Class #492

Archival Wunda Chair

40 min - Class
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Description

Niedra Gabriel brings her 25 years experience to this Wunda Chair class blending the archival with the traditional exercises that Joseph Pilates taught. Connect to the deep muscles of the powerhouse right away even while working the legs. As class moves on Niedra offers an archival version of Spine Stretch and many others. This class will have you coming back to see if you can integrate these not often taught exercises into your body. Enjoy!
What You'll Need: Wunda Chair

About This Video

Jul 27, 2011
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Okay. So we're going to be doing a combination of archival and traditional chair exercises. And just as a note regarding the springs is that even though I'll suggest them to you, they're very, you need to use common sense and if it's too heavy, you make it lighter. If it's too light to make it heavier. And this is applicable across the board with every chair just adapted to your own body. So we're going to start with the low frogs lying on your back to warm up the barracks and the hamstrings.

So lie down and place the soles of the feet on the ledge of the chair. And you want the soles of the feet together in a prayer pose, right? That's it. And you want to be sure that your tailbone is down. So the whole spine is long, but you're not over tucked. But your anchor to the pelvis is really sturdy. It's Candice. Can you get the souls of your feet actually together. Now as you press the alleged down, you want to keep the tailbone down and pull the heels towards the groins and then release a step back up again.

So a lot of work into the buttocks and the hamstring and pull down and come back up. Candace, I think you're too close. You need to move out a little bit. So just keep doing these pumps that looks like a better distance. So there is a connection that you feel between your pelvis and the center of your, your groins and your heel. So there's this sensation of pulling and contracting and also opening in the hips. But you want the sacred steady and the tailbone down. The weakness in this one can be the people work so hard that the pelvis pops up.

This is looking good. Just a few more. Make sure that the soles of the feet are pressing strongly together. And Candace, make sure your navel is nicely engaged and one more time. And then bring the step all the way up. Lift the feet off the bar and put your feet back down on the mat right now. Take your right heel and place it on the steps and other knee will be facing the ceiling. And yes, you will need to adjust yourself slightly further in just a little bit.

Okay. And the left leg goes straight up to the ceiling again. Make sure the pelvis is square. So left hip is down. See if you can pull the step to the floor working into the back of the hamstring. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I see progress steps. You need to adjust a little bit maybe to here. Really engage in here and then lift up. How is that? Or do you need a pad still?

So this first one to be working quite extensively into your glutes. Yes, yes. Okay. And about five and then chipped legs. So yes, you can shift down or up. Candace, you want to be on the heel? Yeah, right now really there would narrow the hips before you start the move. So there's a lot of control in the pelvis. It has to quiet with the neighbor lock and keep really feel that connection of the leg into the deep muscles of the stomach and the powerhouse.

And one more time. So you've done five then shift legs again and you can always shift down or up and you go to the middle of the arch. So it's going to work more to the hamstring. Now make sure the sit bones are down, Candace, not overtaxed. And then lift the leg up with control or down, depending upon where you starting from. That's it.

So five, very good. You make sure the legs are long and parallel. This is a serious leg workout. Fantastic. Toning into the pelvis and the hips. Okay. Other leg. Oh [inaudible]. That's my bad hamstring. It won't do it. Okay. Tell you what, tell you what else. Put out spot you. Put the foot here, lift the other foot up and just keep the pelvis engaged and I'll be here to help you see just two smaller pumps. So we started to get that hip strong.

Ah, that's it. Now you change again and you've got work on the ball of the foot. So it's gonna work higher into the calf muscle and the actual foot, so. Right. Nice. So see you can get, get the foot off the ledge all the way down.

Yeah, this gets progressively more challenging in a sense because the pulling mechanism of really needing to pull into the hamstring and the calf is intensified. And a lot of detail comes into the foot when you do this. Good. Hey, I know this. Your weaker leg, so just do a little bit. Just nice, easy pumps. This is very good to strengthen in the hips and strengthen the leg muscle, but you have to treat it with respect because it's so overwhelming. Yes.

