Aloha, welcome to the last full day of our retreat. This morning’s class is going to focus on the crab. Because you can crab sooner than you think! So all of the class is going to lead us up to get into that exercise.

I hope you enjoy it!

xx-LL

Chest Expansion is like Swan in Pilates – it is EVERYWHERE! You may not be familiar with Chest Expansion if you just started Pilates or if you’ve only ever done the Mat exercises. But, it’s a great exercise to understand if you’re wanting to do some of the more intermediate and advanced exercises.

So, this week, grab a thera band (or a set of leggings or a belt could even work). We’ll be using it throughout our Mat practice. If you don’t have one, it’s ok you’ll use your imagination.

On the Reformer we will use Chest Expansion sooner than normal and in different ways to help us connect to our back and see how that can help us deepen our practice. 

Are you ready to see how many places Chest Expansion can show up? 

See you in class,

xx-LL

Ok, I’m coming clean! I absolutely hate stretching post a run or workout with my trainer. I mean, I would rather do a full on mat workout after a run or training session than sit and stretch or roll. And while there are plenty of opinions on whether or not stretching even works. What I can say from experience is that using Pilates as my cross training has kept me injury free even when I was a competitive runner. So, this week’s class is taking the mat workout as a post-run/spin/elliptical or cross-training workout. How can we use the mat to open up what those workouts tighten up? How can we strengthen what those workouts overlook and how can we check in with where our body is that day?

I hope you enjoy this weeks mat class!

xx-LL

Sometimes we are all about the Mat! And, well, these are mat classes so it’s pretty hard not to be all about the mat work. But, the rest of the Pilates method was designed to support us when we are on the mat. So, this week, while we mat out we will be gaining strength and inspiration from Pilates exercises typically done on the other pieces of equipment!

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 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!

xx-LL

One of my most top watched Youtube tutorials is the Long Stretch Series. Every time I film a new video breaking it down it’s instantly popular. It was also my first video I ever posted to Youtube. So, this week’s Mat class will take the Long Stretch Series off the Reformer and ask how to get long, get up, get down and yes, we will even do the Elephant.

For those of you on the Reformer we will thread this series through some of the basic exercises and then a grand finale that you can join in, either on your Reformer or on the Floor (if you’re needing another option).

See you in class,

xx~LL

It’s easy to think Pilates is about the abs. I mean, when we talk about the center, that’s what we think. But, all of the exercises require us to connect to our back too! The center is the muscles around your pelvis, shoulder girdle and everything in between. In this week’s classes, we will think about what we are doing to support, connect and strengthen our back! 

On the Reformer you’ll fill the springs, handles, carriage and more, help you wake up, stretch and strengthen your back. On the Mat we will use the wall to help us understand where we are in a spine that day, as well as stretch and strengthen your back. And, especially while many of us celebrate the holidays, access to a wall is everywhere. 

See you in class!

xx~LL

I don’t know about you but sometimes my lower abs just feel like they are on vacation. My legs LOVE to do ALL the WORK. This week’s class we are getting low! Every exercise we examine how we can get a little more work from the lower abs. And, while we do it get ready to feel those hamstrings and seat work.

xx-LL

Do you ever wonder how you are so strong on one side in one exercise and then in another exercise it switches? No, just me? Ha! I am pretty sure we are all in the same boat when it comes to being asymmetrical! So, this week we take on our sides! One side at a time that is.

On the mat we will play more with exercises that are play with asymmetry and then seeing how we can take what we learned and change up how we do our symmetrical exercises.

Then, over on the Reformer we play around with exercises where we take away one leg or one arm. Get ready to do Stomach Massage with one leg! It’ll be fun I promise.

Can’t wait to see a side of you!

xx~LL

P.S. Which side will you be doing twice next time?

In our mat work we pay a lot of attention to flexion and extension. And, we often forget the side work. Sure, the twists do touch our sides and there is the amazing side kicks. But, how can we use all the other exercises to really rock our side bodies and strengthen us from side to side as much as head to toe?

Find out this week when we meet up for a side body adventure on our mats!

xx-LL

Have you ever heard that the exercises you don’t like you should do twice? Well, I say it all the time and then one day my teacher Jay Grimes heard me say how I don’t like an exercise and he told me to do it twice everyday!! Ha, a taste of my own medicine.

This week on the Mat we will find ways to fall in love with the Leg Pulls, you know the two exercises you love to forget exist. And, then over on our Reformer we will use our practice to prepare us for the Control Push ups! Don’t worry, if you know you don’t do these two exercises I give plenty of ideas to keep you flowing until you’re ready to take them on.

xx~LL

P.S. Bonus points for those who can count how many times I said the Control Push Ups name incorrectly! #perfectlyimperfect

Love it or loathe it Teaser is going to continue to show up in your Pilates practice. And, while it is not the “peak” post of Pilates it sure is the most “known” exercise. In this week’s Mat class we will cover all the different ways to strengthen your practice and find the Teaser that is right for you. BTW, if you have a wall near by that you can put your feet on you’ll want to have it close by.

On the Reformer side of this practice we will focus on how all the exercises that pre-ceed and proceed the Teaser really help us do the Teaser. And, if you know that Teaser on the Reformer is not your jam don’t worry. You get to keep you move on with other suggestions I have up my sleeve for you.

Our ultimate goal this week is to to see what Teaser is telling us everyday we practice.

Be sure to share what Teaser told you in the class comments or class group!

xx~LL

I think it’s important to be grateful for what we can do. And so, whether you’re in the States trying to put enough cranberries on that dry turkey or you’re outside the States wondering why we try so hard to make dry turkey taste good, we can all give Planks…ermm Thanks!

On the Mat, we will explore what we are rocking, rolling and how long our Plank is. And, on the Reformer, we will be grateful for the support of the springs, carriage and more as we see how many planks we can fit into this flow.

See ya in class,

xx~LL

P.S. I am super grateful for each of you!

It’s a common cue in any Pilates class and exercise for a teacher to ask you to “find your length” or, reach in two directions. But, you are also supposed to keep everything connected at the same time.

In this week’s mat pilates class we will explore finding the length in our bodies but without letting it all hang out!

Can’t wait to hear how this feels for you!

See you on your mat!

xx-LL

This week we’ll be doing our Reformer exercises on the Mat and the Mat exercise on the Reformer. If you have never done Pilates on a Reformer, there may be some exercise that seem odd to you. And, if you are always choosing our Reformer classes instead of the Mat, you might want to skip this week. But, I really want you to feel how the entire Pilates method works together. How the Reformer can support you and the Mat can challenge you.

On the mat have a set of 1 lb. weights nearby (if you have them it’s not necessary). Reformer lovers you won’t need any extra props just pay attention to different spring settings and flows.

See you in class!

xx~LL