Whole-Body Integration

Hi, I'm Brett Howard and I'm joined by Tetuyo Shida. And this is our last class, our sixth and final class for Building Upwards With Brett on the Reformer. So we're gonna put everything together that we've done prior and we're just gonna have a lot of fun. So let's start with the foot work. Four or three springs, heels together, toes apart, and then, let's bring a little forward, and on the toes out, and in, out two, and three and four, out on five and six and seven and eight and nine and 10, good.

Feet together, knees together, let's go onto the arches, bird on a perch, out and two, out three and four, out on five and six and seven and eight and nine and 10, Coming in, let's go on to the heels of the feet. Flexing, oh there's the springs, let's bring them a little bit over here and go out and in, two and in, three and in, four and out and two and three and four, one more time out and in. Let's go onto the toes, heels together, toes apart and tendon stretch. Lower two, three, lift two, three, two, and lift two three, three, two three, lift two, three, four and lift two, three, five, and lift five more lower two three, lift two, three, two, and lift two, three, three and lift two more, lower two, three lift, one more lower, lift, bend the knees come in. Let's have you lower your foot bar, then I'm gonna have you bring the knees into the chest.

Reach back, grab hold of the handles. Roll the head, neck and shoulders up, extend the arms and legs. And now start pumping, inhale and exhale. Three, four, five, inhale. Exhale, three, four, right leg up, inhale three, four, five in, exhale, three, four, five, inhale and exhale three, four let's change inhale three, four, five, and exhale three, four, five in with the air exhale, three, four, five legs together.

Now bend the knees. two, three, four, five, and stretch two, three, four, five. Plie two, three, four, five, extend two, three. Cross your inner thighs cross two, three, four, five, and exhale and inhale three, four, five, and exhale three, four, five. Knees into the chest, bend the elbows. Take the straps in one hand, sit up let's go to two springs.

Then from there, lie down, lower the headrest, thread the leather through the handles. Then take the straps, place them onto the feet right in front of your heels and we will go for the short spine massage. Zipper up, extend, fold with the hip joints in going back and over then bend the knees and then roll down like a ball all the way down in one piece. Zipper up, extend, hold and go over then bend the knees, pull the heels into the bottom. Roll like a ball all the way down.

Extend the legs out, fold and go up and over. Nice, bend the knees. Roll down in one piece when the heels are over the blocks, roll the hips away from the heels. Open up that back, pull the heels into the bottom. Hold for one, two, stretch, hold at the hip joints, heel off.

Then from there, bend the knees. When the carriage is in roll in one piece, then roll the hips away from the heels. Open up the back, pull the heels in, hold for one, two, one more variation today. Legs out, fold with the hip joints then peeling up, bend the knees. But as you bend the knees, I want you to actually open the knees and bring the soles of your feet flat together.

Keep the feet together. Keep the knees open in one piece, roll down. So you don't change the distance between the heels and the bottom. Extend the legs out, fold at the hip joints then when he can't fold anymore, heel and go up and over. Open the knees as you bring the soles of feet flat together.

Now keep this distance the same in one piece, you're gonna melt, melt, melt all the way down. We call that the prayer frog variation. Let's take the straps off your feet. We're gonna go for the coordination. Roll the head, neck and shoulders up.

Simultaneously, arms and legs front, open, close, pull the knees in then the elbows front two, open close, pull the knees and the elbows front hold, open, close, pull the knees adding on and front, hold across the legs cross eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one bend the knees and the elbows. Last time front other legs starts cross two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, bend the knees, bend the elbows. Good. Let's put the handles onto the hooks. Let's go to one spring, lift that foot bar up and then let's place the long box on and we will go for our swan prep.

Okay lie onto your stomach. Hands are gonna go onto the bar. Stretch the arms, lift the upper body up and lengthen, lengthen, lengthen, and then pressing out, lifting up two, pulling up through that pubic bone and lower. Lifting up three. Hold that position, I'm gonna bring the legs just a little lower, hold there.

Bend your right knee. Stretch the right leg. Bend the left leg, stretch the left, bend the right and stretch. Bend the left and stretch, bend both and stretch. And one more bend both and stretch now pressing out and bend the elbows and come back in.

Great. So standing up, I'm gonna have you stay on one. Let's have you lower the foot bar, lie onto your stomach. And we are gonna go for the pooling straps. One long line from head to heels, like a long piece of steel.

Hold high up on the strap. Then pull back, lift that upper back and hold it there. Two, three, and lower the upper body. And again, pull back and lift, two, three exhale lower. One more time.