Okay. Bring your knees into your chest. Oh, you're done. You've done both sides, haven't you? Yes. You want me to put my feet on the pedal? No. Bring your knees to your chest so your knees are coming off. I'm going to let the step come all the way up. Now for the working into the inner thigh, I'd like you both to stretch out so you will be lying on your right side with your hands this way so you support your head with your hand and let's have you both star two, Chris Christie, you're, we'll need to start with the leg down with allege down and let's bring this leg in front of you. Yes, that's it. Now in this position, you want your spine long. You want the light going straight down. So Candice, move your bottom a little further forward and move the rib cage a little bit back. You're getting into the position is a a workout in its own right. You know what?

Let's take the front leg on the floor and bend it up. Bend it up. There's a few positions it can be in. Can you support your head with your hands? Chrissy and Candace are both hands behind your hand. Okay. Hold the ledge down. Can You keep it there? Can You keep it there? No. Okay. Hold it. There we are.

Okay. Now you will need, you're only going to be lifting the leg halfway. That's it. And you're not going to do it. Let's do it. Yes. Have a go with this. That's it. So five, just halfway pumps. Now the hips have to be steady so you don't want to be rocking and that's why you can do full range of movement if the hips are kept steady.

Hey, on your own canvas. That's it. One more time. Okay. I've got the legend. Turn around. Do the same on the other side. Alright, good. Yeah, we don't often work the legs really extensively and it's a nice variation. So very long spine, long waist anchored, powerhouse and lift, a little canvas and down. So very good into the inner and outer size 50 see if we can fill out the back ribs. Yes, that's it. And one more time. Good. Okay Candace, you're going to take your legs down off. And I'm going to bring the leg, the ledge. Very good.

Both of you lie on your backs and just do to roll upstairs to even have the energy. Lengthen the legs out, stretch your arms up over your head and roll up to a sitting position and reach towards your ledge and pull the powerhouse in it up to you. Lift up in the waist, lifting up that set, and then roll back down again. Really long waist, long spine, arms over your head. And one more time. Lift the arms up and curl up and reach the powerhouse in an absolute lift out of the waist as you reach forward and roll back down. Very good.

Roll up one more time and come to a sitting position for spine stretch forward. So in this position, open the light. So we're going to do a more of an archival version. Your legs will be wider, so a little bit more open, Christie, more or and closer in. So you have your hands, you actually going to work with the arms bent versus so before you start pressing. Yeah, so once spring in the middle. Good. Now the first thing you want do is lift the pay strongly in the ways you will bend the arms as you go down. But the feeling is lifting pulley, filling up the back ribs and letting yourself lift them. Curl over, shoulders up, pressing down as you lift up and then lift the ledge back up and lengthen the spine. Very good.

Take a breath in and fill up the backwards and lift out of your waist and use the upper body. Shoulders are way dancing. Work into the side ribs and come back up. Very nice. And again, pressing down, pushing down, lifting up. So the pressure down means you get an opportunity to lift the waist and come back up two more times and press down to lift the waist way up and come back up. And last one, lift the waist and fill out those back ribs down, down, down, down, down. Very nice and come back up. Very good.

Now feet up here for teaser and stretch. So can you get, let's do the version with the arch of the foot is up. So there's a few variations. Yes, that fits. So the legs are a little bit longer. Christie, can you let the step go all the way up or on this teaser on this? Now can you bend your knees a little bit?

So let's work with the knees a little bit. Bend. Yes, let's have you with the knees bent a bit to the step is all the way up. Now see if you can get the shoulders right over the hips, even though you're in a scooped position. And then reach forward and hold the side of the chair and give yourselves a good stretch. So you're going to go a little bit further forward. Nice stretch here. Okay, very nice. Now roll back and put your hands on the step on the step. Lift the powerhouse up. Impressive step. Way down. Way, way, way down. Push, push, push, push, push and lift the step back up again.

Is that too heavy for you Candace? No. Okay. Give yourselves a stretch again. So reach forward and hold the sides of the state chair. Hold the sides of the table, Candice, and lengths and, and really lift and lengthen. Weigh in and come back. Hold a step. Now. This time, push all the way down powerfully. Lift your legs up off the step. Lift the legs up.

