Day 6: Energizing Mat

Welcome to day six of our intermediate mat class, using all the body parts, everything we've worked thus far this week, using our props, and now moving on to just our own body weight. So we'll get started lying all the way down onto the mat. Go ahead and get there, hugging those knees into the chest. Maybe giving yourself a gentle rock side to side, just to open up through the back. Relax through your shoulders, taking a deep breath in (inhales), and exhale, hugging those knees a little bit deeper.

(Laura exhaling) One more breath in (inhales), and exhale, let everything go (exhales). Then we'll peel the chin up over the chest, forehead to the knees, arms reaching long, legs extending long, beginning our 100s, pulsing in fives. In two, three, four, five, exhaling out through the mouth. We're reaching long through those fingers and toes. (Laura inhaling) As you exhale, feel that corset cinching tighter around the waistline, inhaling (inhales), and exhale out.

Watch that belly sink deeper towards the floor, option to take those legs a little lower (inhales). And exhale out, two, three, four, five, maybe those toes even approach eye level (inhales). And out (exhales). Four more breaths, just hovering off the tips of those shoulder blades, and reaching long through the arms, through the limbs. Last three (inhales).

And exhale out (exhales). Last two (inhales). And out, two, three, four, five. Last breath, inhale (inhales). All the air out, two, three, four, five.

Hold and reach a little further, a little higher. Carefully lower the heels all the way to the mat, head all the way back, and arms long overhead. Keep length through the fingertips. Flex through the heels. Maybe this time, those arms stay in line with the ears as we roll up for a little added challenge on our roll-up.

Oh, working all the way up and over, reaching fingertips past the toes, crown of the head down, inhaling (inhales). And exhale, rounding back vertebra by vertebra, option to keep those arms right by those ears. Again, inhale, we begin to lift body and arms. Exhale, curl up, reach up, rounding forward, trying to keep those inner thighs squeezing tight, and legs firmly anchored to the mat. Shoulder blades pull away from the ears, twice more, inhaling (inhales), and exhaling (exhales).

Belly button pulling back in as we round up and over. Inhale, begin to tuck and curl back as we exhale and roll it down, taking our time, using that articulation. Last one (breathes). Really using the breath, using the belly, and then rounding all the way down. Shoulder blades pull away from those ears, hovering right at the tips of those shoulder blades, releasing head back, and then pressing the arms down to the mat by the sides.

Point through the toes. Zip up through that waistline. We'll hover the legs off the mat just a few inches from the core, breaking at the hips, taking the legs back overhead, curling back, reaching back through the toes. Opening about shoulder width, and rounding down vertebra by vertebra. Tailbone touches, legs lower, and inner thighs squeeze together.

Again this direction, inhale (inhales), and exhale (exhales). Pressing down into those palms. Legs open, thighs parallel to the floor, and articulating down through the spine, upper back, middle back, low back, legs lower with control, inner thighs squeeze together. Flex the feet, reverse, open. Break at the hips.

Reach heels back to the other side of the room. Squeeze inner thighs together for the next breath in. (Laura inhaling) And exhale to roll back down, opening up through the spine, reaching through the crown of the head along through those heels. One more time, open (inhales). Break at the hips.

Heels reaching back, scooping and curling up from the low belly. Inner thighs squeeze tight, and slowly begin to roll back down vertebra by vertebra. Once that tailbone touches the mat, the right leg will stay up to the ceiling, and the left leg will lower towards the floor. Make sure it's right in line with the hip. Stay long through the left heel.

Point up through the right toes. Take a breath in to prepare, and circle that right leg across the body, down, out, and straight back up. Inhaling at the top. Exhale to circle, really stabilizing the hips from the low waistline, and lift, last two (inhales). Exhale out (exhales).

Once more across, around, a lift at the top. Hold for that breath in, and reverse. Out down, across, and lengthen to lift for four. Drawing a nice even circle with those toes on the ceiling, three (inhales). Belly pulling deeper, lifting a little higher, two.

Nice long back of the leg. Once more out, down around, lift and hold. Reach up through that right heel, and lengthen it all the way down to the floor. That right leg should feel even longer than the left. Bringing the left knee in, toes reach to the ceiling, palms press down into the mat, inhale prepare, exhale, left leg circles across, down, out, and right back up.

