it breathe, use your tummy sit up nice and tall, to the other side. Twist to the left, drop your head reach past the toe. Now stay here, the back palm is what I wanna emphasize today that's right, the thumb goes down and now press me up ish as you go down, down, down use your tummy to sit up tall. Add a little more oomph to the right inhale drop your head go three, two, one.

User your tummy to sit up tall, tall, tall to the other side inhale, exhale. Go three, yes two, one and sit up tall, other side. Please inhale, exhale press up with a back arm, thank you. Two, one and sit up nice and tall, twist get that backhand going press it up yes. Two, one and sit up nice and tall.

Shoulders, on your hands and knees you guys let's face in toward each other, okay say let's face this way yeah. I call this battle cats, I borrowed this so this is what I discovered from my last time filming here this is battle cat. So from here, drop your head round your spine and slowly reverse your spine, anything that sort of feels good is what I want you do next. Cat of choice is what Kathy Grant used to call it do a couple time, remember that? Cat of choice.

And slowly, anything that feels good yeah. When you're in your kitty cat position you're trying to get the insides of your elbows to face each other, yes, One more, mm-hmm. It's funny, they're all choosing the same cat, you can choose a different cat, it's okay. You can do it, from here come to a flat back please looking down at the floor. Flat back sounds so simple but it really is not because I actually don't mean it.

So you're actually gonna stick your bum out ever so slightly right, you're gonna really lift that back of the head which is what we we're sort of practicing a little bit in spine stretch forward, but now we're in a long spine and we're gonna do what I like to call the cat push-ups, you're gonna bend your elbows by your sides as you bring your nose forward. Come forward, come forward, come forward push that booty backwards to come up. Did you feel your triceps? That's what we're looking for about a bunch of those. Yes, and slowly come up.

Now, when you're doing this really have your hands right underneath your shoulders and go forward, the elbows stay right there you go forward, go forward. Yes push your butt back or stick 'em up yes. Last one, yes and slowly come up from there do yoga pose to recharge take a little moment to breathe and stretch, yes come back onto all fours maybe walk your knees back, everybody we're going into a swan position to stretch so when you're ready to go forward you're gonna bring your pubic bone forward down to the floor, lift the chin, lift the chest go for a really big stretch take that pubic bone up with you yes that should feel good. Push back, stick toward your heels let's just do that one more time. Now, my elbow and shoulder people you're gonna try to keep the insides of the elbows facing each other, as you go forward.

Yes, mm-hmm and you're really gonna stretch and you're gonna as you push it with a floor way you're gonna really lift up as much as yeah, as much as you're lowering, your lifting that's right, beautiful. Elbows internally rotate, miss Jia, yes from here lower down to the floor, down to the floor literally yes. Drop your head and everybody just take a moment. Turn your head to the right, bring your arms down by your sides and just relax. And let the shoulders get droopy, yeah good.

So, if this is quiet, so I'm gonna whisper now, gently lift just the shoulders up off the ground that's it and for some people you might need to lift the shoulder that's away from what you're turning yeah, because that's the harder one. The hands are just resting. Lift your head look down at the floor, I call this angry turtle. So staying there, keep lifting the back of the head up a little bit more, little bit more, this is it, a little bit more, this is it, not your spine so it's just this right. Yes, from here exhale stretch the jaw muscles it's as if you're trying to stretch the underside of your jaw or chin and you're gonna look forward.

Maybe come up higher, maybe add that upper back extension Italian, (mumbles) look down at the floor. Turn your head to the other side and rest. I pretend to speak other languages, I don't. I'm sorry I can't help it. Relax, yes.

Again, gently lift just the shoulders, easy does it. A little more of the shoulder, that's right because you feel that tightness in the neck usually on the way that you're turning away from. Lift your head look down at the floor and hold angry turtle. As you exhale, stretch the jaw muscles you're trying to stretch the underside of the chin yeah and if you want to add that upper back, that's up to you. Yes, beautiful right.

Find your angry turtle, where is that long position of your head? Maybe even lower, lower look down at the floor, that angry turtle is looking down at the ground yeah, this is what I also like to call the anti texting head from here open the arms out to the sides and hold. Yep, looking down at the floor yeah all the way out to the sides in a T. Yes, reach the arms forward if you can, and if not put your hands underneath your forehead and nurse your forehead down on your fingertips rest your forehead down on your fingertips, so stack those fingertips and just rest, are we okay? Pushing down into your hands lift those thighs up, mm-hmm feet will lift up too, I forgot to mention that.