Put the feet down again. Let the step come back up. And again, reach to the chair. Big Leg, big stretch forward and come back. Put your hands on the step. Lift that powerhouse. Lift the legs. Give. Bring them in towards you. Put them down. And one more time. Give yourselves the lovely stretch forward. Okay, so tell you what, bring your legs down. Swing your legs around. We're going to do back arm pumps. So sitting with your back to the chair.

Let's have you both start with the step down to reach your hands back and hold a step so the presence step down and just get yourself position and you want a very long spine. If that's good. Candace, with the knees bent, the focus is on keeping the shoulders wide and the back lifted. Now just tight, narrow into the hips and get even taller. Now bend the elbows and let the step come up without getting short and press down again and lift and bend the elbows and press down and lift and bend the elbows and press down and lift and bend the elbows and press down and lift. Now Candice, move a little bit for the board. Chris Christie, you can move forward too with your hips just about no other direction, so it's a deeper position. Very good. And then the elbows.

How's your shoulder and press and then am press and bend just a little bit. I'm pressing Candace, just hold this position. Allow the stretch to open. Very good. Last one, Christie, and press down and lift. Now with care, let the step come up, Chris. A candy. I've got the step and both of you reach forward towards your feet and give yourselves a stretch.

Very good. Now let's have you Christie. You're going to do the full entrance for Neeley Mermaid. Candace, I want you just to come to kneeling position. So you're going to be in a kneeling position facing sideways. Candice, I want you standing up, Christie, standing up, arms to the side. You want to be a little bit backwards because when you kneel down, you want to aim your knees just about here in the middle of the ledge, right? So arms to the side, lift the powers up and see if you can kneel down. Kneel down here down. Bring yourself to a kneeling position. Very good.

Place the hand down on the ledge. Bring the arm up. Yes. So it'll be the right arm up. Now be aware that you're rotating the little finger inward, so the cuff that set. Now before you start, get this arm close to your ear and I would like you to lift the shoulder way up so you get the side where I'm exposed. Press into the left rib cage with the left hand and start pressing down and re bending to the left, opening up and stretching the whole right side of the body. Then with control, come back up and again, big lift out of the waist and bend over and press the arm in towards your ear to get a lovely stretch and come back up. Very good.

Big Lift on the right side and stretch over and with control. Come back up and one more time. Lift and press over, lifting up in the powerhouse and come back up. Very good. Take your arm to the side, Christie both arms sideways, curl the toes under your encompass standing position. And Candace just kneel down onto your heels. Just take your bottom down and then come to the other side.

So I don't want you standing up. Just walk. So arms out to the side, lift the powerhouse in an up and kneel down. Right. Take the left arm up and make sure you rotate. Very important it changes the angle, the gas. Then see if you can get the elbow as straight as possible. Then you pull the arm up just like pictures of Joseph.

These pulling up in there and start pressing down with the right hand closing into the right ribs. Very good. Come back up, lift way up so you can get this arm right in toward your ear and then bend over, deepening into the powerhouse and come back up. And again, big lift through the waist, pressing down and come back up. And two more times. Really use the right side to contract. Left side to expand and up. And last one, pressing out, opening up the left side of the ribs.

Very good. Come back up Christy. Arms to the side. Curl the toes under you and with control come to a standing position. Very, very good. And let's have you both lying on your stomach for flying eagle so you'll be lying out. Now there's a trick to this. So I'd like to about the position yourself if you can with the hands at the step on the step when the step is maximum height. Now if you have tight shoulders and Candice has a bit of a tight shoulder, you may not be able to get your forehead on the floor and be in this position too, but you're going for this placement of, Oh, look at you.

You've gotten a whole lot better. Awesome. You're looking for this plane of the soldiers being the armpits being lifted up off the floor and the head is down. Now from this position, first movement, we're going to do a few variations, retract the shoulder blades onto your back and then start lifting up the bar. Press the step down, lift the step, press a step down with the shoulders going down and the stomach lifting up. Now lift the arms back up again and lower the chest down and lengthen through the stomach. Let the head drop between the arms for beautiful stretch in the armpits.

Again, retract the shoulder blades into the back and then start pressing down as you lift up. And then the final touches is this beautiful left through the neck, long neck and head. And then lift the arms back up again as you lengthen out and lower back down long spine that the head dive way down to open the chest and lift up again. Lift up, lift up, lift up, lift up. Now pull the stomach muscles up and three times. Pump the arms up and down.