And over, down around, zipping up through the waist to lift for three (inhales), and up (exhales), and two, and lift. Once more across, around, lift at the top, hold for that inhale. Exhale, reverse, out, down, across. Lengthen that outer leg as you lift it up for four (inhales). Ribs knitting tight, three.

And lift a little higher, last two (inhales). And up (exhales). Once more. Lift at the top and hold. Reach up through that heel, and lower the leg down to meet the right.

Glue those inner thighs tight. Reach the fingertips back up to the ceiling, taking a breath in (inhales). And exhale to round, and roll all the way back up to seated. From here, we'll hug the knees tight in towards us. Inner thighs squeezing together.

Heels as close to the sit bones as we can get them. Forehead dropped towards those knees. Pointing through the toes until they hover an inch or two off the mat. Rocking back to the tips of those shoulder blades, inhale. Exhale, curling up without letting those toes touch the mat.

Staying tight in this ball. Inhale, take it back. Chin stays tucked over the chest to protect our head and neck. Twice more, take it back on the inhale, deepen the belly to lift on the exhale. Once more, lift and hold.

Now, slowing it down here. Lift through your chest, left hand comes to that right knee, right hand stays where it is, left leg extends long. Shoulder blades pull away from the ears. Take a deep breath in, and slowly roll down, no more rocking here. Vertebra by vertebra, that left leg reaching to the other side of the room, the right knee hugging and tight.

Take a breath at the bottom, and then curl up using the belly, pressing hands into the shin, shin into the hands, lifting through the chest. Other side, left leg in, right leg long. Take a breath in at the top (inhales), and exhale to tuck and curl back. Think of squeezing the inner thigh together here. So you roll really even on your mat.

Inhaling at the bottom, chin hovering over the chest. Belly pulling back, shin presses into those palms to lift. One more time each side, right leg in, left leg long. Find that balance. Inhale, lift through the heart, exhale deepen the belly to slowly tuck and control the roll down vertebra by vertebra.

Inhaling (inhales), and exhaling (exhales). Rounding all the way up, lifting the chest at the top. And back to that left side, inhale (inhales), and exhale, slow and controlled. Rolling our way down vertebra by vertebra, pausing at the bottom. Belly pulling back, curling all the way back up, back to that right side.

We hold for a breath in (inhales). Exhale, lower down. This time, the shoulder blades hover, and the left leg hovers on the mat. Taking another breath in (inhales), switching to the other side, exhale. Switching right and left, right into that single leg stretch here, remaining high off the tips of those shoulder blades.

Aiming to get opposite hand to the knee, other hand right below by the ankle. So we have square hips and shoulders. Last three, and switch, curling up a little higher. Two (breathes), last one, both knees draw all the way into the nose. Find that tight little ball.

Arms back by the ears, staying in the crunch. Keep those arms high, legs extend long, hold it, circle and hug the knees right back into the nose. Inhale, find the length through the fingers and toes, and then deepen the belly, right back into that little ball for three (inhales). Exhale, hug it in (exhales). Last two, inhale to lengthen, zip up through that low belly to pull it in tight.

Last one, reach, hold. Exhale, circle in, hug. Right leg long to the ceiling, left leg long hovering off the mat. Give it a little pull, stretch out the back of those legs. Scissor switch, and pull, and right, inhale, and exhale (exhales).

Switch and switch. Think about that seatbelt, we've talked about right across the pelvis, staying solid through the low abdominals, and square through the hips and pelvis. Flex through the heels for a little deeper stretch. Last four, inhale (inhales), and exhale (exhales). Three, belly pulling deeper to the floor.

Maybe curling up one more inch. Last one, both legs meet straight up to the ceiling. Inner thighs squeeze together. Hands right behind the base of the skull here, press the fingertips into the head, curl up one more inch. Legs begin to lower down on the inhale.

Deepen the belly to the floor as they lift right back up. Inhale to lower. Exhale, pull those abs down, and in to lift. Three more chances to go a little lower. Maybe those toes right at eye level, heels hovering off the floor for two (inhales).

Exhale, think of the core sort of round the waist to lift. Once more, inhale to lower, belly pulls deep to lift. Hold here for a breath in (inhales). Exhale, lower the legs to 45 degrees, elbows stay wide, curling up into that crunch. Squeeze the inner thighs together.

