Upper Body Mat Flow

Hello, I am Laura Hanlon here to teach a fun mat Pilates class with you today. Optional hand weights. Fun little prop that we're going to add for a little extra arm work. I'm using two pounds, maybe use one. Maybe you wanna challenge yourself and use threes, although if you are using a heavier weight, I would not go above three and you wanna ensure that you're not using the back of your neck.

Really important, we're not trying to work in those trap muscles here. We wanna tone our arms and our back, not hurt our necks. You can also do this class without any weights. Totally optional. You're still gonna feel your arms, I promise you that.

Let's get started. Heels together, toes apart in our Pilates V Pilates stance, a beautiful lift in the abdominals. Reach those arms all the way out to a T. Feel expansion across your chest and back reaching through those fingertips. Always option to hold on with an extended finger or a tight fist if you wanna work that grip strength where you don't throw a weight out to your side window.

Here we'll begin with our hug-a-tree arms. Inhale to hug and bend those knees opening up through the knees and the hips and exhale a squeeze in the inner thighs and open the arms. Inhale, big hug (inhaling) and exhale stretch and open. Using the breath here to draw the ribs together and deepen in the abdominals. Inhale (inhaling) and exhale, keeping that slight bend in the elbows and a beautiful lift.

Inhale, hug, exhale, zipping up high in those inner thighs, feeling our legs warming up our arms and abdominals warming up. Two more just like this. Chin stays lifted. Shoulder blades back and down one (inhaling) and open. (exhaling) From here, flip your palms up.

Reach your arms to about shoulder height and width. We'll lower those arms right down by the hips going into our chest expansion front arms. Begin to lift your heels maybe to hover or a high releve as the palms lift up and inhale, take it down with control. Exhale, scoop. Lift and reach about shoulder height and width with those arms and weights, inhaling down.

Exhale deep in the belly back as you lift and reach, lower. If you're standing on a mat like me, maybe that balance is a little more challenging. If you want a little more solid floor, perhaps you stand off to the side for three, zipping up through the weights, zipping up to the belly button for two (inhaling) and reach, (exhaling) once more. Inhale (inhaling) and exhale lowering the heels and the arms. We reach the arms out to the side as we go back into that bend of the knees.

Forward shoulder height and width and lengthen to lower. Inhaling, (inhaling) keeping it a little more fluid here. Exhale. Heart stays lifted, chin stays lifted, engaging into the arms and the back. Again, keeping that slight bend in the elbows here so we're not locking out into our joints. Keeping that idea with the legs.

We don't wanna lock into the knees, but we do want a full extension of those legs. A lift in the knees and the thighs just like you would in leg and footwork on a reformer. Inhale, reach, exhale, forward and down. You choose to lower those weights. You don't let them overpower you.

Once more, this direction. We reverse with that lift of the heels, inhale (inhaling) and exhale (exhaling). We're really using the whole body to find this balance. Maybe you just work the legs, you just work the arms here, starting to warm up the whole body. Inhale (inhaling) and exhale.

Reach lengthen to lower, continuing to grow longer and taller through the crown of the head, even if those heels lower to the floor for two. Inhale (inhaling) and exhale, hopefully feeling those arms, one and lower. From there, we'll lower those arms right down by the thighs. Make our way to one edge of the mat. Heels will stay together, toes apart still in our Pilates stance.

Shoulder blades pull down into the back, a deep breath in, (inhaling) exhale. Chin tucks over the chest, letting those weights slide down the thighs, the fronts of the shins, crown of the head releasing towards the floor. Release the weights off to the sides of your mat and then begin to walk your hands out. Four to six hand steps, meaning in a plank position. Those feet will swivel parallel in line with your hips, shoulders stacked evenly over the wrist, pressing the floor away, engaging in the arms in the back.

With that we just so nicely warmed up. Deep breath in. (inhaling) Exhale to hold. (exhaling) Two more. Inhale, (inhaling) lengthening through the heels, lengthening long through the crown of the head. One more breath in. (inhaling) Exhale to stay (exhaling) and gently lower those knees. Untuck your toes and we'll spin around to face either end with your weights at the ready here, seated in the middle of the mat, heels towards the front edge of the mat.

We'll walk the feet and legs together today. Nice zipper. Tighten those inner thighs beginning with the hands behind the knees, pulling those shoulder blades down, lifting through the crown of the head, taking a slight arch of the back to open up through the chest. Deep breath in (inhaling) and then exhale from here. Rounding through the spine.

I hate to say it, but it's that feeling of getting punched in the gut. Really scooping back through your abdominals, finding a deep contraction, a curl in the back, and then reaching those arms straight out towards the other side of the room. We'll start to row those elbows back to the ribs on the inhale. Deep in the belly back as your fingertips reach forward on the exhale, inhale to bend. (inhaling) Exhale belly button pulls back, fingertips reach forward for three (inhaling) and reach. (exhaling) And two, really squeezing inner thighs together. Once more, inhale (inhaling) and exhale.