Press down to lift down to lift. Press down to lift. Now lift the arms up and lower your body length in the spine. Lengthen the stomach all the way down. Now an archival variation is with the legs lift at the same time.

So here we go. Okay, so have a go. You're going to start retracting the shoulders, lift your head, your chest, and your feet at the same time. So you press up very good and lower back down. Now there's a little trick to this one. Your goal is to get your head and your feet the same height, which means you need to rock a little bit further onto your navel.

So start with lifting the legs and now come forward. Candace with the chest more forward, lift the legs higher, Better Christie. So there's a lot of adjusting. That's it. And then lift the arms to go back down. Yeah. It's not easy to do because you wanted the, the, the tendency is to lift the chest high, but you want to start getting those.

That's a canvas. Now keep the chest forward. Remember floating ribs actually have to stay down. Shoulders back and lift the legs. Lift the legs, lift the legs are how lovely work both of you. Lift the arms and lower back down. Excellent work. And now bring your hands to the floor and sit back into child's pose.

So you stretch out that lower spine. Stretch out your back, stretch out your hips. Nice stretch. Oh, okay. Now come up to a standing position. And the next one will be a variation on the, it would be kneeling, pressing down, a push downs. But we actually is a variation is called the cat stretch.

And it's just a slight variation on the, the normal one that's done. So like you both kneeling with your knees quite close to the front of the Ledge of the chair and you want to have middle spring or high spring, depending on the tension there. Now pull, almost sit back into your heels, sit back and you sit down and put your hands on the step. Now in this position, really scoop your navel. So the stomach is lifting above the thighs, but the hip stay back and the knees. Candace, maybe move your knees a little further forward. Christie to just here for the Ford and your knees should be together. So there's this huge scooping that is happening in your naval. Now as you start to push this, push the step down, you can get your chest onto your thighs. So press down, just goes into the size and then extend the upper back to reach further dab to the back. It's long. And then to bring the leg up against, stop pulling into the navel and rounding, opening up this whole um, waist area, lumbar spine, sacral area. And again, as you press down, extend the chest into the size and then reach with the arms to get links in this whole upper part of the back and then pull the stomach in. Pull the head in, keep the shoulders away from the ears as you come up. Good and press down again.

This is lovely chest, goes up into the size and then you links in all of this areas long. Make sure the neck continues with the spine and then pull the stomach into really scoop deeply into your powerhouse. And one more time, same way, pressing out, pressing our pressing out and long, and then come back up, come back up, come back up, come back up, and then come up to an upright position. If the arms way up all the way out and down. Now just for strength in this area, you're going to do a few pumps off where you try and keep the hips as far forward as possible. This usually needs somebody else filings. I'm going to spot you, so lift your arms up again, pull the powerhouse in and up and bend over onto the step.

So ideally in a perfect world, you're looking to get your hips almost over the knees. So this is the angle really vertical. Often people need someone spotting the ankles down. Now see if you can go down, press silage down now, pull up and do not let the hips go backwards. Let's see what you can do there, Chrissy. Yes, and press down to five times reaching down and pull the powerhouse up. You are strong and press and lift and press.

Awesome youtube girls and lift up. One more time. Press and lift. Lift, lift, lift, lift. Very, very good. Content. Upright position that the arms are up. Nice. Long spine all the way down and step off the chair. That was so nice. Very, very good. Okay, swan dive. Let's have, let's just pull the chair a little bit.

I'm going to move this out of the way. So we'll move this into a little bit further out. Lying on your stomachs. Press the ledge down and you want to place yourself so the shoulder is right over the wrist. So with the step down, you want the shoulders over the width risks. That's it. And naval. His long shoulders are down your back and the back of the neck as long as well. So he very open here. Lots of work in the last, pulling the shoulders down. Very good. Now pump the arms three times.

Bend the elbows in, close to the ribs and press down three times two, three. And now lift your chest up and come to the top of the spring. Lifting up and broadening the collarbones and lengthen in the stomach as you press down. Again, very good. Pressing down pump three times. Pump one pump to pump three and if your head and chest and come on up broad shoulders. And again, one more time. Press down, pump three times one, two, head a little lower. Candace, there we go. And then broadening the shoulders, shoulders back. Very good. Lower the step all the way down. Move your left hand about two inches further in. Take your right hand straight out to the side.