True parallel position here. Take a breath in (inhales). And then exhale, twist to the right, drawing that left elbow to the right knee. Inhale back to center, legs at 45. Lift and twist up and over to the left, hovering off that left shoulder blade.

Inhale as you come through center, still high off the shoulder blades. Twist to the right, pulling back in that right elbow. Inhale, center. Exhale, lift and twist up and over to the left. One more time, slow and controlled, find center.

Deepen the belly to twist a little higher. Last time, center, lift and twist. Come back to center. Hold for a breath in (inhales). Deepen the belly, curl up one more inch.

Draw those knees all the way in, and rest the head all the way down. Taking a moment here, maybe rocking those knees gently side to side, staying relaxed through the shoulders, and then carefully lowering the feet to the mat. Walking the heels to either corner of the mat, flexing through those heels, and reaching the arms all the way back overhead. Think of a big star shape here, feeling that expansion in the whole body. Arms float up to the ceiling, taking a breath in (inhales), and exhale to roll all the way up (exhales).

Belly pulling back, finding a nice tall seat, beautiful posture, ready for our spine stretch. Zip up through the waist, find your sit bones. Make sure you're sitting vertically against that imaginary flat wall. Taking a breath in here (inhales), and exhale to round and reach up and forward. Belly pulling back, fingers and heels forward.

Crown of the head down, stacking that spine back up tall, inhale at the top, and exhale, contract and round up and over (exhales). Deep breath in takes us all the way up. Crown of head reaching through the ceiling. Exhale, rounding up and over, reaching past the toes. Once more, inhale to lengthen, sitting up tall (inhales), and exhale to round up and forward (exhales).

Sitting all the way back up to vertical. Reach those arms up by the ears. Flip your palms, and reach your hands back behind you as far as you can reach them. Maybe finger crawl an inch or two away here, lifting through the heart. If you need a little reverse spine stretch, a moment of back extension, a chest opener.

Should feel good. Walk those hands back in, hovering the fingertips, reaching back, and forward towards your toes. We'll point through the toes, finding a little tilt back similar to where we just were, and then draw the back of those knees in. Bend those knees, and pull the chest forward through your thighs. Right leg extends up, inhale, deepen the belly, bend it back in.

Left leg extends, inhale (inhales). Exhale, shins parallel to the floor. One more time, each side really focusing on pulling heart forward, belly back, left, and bend, both legs extend, working on finding that balance for three, and resist. And two, reaching long through the crown of the head out through those toes. One more, this time the legs extend, and they stay as stir as we can get them.

Walk those hands up towards the ankles. Pull the elbows wide, tuck the chin over the chest. Find your balance here. And we go into our open leg rocker, taking it back on that breath in (inhales), and exhale, press the legs into the hands, hands into the legs. Find the lift at the top.

Inhale on the way back. Maybe you find a balance right at the tips of those shoulder blades. Find a balance at both sides, inhale back, hold it. Pull the belly deeper, press the legs further into the fingertips to lift. Twice more, take it back, inhale (inhales), slow and controlled movement here.

Using those abdominals, once more. Inhale on the way back, chin staying tucked. Exhale, lift and hold. Glue the inner thighs together. Whether the legs are fully straight or not, focus on a lift from your chest.

Find that balance and reach for your toes. Taking a moment here, zip up through the waistline, lift a little taller, and slowly lower the upper body down, legs stay where they are, vertebra by vertebra. Deepen the belly, hover off the tips of those shoulder blades, palms press to the floor. Head releases back, toes extends straight up long towards the sky. We go into our corkscrew here, legs start over to the right, keeping the hips anchored to begin.

Down towards the center of the mat, over to the left, and straight back up to the ceiling. Inner thighs squeezing together over to the left for the breath in (inhales). Exhale, circling down and around, scooping out the waist. As you lift back up, maybe a little bigger this time, perhaps that left hip starts to lift off the mat. Maybe the legs go a little lower, keeping the core anchored, right hip maybe lifts a tad, and then use those obliques to find center.

Same to the left, inhale. Exhale, sweep it down and around. Pull that belly deeper, opening up a nice bottle of wine here with our corkscrew. Should be pretty much ready for that by the time we finish this week. Lift those legs right back up last time.

Inhale over to the left, deepen the belly, sweep it down and around. Lift at the top and hold. Option to bend the knees to tabletop, or lower them to 45 degrees to roll back up, starting by reaching the arms to the ceiling, taking a breath in (inhales). Exhale, chin over the chest, belly pulls back, round all the way up. Our first little teaser of the day.