Inhale, pull and hold there. Bend the elbows, stretch the arms one, bend the elbows, stretch two. Bend the elbow stretch three lower the body all the way down. Slide the arms to the back end of the leather. Lift the arms to the side for T shape, pull back and lift two, three lower the body, pull back and hold two, three, lower the body.

One more time. Pull back, hold position. Bend the elbows and stretch. Bend two and stretch. Bend three, stretch and hold it in.

Now eight pulses and we pulse eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one lower the body all the way down. Take the straps and in one hand, stand up. Let's add one spring on. So we're on two springs and let's go for the backstroke. Step on hand, foot, hand, foot tailbone, lie down, bring both knees into the chest, arms and legs up.

Open circle, reach, two, three, let's hold it right there. Try not to lower the arms, lift the arms up open circle, reach, two, three right into the forehead. And again, up open circle, reach, two, three, come in. Let's reverse it, reach forward two, three, open up together and come in, reach forward and hold for 10, nine, eight, seven, five, four, three, two, one. Open up together and come in one more stretch and hold just the legs.

Open, close one, open, close, two, open, close, three, open, close, four, open, close hold. Now the arms and the legs, open close. Now the carriage moves when the arms and legs move together. Yes, four and five hold, open arms and legs lift them up together. Bend the knees and come in.

All right, I'm gonna take the spring off for you and then scoot a little bit backwards and we will go for the teaser. We're gonna start down. So teaser and roll up into your position and hold, lower the arms to the waist, lift to the brow, lower to the waist, lift to the brow, hold there and roll all the way down. Let's repeat that two more times. Teaser up, curve in the low back, pull back to the rib cage.

Once again, lower the arms, lift the arms, lower the arms as we lift the arms pull the upper ribs back and roll all the way down with control, nice. Last time, teaser up. Good, lower the arms so we're balancing behind the sits bones and lower and lift, lower just to the waist and roll all the way down, down, down. All right, let's drop those. Let's go to two springs and then let's turn the box around and we will go for the short box and let's grab the bar as well.

Sitting down, feet are gonna go underneath the strap, open the feet wide, arms around the waist, make a tight little ball, shoulders relaxed, curling backwards, and rolling up to center. And again, curling back two, curling up, curling back three, curve up, holding out. If you're feeling up to it, curve back and go all the way back and unravel. Chin of the chess reravel and curve curve curve. And again, curving back, let the head go, if you like, you can let the arms go reach back.

You can pull then arms go around the waist first. Chin of the chest, neck in curve curve curve, come up. Wonderful, take the bar, reach the arms to the ceiling for short box flat, lift hinging back and up to center, lift and hinge two and lift and hinge three, just one more today, lifting a hinge four. Up the side to side lift and go over to the right and up to center, over to the left and up to center over to the right and up over to the left and up. The twist reach, lift, twist, reach, and up center.

Lift twist reach out and up center. Lift, twist, reach, and up. Lift twist reach and up, round over and stretch. Then take the bar, place it underneath, then from there, actually let's keep both feet underneath this strap. You're gonna cross your arms like a genie.

Then from there, you're gonna roll down to the right side of the back, go across the back, roll up to the left and come up. Now roll, try to keep this level the whole time. Good and roll to the right. It's like doing isolations from the 1980s. And roll left.

Think of Jane Fonda's workout or jazz dance. Okay now you're gonna take a hold of the bar. Reach the arms up to the ceiling. Then from there, lift twist to the right reach out on a diagonal, but this time keep the back flat. We go to the back, we go to the left and we come back up to center, around the world.

Lift, twist, reach, longer to the back, longer to the right and come up. Lift twist, reach out to the right, longer to the back, longer to the left and come up, lift twist and reach to the left longer to the back. Longer to the right and lift up to center. Now rounding over and stretch. Take the bar, place it underneath and take the right leg out of the strap, hold onto the back of the thigh.

Tall back, let's lean a little forward for the tree. Up and down. Two, three, hold, rotate, walk up, bring forehead to shin. Curl back when the leg gets to 90, hand by hand, walking can go all the way back this time and exhale and chin to the chest and walking up to a nice tall, straight lifted back and bring forehead to shinbone. Curving back, when the leg gets 90, walk down and exhale, then chin to the chest, walking up and lifting up to a nice tall, straight back.

One more, forehead to shin, curving back, walking down and exhale. Then chin to the chest inhale, walking up, lifting up to a tall, straight lifted back. Then flex the foot, point the foot, flex and point, flex point hold, bend this knee, cross it over then round over and stretch. Stretch, stretch. Good roll up.

Let's switch legs. Take the left leg out tall back. Extend the leg up and down, two and down, three and hold, rotate. Walk up, fold forehead to shin, curve back. When the leg gets 90, hand by hand, walking down and slowly uncoil.

