Traditional Reformer Flow

Hi. I'm Brett Howard. And today, we're gonna do a little reformer. So this is a reformer that I do when I want a good workout, but I don't want to do a full advance for former. So it's gonna still be a workout, but we're gonna leave a few of those big exercises out. So we're gonna work on the grots for former today.

Just a few things before we get started. The grots for former is a 4 spring system, and all the springs are equal tension. So if you are used to working on a number former that has 5 springs or that is colored in terms of the springs, I would suggest to, use your heavier spring when I say take one spring off. And then also most likely a lot of the former It's the red spring is that as closest to this one spring. So if you have a different reformer, this workout will still work well for you.

Just wanted to get give you that heads up. Okay. So we're gonna start with footwork. We're gonna have 3 to 4 springs. I'm gonna put it on 4 springs. If you're a little lighter, you could put it on 3 springs.

And then let's start lying down. Heels together toes apart. You're gonna zip her through the abdominal nice and released in the hip flex or it's extend out and in and 2 and in stretch 3. And 4. Stretch 5.

Let's go for 5 more. And 4. N3N2N1. Okay. Onto the arches of the feet. Toes over heels under.

Same thing out. N2N3 out on 4. Out on 5 and 5 more and 4 and 3 and 2 and one now onto the heels parallel together position, feet flexed, press out, and in. 2. And then try not to flex with the toes, but flex at the ankle joints and 5 and 5 more. And 4n3n2n1 come all the way in Let's go on to the toes.

Once again, heels together, toes apart, stretch out, hold the position, tendon stretch, lower for 3 to 1. Lift 2, 3, lower, lower, lower, lift, lift, lift, 3, and lift, lift, lift, 4. And lift 2, 3, and 5. And lift 5 more. Lower 2, 3, 2, and lift 2, 3, 3 counts lower, 3 counts lift, inner thighs together. Don't hyper extend the knees 1 more lower, 2, 3, Lift 2, 3, bend the knees.

Let's return in. Alright. Let's lower the foot bar. Then both knees into the chest. Take the handles, and we're gonna go for the 100. Gonna roll the head neck and shoulders up.

Stem arms and legs to your working level, pump, inhale, and exhale 345 in with the air. XL 3453 and XL 345 inhalin. XL3455 Excel. Let's cross the inner thighs while you pump. Cross. XL 345 in. XL3453 more.

Excel 345, inhale 345, exhale 1 more set in. And XL 345, Nissan, Bend the elbows rest the head. Let's go to 2 springs. If you're on 4, go to 2. If you're on 3, Go to 2.

Lie down. Let's lower the headrest. Then from there, you're gonna thread the leather through the handles if you have this type of reformer. Then from there, you can take those feet and place them through the straps, then roll down through your spine. We're gonna go for the short spine massage. So zipper up extend the legs out and bend back in.

Extend out 2. And in. Now extend out hold. Fold at the hip joints. Only go as far back as you can without the tailbone rising. Then bend the knees into the chest.

Let's do that again. Stretch out. Forwarding at the hip joints. And bend the knees and come back in. You can stick with that, or you can move on to the short spine out, fold and go up and over, bend the knees.

Let's make a tight little ball roll like a ball 1 vertebra at a time. We'll do this variation today. Stretch out. Forward of the hips, peel off of the mat, bend the knees, tight little ball, roll like a ball, one vertebra at a time all the way down. Twice more.

Forward at the hip joints peel up off of the mat. Then the knees. Roll down one vertebra at a time, all the way down, melt, melt, melt. Last time stretch. Then fold.

Peel. Go up and over. Bend the knees. Melt. Melt.

Melt all the way down. Let's go for the coordination. Grabbing a hold of the handles. Elbows in at the ribs, roll the head and neck and shoulders up. Arms and legs front. Open close.

Pull the knees. Bend the elbows. Front 2. Open close. Bend the knees. Bend the elbows. Little variation. Stretch front hold.

Right leg open closes. Left leg open closes. Both legs open close. Then the knees spin the elbows. Now the other side, left leg open closes.

Right leg open closes. Both legs open close. Bemenies in the elbows a little quicker. Stretch shin, right leg open, closes left leg, both legs, bend the knees, bend the elbows, one more. Stretch left leg, right leg, both legs, bend the knees, bend the elbows, Great. Then from there, let's take the straps in one hand.

You're gonna sit up. Let's go to one spring. Let's lift the foot bar up. Then we're just gonna take these straw handles, place them there just to get them out of the way for the moment. Then we'll take a pad, and let's take the long box, and we're gonna place the long box on.