Lift the legs open, and lower the feet to the corners of the mat once again. We'll reach through those heels, and open the arms wide. Find that zip. Maybe you shake your legs out. Maybe the knees stay soft here, try and get out of the hips, and into those core muscles.

We twist to the right, inhale. Exhale, soft that right pinky toe. Reach the right Palm to the ceiling. Feel length through the fingertips and the heels. Lifting back up and through center.

Growing taller as you twist left, up and over, crown of the head to the outside of that left knee. Lifting back up tall, shoulder blades down, and center, inhale to twist. Hips, sit bones stay firmly planted into the mat here. So we're twisting only from the waist. Inhale, left, exhale up and over.

Pull back in that left oblique. Lift back up, and center. One more each side, inhale to twist. Exhale, dive it up and over, reaching right palm to the ceiling, lifting tall, shoulder blades down into the back and center. Last time, left up and over.

And lift and center, and rest. From here, we'll flip over onto our stomachs, ready for some back extension, hyper extension for that spine. Palms right in line with your shoulders. Inner thighs squeezing tight, tops of the feet firmly pressing into the mat. Pull the shoulder blades away from your ears.

We'll start by hovering the palms an inch away from the floor, and then exhale as you hover the chest and the forehead away. Staying for a breath in (inhales), and then deepening the belly up to lower back down. Really engaging in the upper back. Palms, hover, inhale. Deepen belly up, tops of the feet pressing down, lift through the chest, hold for that breath in, squeeze those elbows tight, and exhale to lower.

Once more, palms hovering, inhale (inhales), and exhale, lengthen back through the toes out with the crown of the head to lift. Hold for that inhale (inhales), and exhale to lower back down. Make sure those inner thighs are squeezing tight, knees are lifted. This time, we'll press into the palms using those triceps, inhale to prepare (inhales), and exhale to press down and lift up (exhales). Holding it here.

Maybe lifting up one more inch on that next breath in (inhales), and then zipping up in the low abdominals, knitting the ribs together, and lengthening as you lower all the way back down. Again, just like that. Shoulders down, inhale (inhales). Exhale, press into the palms, press into the tops of the feet, and begin to lift through the heart. Shoulders pulling away from the ears.

Collar bones opening, take a breath in (inhales). Deepen the belly up to lower back down with control. Use those arms. Stay lifted in the waistline. Work in to whatever height feels best on your body.

Once more, inhale shoulder blades back and down. Exhale, press into the palms to lift. We'll go into some optional rocking here. Inhale at the top. Exhale, rock it forward.

Inhale, lift, palms stay pressing into the mat the whole time. Legs lift, squeezing the glutes and hamstrings. Once more, press up and hold, and deepen the belly to lower all the way back down with control. Taking a Child's Pose from there. Hips towards the heels.

Knees can be open or apart, whatever feels best for you. Fingertips walking away as those sit bones sink back, breathing in (inhales), and exhale. Releasing any tension, perhaps in the shoulders, in the body. One more breath in (inhales), and exhale (exhales). And then from here, we'll roll up and meet for a forearm plank.

One hand comes into a fist, that other hand wraps around the fist. If you did one side earlier this week, go ahead and switch to the other. And then those legs extend back behind us. Walk the balls of the feet together, so you have this feeling of having one long leg behind you. Inner thighs, ankle bones squeezing together, glute squeezing together.

Low belly really lifted here, press into the forearms, and lift through your chest, opening up across the upper back. Full body working here, take a breath in (inhales). Zip up through the low waist. Exhale, hold (exhales). Lengthen long through the back and the neck.

One more breath in (inhales), exhale to stay, deepen up that belly (exhales). Moving on, we hover the right foot an inch or two off the mat. Hips stay square, lower it down. Hover the left, inhale (inhales). Exhale to lower (exhales).

Little to no movement in that upper body, hovering left, lift, and lower. Moving on for our single leg kick in this plank position, right leg hovers, kick heel towards the glute twice. Reach back through the heel, and lower it down. Left foot hovers, kick kick, reach it long, and lower. One more time each side, kick, kick.

