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Tree on the Reformer

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  • July 27, 2019
Table of Contents
Tree-on-the-Reformer - Online Pilates Classes
  • Difficulty: Beginner | Intermediate
  • Equipment Needed: Reformer, Short Box (I love using the Contrology Reformer.)
  • Reps: 3 times each side
  • Warning: Make sure your foot is securely under the strap. If there are 2 straps use both straps.
  • Questions: Contact us here

Tree on the Reformer

Tree! Also known as Climb a Tree on the Pilates Reformer is such a fun and challenging exercise. I was never great at climbing real trees as a child but this exercise really allows you to challenge so many parts of your body at once. You’ve got two legs reaching in different directions, a round spine to back extension and back to a round spine and then there is the whole thing about maintaining square hips! The more you can remember to stand on your leg that is under the strap and reach for your leg from your back the more successful you will be in this exercise.

As you walk down your leg your leg channel your Roll UP on the Mat.

Your Reformer will have two springs on for carriage stability. Place one leg under the straps and bring the other leg close to you. Sit tall and whole the back of your leg as you straighten and bend 1-3 times to help you lift taller and stretch the back of your leg. Walk your hands up to your ankle reaching from your back and round your spine bringing the crown of your head to your knee. Double check your hips are square. As you walk down your leg your leg channel your Roll UP on the Mat and if you can continue to walk down into a full extension go for it. Then walk back up to your ankle rounding your spine, leaving your stomach on the box and pull your head towards your knee. Repeat 2 more times then switch legs and repeat on the other side.

After you have been finding the full extension for a while with strength and are able to come out of the backbend to find your long round spine again, you may add in the stretch and the leg circles. For the stretch find your full backbend and then reach under the frame of the Reformer to get a good stretch. Then without throwing yourself up round up and walk up your leg. If that goes well walk down and place your hands on the floor in a full backbend. Press into your hands and then circle your leg three times in each direction. Be sure to repeat on the other side.


Be sure to check out more of my online Pilates Reformer exercises. I want to help you continue your Pilates Reformer training!

By lesley.logan

Lesley Logan, NCPT, is the founder of OnlinePilatesClasses.com, the first free online catalogue of Pilates exercise tutorial videos, where you can also find weekly online mat classes and workshops. When not teaching from her studio in Los Angeles, Lesley can be found traveling the world leading Pilates retreats, or offering Pilates business coaching to studio owners and other instructors through her private mastermind group. Connect with Lesley on instagram @lesley.logan or through the contact page on this site.

Loving this Pilates exercise tutorial? Take weekly online Pilates mat classes with OPC Teachers
Enjoying Lesley's teaching style? Willing to travel? Explore the world while maintaining your practice by joining Lesley on a Pilates retreat.

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SUCH A TEASE

ONLINE MAT & REFORMER PILATES CLASS DESCRIPTIONS:

Teaser is probably one of the most photographed exercises in Pilates. Which makes people think it's a "peak pose." But, it's anything but! It's simply another layer to your Pilates practice. This week we will acknowledge how each exercise contributes to your ability to do Teaser (someday) and then how Teaser teaches you where to get curious in your practice.

On the Mat we will use light weights for one round of Teaser as they can be helpful for those still adding into their practice.
No props on the Reformer.

See you in class,

xx~LL

MAT EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self, light weights and a Mat!

>> Wondering what mat I’m using? You can find out more here.

REFORMER EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self and a Reformer!

>> Wondering what reformer I’m using? You can find out more here.

NOT THE EXORCIST

Online Mat & Reformer Pilates Class Descriptions:

It’s a week filled with ROTATION, but I swear it’s not the scary EXORCIST kind of rotation!

We’ll be exploring where we can add rotation to throughout our practice and how we can find our TRUE rotation in different areas of the body. No cheating!

Join me this week as we focus on spinal rotation to help ourselves stretch and strengthen, while also exploring internal and external rotation at the shoulders and the hips.