So I like to put the pad right at the back here just to make sure that we don't slip Now you're gonna lie onto your stomach. And then the shoulders will be off the box Fairly close to the foot bar. And this I call the swan prep. So you're gonna stretch the arms. You're gonna pivot on your thighs to lift.

Then go out and come back in. I'm growing Pilates is working, stretch, and then fold and go up. And then lengthen and go in and stretch and lift and then lower and come in. Let's go for 3 more lifting up and lower and come in. 2 more stretch. Integrating pelvis and ribs. Go out and go back in. One more stretch.

Forward and lift lift lift. Go out and come back in. Okay. So what we're gonna do is we're gonna lower the foot bar. Standing up. We're gonna keep it on one spring. Let's get rid of the pad.

We don't need it anymore. Then we're gonna get ready for the pulling strap. So you're gonna lie on your stomach with the shoulders flushed. You're gonna grab ahold of the leather then walk the hands a little bit up the strap. Then one line from head to heels like a long piece of steel.

You're gonna pull back lift the upper back and hold 2, 3, and lower the body. And again, pull back lift the upper back. 2, 3, and lower the body. 1 more. Pull back. Lift the upper body up.

2, 3 and lower the body. Slide the arms to the very back end of the leather. Reach the arms to the sides for t shape. Pull back. 2, 3, and lower.

And again, pull back and lift 2, 3, and lower one more. Pull back in a lift. 2, 3, and lower the body. Let's take the straps in one hand. Standing up.

Then from there, let's go to 2 springs, then bring the handles behind you. In each hand. Back stroke, you're gonna step on one hand, one foot. Other hand, other foot tailbone at the very front lie down, knees in. Arms and legs up. Open.

Circle and reach. 2. 3, bend knees and elbows. Arms and legs up. Open circle.

Reach. 2. 3, bending in, up, open, circle reach, 2, 3, bend in reverse. Reach 2, 3, open up together and go in. Let's take the straps in one hand, sitting up, gonna take one spring off. Then from there, you're gonna lie down, and we're gonna go for the teaser.

Heels together toes apart. I'm gonna roll up into the teaser. Then from there, lower the arms to the waist, lift to the brow. Lower to the waist. Lift to the brow.

Lower all the way down. 2, 3. To teaser up. Once again, let's try circles. You can always stick with the straight arms that we just did if this is too much and lift and then melt into the box to lower. 2, 3 for an added challenge, if you like, circle out.

Right from the start and down and out and down one more time out and hold and lower all the way down down. Down. Let's take the straps in one hand standing up. Then we're gonna keep one spring. I'm gonna thread the leather through. Let's crisscross the straps, sitting down, place the straps onto your feet.

Then whatever strap is on top, turn towards that. And then we are set up for our hamstring curls. So you're gonna hug the front of the box. Gonna pull in 1. And, actually, let's go to 2 springs. So pull in 1 and stretch.

Pull in 2. And stretch, pull in 3, and stretch, pull in 4, and stretch, pull in 5, stretch hold. And it's behind the head. Pool 1. Pool 2. Pool 3.

Pull 4, pull 5. Then from there, you can drop the straps into the well standing up. We're gonna keep this on 2. We're gonna turn the box around. And we're gonna take our bar and place it in front, and we're gonna go for the short box series. So sitting down feet underneath the strap in front, then open the legs.

You have a good amount of tension there. Arms around the waist, round the back, and then curving under halfway and then lead with the crown of the head to go up. Imagine there's a low ceiling go underneath it go underneath the ceiling to go up. One more curling back and curl up. You can stick with that. Or for more of a challenge, go back.

Excel. Then chin of the chest and curve to go up. One more curve back. Drape, shin of the chest, and curve curve curve. Then from there, grab hold of the bar, and we're gonna go for the flat.

Now lift the seat hinge back, maintain the height, and go up to center. And again, lift, hinging back, and up to center and again lift hinge and one more and lift and hinge and up to center. Now I like to grab the bar. Both hands together for the next one. Side to side, Ben over to the right, then bend over to the left and center over to the right.

And over to the left. Now open the arms, the twist. You're gonna lift, twist, reach out to your diagonal and come up to center. Lift, twist. As I reach out to the left, I pull open with my right leg.

And then lift twist. I reach right, but I reach my left foot in opposition. Last time, lift, twist, and reach. And up center round over, relax and stretch. 3 roll up Let's go for a little bit of side sit ups.

