By request, we are starting an exploration of extension. This will be one of many that we do. This week, we explore what it means to find length in the spine without doing massive backbends. I used to think that extension could only exist if my feet were touching my head. But, after lots of studying in my own body, I have found that the more I allow the extension to stay away from my lower back and work its way up my spine the more strength I feel in my body. In this week’s class enjoy the mini extension exploration. And, take it a few times because the thing about relearning extension is the more you do it the more your body remembers!

See you on your mat,

xx-LL

This week we will be changing it all up! What happens when you mix up what you think you’re supposed to do in a Pilates exercise? What if you think about something opposite? Or, change the order? Let’s find out together! I’ll see you on your MAT!

xx-LL

You are either awaiting many guests and holiday events or on your way to a friend or family members home! And that means traffic, lots of planning and entertaining.

It’s enough work to wonder if you are truly going to have some rest time during the holidays. One thing I have learned in all the travel and family affairs is sometimes you just need to roll with it!

This week we will play with all the rolling exercises. Are you ready to roll?

xx-LL

It’s no secret we are a society that is beginning to round forward. Standing tall or pulling your shoulders back can only do so much. We have to strengthen the body to hold ourselves up so we don’t have to think about it all day and every day.

Today’s class with LL requires no props and if you have a mat great but as long as you have enough floor space to lay down and reach your arms out you are good to go. So, no excuses for missing 30 min to get Pilates in your body. You’ll be paying extra attention to your back muscles and your outer hips. Most of our workouts and lives do not give the side bodies enough attention. Today you will give these muscles the love and strength they deserve.

xx-LL

What’s this exercise for? Single Leg Kick is probably THE exercise that I get questions on!

Luckily for us, this is the 13th exercise in our order. This week feel something new in the Single Leg Kick and how it really sets you up for exercises that would otherwise be so hard to do without the wonderful strength the Single Leg Kick gives us!

See you on your mat,

xx-LL

When doing Pilates it’s easy to get obsessed with your core or keeping your shoulders out of your ears. But, the more connected you are to your seat, your booty, the stronger your entire body will feel. Some of those notorious hip grippy exercises like Spine stretch forward teaser will become more tolerable and you may even find you enjoy them a little bit when you activate your butt! Let’s work your booty and more in this week’s class.

See you on your mat,

xx-LL

When I’m needing a little movement or I’m in a tight space I can always find room to Roll up, over and like a ball! And, sometimes I wonder how my day would be different if I did these in bed before I got up.

Yep, these are the things I think about!

So, this week in our Mat class we will focus on these 3 exercises. How to do them better, even how to do them when you can’t do them and how they prepare us for soooo much more in our Pilates practice!

In our Reformer class, we will add these into our Reformer practice and see where else they show up!

I know these exercises are not our favorites but they are sooo essential. So, let’s get them done!

xx~LL

Have you ever thought of your Mat as a piece of equipment? If not, after this week’s class, I hope you do! Because it truly is. And, if you’re a Reformer lover, I know you think of your Reformer as a piece of equipment. But, do you truly connect to the carriage, handles, foot bar and springs?

This week we are going to explore how we are connecting to our equipment in each exercise. Are we pushing it off of us, or away from us? Or, are we using it to support us?

See ya in class,

xx~LL

Each week we often dive into just one exercise and how it flows through our mat. But this week we feel how each exercise prepares us for the one that comes right after.

It’s a fun way to think about your mat and how every exercise is as important as the one before and after it!

Also, this week I was in my hotel room. So, if you thought you had to have a mat and a home workout space to do class, you’ll see that you can still get your Pilates on in a small space!

xx-LL

Are Single Leg Circles a Circle? What about Hip circles? And how many other exercises do we create a circle? Or, are we simply twisting? Let’s investigate how each of these exercises sets us up for the next!

xx-LL

I know it’s not just me. But, have you ever noticed how many exercises start with “single leg” and if they don’t how many exercises are one sided. It’s a lot!

And, why is that? Why so much emphasis on doing asymmetrical work? Well, as you know, we don’t do Pilates to do Pilates better. We do it to do life better! And so much of life is one-sided!

So, let’s rock what we got!

On our Mat and Reformer, we will explore more of the asymmetrical exercises and then challenge what we’ve learned by doing exercises that are symmetrical. You may have to work a bit more through one side!

See ya in class,

xx~LL

The other day my client noticed it was amazing how she could keep her heels together. It’s a problem we’ve been focusing on for 4 years. She said, “Who knew it wasn’t a problem with my heels?” I laughed! Of course I knew, it’s why we’d been focusing on here seat and inner thighs. This week, let’s focus on how we can keep it all together by focusing less on what’s touching and more on how we make that happen.

xx-LL

I’ll never forget the day that I found out I was “showing off” in my Swan on the Mat, Reformer, Cadillac (pretty much anywhere). I was sooo deflated. I thought while my flexion may need some work, surely my extension was Pilates Olympic worthy, right? Nope, I was totally missing the good stuff from my Swans. So this weeks Mat and Reformer classes are going to explore all the levels of Swan and how to find Swan in exercises that are not so swanlike.

Swan life!

xx~LL

The other day in our OPC members only group I had a request for Hip Circles being a theme. And so, if you don’t love this theme…do it anyways! haha!

My friends, some exercises in Pilates are teaching tools for our bodies. They strengthen or stretch us. And other exercises are revealers. They show us where we still need work. Hip Circles is one of those exercises.

In our Mat practice, we will use every exercise to prepare us to FLOW through our Hip Circles. On the Reformer, we will use the equipment to help us strengthen, stretch and make our Mat work a flow we enjoy!

See ya in class!

xx~LL

Ok, truth is that hip circles are just plain hard! And, even when you are strong enough they are hard. I’m not sure the day will come for me or for you where we go “Yeah!!! Hip Circles!” But, I do believe that we can “get” them.

So, in this week’s class it’s time to take some time thinking about where the circles come from and why we do them!

xx-LL