Hold it here for a deep breath and begin to roll down just to the tips of the shoulder blades, always option to hold on behind those legs for a little more support. Pause once you arrive. Inhale (inhaling) and exhale. Curl right back up. Taking the backs of those knees and lifting tall through the crown of the head.

Shoulders down, inhaling at the top. Exhale round and contract back. Once again, scooping from the waist, knees and inner thighs stay tight. Heels firmly planted to the mat. Arrive when your arms are about straight.

Reach those arms forward and this time press your palm so they're facing towards the floor. We'll reach the right arm up by the ear on the inhale and then exhale press that palm down to hover over the thigh on the exhale, left arm lifts up on the inhale. Both shoulder blades. Pull down into the back. Exhale to press. Right arm up.

Inhale, deepen the belly back. Press the palm down, left arm lifts and press. (exhaling) One more each side. Inhale (inhaling) and exhale, (exhaling) left (inhaling) reach and hold. (exhaling) Staying for a breath in. (inhaling) Once again, lowering vertebra by vertebra right to the tips of those shoulder blades. Energy through the fingertips. Reaching forward.

We pause for a breath in. (inhaling) We exhale and curl right back up. Knees in and inner thighs squeezing together, stacking that spine up tall. This time those arms stay forward and you have a chance to do the exact same exercise with those weights. We'll start with the palms facing inward. Just adding a little more awareness to the upper back and body.

Inhale sitting tall, exhale round and contract about where you left off with that half rollback, so maybe the weights just pass your knee caps. Maybe they're a little bit closer to mid thigh. This could also be called an elbow tap 'cause perhaps your elbows tap the mat even if it's challenging. Pull the belly a little deeper. Reach the arms longer.

Inhale, maybe you tap if those elbows are tapping the mat, make sure it's not one and then the other or that you're putting any weight onto them. It's really gentle. This is a core exercise, warming up through the body, still reaching forward using the breath. Inhale to bend. (inhaling) Exhale to extend. (exhaling) Three more times. Inhaling (inhaling) belly button pulls back exhaling for two (inhaling) and reach (exhaling) once more.

Make sure those heels stay planted on the mat. Arms reach forward. We hold, breathe in. (inhaling) Exhale, roll down to the tips of the shoulder blades. Once again, hovering for that inhale. (inhaling) Exhale. Rounding right back up. Arms stay long and strong.

Shoulders come over the hips. We lengthen up tall, palms flip down. Shoulder blades pull down. Inhale to prepare.(inhaling) Exhale, rolling back, finding that halfway position where you're engaged in your abdominals. No pressure in the low back.

Trying to stay relaxed through the front of the thighs and hips squeeze those inner thighs tight. Right arm floats up by the ear on the inhale, press it straight back down on the exhale. Left arm up, (inhaling) press and reach. (exhaling) Inhale, (inhaling) deepen the belly back. Reach it long, left (inhaling) and forward.(exhaling) Two more each side, inhale up (inhaling) belly button back and in. (exhaling) Use the breath here to deepen in the core and stay calm through the head, neck and shoulders. Last at right (inhaling) and press (exhaling) left.

And press and hold. Take a breath here. (inhaling) Begin to roll down bone by bone, vertebra by vertebra. Hovering at the tips of the shoulder blades. This time, releasing the head all the way down, extending the legs straight, reaching the arms back with care, especially if you have these weights, they stay hovering off the floor. That way our ribs stay connected.

We don't wanna arch the back and let those arms plop down. Keep them hovering. Keep your abdominals engaged. Flex through the heels right into our roll up here. Arms reach high. Inhale.

Exhale round and roll up. Zip up through the inner thighs. Pull back in the waistline. Reach those arms along, keeping them lifted strong through the back and biceps. Inhale. Exhale to roll down vertebra by vertebra, opening up through the spine here.

Lengthening long at the bottom. Inhale. (inhaling) Exhale round and reach. (exhaling) Belly button pulls back and heels, fingertips reach forward. Inhale. (inhaling) Exhale to roll all the way down. Feeling that beautiful length. We're finally arriving onto our mat once more.

Inhale and exhale. (exhaling) Roll up. Reach up one more inch forward through the hands and the legs. Inhale. (inhaling) Pull back a little deeper through the waist as you exhale, (exhaling) making our way down once again, finding that hover right at the tips of the shoulder blades. Head lowers down. Arms float straight up to the ceiling.

Pull the shoulder blades into the back. Point through the toes. Draw the right leg up to tabletop and the left leg up to meet at hip distance apart. We'll reach the right arm back, left leg long. Feel that link through One leg, one arm.

Inhale, (inhaling) exhale deep in the belly. Pull the arm and leg back up to center, left arm back, right leg forward. Pulling those shoulder blades down into the back. Nice open chest and throat. Inhale, right arm and left leg, finding a little more length through the fingers and toes.