So you're gonna sit facing side. Hands are gonna go behind the head. Then from there, you're gonna go half over and come back up. And again, go half over parallel to the floor. And go back up one more. Half over and go back up. Now little variation.

You're gonna go half over Twist to the floor, untwist and go up and go half over Twist to the floor. Untwist and go up 1 more. Half over. Twist to the floor, untwist, and go up. Now, let's go for the fool. So go over. Try to touch the headrest with your elbow if you can. Go up and let's bend to the opposite direction.

And again, go over touch and reach out and go up and bend to the opposite direction one more. Go over touch and then lift and bend Ben, Ben, and you can stretch. Alright. Let's try the other side. So you're going to go parallel to the floor and go up parallel to the floor too. And up 2 parallel to the floor 3 and up 3. Now parallel to the floor, twist to the floor.

Untwist and go up. Go over. Twist, untwist. And up. One more over and twist, untwist, and go up now the full.

Go over. Touch the elbow. Go up and bend into the side and up and over. Touch. Go up and bend into the side one more.

Go all the way over. Touch if you can. Go up, then in, and you can stretch stretch, stretch, Okay. Let's turn front, and we're gonna go for the tree. Take the right leg out. You're gonna hold on to the back of the right thigh.

Nice upright spine, up and down, up, down, up, hold. Rotate the leg. Walk up, bring forehead to shin, curve back. When the lake hits 90, go halfway down. Walking up and lift the spine nice and tall. You can stick with that. Or all the way back. Grape, then chin to the chest, roll up, and lifting up nice and tall.

Flex the foot, point, flex, and a point, flex, point, rotate the leg parallel, take the thigh, and bring it into the crook of the right elbow. Grab your wrist. Roll back. And now we're gonna focus only on the stretch of the left hip flexors opening there. Then bring the right thigh into the forearm to help you up. And then let's switch sides. So taking the left leg out, hold the back of the thigh, limbering up and down.

Up, down, up, hold. Rotate, walk up for head to shin. You can go all the way or halfway, but let's go halfway for now and then walking up to a nice tall, straight lifted spine. Forehead to shin, shoulders relaxed. Then if you like, go all the way back and exhale.

And chin at the chest curving up. I got greedy on that last one. Then flex and point flex and flex and point parallel. Take the leg and the crook of that left elbow with the right hand grab hold and then tail one under. Roll back. Let's take the stretch of the right set of hip flexors. There we go. Then left eye goes forward into the forearm to help you up.

So that way you don't have to use the hip flexors to come up. And now let's get rid of the box and the bar, and we will go for our long stretch series. I'm tall. So I'm gonna actually gear myself out, but if you're not super tall. You won't need to do this next step. So I would suggest if you're around six foot and up, This might be helpful for you. So you can take your gear into second, and then then let's go to Lifting that up long stretches.

So stepping on hand, foot, hand, foot, One line from head to heels, go out, and going in, and out 2. And in 2. Let's go for 2 more stretch and in 1 more time stretch. And go all the way in in in, then bend the knees down. We'll just keep it in second for this next one.

The down stretch, inhale as you go out, exhale lift, lift, lift to go in. Inhale out, excel lift, lift, lift, 1 more inhaling, and excel, excel, excel, excel, Let's hike up for the up stretch, curved in the low back, push out strong in the glutes, as you go all the way in then piped up back through the heels, strong to go all the way in and again up and back and strong to go in. Keep looking at the belly button one more time up. And back and strong, strong, strong to go in. I'm gonna step down because I'm gonna bring myself back to 1st gear. I'm still keeping it on two springs.

The elephant. Hand foot, hand foot. Nice rounded back, lifted through the toes, then go out in, in, in, to in, in, in, one more in, in, in, one hand down than the other hand down. I'm gonna grab either the blocks or you can grab behind the blocks, bend the knees a little bit and stretch stretch stretch. Just a little bend a couple inches only and stretch stretch stretch.

One more. Bend a little sits bones up stretch. One hand on to the mat. Other hand searches for the foot bar. Keep the torso back. The other hand joins it.

Then from there, I push my torso back towards my thigh. I'm gonna round only in my low back and go out in in in. 2, n, n, n, 3, n, n, n, and then stepping down. You can go to either 4 or 3 springs, whichever you started your footwork with, and we're gonna go for our stomach massage. So sitting down.