Make sure it's exactly shoulder height. Very good. Keep you sacred. Steady. See if you can lift up without twisting. So left shoulder has to move back three times and down. And lift. This exposes imbalances in the back. Keep the right shoulder down. One more time.

Lift evenly through the spine and down. Change hands. Make sure the left hand is in line with the shoulders. Both shoulders down, ribcage square and lift up again. Lift and down and lift. Keep this hand right to the side, the hand that's reaching out. Tens, one more time. Lift tends to drift downward. You want to keep it very, very good. Both hands on the ledge and let the step come up and just move one hand to the stair and step off. Very, very good. Yeah, give yourselves a little stretch.

All right, now the side bands, you're going to be lying on your right side step, pressing the step down sideways. So lay yourselves out on your side. Press a step down right, and let's have the left hand going up to the ceiling. So ideally this right shoulders should go down. That's it. So the shoulder line, this shoulder wants always ride up.

So press all the way down. Candace, you and your hips are in the center. See if we can bring this shoulder down. You're back down, down, down, left-hand to the ceiling. Pull the shoulder blade down more, and your head goes just to the side. Very good. Now from here, see if you can lift up the body. So you lift up the ledge. Very good. Impressed down shoulder, down, down, down, down, down. Very good. Lift up again and down. And one more time. Lift. And um, okay Candace, come up. I'm gonna adjust the spring for you. Now Kristi, take both hands to the step so the hip stays to the side and the shoulders appear to you in a rotational twist so you can keep the arms straight.

So you're now in a spiral position, right? The hips are in the center. Now see if you can lift up five times of Candace. Take both hands to the floor now. So both hands. That's it, Christie. So arms along as you lift up, keep the hips square so the hips are stacked sideways and you're striving to get some lift forward and up and down. And you're striving. That's it. Kristy. Get the shoulders parallel. So left shoulder, back, right shoulder forward. That's it. And one more time.

Lift and down. Now lengthen both arms. Good. Take your top leg and extended backwards. No. Can You keep in the twist? You okay? Still staying in a twist. So top light goes back. So you spread the legs into a scissor position. Your top leg needs to be hip height right now.

See if you can lift up again. So big extension in the waist, forward and down, lengthening out of your hips. The top leg extends backwards and out. So your body's reaching in two opposite directions and down. One more time. Lift, lengthening forward and up and down. Very good. Now bring your legs back together and take your left hand to the ledgers.

You come up to a sitting position. Bend your knees. And so that's it. So it's a nice step off for a minute. Are you alive? Excellent. Let me show you a little exit from this. It's kind of a, just step away for a second. So you've just finished your here. Your hand comes to here. Very elegant. Okay.

It's all about being elegant so that your hand will be on your, your both hands are on the floor. She just practicing, so bring the legs together, bring your hand up and lift up with the chest. That's it, and can bend your knees and you sit. That's right. Then there it's all about the attitude. Let's have a go on the other side. So these are wonderful. They're wonderful to stress the rib cage and stretch all the intercostal muscles. So you're starting sideways. Your hips should be in the middle of the, of the step chair. Yes, that's it. You want the alignment to the bottom.

Shoulders over the wrist, but you need to watch that. This shoulder is down, down, down, down there. That's what I want. Now this hand is up and the head is exactly to the side. Just holding. This is work. Yes. Now see if you can lift up contracting in the ribs without letting the shoulders come up to your ears. Hard to do and without the head lifting. The head stays exactly the sights. It's very strong work in the obliques.

That's it. Two more times you do five. The hips are steady and that's a big high chair, Christie, so I really admire what you're doing there. I'm used to smaller chairs. Both hands go to the step. Now try to keep your hips stacked sideways and spiral. Now really lengthen the ribs away from the hips and reach the legs and opposition. And again, five times, up and down and down. Lift and down. [inaudible] lift. Keep those hips stacked and lengthen in the waist. Good.

Candace and down. One more time. Now the leg stay together for five of these. Very good. Now take the legs and spread them top like goes backwards. Your cool and keep the hips squared. And again, keep that top like a little lower. Christie. There it is. So you have a real intense twist coming in there too and down.