If you are a tactile learner, or if you like to be a bit more reflective about your practice every now and then, you’ll love class this week. We’ll slightly slow down to give ourselves an opportunity to listen to our bodies and maybe fine tune a little bit as we go along.

Mat: Resistance Band and yoga block [barrel is optional for Roll Over]
Reformer: Pole, small ball, and yoga block

See you in class,
Rachel Piper

MAT EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self, Resistance Band, yoga block [barrel is optional for Roll Over] and a mat!

>> Wondering what mat I’m using? You can find out more here.

REFORMER EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self, Pole, small ball, yoga block and a reformer!

>> Wondering what reformer I’m using? You can find out more here.


BOLSTER YOUR BACKBENDS

Online Mat & Reformer Pilates Class Descriptions:

Grab your couch cushions, yoga bolsters, or stiff decorative pillows! We are going to be finding our longest extension possible this week.

Not a lover of extension? Do not skip this week. There's a lot more to a backbend than just a backbend. You've got to have a strong front and side too! So, feel free to find your tallest back when the exercises are extension and flow with us on the rest.

Mat lovers will need the props. Reformer lovers, I hope you do the Mat first or at least some point this week and then the Reformer so you can feel where we are opening up our chests. If you can't and can only do the Reformer, you're still gonna get your sweat on but I love to remind ya that the Mat is gonna make your Reformer stronger...hint hint.

See ya in class,
xx-LL 💋

PLANK YOU VERY MUCH!

ONLINE MAT, REFORMER, CADILLAC & WUNDA CHAIR PILATES CLASS DESCRIPTIONS:

Do you know how to stop time... Do a timed Plank!! So this month we will not be stopping time, but we will go though all of the points you should think about when you are doing a plank. There are many planks throughout the Mat and Reformer work. Working on these areas from head to toe and making them all come together for each Plank! Arm/back connection, Thass® connection, and how do we stay out of those wrists? On each apparatus we will help you find these areas and strengthen your Plank each time!

Tower/Cadillac - no props
Wunda Chair - optional mat
Mat - light weights and a magic circle
Reformer - no props

See ya in class,
xx-LL 💋

ABS, BACK, GLUTES, THIGHS

Online Mat, Reformer, Cadillac & Wunda Chair Pilates Class Descriptions:

Todrick Hall’s song “nails, hair, hips, heels” came on during one of my playlists, and it got my brain thinking of how to turn this song and use it for Pilates, and boom, here’s this month’s theme - abs, back, glutes, thighs. With Pilates being a full-body workout, think of this as your checklist as you work out this month since these are all connected while we practice all of our exercises on all of the apparatuses.

Abs, back, glutes, thighs, check, check, check, check!

Props for Wunda Chair: yoga block (or a couple of hardcover books)

See ya in class,
xx-LL 💋

THE WALL WAY

Online Mat & Reformer Pilates Class Descriptions:

We're going to use our wall or something you can stand up against! I like using the wall because it lets us know where we are today, and where we are at the end of class. On the Reformer we will use our carriage like the wall!

It's important to give ourselves permission to be where we are today. Our bodies are different every single day - pat yourself on the back for showing up today!! Celebrate!

See ya in class,
xx-LL 💋

MAT EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self and a mat!

>> Wondering what mat I’m using? You can find out more here.

REFORMER EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self and a reformer!

>> Wondering what reformer I’m using? You can find out more here.


FALL IN LOVE WITH TEASER

Online Mat & Reformer Pilates Class Descriptions:

Teaser is usually a love hate relationship for most people! What’s really interesting is that Teaser sneaks its way into lots of exercises on the Mat and Reformer. 

Through these classes, we will have a little fun adding Teaser into other exercises and also adding variations to help you build your Teaser!

Come fall in love with it again or maybe for the first time!

No props needed.