Reach and lengthen through the back of that knee. Last time, left, kick kick. Reach, and hold. Connecting into the whole body once again, inhale (inhales), and exhale (exhales). And gently lower those knees all the way down, untuck your toes, and we'll make our way back onto the stomach.

From here, hands clasp behind the back. Right face cheek rest to the floor, trying to let those elbows open all the way out wide to the sides. Begin to hover the thighs, the toes off the mat. Squeeze those inner thighs together. Double leg kick, heels kick for three, two, one, pressing that pelvis down, and then lifting up through the chest.

Back through the arms and the legs. Left face cheek down. We kick for three, two, one, lengthen and lift. Again, right face cheek for three, two, one, squeeze the butt and squeeze the inner thighs. Last time, flip your grip of your hands.

Kick for three, two, one, lift up, hold, take a breath in (inhales). Release through the grip. Reach through your fingers and toes, lift up one more inch, and lower everything all the way down to rest. We'll sit back in another Child's Pose from here. Maybe letting the knees open a little wider, hips sinking a little deeper, whatever feels best on your body.

Inhaling (inhales), and exhaling (exhales). And then making our way onto our right side, we'll get into some sideline work. So we're gonna lie on the right side to work our left leg first. Hips are in alignment with the back edge of the mat, as is that right elbow. This is a little more challenging position.

So if you would like to be on your forearm, or are all the way flat, feel free to do so. Heels will be reaching to the front corner of the mat. Now bring this right hand behind the head, left hand behind the head if you can manage here. Really pressing fingertips back into the base of the skull, zipping up through the waist. We start lifting that left leg up, just about a foot, staying nice and parallel, knees and toes facing forward.

Inhale to lift. Exhale, zip up through that waistline to lower. Lift and lengthen out through that heel, out through the crown of the head. Two more times, lift. Shoulder blade staying down away from the ears, elbows and collarbones wide and open.

Left leg hovering right at hip height, kicking forward on the inhale. Point and press back on the exhale. Little to no movement in this upper half. You stay really solid, knitting those ribs together. It's hard for me.

Pull back in the low belly muscles to assess for two (inhales), point and press one more time forward, and take it back. Hovering that top leg over the bottom leg will turn both legs out, creating a little kickstand with those right toes, and kick that left leg straight up, and flex, and squeeze. Inhale to kick. Exhale, squeeze it tight. Three more times, lift and lower, and two, lengthen up without sinking down into that right waist.

Once more kick, and squeeze to lower. Once again, we'll parallel the legs, lower them down, and then lower the head all the way down onto that right bicep. Shoulders relax, left palm pressing in front of the sternum. Inner thighs squeezing tight. We'll go into a lower body lift.

So lower legs, upper legs lifting an inch or two away from the mat, and lowering back down with control. Just the bottom half lifting up, and lowering down. Twice more, using those inner thighs to glue the legs really tight, and a little bit of oblique work here for that side waist. Now the legs stay down. We lift from this left oblique, and our left tricep lifting just the upper half, and lowering it down.

Inhale to lift, dropping that left shoulder further away from the ear, so we don't use it. Twice more, inhale, lift up (inhales). Exhale, lower. Even if you only lift an inch, I'd rather us really work the proper muscles. Now the full body, body and legs together, inhale, think of your right fingertips kneading your toes off the floor just a couple inches, and lower.

Last two, inhale, lift, exhale to lower. Once more, inhale to lift, and exhale to lower. Draw those knees all the way in, press yourself all the way up onto a seat. Left hand comes to that left ankle, right arm out, taking a breath in, and exhale, reaching up and over for a beautiful mermaid stretch here, lengthening out that side waist. One more time, inhale, lifting up (inhales), and exhale, reaching up and over (exhales).

And that right arm will come all the way down and out. Left foot's staggered in front of the right here, top leg in front, and left hand down by the hip. Pull those shoulder blades away from your ears. And we're gonna pop right up into a side plank. So begin to lift the hips, and shoot that left arm right over the ear.

Inhale, lower the hips and inch or two as that left arm hovers over the hip. Exhale, reach it back over the ear, pressing the floor away. Three more times here, inhale to lower, lifting from those obliques, those inner thighs staying connected, lower. Pressing out that right shoulder blade. Last time, take it down (inhales).