Exhale, zipping up through the waist. Pull it back to center. Other side, reach (inhaling) and exhale center. (exhaling) Once more. Inhale (inhaling) and exhale. Think of a corset knitting the ribs tighter and second side, reach (inhaling) and bring it to center to stay. Glue those inner thighs together.

Keep the arms reaching straight to the ceiling. Inhale here (inhaling) and then exhale. Curl up to the tips of the shoulder blades. Pulling that belly button a little bit deeper, squeezing the inner thighs a little bit tighter. Head lowers down, arms straight up over the shoulders.

Inhale (inhaling) and exhale, curl and reach up and forward. (exhaling) Two more just like this. Inhale, taking it back. (inhaling) Exhale all the air blows out of the lungs so we can curl up a little higher over them. One more time inhale. (inhaling) Exhale, curl up, reach up. Moving into our hundreds option to use those weights or not pumping, into 3, 4, 5.

Exhale, 2, 3, 4, 5. Staying lifted off the tips of the shoulder blades, pulling that belly button deeper to the mat. Inhale (inhaling) and exhale out. (exhaling) (inhaling) (exhaling) Option to begin to extend those legs long. Maybe they're slightly bent. Maybe they're turned out.

Listen to your body. Whatever you need to feel this exercise in your abdominals. Deep breath in. (inhaling) Pull the belly deeper. Maybe lower the legs a little longer. (exhaling) Two more breaths in (inhaling) and exhale out (exhaling). Once more.

Inhale (inhaling) and exhale out 2, 3, 4, 5. Stay, hold and reach with control. Lower the weights to the sides of your mat if you still have them. Hug those knees into the chest to relax. Pull the shoulders down.

Maybe rocking that head gently side to side, releasing in the neck and the back. Lower the feet flat to the mat. Walking them out long. Walking those hands out long, fingers and toes reaching towards one side of the room. Crown of the head back in position.

Draw that right leg in and extend it straight to the ceiling. Deep breath here To prepare (inhaling) and exhale, circle that leg across the body down and around, deepening the belly to lift a little bit higher. Circle across, down out that pelvis stays perfectly square towards the ceiling on the mat as we open up in this hip joint. Using those abdominals to stabilize. One more this direction, lengthening out and up through those toes.

Inhale (inhaling) and exhale reverse. Out down across. Lengthen to lift a little higher, circle, belly deepens ribs and it tighter to lift for three, (inhaling) lengthening up (exhaling) two (inhaling) and lift (exhaling) once more around. Lift and stay. Take the back of the right leg wherever you can with both hands.

Enjoying a moment of a hamstringing stretch here. Keeping those shoulder blades down into the back. We take a breath in, (inhaling) pull the leg a little bit closer. Peel the head, neck and shoulders up away from the floor. Hover the left leg away from the floor.

Deep breath in. A little extra pull, scissor and switch. Left leg up and then right leg hovers off the mat. Inhaling right and exhaling left. Inhale (inhaling) and exhale to switch.

Switch and switch. Using those arms to pull the leg a little bit closer for a stretch. Using those abdominals to continuously peel up a little higher off the tips of the shoulder blades for two (inhaling) and switch once more right. Finish with the left leg to the ceiling and hold, right leg lowers to the floor. Keep reaching out through the toes.

Up through the toes. Press it down into the palms and down into the back of the head. Deep breath into prepare. (inhaling) Exhale left leg circles across down around, ribs knit together. Belly pulls deeper at the top, we circle, lengthen and lift for a three. Exhale up (exhaling) and two (inhaling) and lift once more this direction, hold.

Inhale, reverse. Exhale to circle, belly deepens, lengthen through the outer thigh all the way through the back of the knee, up through the toes. Elongating through the legs. Staying firm with those triceps pressing into the palms. One more. Inhale.

Exhale, circle, lift and stay. Taking the back of the left leg with both hands again, getting a beautiful stretch for the back of those legs and the front of the thighs. This time flex through your heels as much as you can manage. Take a breath in, (inhaling) curl, head, neck and shoulders up. Lift the right leg, deep breath in.

Little extra pull, scissor and switch with flexed feet, reach out and up through the back of those legs, out through the heel bones. Switching on the inhale, switching with a little extra pull on that exhale, switch. Pull, pull. Inhale. Exhale.

We have five deepen across that waist. Four, think about that neutral, stable pelvis. Just like in your circles, hips stay square. Both legs lift and hug them into rest. Relaxing the shoulders, keeping those knees in close.

Hands to the lower part of your ankles and shins. Take a breath in. (inhaling) Rock yourself back and up to a seat, making sure we're about in the middle of the mat. We'll go into a little bit of a rolling, like a ball variation here. Knees together, pointing through the toes, forehead maybe even touching those knees or close to your eyebrows here. Keep the shape.

We rock back once gaze stays towards the navel. Inhale back. Exhale lift. Find your balance and hold it. Lift your legs to tabletop. Lift through your heart. Maybe reach forward, maybe not.