More internal spiral of the legs, yes, and take it down. Let's just do that a couple more times so as you do this, are you feeling both hamstrings sort of engage at the same time? I hope it's a yes, and take it down if you feel one lifting before the other try to lift the other one first, right? It's pretty simple. Staying there, keeping those thighs lifted clap the legs together, one, two, four, five, six, seven, eight, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one hold and take it down rest.

Come up on this into a sphinx position please you're up on your elbows, and pinky you decide if you wanna do hands parallel, or if you wanna hold on to one fist with one hand just staying here, the important thing is internally lift the tummy, maybe lift that chin up. John. maybe work those elbows a little more forwards, yeah because if it's too close, it's kind of going into your back. Yeah, that looks good, but now when you have your arms more forward it's a little harder to lift the tummy which is what I want. Right leg bends and go. Kick, kick, extend other side and open the front of the thigh just points in kick, kick, extend and a kick, kick extend, one more set.

And a kick, kick, extend. Where's my kick? And a kick, kick, extend. Right leg goes flex, point extent. Other side go flex, point, extend.

Again, and a one, two, three and a one, two, three. A little faster one, two, three, flex, point, extend. Flex, point, extend. It's hard for the brain, and the body which is why I'm going that fast. Rest, melt down to the floor, turn your head to the right again and stay.

Hold on to four fingers behind you if you can. Yes, mm-hmm, so don't intertwine the fingers you're gonna try to hold on to the fingers like this. Mm-hmm, so I like to joke and say this is my gang sign like, hold on to four fingers, it's not by the way. But yes, and your hands goes high up the back as you can right, and let the elbows droop and that is a stretch for me, yeah. Breathe, both legs kick three times.

Kick three, two, one extend the legs reach the hands, back to the feet. Lift the thighs up ish, lift that chest up, yes. Hands are lifting, melt down to the floor hands go way up the back triple kick, kick three, two, one as you reach back try not to lock in those elbows, yeah. Thank you, melt down to the floor we got one more to go but switch the holding hand, triple kick go kick two, three coming up try to lift those legs up as much, that's right so you might have to sacrifice a little bit here, to lift those legs up. Yes, hands go way up the back, don't kick yet and everybody melt and release.

Thank you, when you're ready yoga pose of the child just for a moment to stretch that back in the other direction and breathe. Neck pull is next, don't get too excited but we're doing it, so here we go. Facing in toward each other, yes the legs are straight, we're gonna start seated both hands behind your neck let me see this position till you get, actually Julie flip the other ways, we wanna keep it even, democratic in fact, yes. Both hands behind the neck, so staying here. So, I really instead of hands behind the head which is I think what I said before, I really mean neck so go low, right.

And again, don't worry about elbows wide, if anything go elbows forward ish, but think ribcage back right, so here we go. You're going to bring your head toward your toes, go forward and as you're going forward, you're also pressing that sort of head neck department back up against the hands and you're gonna be a little pulse. Pulse, roll back press those hands into the head, head presses into the hands and you go as low as you think you can go that's about it for Julie right now. Go forward again and she's gonna go pulse. Pulse, I'm gonna add a little more rhythm a little more moving, that's it press, press, press, yes and go pulse, pulse.

So, every time you go down you're trying to get closer and closer down to shoulder blades, right. That's great Sid, yeah. Yes, and I want you the whole time as you're going forward and pulsing, to really keep that head pressing up, chin toward the chest a little bit more yes. Press, press last two. We can do it yes, yes, yes, and a little more momentum helps by the way now is the time to use it, that's the hard spot yes.

Everybody last one, everybody come forward after this go forward and give me a little breathe and stretch to slowly sit up, use your tummy sit up nice and tall head is the last thing, lean your head back as you curl on the inside. Laying on the outside, curl on the inside yes, yes, yeah, keep going, keep breathing through it keep breathing through it, keep breathing through it, thank you very much. Hug your knees into your chest everybody and pull really tight. Exciting, lie on your right side please let's do some side legs, yes. Now I'm breaking up with the routine, don't panic.