Now the snake recoils walking up, lifting up to a nice tall, straight lifted back. Bring your forehead to shin bone, curving back and then walking down and exhale. Then chin to the chest, inhale, walking up and lifting up to a tall straight back last time forehead to shin, shoulders relaxed. When the leg gets 90 walk down, try not to go beyond 90, exhale. Then chin to the chest curve, walking up to a nice tall, straight lifted back, and then let's flex and point it, flex and point it, flex and point it, rotate the leg and cross it over, round over and stretch for one and stretch and stretch.

Rolling up, good. Let's take the bar and the box back. Okay. And then you can lift the headrest. Now let's lift the foot bar.

Then step, hand, foot, hand, foot for the long stretches and press out long stretch and come back in, out two and in two. Now out, come in and stay in, two pushups down and up and down and up. One more go out and go in and last two down and up, down and up then bend the knees down for the down stretch feet against the blocks. Hips forward, lift the heart. Inhale, exhale, lift, lift, lift.

Inhale, try not to look down. One more time, inhale, exhale lift lift lift. Let's go right into the up stretch, pike up and then curve and go back, strong in the glutes as you go in, up through the powerhouse, back through the heels, strong to go in and up and back and strong to go in. Let's go for one more up and back through the heels, strong in the glutes and hamstrings as you come in, flat feet, and now rounding the low back toes up, elephant, go out under, under, under, two under, under, under, out nice and broad in that upper back. Under, under, under, one more, under, under, under, let's step to the floor, let's go to four springs, three springs if you started with three and we will go for the stomach massage series.

So sitting down, now wide elbows and go out, lower lift and in two, three lower lift, four lower lift, five lower lift, five more lower lift, two lower lifting in, three lower, nice and relaxed in the shoulders and one more lower lift. Now reach through, take a spring off, hands back shoulder blades together and go out lower lifting in, two lower lift, three lower left, four lower lift. Five more times, out lower lift, two lower lift, three lower, two more. Lower lift, one more out, lower lift and in, let's take one more spring off. So we're on two, reach up on a diagonal, go out and lengthen, lengthen, lengthen out two, reach, reach, reach, inhale, and exhale.

Exhale, exhale. One more exhale. Hold, inhale, lower exhale, twist and hold and come back in. Inhale, twist and hold and inhale in, twist and hold. Inhale, exhale, twist and hold.

Inhale come in and hold in. Circle one, circle two, circle three, reverse, one reverse, two reverse three hands behind the head stretch and shave and bend in stretch two, stretch hold there. Open the arms, circle one, circle two, circle three, reverse. one and a two and a three come in, flex the hands circle in a two and a three, reverse in a two and a three. You go up and over, grab the front of the monkey, stretch and bend the knees and come in and stretch two, bend in two, stretch three and hold the stretch.

If you like, lower the heels, lift the heels and lift the heels, one more lower the heels, lift, bends the knees coming in and standing onto the floor. Let's lower that. And then I'll set the long straps up for you and you can lie down and we'll go for the semicircle, pressing forward. Then melt, roll down to your spine. Now slowly dust the springs, carriage still as you lift, fold and come all the way in.

And again, melt one vertebrae at a time down, slowly, go out, lifting up, fold and come in. One more melt from the sternum to the tailbone and going out and now lifting up and coming in. Let's reverse it. Go out and then melt one vertebrae at a time down, come in and up, out two and melt, sternum all the way down to the tail, dust the springs as you come in and go forward and up, last time out, relaxed in the ankle joint melt down and then come in and the knees go forward. Heels dropped, grab a hold of the front and stretch one, stretch two, stretch three, good.

Slide the body back. And then we will go for the legs circles. Heels together, toes apart. Now zipper up, extend, open the legs, lower together and lift, open, lower together, lift. Three lower together, up.

Open, lower together and up, open, lower together, let's reverse it. Down, open up in together, two open up and together. Three open up and together, two more and one more up and together, hold. Bend the knees in for frog, zipper up, extend and bending in, two, bending in, out three, one more out and hold there. Open the legs and flex the feet and take a stretch.

Hold that stretch, put weight on the tailbone. Equal weight on both hips. Now you grab the straps, close the straps, that will close the legs then bend the knees into the chest and then let's take these off and then roll to the side, sitting up, standing up. Let's lift the foot bar up and we will go for the knee stretch series. Just normal today, round the back, relaxed in the shoulders, the round out and in, three, four in, five in, six in, seven, eight, and arching out and in.

Two in, three in, four, five in, six in, seven in, eight in. Now round the back, the knees off, lift the knees and go out and in, two, three, four, five, six in, seven, eight, nine, and 10 in in in, gently bend the knees down. That was good. Let's go to four or three springs, whichever you started your footwork on. And we will go for the running.