Heels together, toes apart, grab ahold of the front, wide elbows, dive forward, lower, lifting it in, 2. Lower lift. 3. Lower lift. Out in a lower and a lift. 5 lower lift 5 more stretch 2 and out lower lift 2 more times.

1 more lower lift and come in. If you are on 4, go to 3. Otherwise, try to stay on 3. Hands go back onto the blocks, and we call this from the hands back out. Lower lift. 2. Lower lift. I'm trying not to lock.

I'm also trying not to move the reformer and out lower lift. 5 more times. Out lower lift. 3 lower lift. 2 lower lift.

1 more lower lift didn't go in. Now we go to 2 spring. The reach up stretch, bend, and go in, stretch 2, and in two more stretch. And then one more time stretch. Let's lower shoulder height, the twist hold.

And come back in. XL twist and hold and go back in. XL twist. And in. XL twist and one more. XL twist and in last time, excel twist and in grab hold of the bar, stretch the legs, then the knees for little monkey stretch.

Stretch 2. One more stretch hold, flex the feet, point, flex, and a point flex and appoint. Bevenese for turn in. Now we're going to change the gear. We're gonna bring it to 3rd gear. I'm gonna keep 2 springs on.

If it's too much for you though, you can always go to one spring for this next exercise. You don't need to pit the gear block in for this one. It's not gonna matter. So I'm gonna step inside of the spring well. I'm gonna sit down on the bar.

My left foot is gonna be on the floor in a four star position. My right heel is gonna go against the front of the carriage. I'm gonna try to maintain an upright position and stretch and in. Stretch just a little bit of work in the thigh trying to keep a nice health thingy here. Stretch 4. This stretch, I'm gonna try not to hyper extend the knee stretch.

Let's go for 4 more stretch. And 3. As I stretch forward, I put in through my navel in opposition. Stretch last time. And stretch and in. Okay. Let's bring that foot down. Bring the other foot up.

4 starts with the right. And left heel against the front of the carriage and press and 2. And 3. Sometimes I do 20 of these and in and out. Let's go for 5 more. Stretch. And out and 3 and 2.

And one. Okay. You're gonna step down. Be careful there. Now we're gonna go to one spring. Alright. I'm gonna have my right foot on.

So what I'm gonna do is take that right spring off. I'm gonna bring the heel Against. My hands can be on my hips, or if you want more balance out to the sides, then you're gonna try to stay strong and standing leg as you push out and in 2 and in 3. I'm trying not to hyper extend my standing leg. And 5 and square hips and 4 and 3 and 2 and 1. Alright. We're gonna switch. I like to change the spring here.

We're gonna still be on 1. So I'm gonna take that one off just so it's a little more comfortable. Then I'm gonna find the standing leg Then same thing. Press n2n3 and 4 and 5. Let's go for 5 more. Stretch and 2.

And 3 and 4 and 5. Great. Then from there, I'm gonna step in the middle first, then let's step out. Then I'm gonna bring this back to first gear. We're gonna go for the semi circle. Now you can do semi circle on 1 or 2 springs for today for the variation we're gonna do.

I'm gonna keep it on 1 for myself, but if you want a little more tension, you can put it on 2. Before we do that, just for set up, I like to actually set the straps up. This way I don't have to get up a second time. So let's just quickly set that up. Alright. Once we're set up, I'm just going to place these right onto those hooks.

So I'll be able to get them. Then from there, hopefully, it won't make too much noise. We're going to lie down And this is a variation of semi circles. So today, we're gonna be on the heels. This is why I'm giving you the option of 1 spring. And so the leg's gonna be parallel hip width today.

Then from there, you wanna make sure that headrest is up. Hands are gonna go against the shoulder blocks. You're gonna push forward. Nice strong on the arms. Now the hands can be where I have them now. For a little more stretch, you can also go a little bit lower.

I'm gonna go a little higher today. Then from there, I initiate from the sternum. I soften and melt one vertebra at a time. So here, I can really focus on the spine. Then I go out to where I can control it.

Then keeping the carriage still, I lift my hips up. I soften the knees and ankles to go in. I soften at the sternum to melt, melt, melt, Then from there, I go out. Let's go for 2 more. Softening at the sternum melt, melt, melt, melt, melt, then going out without the carriage moving, lift up. And bend and go in. 1 more softening and melt, melt, melt, then from there, Dust to go out. Tell one initiates to go up and go in. Let's reverse it. Go out.