Deep breath in, squeeze inner thighs together. Exhale draws you back into that contraction again, like that, inhale back. (inhaling) Exhale pulls us up. (exhaling) Inhale to reach. (inhaling) Exhale brings us in (exhaling), two more times. Back (inhaling) deep in the belly back. Find the landing, find the balance, reach (inhaling) and in (exhaling) once more. Inhale (inhaling) and exhale. (exhaling) Lift. This time stay. (exhaling) Inhale to prepare. (inhaling) Exhale brings us back onto our mat.

Legs stay where they are, roll through the spine. Bone by bone, right knee and left leg long. Opposite hand to knee, other hand to the ankle. Pull the knee a little closer. Pull the belly deeper.

Inhale, exhale, switch hands, switch legs and breathe in (inhaling) and breathe out. (exhaling) Switch and switch. Always working our abdominals here. Breathe in, breathe out. Switch and switch for four (exhaling) and three. Can we curl up a little higher for two and switch.

Last one, both knees into the nose. Think about your tight little ball. We stay lifted. Arms reach back, legs reach out, inhale. Exhale, circle and hug. (exhaling) Lengthen out and back. Zip up through the waist. Hug it in for three. (inhaling) Continue to curl up higher off the tips of the shoulder blades.

Even as those arms reach back. I know it's hard, that's why we're here. Last one, hug it in and relax. Hands behind the head. Elbows wide, legs extend straight up to the ceiling as straight as you can get them without tucking that pelvis.

Keep the tailbone sit bones long, sacrum anchored to the floor. We wanna work the low belly here. Deep breath to prepare. Exhale, curl back up to the tips of the shoulder blades. Legs lower together to your point of control.

Inhaling down. Exhaling, curl up a little higher. Pull the belly deeper to lift. Lower the legs, inhale. Lift the legs as you exhale (exhaling) for three. (inhaling) Exhale up (exhaling) and two (inhaling).

Wide with the elbows long through the toes. Last one. Inhale. (inhaling) Curl up a little higher. Pull the belly deeper. Knees bend to tabletop. Breathe in at center. (inhaling) Twist to the right, left leg extends. Pull back with that right elbow keeping nice and wide across the chest, we lift and twist to the left.

Again, nice and slow. Inhale, center, lift and twist right (exhaling) center. Lift and twist left. (exhaling) Picking up the pace. Switch and switch. Twist and twist for four. (inhaling) (exhaling) Three. (exhaling) Last two, (exhaling) last one.

Meet me at center tabletop the legs for one more inhale, curl up a little higher. One more exhale. (exhaling) Bend those knees in to rest. Lower the legs down. Reach out through the toes. Reach out through your fingertips. Deep breath in. Arms float up (inhaling) and exhale to roll up. (exhaling) From here, finding this beautiful flat back, we'll bring the legs to a diamond here today.

Holding onto the front of the ankles or shins. Whenever I have a class where I'm doing a little more arm work, I'm very conscious that I'm not using my neck, that I'm not my clients aren't, my students aren't. So we'll take a moment to hold on with the arms using the lats and the triceps. Pull the shoulder blades down, lift the heart and the chest up. Look up. Deep breath in. (inhaling) Exhale around through the spine.

Maybe even let your shoulders lift for a moment. Take the tension out of the neck, out of the low back, out of the hips. Let it go. Again like that. Lift up through the chest. Deep breath and look up. (inhaling) Exhale, rounded back (exhaling) once more.

This should feel so, so good. If it doesn't, I don't know what to tell you. Inhale (inhaling) and exhale. (exhaling) Coming back up tall. Bring a little more awareness into this diamond shape of the legs. I like to be on my toes here. Heels connected.

Hands towards the front of the ankles or shins. Pull the shoulder blades down. Think of squeezing your elbows in towards your knees and vice versa. And then round your spine back just a little bit. Kind of finding that balance point between your tailbone and your sit bones will lift the legs up, shins parallel to the floor.

Tuck the chin over the chest and roll in this diamond. Stay holding on tight. Keep that chin tucked. Inhale, knees to the elbows, elbows to the knees. Exhale, lift, two more times. Inhale back. (inhaling) Exhale, rocks us up (exhaling) once more.

Using those arms, using those legs to connect and stay. Lengthen through the crown of the head. Lengthen up through your right leg. Inhale, deepen the belly, bend it and exhale, (exhaling). Left side inhale, (inhaling) bend it in (exhaling).

One more time each side, reach the crown of the head and the toes, deepen in the waistline, left (inhaling) and in (exhaling) both legs together, reach out and up. Shoulder blades down. Resist as you bend. Contract from your waist. One more like that. Inhale, reach, (inhaling) exhale, contract.

Maybe you do three more like this. Rolling in a diamond, maybe you do three full open leg rocker. Hands a little closer behind those ankles, chin stays tucked no matter what, we rock back for three. Inhale. (inhaling) Exhale. Rock it up. (exhaling) Stick that landing. Fight for it. Two. (inhaling) Use the breath, use the belly, lift.