Exhale, deepen the belly, lift up and away. And from here, we'll pivot down towards the mat into a plank position. Even pressure into both palms, tuck that tailbone underneath. Take a little shift forward, crown of the head past your fingertips. Exhale as you shift back, heels to the back of the room, shifting forward for three (inhales), deepening the belly, staying low and solid through the whole waistline.

Two, and back. One more time, forward (inhales), and back. And gently lowering those knees all the way down. We'll take a moment getting off those wrists, and transition to our other side, Lying on the left hip back towards the back edge of that mat, toes and heels are reaching to the front edge, and then making our way onto our left elbow here. Staying really lifted through that left oblique, head comes right to the back here with the left fingertips, right hand sweeping up to meet.

Nice lifted chin, no wrinkles here. Lift that right leg up about a foot, and lower down. Parallel, square through the whole leg, lower and squeeze. Inhale to lengthen and lift, exhale to lower. Like someone's pulling your heel further out and away, so much that it levitates off that bottom leg.

Once more, inhale, lift (inhales). Exhale, let the ribs together, lower the leg just a hover. We kick forward on the inhale, reach through the heel, point and press back, reaching through the toes, zipping up through that waist. Inhale, flex and kick forward. Lengthening the back of the leg.

Point and press it back, shoulders stay down, elbows wide for three (inhales), and point and press (exhales). Last two, inhale, reach through the heel. Deepen that belly, point and press, keeping the hips as stable as possible, and reach it back long. Hover the right leg over the left. Kickstand those left toes.

Find your turnout here, work those external rotators. We kick the right leg up, and flex, and squeeze. Keep pressing down into that left elbow, lifting out of that left shoulder for three (inhales), and lower (exhales), two, squeeze as you lower. One more, let it fly up. Squeeze and lower down.

Parallel legs, pointed toes, left ear to left bicep. And relaxing through those shoulders, right palm gently pressing into the floor. Both legs begin to lift and hover off the mat, and lower down with control. Keeping that right shoulder away from the ear, and lower. Really using that right oblique to lift (inhales), inner thighs squeezing tight.

Once more, inhale to lift, and exhale to lower. Legs stay down, upper body lifts. Use that right tricep and right waistline, and lower. Inhale on the way up. Exhale to control, and deepen those abs on the way back down.

Try not to lift that right shoulder, lift, keep pointing it away from the ear. Once more, inhale, lengthen, and lift. Exhale, deepen the belly, and lower. Now legs and upper body together as one. Inhale, lift, exhale, lower with control, and three, press down into that right palm, and lower.

Last two, fingertips and toes hovering, and lowering. Once more, lengthen and lift, hold (inhales), and lower down to rest. Bending those knees, pressing ourselves back up for our mermaid stretch here. Right hand to shin or ankle, left arm up by the ear, shoulders pulling down, finding the lift in the waist, and then taking it up and over. Lengthening out that side body.

Maybe you gaze your eyes up or down, whatever you need to loosen up through the neck. One more time, inhale, center (inhales), and exhale to lengthen up and over (exhales). Reaching all the way back out and down. We'll make our way into our side plank on the other side. So staggering those feet, top leg in front, top arm down by the hip, shoulders away from the ears.

Take a breath in to prepare, and then exhales as you press and lift yourself up. Arm coming all the way up over the ear. Shoulders pulling down, ribs connecting, hips squeezing forward. Think of being in a narrow pane of glass here. Lower down, arm hovering over the hips, and press the floor away to lift up and away.

Inhale to lower, exhale, press to lift. Twice more, inhale, lower. Deepen the belly back, lift a little higher. Last time, lift and hold (exhales). Transitioning into our plank from here.

Once again, shoulders over the wrists. We go into our leg pull, that same little shift forward and back, but on one leg. Right leg hovers, shift back into the left heel. Deepen the belly as you shift forward, and lower the right foot down. Left foot hovers.

Shift it back, zip up through the waist forward, and lower. Again, right, take it back. Crown of the head reaching long to the end of the mat, left, back, zip up through the low belly. One more time, each side, right, take it back. Take it forward, and lower.

Last time, left, and back, forward, lower, hold. Inhale (inhales), and exhale (exhales), and gently lower those knees down. Taking another Child's Pose from here. Just getting off our arms for a moment. Releasing those hips, reaching the fingertips long, inhaling here (inhales), and exhale (exhales).

