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Press Down Side on the Wunda Chair

A great exercise to learn how and practice the press and reach through a standing leg while moving the other leg inside the hip without moving your pelvis.

  • Author: Lesley Logan
  • July 28, 2019

Press Down Side on the Wunda Chair

Press Down Side on the Wunda Chair

Press Down Side on the Pilates Wunda Chair is a great challenge for the same exercise on the High Chair. It also is a great place to learn how to press and reach through a standing leg while moving the other leg inside the hip without moving your pelvis. This exercise can teach a lot of what you need to know in the Side Kick Series on the Mat and the Side Splits on the Reformer to name just a couple. In all of Pilates, you need to move your limbs without moving your pelvis. Press Down Side will help you practice this feeling.

Press down through your standing leg to lift your center up.

With one top spring and one bottom spring on the Wunda Chair, stand with your side body along the center of the pedal. Feet are slightly turned out heels together and toes apart. Have about 1-2 inches between you and the chair. Arms can be along your side, on your hips, behind your head or out to the side. Whatever helps you maintain the connection of your arms to your back. Place the inside foot, turned out on the center of the pedal. Lower your inside hip and lift your outside hip to even out your pelvis. Press down through your standing leg to lift your center up.

Maintaining the position of your pelvis, press the pedal down and lift the pedal up. The weight of the pedal will want to throw you off balance so as the pedal lifts be sure to maintain the reach down into the pedal. This way you are in charge of lifting the pedal and not allowing the springs to push you around. It’s easy as the pedal lifts to lift your hips. But, the goal is to maintain your pelvis as your thigh bone moves up and down with the pedal while turned out. Do 5-10 of these and if you discover one side is weaker than the other repeat on the weaker side.

Be sure to check out more of my Wunda Chair workout videos. I want to help you continue your Pilates Wunda Chair 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.

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