See you in class,
Mindi

CAN YOU KICK IT?

Online Mat & Reformer Pilates Class Descriptions:

I'll spare rapping for you, but that's what this is about! All about the single leg kick and double leg kick. These exercises are super important for us to slay the last half of our Mat practice. They are entirely back body, so on the Reformer, they'll really support your Swan and all your other extensions. And if you've been struggling connecting to your seat, this is where it all happens! Can you kick it?!

See ya in class,
xx-LL 💋

    MAT EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self, light weights and a mat!

    >> Wondering what mat I’m using? You can find out more here.

    REFORMER EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self and a reformer!

    >> Wondering what reformer I’m using? You can find out more here.


    NOT THE EXORCIST

    Online Mat & Reformer Pilates Class Descriptions:

    It’s a week filled with ROTATION, but I swear it’s not the scary EXORCIST kind of rotation!

    We’ll be exploring where we can add rotation to throughout our practice and how we can find our TRUE rotation in different areas of the body. No cheating!

    Join me this week as we focus on spinal rotation to help ourselves stretch and strengthen, while also exploring internal and external rotation at the shoulders and the hips.

    If you are a tactile learner, or if you like to be a bit more reflective about your practice every now and then, you’ll love class this week. We’ll slightly slow down to give ourselves an opportunity to listen to our bodies and maybe fine tune a little bit as we go along.

    Mat: Resistance Band and yoga block [barrel is optional for Roll Over]
    Reformer: Pole, small ball, and yoga block

    See you in class,
    Rachel Piper

    BOLSTER YOUR BACKBENDS

    Online Mat & Reformer Pilates Class Descriptions:

    Grab your couch cushions, yoga bolsters, or stiff decorative pillows! We are going to be finding our longest extension possible this week.

    Not a lover of extension? Do not skip this week. There's a lot more to a backbend than just a backbend. You've got to have a strong front and side too! So, feel free to find your tallest back when the exercises are extension and flow with us on the rest.

    Mat lovers will need the props. Reformer lovers, I hope you do the Mat first or at least some point this week and then the Reformer so you can feel where we are opening up our chests. If you can't and can only do the Reformer, you're still gonna get your sweat on but I love to remind ya that the Mat is gonna make your Reformer stronger...hint hint.

    See ya in class,
    xx-LL 💋

    MAT EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self, couch cushions, yoga bolsters, or stiff decorative pillows and a mat!

    >> Wondering what mat I’m using? You can find out more here.

    REFORMER EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self and a reformer!

    >> Wondering what reformer I’m using? You can find out more here.


    THE WALL WAY

    Online Mat & Reformer Pilates Class Descriptions:

    We're going to use our wall or something you can stand up against! I like using the wall because it lets us know where we are today, and where we are at the end of class. On the Reformer we will use our carriage like the wall!

    It's important to give ourselves permission to be where we are today. Our bodies are different every single day - pat yourself on the back for showing up today!! Celebrate!

    See ya in class,
    xx-LL 💋

    UP, UP, & AWAY

    ONLINE MAT, REFORMER, CADILLAC & WUNDA CHAIR PILATES CLASS DESCRIPTIONS:

    We are all going to feel like Super Humans after this month!!

    Whenever I’m in a hard exercise (for me) where I’m holding myself up with my arms and reaching my legs away I picture myself with super human strength!!! I can do ANYTHING! It makes me smile and helps me stay STRONG.

    This month our exercise is Up Stretch and when you think about it - reaching your legs away and staying strong over the carriage may feel a lot like flying!

    We’ll be focusing on stabilizing our strong cores while staying equally balanced in our arms and legs. We are giving you some amazing building blocks by merging strength and stretch in all directions. You are going to get a little bit of everything that you can use to connect to your Up Stretch (and even your Roll Up and Knee Stretches Off).

    Chair: Please have a foam roller and a balance pad available. We are going to challenge your balance safely.

    xx-LL