So, let's go for straight arms, no you're fine. Straight arm if you can, if not yeah I'll take whatever arm, yeah exactly. How about that, um do you need a pillow or sorts? Yeah, let's take a little moment and get you a pillow. So here we are, so you're lying on your side and if this is not available to you, a little pillow and towel underneath your spine.

Yoga block, I mean bolster from the couch it doesn't matter. What matters to me is, I want you to one long line from the heels to the fingertips. So heels try, though usually the arm and head are a little forward or the feet are forward. Really pull it back and if it hurts your hip then bring the feet forward, but if not let's go for this position. And the hand, likes to creep up here and get shouldery keep that hand below the chest, right.

And for my friends, that like to sort of expand in the chest I like to keep the hand really close and make it be sort of like if my ribcage touches that then I know that I've expanded my ribcage. You know, reality Pilates helps. So here we go, inhale lift the waistline up yes flex the feet, thank you. Lift the top leg up to hip height and just stay here and hold. We're doing this whole thing parallel continue to lift internally rotate that leg, keep lifting, keep lifting, keep lifting.

Inhale, inhale, inhale, inhale. As you exhale, take the leg down let's do about five of those. Here we go, inhale to lift up exhale down, so it's slow. Inhale lift, and exhale down. This is maybe not the most healthy image but I think like a long drag of a cigarette inhale, exhale down.

Cigarette by the way is my PC version. Inhale lift, I'm from Hawaii people, and take it down. I learned all kinds of things there. Inhale lift up, and exhale down you got one more to go. Waistline lifts inhale top leg, let's hold it there right there, little pulse, two and it's small.

No hips, yes. Yeah, when you lift the waistline you get a nice isolation of the pelvis, right? And take it down, get ready for that long cigarette drag here we go inhale, lift up. And when you think, "Oh, I've reached the top." No, both legs I forgot to mention that both legs lift up, yeah both legs, that's it yeah. You're gonna keep lifting, keep lifting, keep lifting take it down for one count, lift it right back up again.

Lift it up and hold yes, keep lifting. Long drag, lifting, lifting lifting, yes. Take it down, lift it right back up again and when you lift up, the most common thing is to let that hip go back bring it forward, that's right. Take it down again, lift both legs up and stay up there bottom leg goes down, top leg down. Top leg up, bottom leg up, bottom leg down top leg down.

And up, up, down, down a few more times. Up down, down. Again up, up, down, down last one stay up and a clap the feet together, keep lifting away so I move both legs top leg and bottom leg. Parallel, parallel, keep going, keep going, take it down rest. Much burning in the hip yeah, point that top foot please still use that bottom foot to stabilize, lift your leg up to hip height and stay there that's it.

And when you're ready, you're just gonna draw circles with that top leg. Mm-hmm, so I like to think of sort of an egg lying on its side and you want the front half, back half and it's that usually there's one half we don't like, like for some reason John you don't like the front half most people don't like the back half, but you know that's what keeps things interesting. Yeah, great change directions reverse the circles, beautiful, especially when you take it back that's when you have to find that zip olla, no language. (chuckles) it's just no language and take it down everybody, rest bend both knees, please reach both arms forward go reaching forward with the top hand, reach up to the ceiling, take a moment here with the hand up to the ceiling bend your knees. Look at that left hand and twist, do what you can and if your shoulders hurting, you can put your hand on the shoulder and go for just a little twist in the chest, yeah.

Yes, and really make sure you're reaching knee on top of knee, so you're getting a twist in that waistline and not on the hips, that's right. All right you guys, roll over to the other side let's do that whole thing to the other side and hopefully I'll remember what it is. Now, you're facing me now, yeah. So here we go, flex the feet lift that waistline up this is the challenge for the people in facing forward now they have to pretend they have spa face right, spa face, flex the feet, lift the waistline up and you're gonna lift that top leg up inhale long drag, exhale down hashtag right. And again, inhale lift up.

Exhale down a few more times. So if you're the person who likes to sort of have their legs go back then that means that you're often using your back and take it down. So if you know you're that person, or you feel it maybe bring those feet a little forward and that's even more challenging to your core. Yes, the word I don't use very often, last drag on the cigarette, inhale lift up and hold it up there, little pulse, two. Yeah, and there's such a want to rotate open, you're really gonna spiral it in.