Hold, once more, inhale back. (inhaling) Exhale, rock up. Find it. Stay. Draw those inner thighs together. Reach for your toes. Find our first teaser of the day.

Lift up, up, up, up, up. Slowly roll all the way down vertebra by vertebra. (exhaling) Hold on If you need, bend your knees in if you need and then release all the way down at the bottom. (exhaling) Legs stay down, arms float up. Inhale (inhaling) and exhale to round and roll up. (exhaling) From there, we'll meet kneeling, facing either direction, making sure those weights are at the ready off to the sides if and when you choose to use them. We'll continue opening up our back a little bit more with some cat cows here. So shoulders stacked evenly over those wrists, hips over the knees, even base of support between the tops of the feet and the shins.

If you are cramping, I know sometimes it feels better to do this. This just offers a little bit better balance and support. So see what you can do. Press into those palms. Round up through your back.

Let that crown of the head drop down. Give it a shake. Yes and no side to side. Take a breath in. (inhaling) Exhale, left that belly button up a little higher. Press the floor away.

Open up across the upper back and neck and then begin to take a deep breath in as you draw the heart and the chest forward reaching back through the tailbone and sit bones. Inhale. Exhale round and contract (exhaling). Once more. Inhale (inhaling) and exhale. (exhaling) Finding a long spine, a flat back, long through the crown and the tail. Belly stays lifted right across that seatbelt area. Right leg floats back, hips stay square.

Tuck the tail ever so slightly here so we don't arch into that back, squeezing into the glutes and then maybe you extend that left arm forward. Maybe you stay on both hands doing what your body needs in this moment. And if you do choose to add a little extra weight into that left palm. Now's a great time to grab that weight in your left hand, making sure the palm is facing in towards your midline versus up or down. From here, arm and leg lift a little higher, taking a breath in, (inhaling) and then exhale round your spine, contract draw in elbow and nose to the knee right underneath that belly button.

Inhale, lengthening out and up (inhaling) and exhale, curling up and in. (exhaling) Inhale to reach (inhaling) and exhale to contract.(exhaling) Two more times, lengthening a little bit longer and then lifting up in that waist. (exhaling) One more inhale, reach (inhaling) and exhale curl. (exhaling) Reach all the way out long to hold. (inhaling) Bend that left elbow right in by your left ribcage. Squeeze it tight and flex back through that right heel. Extend through your left arm, squeezing in your tricep, lifting your right leg a little higher, squeezing that glute and then bend your left elbow and lower your right toes to hover or tap off the mat. Continue to press the floor away. Inhale, lengthen and lift.

Exhale, bend and lower. Inhale to reach. Exhale, resist it down for four (inhaling) and lower. (exhaling) Three. (inhaling) Full extension here through the back of that right leg.

Two, through that left arm. Last one, lift and hold. Bend it in, carefully lower the weight if you have it. Lower, left hand, right knee and we will quickly go over to our other side. Get us off that right wrist.

Left leg extends long. Low belly is engaged. Of course, take a break if you need for your knees or your arms. Start to float that right arm forward right by your ear. Find your balance first.

Make sure your hips and shoulders are square. Now if you'd like to add that little added weight, go ahead and do so. Inhale, arm and leg lift a little higher. (inhaling) Exhale, taking our time here. The initiation comes from your abdominals. You round the spine, you connect from your core, elbow taps that knee.

Inhale, lengthen and lift up a little higher, squeeze between the shoulder blades, press the floor away. Exhale, round and contract. (exhaling) Inhale, reach out and up. (inhaling) Exhale, curl it up and in. (exhaling) Two more times, we lengthen. (inhaling) We contract. (exhaling) Once more reach (inhaling) and curl. (exhaling) Reach all the way out long to hold. (inhaling) From here, bend that right elbow flush with the side of your rib cage. Flex back through that left heel long through the crown of the head here. Begin to extend your right arm. Lift your left leg a little higher.

Deep breath in. (inhaling) Exhale, lower the toes to hover or tap the mat. Bend that right elbow. Inhale, lengthen and lift. Exhale, bend and lower. Now yes, the right arm is extending.

The left leg is lifting, but we're still working our right glute and our left arm to stabilize. Whole body, both sides, always working. Inhale, lengthen, exhale, bend and lower. Last two. (inhaling) (exhaling) Last one, lift (inhaling) and lower. (exhaling) Release that weight. Release that hand and knee.

Now we will take a gentle child's pose if that agrees with your knees, hips, shoulders, arms, all the things. Let those hips sink back. Reach those arms long, release into the stretch. Deep breath here (inhaling) and exhale to let it go. (exhaling) From here, we will make our way forward onto the stomach, lying down, working into a little bit deeper extension, hyperextension of the spine, at least an option for it, if that agrees with your back here. This program is for everyone, but you have to listen to what your body needs, so really, truly modify.