And then rounding all the way back up. We'll meet seated in the middle of the mat, facing our front edge where we began. Legs will extend long, separating them about hip width here. Give 'em a little shake. We wanna try and stay as relaxed as possible through those quads, reach through the heels.

If that means the knees are slightly bent, that's fine with me. Arms will start in front of our shoulders here. Little cue from your fingertips to drop the shoulder blades away from your ears. Well, going into our neck pull. So starting with a really straight back, maintaining it for as long as we can, inhale to prepare (inhales), and exhale to hinge from the hips.

Starting small here, just an inch or two, take another breath in (inhales). Exhale, reach longer out through the heels, out through the crown of the head (exhales). One more breath in (inhales), one more inch back (exhales). Inhale (inhales), on that next exhale, it's as if you got punched in the gut, tuck that tail underneath you. Roll the rest of the way down vertebra by vertebra, releasing the head down at the bottom.

Now you always have the option to keep your arms here, or maybe they're extended straight, little more challenging version here. Hands behind the head, elbows wide. To come back up, we think of imprinting the face and the chest directly up towards the ceiling or sky. Take a breath in there (inhales). On that next exhale, eye of the crown of the head all the way up and forward between the knees.

Those elbows stay wide, gentle pressure down towards the head. Really releasing through the neck. Inhale, so stack that spine up tall. Head pressing into the fingertips as we hinge. Inhale to hold, think of that tight zipper, ribs lifting away from the hips to hinge another inch back, reaching forward and down with the heels.

Exhale lower one more inch, keeping that back flat as a board, inhale (inhales), and exhale, tuck and curl the rest of the way down. Pausing to hover off the tips of those shoulder blades before releasing all the way back. Once more, inhale, straight up, and exhale up and over (exhales). Really release into the stretch, and then stack that spine tall, lift the chin off the chest. Take a breath in (inhales).

Exhale, hinge an inch (exhales). Inhale, hold (inhales). Elbows stay wide, shoulders stay down. Exhale another inch. Neck reaching long, one more breath in (inhales).

Exhale to hinge. Hold it (inhales), and contract all the way down. Vertebra by vertebra, pausing, pulling that belly a little deeper, and releasing at the bottom. Make sure you're still on your mat here. Palms will move straight down by your hips.

Feet will walk in, heels right in line with the sit bones. Reach those fingertips towards your heels. Chin stays lifted off the chest. Take a breath in (inhales), and exhale to tuck and curl those hips up towards the ceiling. Really pressing down into the heels to boost the hips, the pelvis up, staying knitted tight with the rib cage, belly pulling down towards the spine.

Hold it here for a breath in (inhales), and exhale, we'll roll back down vertebra by vertebra. Just taking a moment to massage through the spine, releasing all the way through the tail at the bottom. Once more, inhale (inhales), and exhale to tuck and curl all the way up (exhales). Keeping a nice square pelvis, transfer the weight into that right heel, pressured down evenly into the palms as that left leg draws up to a tabletop position, and extends straight up to the ceiling. Flex the heel, lower the leg 'til the thighs are parallel, and point and lengthen right back up.

Inhale to lower, exhale, point and kick. Strong right backside here. Ribs stay connected, chin stays lifted for two, point and kick. Once more, lower, and lift. Bending that left knee, placing that foot onto the mat.

Transferring weight into the left heel, right leg draws in and up. Flex and lower inhale. Point and lengthen to kick for four, inhale down, squeezing that left cheek high, three, and lift, last two, inhale, and exhale. Once more, lower, and lift, and hold. Right knee bends, lowering that foot back down onto the mat.

Squeeze the bends, lift those hips up one more inch, taking a breath in (inhales), and exhale to roll back down vertebra by vertebra. Feeling a little more lengthened through the spine, and releasing the tail at the bottom. From here, right leg comes to a tabletop position, and left leg comes up to meet it. Squeeze those inner thighs together. Float the arms up to the ceiling, taking a deep breath in, and then exhale to curl up chin over the chest, belly pulling down and back, and meet me in a teaser position.

Those legs can always stay bent. Little more challenging to keep them straight, as straight as you can for teaser one. Legs don't move, upper body lowers down vertebra by vertebra, head and arms reaching back. Inhale (inhales), exhale, curling right back up, fingertips reaching towards the toes. Nice even diagonal through the arms and legs.