So do your five. Very good Candace and links and out in that trunk. Excellent for okay. And five very good. Okay. Feet together. Bend your knees as you come to a sitting position. You got it. All right, wonderful. So Candace, you're going to have to have your toes on this little ledge.

Heels are together and you want both of you to see if you can lean into the chair with your thighs. So you actually did a little bit forward with your hips of your heels. Take your arms up and then start scooping as you lived through the powerhouse that you reach and put your hands on the steps, so see if you can not fall, but reach to it. Yes. Now keep pressing the step down so that's going to be, that's you have to be super strong. Press all the way down and then roll up again and pull through the powerhouse. Very good. Press down as far as you can go now stay here and pump three times.

Pump one pump to pump three and then scoop through the powerhouse and open up the back body. Filling up the back ribs. Shoulders stay down, press down again. Press and pump three times. Very nice. Pump and pump and pump and really fill up the lower spine, keeping the shoulders retracted as you come up. One more time. Head goes down first all the way down. Pump three times. Pump one pump to pump three.

Keep the power of sin and up as you roll up. Shoulders wide, roll up, stay leaning forwards. If you can come to an upright position, if the arms all the way up, all the way out and relax. Very, very good. So press down, bring your hands to the sides of the box. You want to be on your heels with a strong flex Candice, move your hands even further down. Now, big scoop. The shoulders are pressed away from the years, but your nose goes to your navel. Now that's the idea. And come down. Now this is the one thing I'd like you to do.

I'd like you not to let the shoulders go beyond your own wrists. Stick your hands right to the side so you're not going to be able to. That's it. Now keep yourself right over your own risks. Head way in and start to lift all the way up. Lift, lift, lift, lift, lift, lift, lift, lift, lift. Now lower halfway down and keep the ribs high and lift again, lift and then lower.

But keep the ribs high and lift again and then lower all the way down. And just stretch it back out. Look up for a minute. So you arch. Good. And again, one more time. Scoop deeply. Pull the stomach way in, tail under you. Keep your shoulders down and see if you can lift up without shifting forward. Move the hands a little bit for the call. Let's give you a break.

Shoulders wide and up. You can lift. You work that stomach up. Now lower halfway down, keeping the ribs up. Lift again, lift again. And then lower the tail down. Candice on the way down. Tail down, tail down, tail down. Tail down, tail down. Very good. So it's a little bit more compact and it works much more deeply. Yes. This is an archival variation. Yeah, exactly. It's one of those.

And just to work the ankles cause you've done a lot of work with the feet. So um, places ledge down like this, that little soft spot right under the kneecap. See if you can anchor that right. The center, your hands will be on either side so your hands come on either side of the kneecap, like just like that. If it's too much pressure, it should be okay cause you're not. You're under the kneecap and you want to make sure both legs are Paolo and the hips are parallel right now. Flex your foot. So the step comes up and press a step down to work.

Full range of movement and lift. Yes. And press down and lift and press down and lift and press down. So eight of these and six and seven and [inaudible] eight very good. Change legs. Okay. And again, anchoring and press one and two and three and four, five.

So you want to make sure right through the center of the foot, Christie. So the balance is right there. So as you press down little toe and big toe work evenly. Yes, that's it. And there it is. Yes. So this is a wonderful therapeutic one for the feet because you want that balance of the outer foot and the inner foot. Very, very good. Oh okay. Now to finish, we'll just do a nice stretch. You one.

I'd like you both to be sitting this way. Hands up. Index finger, not index finger, third finger pointing inwards. Like it's a straight bottom, quite close to the edge. So you're back. Yeah, quite close. Sitting up the legs extended straight in front of you. And first of all, see if you can get the elbow straight. You have a beautiful lift through the spine. Take your right hand, follow it with your face and reach back and put it on the step.

And you know what ladies called it a minute because you're too much tension. I don't want you to die. So it's a nice twist. The one that's have you on a middle spring here. Okay, now what you're going to be doing, you're going to be reaching out and pressing that step down and reaching with the other arm. So it's almost a feeling like PCer. The only thing is this hip has to stay down and then come back up again. So with two twisting and rotational stretch.