And then soften at the sternum melt in a nice successive sequencing all the way to the tailbone and go in and up and out. Carriage still. I pushed through the heels of my hands as I melt down. And I go in and I go up one more out. I press as I softening undulate down like a wave and then going up to 3. Let's scoot our body back and then I'm gonna actually sit up briefly and take us to two springs, then let's lie down take the straps, place them onto the feet, and then let's go for some leg circles. So stretch Open lower together and lift.

Open lower together lift. Open lower together lift. Let's reverse it. Down, open up, 2, open up, down, open up, and together, and bend the knees in, Frogs stretch and in stretch 2 and in a stretch hold Now optional. You can open the legs to a nice straddle keeping weight on the tailbone. Then from there, grab a hold of the straps. Close the straps to close the legs, bend the knees.

Let's take the straps off, bring us in, and you can drop the straps into the well. Okay. Standing up. We're gonna keep this on two springs. Let's lift the foot bar up.

Then from there, we're only gonna do knees off today. So stepping on one hand, one foot. Other hand, other foot Nice round it back. Go out and in. 2, 3, n, 4, n, 5, n, 6, n, 7, in 8 in, 9 in, 10 day of 10 more new, 10, 9, 8, 7. 65432.

Can you do 10 more? 10 and 9, 8, 7, and 6, and 5, and 4. And 32 and 1 gently bend the knees down. Great work of the thighs there. Now let's go back to two springs. You can lie down and we're gonna go for some running.

Stretch out and run one up and up to up. Up, 3 up, up, 4 up, up, 5 up, 5 more up. Up 2, 2, 3, 3, and 4, 4, 5 and 5. Ben the knees go in. Let's go to the corners, curl the hips up for pelvic lift. Stretch and pull in 2 and in 3.

And stretch. Let's do one more. Stretch, bend in, roll down. We're gonna do 5 more. But on two springs. Now curl the hips up. And stretch. You can stay on 3 or 4 springs if you like, but this is gonna work us a little differently and stretch.

Gonna concentrate to the glutes and hamstrings a little more. And one more. Then melt down. Great. Sitting up.

Now if you're on 2 springs, you can stay on 2. If you're on 3 or 4, take it down to 2. If you like, you can use this pad here place that underneath just to make sure you don't slip. It's your choice. Now, stepping on one foot I always like to bring the foot closest to the springs on first, then the other foot.

That way I'm not tempted to immediately step over. Now I'm gonna bring my left foot here. I'm gonna try to keep the carrot still. I'm gonna heel toe out parallel legs. Strong on the glutes, open through the front of the hips, arm side for side split.

3 counts out to 3. Hold to 3. In 2, 3, hold 2, 3, out, out, out, hold, hold, hold in. Hold 2, 3. One more time. Hold 2, 3. In 2, 3. Hold 2, 3.

He'll tow the foot in. Trying to keep the carriage fairly still. Step into the middle. Let's turn around to the same thing on the other side. Right foot on, now I'm gonna heel toe over with the left, then I'm gonna make sure that my hips are underneath.

Front, nice, and long. Go out. So I'm not tucked here. I'm just long. In 2, 3. Hold, 2, 3. Out, out, out, hold, hold, hold. In 2, 3. Hold, 2, 3. Hold, 2, 3. Into 3, hold to 3, heel to the foot in, then step in the middle, Then I'm gonna keep the foot bar down today for a little variation.

Let's bend down. I'm gonna bring one foot, place it onto the foot bar. Then the other foot is gonna go back against the shoulder block. Then from there, I'm gonna find a straight line here where it's still on two springs. You're gonna go out and bend in.

Out 2. I'm not going all the way out yet. Out three. Bend in. Then from there, we're gonna go all the way out. If you'd like and bend in, go out and you can stretch and in one more time stretch and come in. Optional.

Lyft up. This is getting us prepared for exercises like Russian split. Go out and in. 2 and in. 3. And in today, just bend the back knee down. Reach the arms up.

An arch arch arch then let's switch. I'm gonna bring the right foot on, then I'm gonna bring that left foot against, then I'm gonna take a runner's lunge. Then go out, not all the way and in out to a little warm up and in and out. And in now if you like you can take a bigger stretch stretch and bend in stretch 2 and bending. Stretch 3.

And then now you're gonna lift up and then same thing out. Optional and then 2 and then 3 And then now with control lower down, reach the arms forward and up, arch, arch, arch, but more of a lift round over, bring the carriage in, step the knee down, put step to the floor, And there we have it. Hope you enjoyed this. Have a great one.