Split Kneeling Arm Series

Hi, Tracy Mallett. We are working on a vertical setup. Today, this will be kneeling arms and straps. The target of this flow is definitely our upper body. However, your core is totally engaged for balance. Now because this is an intermediate exercise, intermediates, I would even say into advance because there's a lot of balance working here because you're in a lunge position.

I would definitely introduce some of these flows, some of these moves seated first so they understand the movement and the coordination that is involved because there's a lot of coordination. Remember, coordination is one of the principles of Pilates. So it's important to introduce it, but we also need to figure it out first before we take it to that next level. We'll be working with the blue spring today, if that's too challenging, obviously, you can bring it down to a yellow. However, when we're facing this way on a yellow, doing a row would be very easy. So there may be, in some instances, for your class, they may have to switch the springs around. And, you know, I don't really want you to do that. I want you to keep that same spring as much as we can.

So I would suggest starting with the blue, and let's see how we go from there. Alrighty? So let's start facing forwards. Now I'm going to be doing my right and my left. The first side, I'm going to show you without the extra dumbbell. On the second side, I'm going to introduce a dumbbell. This is a lot more coordination and, definitely, you want to be, you know, doing this flow for a while before we start adding that weight in.

So let's take our leg forward. I've got my right leg forward here. We're gonna work at Laura unilaterally today. Pick up the opposite strap to your knee that is bending in front. Put your foot on the shoulder, on the headrest. Put your foot on the headrest.

So place the other hand just on the hip for now. And all we're gonna do is just test it. It's just a little test. I always do this first just to test before we start going into any flow, and we're just doing a chest expansion here so they understand that they've gotta integrate the abdominals with the back. Alright. I'm feeling good.

We're gonna get going. So the first exercise is we go forwards. We're gonna go into a row. So we row. We see the hand forwards and back. And row.

Now if you feel that your straps are too long here and you want a little bit more resistance, look, voila, I just go into the smaller one, and there you go. I've got a little bit more resistance. So let's keep going. Now I'm gonna add a little rotation into it. So now the obliques are going into it.

You can see the other hand is just moving freely. You can also keep the hand right by your body too, so you haven't got to worry about the other hand. Let's do 4 more. So your palm is facing inwards, or you could do a super nation too, which means your palm is facing upwards. So there's 2 variations there. Now we're gonna go into the next variation.

Which is a row palm facing down. There we go. Now if you want, you can do a little arm to the side. There we go. So the elbow is pointing to the side.

Your palm is flat, and we're gonna do about 4 more of those. So our shoulders, mid upper back is working. One more time. Now moving on, turn to your side. I'm going to move out, externally rotate that foot here, put the hand on the hip for the time being, put your palm flat.

We're gonna punch across the body. Now I'm adding a rotation and back. Obviously, if you don't want to add the rotation, just keep the body facing forwards. I've just got the hand on my hip here just to keep a little bit more stability in the pelvis Now remember, your gaze follows your hand and you're pressing your foot down into the headrest for stability, 3 more. Shoo. Working into those obliques, especially this one here on the outer oblique, now setting up for a mermaid, reaching over and adding that lateral Flexion here.

Now keep the scapula drawing away from your ears continuously so you can feel the lats and the serratus working. And we're working into our obliques. Shoulders are working too. And let's do one more. Now we're moving on with the flow here.

We take our hand down for balance, if you want. Or let's turn around. Now what I like to do is curl the toes underneath. So I've got balance here. Bring the hands slightly in front of your body. Now we're gonna go into a present into a present. Now this feels a little bit more challenging because we're going forward.

Now I'm gonna add the other arm. So it kinda looks like a little walking in Tracey. Your arms just a little bit higher than shoulder joint. There we go. A little bit higher present here.

Working unilaterally here. There was a bleeks of stabilizing And let's do a couple more before we move on to that next move. So it's 2 moves in each position. Bring the hand down palm facing inwards. We go forwards.

We row. We pitch the body forwards, tricep extension, punch forwards, elbow, ah, and in, punch forwards, pitch that body forward. So it's a little bit more coordination here. And if you really wanna go for that little extra coordination, the other hand goes forward so you hit that line. Data diagonal forwards in hit the line. It's all about creating shapes with control and alignment.