So let's have you both third finger together. Nice lift stomach pulls up and take the right hand to the ledge, look towards the hand and start pressing the ledge down and reaching and twisting. Reach with this hand by your ear. That's it. And then come back up. Bring both hands up above your head. Index face, third finger touching. Stretch in the arms and other side. So you twist and the right hip stays down and you extend out with the reaching arm. Reach with it, reach with it. So you open the ribs and come back up. I think you're too far. Yes, maybe sit a little bit closer in and again and nice and long reaching out with this side. Excellent.

Better, yes. And lift other side. Twist and reach. Reach, reach, lengthening, way out and come back up. One more set. Long stomach, steady, left hip, grounding you as you twist away from it. Come back up. And last one twisting again. Make sure you reach with this right side. Lengthening out the right hip, stays down. Come back up. Very good work. Very good.

And then come down and let's have you both against the wall to finish. Yes, to finish. So let's have you with your hips against a wall, the feet a little bit away from the wall. Nice lifted spine. Lower spine is long, shoulders or wide. Drop Your Head and start to pee or halfway down, suggest to the base of the ribs are touching the wall.

So there's a bit. And really pull the power house up. Roll back up again. Take a breath in, get the spine even longer and then start again in this time. Roll to to get to the waist and pull the stomach up and press your waste into the wall. So Chrissy, as you go down, if you need to, you can bend the knees or you can walk your feet further out so you can get that waist theory of pressing in. And really you're opening up that lumbar sec. Yes, there you go. Can keep the knees bent as you roll up.

So you're unnaturally extending the spine. It's like not you're going against the natural curves, but for in order to release compression now roll down, roll down, roll down and seek and get all the way to the sacred. Pull the stomach up against the sacraments, pushing into the wall. Go a little further, go a little further. So now start rolling all the way down. Towards the floor. That's it.

Three little new circles just to let the arms be very relaxed. Reverse your circles, and then as you start to roll up, feel the sacred line up. Lift the powerhouse as you rolling through. So you're making links in the waist, traction the spine upwards. Just take a moment to feel breath through the shoulders and then press away from the wall. And then once you stand, the natural curves come in again. So just take a moment to stand.

Want to feel the breadth and the shoulders looseness in the arms. Take a lovely breath and thank you ladies. You did very well. You jumped in the deep band and you did great.

Comments

Lauren P
I think it's time for me to acquire a wunda chair so I can finally participate in these great classes. Any tips/advice on how to go about looking for the right chair - what chairs are you using in your classes?
Hi Lauren, Let me chime in here and say I think what they are using here are Balanced Body Wunda chairs. I have the Exo from Balanced Body,which is a bit wider in the seat and has attatchments. Go on the Balanced Body web site and look there. My daughter in law has the Peak chair which is great because the spring setting is extremely easy to use. You can go to Peak website and check those out. Also look under used ones on the websites or ones that are for sale that were demo models.. usually can get a good deal that way! Good luck
Jamie
To continue the stream...I have a Peak chair - love it...found through Craigslist... and lastly, thank you for a great chair session - especially loved the side bend sequence. Again - ABSolutely love PA!
Ok I got brave and tried it this morning..whew that was tough but so fun. I have question? When you are lying prone on the chair (for me its always been uncomfortable in my pelvic region when I am prone positions) so I have a hard time focusing on the exercise. I rolled a small towel this morning and placed it under hips that seemed to help. I dont want to lose integrity of the exercise though so any other suggestions?
I don't think you lose anything by adding the towel Jamie ~ Our bodies need to be taken care of and if you are still feeling your upper back, or if now you are able to focus on your upper back, I say you made a great choice!
Lauren P
Thanks Jamie and Jennifer!
Thank you for a great class, Neidra. Nose to navel cue on diver lift is awesome...illuminating. I also enjoyed your transitions and would like to see a class incorporating them. Archival material was great! I learn something new all the time and I thank you all for that...especially Kristi! I also have a Peak chair. More chair classes please.
Loved the footwork variations at the beginning, Niedra
Loving all the extension and back work!!!! Thank you!
Great class Niedra! My legs are thanking you already, I haven't felt my hamstrings so well in a long time.
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