Start to hover those palms to begin inhaling (inhaling) and lifting up through the back as we exhale, pull the shoulder blades back again. Squeezing those elbows tight to the ribs. Press down into the palms. Use your triceps that we just nicely warmed up to lift your heart and your chest a little higher. Keeping that core engaged, pulling the heart forward, shoulders back and down.

Lift through the chest. Inhale. (inhaling) Exhale, lower and lengthen. Drawing the ribs together, pulling the belly button away from the floor, finding a little more length through the crown of the head, back through the toes. Again, palms hover. Inhale, chest and back hover as you exhale (exhaling).

Press down into the palms. Deep breath in. (inhaling) Exhale, lift the chest a little bit higher, maybe a little bit, maybe all the way. Inhale (inhaling) and exhale. Lower all the way down. Pull that belly button a little further from the floor and release with control.

Grabbing those weights if you choose. We'll start the same way here by hovering the palms and the forearms right by the shoulders. Keep squeezing inner thighs together, pressing down into the tops of the feet. Take a breath in. (inhaling) Exhale to lift the back and the chest. (exhaling) That chin stays nice and hovering over the floor here so we're not tucking, we're not lifting. Neck is in line with the spine.

Begin to reach your right arm by your ear. Inhale. (inhaling) Exhale, pull the elbow back to the rib cage. Maybe lift a little higher, left arm forward, inhale. (inhaling) Exhale, squeeze between the shoulder blades. Lift and pull. (exhaling) Right arm forward, inhale. (inhaling) Exhale, lift and pull. (exhaling) Feel your back working here.

Your tricep squeezing to the waist. One more each side, inhale. (inhaling) Buns should be squeezing tight. Feel that in the back of your legs. One more. Inhale, (inhaling) pull and stay. Deep breath and lift a little higher and exhale lower with control.

Once again, releasing those weights to the sides and carefully sitting back into a child's pose. Knees together or apart, releasing in the back in those arms. Take a deep breath in (inhaling) and exhale to let it go. (exhaling) From there, we'll roll our bodies back up and spin back around. Turning to face one side of the room.

Bring your legs back together, right how we started class here with that tight inner thigh connection, hands can be behind the legs or reaching forward. We'll take a deep breath in at the top and then roll all the way down onto that mat. Vertebra by vertebra, zipping up through the waist. Whew, wiping the sweat from the brow and arriving with control. (exhaling) Keeping those inner thighs connected. Drag them or crawl them a little closer towards your sit bones.

Reach your fingertips towards your heels. Now, if having the knees together doesn't agree with your knee joints, feel free to separate. But we're gonna add that imaginary a hundred dollars bill between the knees here, and no one wants to get that taken from them. So squeeze into it. We'll get a little extra work for those inner thighs.

Take a breath here at the bottom (inhaling) and exhale. Begin to tuck and curl the hips just to hover an inch or two away from the mat about halfway up, so the back of the ribs stay heavy. Ribs are connected, low belly is scooping, squeezing everything together, breathing it, (inhaling) and exhale, releasing that tail back long again. (exhaling) Again, inhale, press down into your heels, maybe even wiggle your toes. Exhale, scoop and curl. Initiate from the low belly. (exhaling) Start to squeeze the buttons tight.

Inhale. (inhaling) Exhale to release. (exhaling) Inhale at the bottom. (inhaling) This time curling all the way up. Belly button pulls down, inner thighs, knees, glutes squeezing together, pelvis lifting up. Really find that tuck of the tail. Try and lift your pubic bone and your hip bones, but pull the belly button deeper. Draw the ribs a little bit tighter and keep that chin lifted away from the chest.

Thinking about the whole body here, squeeze your knees tighter towards one another and then let that a hundred dollars bill go by letting your knees open just an inch or two. Take a breath in, squeeze back into it, exhale out. (exhaling) Let it go. Inhale, (inhaling) squeeze it together. Exhale (exhaling) for three. Feel your inner thighs working, your glutes working.

Two legs and ribs connect to the midline. One more inhale. (inhaling) Exhale, squeeze and hold. Take a breath here. (inhaling) Roll back down, upper back, middle back. Low back. Release the hips at the bottom. (exhaling) Take a breath in. (inhaling) Exhale, tuck and curl up.

Scoop from the waist. Squeeze the buns tight. Still drawing those inner thighs and knees together. This time, press into the left foot, hover the right leg and then extend it long. Those inner thighs are still connected.

Our thighs are parallel. Our glutes are squeezing together. The right heel reaches forward. Crown of the head back, point through the right toes. Lift the leg up, inhale, (inhaling) flex and lower till those thighs meet again as you exhale, point and kick, inhale.

Flex, lower, exhale, two more times. Lift and lower. (exhaling) Once more, lift and lower. Find that inner thigh connection. Bend your right knee, your knees, your inner thighs. Your feet are still tight.

You lift the hips a little higher if they've dropped, you begin to extend your left leg long. Pressure down into that right foot. Squeeze that right cheek, point and kick the left leg up. Inhale, flex and lower inner thighs connect on the exhale. Three, (inhaling) lower and squeeze (exhaling) two.