But you're all focusing on your core from your core is strong to your arms. Let's do one more and I get the elbow nice and high as you reach forwards to your ear data. And if you want to be really mean, we can do our little Tracey extension here. Now remember it's full range of emotions, so you're going all the way out. All the way in, all the way out, all the way in.

Let's just do one more. Remember, there's no rule to how many reps that you do. I would still at least do 8 reps of each. That would be my rule of thumb. Pop your strap down, and let's step off. Now we're gonna go to the other side.

I would suggest doing this with a lightweight. I've got my little two pound weight here, and we're gonna go with the other side. So let's try this. Alright. So we're going to pick up.

Let's go right. The opposite strap to the foot. And the weight with the knee that's bent. So let's first start, like we did before, we do our little chest expansion so they understand where the movement originates from your core. Your core is strong, then you're gonna be able to balance. So really draw those abdominals in up and back.

Perfect floor is lifted up. I think we're good, and now we're gonna go into it. So we go into our row. So we row, and we can add that rotation as the other arm comes up. Now once again, I'm in that long strap.

I feel it's a little bit too light for me, I'm gonna go to the smallest strap. Remember we talked about that earlier on? There we go. This is why I love the double loops because you go a little bit more variation. If it feels too heavy, go to the bigger loop, feel a little need a little bit more challenge, let's go for the longer loop. You can see I've got that arm.

Now for once I could do that supination. Remember we did the supination where the palm lifts up, we add that rotation, or you can just simply stay forwards looking forwards. Let's do one more. Now we go into the next one, which is the row. Now the arm is gonna go out to the side.

There we go. So the palm is facing downwards. Both palms are facing downwards. I'm working a rose. I'm working my back, my shoulders, and the opposite hand is in lateral to the side.

This is a nice little challenging coordination and definitely challenging my core as well. Let's do a couple more palms, the facing downwards, just a little bit below your shoulder joint. Last one, That was your 2 exercises. Now we turn around. So let's get nice and comfortable, externally rotate that leg so we nice and secure, move that weight over elbow high.

Now we're gonna punch across and back. So this is where we can either stay forwards, or we can add that lovely rotation. I'm all about adding rotation. It's functional. And then the opposite hand, of course, can just go out to the side. So again, a little bit more shoulders can play around with that, or it can simply just stay here.

There we go. Still a little bit more challenging. You've got that weight there. You've always got that option. We're moving one more time into your Mermaid.

Elbow down. Mermaid reach. And now this has got the extra weight to work into those obliques here. Now think of side bending. This is your rib. This is your hips.

You're trying to join these two parts together. Keep your shoulder away from your ear continuously. Your palm is facing your ear. That's it. Let's do a couple more. Reach the weight.

To try and hit the reformer in that beautiful side reflection, and then we bring you back amazing turnaround. Alrighty. We are doing fantastic. Alright. So now we're here. Make sure you start with your hands slightly in front of your hip. Gotta feel safe here.

You ready? Now we present present and back. Now option, we're gonna add the other arm there. Present. I have to say this will probably the hardest one out of all the ones that we've just done. Because I've kept the weight consistent on that blue spring. It's always gonna be challenging going forward just to give you a heads up.

Your class might need to change the spring down a little bit if it's too challenging. Alright. Keep the palms facing upwards, and let's do one more. Ready for your last exercise. Bring the hands down to start with. Ready palm facing inwards.

We go up. We row, dip the body forwards, tricep extension, 1 punch, elbow in, 1 punch, elbow hits, 1 Punch. Elbow. Hit 1 punch. Elbow. You gotta really think about this.

This is your time where you're focusing on your body. It's your mind body connection here with that beautiful coordination and strength. Let's do one more. Now once you hold this position, picture time. There's your picture, beautiful picture here, Tracey of extension.

There we go. And do you really wanna go for it? You can keep that arm Tracey, or you can add a double trice of extension. Hinge forwards from your hips, everybody. Full extension with that back arm. Let's really work those triceps.

There we go. Scoop out the abs off your thigh. Let's do one more. Reach forwards. Come back back to center safely. Bring that leg down.

Pop your strap down. Take a deep breath in. There we go. So you can see by adding that little extra weight, it was a lot more coordination. So it's definitely definitely in the advanced category there, but What a fun thing to actually go to. Little extra challenge that we all like, but don't start with the weight.

Master the exercise is first kneeling even sitting before you even try and attempt that, but it's a great challenge and a great goal. Thank you. Look forward to seeing you again. Bye.