Zipper up, extend out and running one up and up, two up two up three up three up, four up four up, five up five more and up and up, two up two up, three up three up, four up four up, five up five up bend the knees come in, feet into the corners and the pelvic lift, curve the hips up, zipper and then drag it back in, press and pulling in, pushing through jello, pulling back in, pushing through molasses or peanut butter. Something very thick that we're moving through. Let's go for five more, stretch and bend, stretch two and bend and press, drag it in, press it out, drag it in one more time, press and pull all the way in, in, in, and then melt down one vertebrae at a time all the way down to the tailbone, knees in, take a nice hug there. Circle the knees three times to the right, circle one, circle two, circle three. Let's reverse it.

Circle one, circle two and circle three. Then from there, I'm gonna have you roll to one side, sitting up, stand up, let's go to two choose springs. Then from there, I'm going to place this pad on and you can step on from that side today and then inside foot then outside foot, left foot on heel-toe over with the right. We're gonna go all the way over today. Arms out to the sides, side split, go out for three, two, one, hold two, three, in two, three, hold two, three, out two, three, hold.

In two, three. Hold one more time out two, three, hold two, three in two, three, hold two, three. Heel toe the foot in then step in the middle. Let's turn it into this springs left foot goes on then heel toe, the right foot over and we have side split on the other side. Three counts out two three, hold two, three, three counts in and hold two, three, out.

Hold two, three in two, three. Hold one more time out two three, hold two, three, in two, three, hold two, three. Heel to the foot in. We're gonna keep the right foot where it is. I'm gonna take us to one spring.

You're gonna bring the left foot to the back of the reformer there. You can step a little forward just as your foot is flat would be, heel would be in line with the back edge. Now you're gonna bend both knees, hands behind back. The heel is lifted. The foot is on a slight angle and we're gonna go for speed skater, press out in, two, three in four, in five.

So we're really focusing on the stability of that standing leg. Two more and in, okay. Now heel toe out a little bit. And then let's heel toe out a little more. Let's step into the middle.

Turn it into the springs. Let's bring the left foot on. Yes, we're gonna have to move that and then bring that right foot back. Bend both knees. Now, hold there.

The standing leg stays still and go out and in two, three, four, so nothing is moving except for that right leg four, three, two, one, and then heel toe out a little bit. Step in the middle step backwards. And then let's go to two springs. Let's lift that foot bar up and we're gonna go for the front split. We're gonna put all the variations together today.

So right foot up, left heel goes back, square off through the hips and then press out and come in. Front leg is what's moving and come in and hold in today. Reach both arms forward and up. Bring the hands behind the head and then pressing out. And then we still keep that front foot very level as if it's on a level surface.

One more time out and go all the way in both arms up round over hold, rotate the back leg, bend the knee down. Bring your foot against, hip forward lifted the heart and go out and lift the chest. And again, out two and lift lift lift, one more inhale, exhale, lift, lift, hold there, reach both arms forward, both arms up arch the upper back as you arch the upper back, push forward through the pelvis and then bring the hands down. All right, let's go to the other side, bring the foot down, stand up. Let's bring the left foot on now heel to the right foot back now, square off the hips.

Now press from that left leg and return in from the left knee out two and going back in, out three, go in, hold there, reach both arms forward, hands behind the head and go out. And in that front foot still stays nice and level and go back in one more time. Left leg pushes, left leg bends, arms up round forward and stretch. Rotate the back leg. The parallel, bend the knee down, hips forward.

Now the right leg pushes and then hips forward up through the heart, slightly up to the chin and out, and then lift, lift, lift, lift lift. One more time. Inhale, don't look down and exhale. Lift, lift, lift, lift, lift, reach both arms forward and up arch the back as you press forward through the right side of the pelvis and then bring the hands down. Okay.

Let's step to the floor then let's just have you stand in front of that and you can face forward legs parallel hip width. And we're just gonna do a simple roll down. Roll down for four counts. Two, three, four. Now four counts bend the knees.

Two, three, four, four counts stretch the legs. Two, three, four. Now roll up to your spine for four three, two, one, one more time. Over two, three, four, bend the knees. Two, three, four, four counts stretch three, four.

Now soften the knees and roll up for four, three, two, one. Now shoulders forward, shoulders up, shoulders back and down and back and up and forward and down. That's okay, let's try it again. Forward, up, back and down, reverse back and up and forward and down. And you are done for today and you guys are done and I want to thank you.

This has been a wonderful time sharing with you and I hope you have enjoyed the series. Thank you.