Again, upper body lowering down, reaching back, up, and forward (inhales). Hold that upper body still, teaser two. Just the legs lower, inhale, deepen the belly, like you're pulling your toes up from puppeteer strings. Once more, inhale, legs lower. Zip up through the waist.

Legs lift, chest stays lifted. Everything one more inch higher, and slowly lower everything down vertebra by vertebra, zipping up through that waistline, hovering toes, heels, shoulder blades, releasing heels and head, and arms back and long. Two full teasers here. Arms begin floating up, inhale (inhales). Exhale, chin over the chest, hovering the heels from the abs.

Never trying to grip in the hips or the quads here. Really working in our core. Everything lifts one more inch. Slowly lowering in four (exhales). Three, use that breath.

Two, hover, release back on one. Last time, arms up, inhale (inhales). Exhale, chin over the chest. Belly pulling back and in. Scooping out from the waist, lifting everything up one more inch.

Option to bring those arms in line with your ears for a little added challenge. Keep them there as you slowly lower in four (inhales). In three (inhales), keep breathing, two (exhales), and release back and down on one. Give it a little shake up and down, side the side, and we'll draw those knees into the chest. Give them a little rock side to side, and all the way back and up to seated.

From there, we'll flip around, meeting on the stomach, facing either side of your mat here, reaching long through the fingertips. Back through the toes. A little further back, hyper extension here, engaging in the glutes, pulling those shoulder blades away from your ears. Right arm, left leg, chest lift, inhale. Deepen the belly and lower, and second side lengthen out and up, inhaling (inhales), and exhaling (exhales).

Once more, each side, inhale to lift. Deepen the belly up as you lower the body down. Once more inhale, lengthen, and lift. And exhale to lower. Everything lifts, Superman or woman here, holding strong, and going for a little swim, alternating a little quicker this time.

Breathing in for five (inhales), and exhale out, two, three, four, five. Inhale (inhales), lift a little higher, squeeze the buns, exhale (exhales). Two more breaths in (inhales), and exhale (exhales). One more breath in (inhales), and exhale out, two, three, four, five, lift and hold. Squeeze your inner thighs together.

Pull your elbows back towards your ribs. Press the palms into the mat. Tuck your toes and press the balls of the feet into the floor, maybe give yourself a little wiggle here. If you need to use your knees, you can do so. If not, use your core, use your arms, and press up.

Meet me in a plank position. Hold it here, take a breath in (inhales). Stay for the exhale (exhales). One more inhale (inhales). And exhale, pike your hips up into a Downward Dog.

Adjust those feet. If you're like me, you've made your way off your mat here. And just give that shake of the head a little moment to let go. Taking a breath in (inhales), pressing the chest further towards the thighs, heels further towards the floor, feeling the length through the spine, through the back of the legs. One more breath in (inhales), and exhale (exhales).

Slowly walk in the hands back towards the toes. Staying folded over here for a moment, and taking a gentle bend of those knees. Keeping them soft, and slowly rolling up through the spine vertebra by vertebra. Thinking of all that articulation we've worked, and standing with a tall spine, shoulders down. We'll move to a Pilates stance here, heels together, knees and toes apart.

A nice zip for those inner thighs, and reach the arms all the way up by your ears. Taking a deep breath in (inhales), and then rolling down, leading with the fingertips in the crown of the head, just like many of the roll outs we've done here has zipping up through the inner thighs and the waist, making our way all the way down to those fingertips, hover or touch the mat. Walking out four to six hand steps here, meeting me in a plank position. Inner thighs stay tight, shoulders right over the wrists. Finishing with our five tricep pushups, elbows bending back to the ribs on the inhale, deepen the belly, pressing the floor away, inner thighs squeeze together, ribs knit together for three.

Exhale, press it up, last two, inhale down, exhale long through the crown of the head. Last one, lower. Exhale press up, staying there for one more inhale (inhales), And exhale, pike those hips back and up. Walking the hands back, those four to six hand steps, keeping heels squeezing together, inner thighs tight. Taking that forward stretch, and then slowly rolling back up through the spine vertebra by vertebra.

Arms staying by the ears here, inner thighs squeeze together. Tailbone tucks underneath us, zipping up through the waist. Shoulder pulls down, thinking about the whole body, and reaching those arms out and down to the sides. Finishing with nice beautiful posture here. Hopefully feeling the whole body evenly worked, and ready to take on our next and final class.