Oh, much burning, much burning, right? Keep breathing, trying not to move in that hip when you're ready take that leg down get ready, lift both legs up together, so inhale lift up. keep lifting, keep lifting, keep lifting take it down for one count, lift it right back up again and hold yes. Feet a little more forward for you, yes. Take it down right back up again, lift it up and hold.

Two, three, four, five, take it down and bring it back up again, two, three, four, five. Last one, lift it back up and hold it up there bottom leg down, top leg down. Top leg up, bottom leg up, and a down. Down and up, up three more times. And up, up two more times.

And up, up last one try and stay parallel lift both legs up, clap the feet together. One, two, four, five, six, seven, eight top leg moves, top leg moves, top leg moves thank you rest. Point the top foot please, staying here draw circles with the top leg. Yes, again I said circles but I really mean very low big eggs, yeah I'm gonna take that away from you, yes. Easy circles, right.

Reverse the circles that you're drawing. Yes, more front half. Yes some of you, and some of you more back half just try to feel which one. We always have one that we like to avoid, yes. Just did we reverse?

We did in both directions? Fabulous, great when you're ready rest bend both knees, reach both arms forward we're almost there everybody. Reach forward with the top arm, reach up to the ceiling, pressing those knees together reach and twist. And I want you to get a nice stretch hopefully in the pack, right? Good, if you're on a pillow sometimes you have to adjust the pillow.

Right, exactly and if your shoulder's hurting you can always put your hand at the shoulder so that you're really doing it in more the spine instead of taxing the shoulder. All right you guys, last bit. On your hands and knees please, let's face in toward each other. So Julie, flip so that your head is facing me, all right, so here we go. Push-up position, try not to panic.

Push-up position, I know it's like, "What's happening?" Stay here and breathe, heels are lower than your hips. Hips are lower than your ribcage, head is the highest thing so this is that head lift we've been working on sort of the whole class, just stay here and breathe yes. Stay with me, you're going to step your right foot halfway forward between the hands and the feet, yes that's it. When you're ready, we're gonna turn and face the oh, no you're fine. You and I are gonna face this way right, and you guys are gonna face the ocean, the other way.

Right, reach up to the ceiling, aw, aw last one. Yes, and you're really rolled onto the outside of the foot yeah, yes and that's it and you're really on the outside of this foot, you're right, there and straight and that's it. That's it, that's perfect. Can you lift your hips higher up and just stay here? Breathe high, from here you're going to lower your hip, your left hip and reach your arm and head up to the ceiling and go for a nice stretch, yes that's good.

I think John Travolta or Jane Fonda and lift back up. These are good images to have, flex that foot so lots of tude right. Arm up, head, head up and lower the hip. Yes, you know you have leg warmers on something, yes that's it and reach back up stay here with the hips try not to twist in the hips, that arm threads through so you can even just twist the torso. No hips, no hips, no hips, no hips.

Reach back up to the ceiling hold push-up position on the other side, let's regroup. Here we go, push-up position step your left foot forward you're turning toward the foot you just stepped forward, yes that would help them the other side wouldn't if? Reach up with your left arm and just stay here and breathe even right now push to the floor, that's it looks straight ahead. Good, head and hand reach up John Travolta as you lower that hip. Yes, yes, yes.

And really get a stretch, dare I say it in your facha and lift back up let's do that a couple more times. Again, lower the hip you can put that foot down if you can straighten this leg yeah. Yes, yes, yes, and come back up push the floor away, lift up staying here, no movement of the hips. Thread that arm through or twist in the torso, yes. Reach back up to the ceiling hold, yes push up position, walk your hands back to your feet or your feet back to your hands, yes mm-hmm.

Yep, come into a standing position for just a moment and breathe so drop the head for a second and roll on up to standing, yes. So, staying here you're going to just actually will step in a little bit let's get closer, yeah. So from here, you're gonna just take a moment and feel your body weight, close your eyes. Head over the ribcage, right. Ribcage over the pelvis, can you keep that?

Keep your eyes closed and lift the toes. Hopefully, your weight stays over it because we all feel, how forward we want to go, slowly open your eyes keep the weight back, slowly lower the toes keep the weight back. Last bit you're gonna inhale reach up to the ceiling exhale as you bring the arms down, energy out of the top of the head but keep the head over the ribcage, over the pelvis. Ooh, so Zen thank you guys, that was fun. can't sum it up, that's it. (participants applauding)