(inhaling) Keeping connected in your core, especially your obliques here to stabilize one more. Using the waist hold, bend that left knee. Give those hips one more boost. Squeezing inner thighs together. Lift the hips higher. Take a deep breath and exhale. Slowly roll down, chest away from the chin. Nice open neck and throat, making our way through our upper back.

Squeeze the knees a little tighter. Middle back, squeeze the glutes a little tighter. Don't forget about them. Then into the low back and everything releases. Finally at the bottom.

Extend the legs out long. Give them a little shake up and down side to side. Think of like massaging the backs of the legs on the mat. Whew. That should feel good. Maybe not as good as a real massage, but I'll take what I can get right now.

Reach your arms up. Take a breath in (inhaling) and begin to round and roll up. (exhaling) Zipping up through those inner thighs all the way through your waist. Rolling all the way up. Now we'll take our weights and move into some of the arm work we started class standing with, which we'll then also move into a teaser position with, what fun.

All circles back to that. Palms flip up towards the ceiling. Right down here by the hips hovering an inch or two off the mat. The legs stay anchored to the mat. To begin, take a breath in, shoulder blades, pull down, scoop and lift your arms up to about shoulder, chest height and width, exhale. (exhaling) Take another breath in (inhaling) and now begin to roll down about halfway, that half rollback we started with earlier scooping from the waist.

This time, those legs are extended long, but we still find that deep contraction. Lower the tops of the hands to hover right by your sides, and then scoop and lift straight back up. Inhale to lower. (inhaling) Exhale scoop and reach. (exhaling) Two more times lower, (inhaling) deep in the belly back. Scoop and reach. (exhaling) One more inhale. (inhaling) Exhale, reach. (exhaling) We circle down, (inhaling) out and around. (exhaling) We inhale to lower, exhale to circle those shoulder blades still down. Stay down into the back.

The palm stay lifted. Heart stays lifted, we hold and reverse. Inhale. This is not a huge circle. You keep those fingertips forward in front of your shoulders and in your peripheral vision the whole time. So those shoulder blades stay anchored into the back.

Last time. (inhaling) Reach forward and stay. (exhaling) Take a deep breath here. (inhaling) Begin to roll down bone by bone. Keep your legs long, your arms reaching forward. That slight bend in the elbow, that lift of the palms. Pull the belly a little deeper. Hover arms and shoulder blades.

Then release everything down. (exhaling) We're in this beautiful, relaxed kind of corpse pose, letting the collarbones open, the chin lift away from the chest. Now you have the option to bend your knees, ditch the weights, hold on, do what you need. We'll take a slow, deep breath to begin, (inhaling) and an exhale to curl just the upper body. Those tips of the shoulder blades, hovering those arms right where we left off by the hips. Another breath in to prepare. (inhaling) The next exhale lifts us up to a teaser.

Hovering the legs using the core versus momentum. Arms reach to the toes against shoulder, height and width. We start with that first arm exercise. Inhale down, (inhaling) exhale up. (exhaling) Maybe your legs stay flat on the mat. Maybe your knees are bent.

Maybe you're living in this gorgeous teaser. One more time, inhale (inhaling) Exhale, reach forward and stay. Lift everything one more inch. Deep breath in. (inhaling) We slowly lower back down where we left off in four. In three.

Always taking our time zipping up those legs a little tighter. Hovering two before releasing everything on one. Deep breath in. (inhaling) A little more fluid this time. Exhale brings us up. (exhaling) Scoop through the waist. Lift through the heart.

Those arms circled down, out, around and up. (exhaling) We inhale (inhaling) and exhale. (exhaling) Two more circle, (inhaling) reach once more, reach, hold. Inhale (inhaling) and exhale. Taking it back down with control. Getting into that low back, middle back. Hover and release.

Once more, you're here just for that breath in. (inhaling) We curl right back up for the exhale out. (exhaling) Lift through the fingers and the toes. Lift through the heart. Reverse the circle out, down. Scoop it up for four (inhaling) and three. (exhaling) Think of finding that balance from your low belly to below that waistband, zip it up. Lift and hold. One last breath, one last lift.

Inhale, (inhaling) exhale. Lower all the way back down. Taking your time, reaching longer through the toes. Pull back a little bit tighter in your belly. Release the heels, the head, the arms.

Release the weights to the sides. Flip arms all the way back overhead. Feel a long expanding stretch here. Keep those legs on the mat. Reach the arms. Deep breath in, (inhaling) and exhale.

Turn around and roll up, which after that, I would think a roll up goodness, almost feels easy. All right, we'll flip around. Move into some swimming. If you have your weights and you choose to use them for swimming, please feel free to do so. Personally, I don't love it on my neck and my shoulder, so I'm gonna opt out today.

You know your body best as I've said before. Legs, hip distance apart. Arms shoulder width apart, pull those shoulder blades down into the back. Lift your right arm, left leg, chest and forehead away from the floor as you inhale, (inhaling) exhale, lower it down. (exhaling) Second side, lengthen to lift (inhaling) and lower. (exhaling) First side again, inhale (inhaling) and exhale (exhaling) and lift (inhaling) and lower.

Inhale everything up. (inhaling) Exhale everything down. (exhaling) Once more inhale, lift, (inhaling) exhale to hold. Shoulder blades, pull down into the back. Slow swim, breath in for five (inhaling) and exhale out. (exhaling) Two more breaths (inhaling) really strong through the back body here. Legs and glutes, lifting higher to the ceiling. Shoulder blades squeezing a little tighter, crown of the head, reaching a little longer.

One more breath inhale (inhaling) and exhale. (exhaling) Lift everything up to stay (inhaling) and lower everything down to rest. Bringing those hands back underneath your chest, shift your body back into one more child's pose here. Knees could be together or apart. Whatever your body needs to release into this stretch. Maybe giving that head a gentle rock side to side.

Letting those sit bones reach a little further back and then coming back up. Bringing those knees together, tucking the toes underneath us. We'll pike the hips up into a nice downward dog stretch. Feel the length through the back of the legs. The chest stretch towards the thighs.

Take a breath in (inhaling) and exhale. Slowly walk your hands back towards your toes. About four to six hand steps. From here, since we're folded over, we can see our alignment. Heels stay together, toes open back up about fist distance apart to how we started in that Pilates V.

From here, keep the weight into your toes and begin to roll up through your spine vertebra by vertebra, zipping up through the waist, keeping those arms in alignment with the ears, just like we were rolling down onto the mat, but we're rolling up to this beautiful tall spine. Fingertips reach up, shoulder blades pull down, deep breath in. (inhaling) An exhale reverse where we just came from rolling down. Lead with the fingertips, crown of the head. Imagine rolling over a big barrel or ball here. Those knees and thighs stay lifted, zipping up through the inner thighs, weight in the toes, rounding all the way down until those fingertips come close to hovering or touching the mat depending on your flexibility.

We crawl back out about four to six hand steps. This time, keeping those inner thighs and heels really connected. Since this is a little bit of an arm workout, we're going into a little bit of pushups here. Keep those legs tight. Bend your elbows to the ribs for three.

Press it up for two. Inhale and exhale. Once more, (inhaling) press and hold. (exhaling) Pike those hips back up. Keep your heels connected and hovering and walk your hands back towards your toes. If you can keep those heels an inch or two from the mat does not have to be high, but see if you can keep them hovering as you hover your fingertips, challenge your body with your balance here.

Think of everything we've worked rolling up through the spine, vertebra by vertebra. Those arms come with us. We lift in the inner thighs. We lift in the waist, reaching all the way up at the top through the fingertips. Take a breath and lift a little higher deep in the belly.

Grow taller through the crown as the heels lower. (exhaling) Keeping our balance on our left leg, our right leg extends back. Those toes can touch the mat or hover if you want that challenge in the balance, really lift in your left waistline. Take a breath in. We roll back down, (exhaling) bone by bone, fingertips and crown of the head lead, those right toes stay hovering. Whew. It is shaky on a soft mat.

How good is that for our balance for the bones and muscles in our feet? Everything working here, crawl out four to six hand steps. Three tricep pushups here. Set yourself up. Bend for three.

Press away for two. (exhaling) One more. Inhale, (inhaling) exhale. (exhaling) Start to pike those hips back. Keep the right toes hovering off the mat. Walk your body back. Take a breath in. (inhaling) Roll it up. Vertebra. Whew.

By vertebra. Challenge your balance. Challenge your speech if you're like me, find that lift. Lower the right foot. We have a second side. Lucky us. Left leg extends back.

Lifting your waist. Think of everything we've worked here. Keep that connection into your core. Take a breath in. (inhaling) Start to round down (exhaling) vertebra by vertebra. Squeeze your inner thighs together.

Your glutes together. Taking your time, making your way onto the mat. Once you arrive, you crawl those hands out. Keep those left toes hovering if you can shoulders over the wrist, final three pushups down deep in the belly. Press it up. Two. (exhaling) One more. Keep those hips square.

It is tough on one leg, I know. Walk it back. Find your balance. Take a breath in. (inhaling) Hover your fingertips. Lifting that standing leg.

Think of both legs working. Yeah, whole body. Whew. Roll all the way up. Find it. Fight for it. Lower that left leg down.

Find your Pilate stance. Heels together, toes apart. Bring your arms up overhead. We take one final lift of those heels. Maybe they hover, maybe a little higher.

Squeeze the glutes forward. Zip up in your waist. Take a deep breath in (inhaling) slowly lower the arms, lower your heels. Continue to grow taller through the crown of the head in four. In three.

Lowering two, and yet lengthening on one. Well, that was fun. I feel my body, whole body, if you used the weights, maybe a little extra arm work. If not, you're still sweating. Have a great rest of your day.