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Hi, everyone. Thanks for joining me today. It’s my birthday. So for to celebrate, we are gonna do some work with their band, my favorite. So what I would like us to do, please. I’m gonna turn and give you the side view, so we’re gonna stand on the band.
And as you stand on the band, position your feet so they’re just sitting bones distance apart. Stand all the way up tall, and just pausing for a moment or taking a moment to settle in to your body. Feel the band pulling the arms gently downwards, and feel the spine lifting in opposition to that downward pull of the band. And we take the arms back. Reaching back, opening the chest.
My sternum just cracked. Happy birthday to me. And press back is my favorite thing. Reaching back and coming just to the sides of the thighs. And reaching back.
And just to the sides of the thighs. So in this moment, as I take my arms back, I’m just keeping my body aligned. We’re gonna do just one more the same. Reach back. Come to center, take an inhale, and drop the chin into the chest, soften the knees, begin to articulate down through the spine.
The band will loosen, allow that to happen, Just folding in. Feeling the feet anchored on the earth in here. Push those feet down. About the place where you catch the tension on the band, so it really pressing forward with the pelvis, and then elongating the body as you come all the way back up into that initial standing position, and take the arms back again. Same idea.
Back and center. And the spine lifts. And center. And the spine lifts, really warming up through the upper back, through the arms one more time. Back and center and inhale. And once again dropping the chin into the chest softening through the knees.
Feel a sensation of allowing the band to pull the spine down whilst at the same time lifting and supporting through the abdominals, pause the inhale. Push down with the feet, roll through the spine, rotating the pelvis under and forward as we find the tension on the band, and coming all the way back to straight, and last time with the arms the same way. One. And two. The abdominals can pull back as the arms pull back three. And four, and five, and into the chest last time, making a change at the top, rolling down.
Focusing inwards, taking the stretch, holding at the bottom, articulating the spine, using the tension of the band to increase the mobility of the lower spine, coming up to standing, taking the eyes forwards, and we are gonna do some birthday squats. So we go sit back, take the arms in opposition towards forwards. Stand and press back and sit back and stand and take the arms and sit back. So the pelvis and the arms reach in opposition to one another, you pull the band. And up and back and up and back.
In my old age, I’ve learned that squats are healthy. So thank you for joining me in that endeavor. Last four, and stand. And three, and stand. And two, and stand, and one, and hold the upright position and lean to the right, allowing the band to pull the body in that direction.
And stand all the way back up and lean to the other side. The one arm slides up the outside of the thigh, and we feel the abdominals engaged to stand back up one more time the same lean, allowing the pelvis to press into that arm to increase or maximize the stretch and stand. For me, that works anyway, and reach over. And stand adding a rotation. We go back into the side stretch shape.
The arm on the bottom comes around to the back. The arm on the top goes around to the front. We’re making an x with the band. Or attempting to. We come back to the side stretch and lift up and inhale and wrap the band around. Exhale. And come back, and stand up, and one more inhale, and take that band around.
And come back and stand up. And last time, ringing out the spine, pressing back and also forwards. Come back around and come back to standing one more time, back with the arms. But this time, lift the chest and return to straight. And take the arms back and lift the chest, upper spinal extension, and center.
What feels good to me as I pull back is pulling a little wide with the arms, really feeling that mid back working, and center, lifting the heart, pulling back, and center last time. And center. We’re going down onto the mat. So step off the band, come down onto the ground, take the legs out in front, Once again, wrap the band around the feet. It’s always a good idea with the band to keep it open.
Meaning don’t let it get all bungee. Sit all the way up tall. Inhale there. As we exhale, we’ll begin to articulate the spine down onto the ground. The the where you hold the band will depend on how much tension you get. So if you need more tension, hold closer to your feet and vice versa.
Head goes down at the end. We go head chest up. Fill the lower spine imprint into the ground. And then as we go up, we’re not letting the band pull us, but instead we’re resisting the pull of the band. Come to where the shoulders go over the pelvis.
The band will get a little looser there. And then bend the arms and sit up tall, and reach the arms forward around the spine, and go back. Always feeling that there’s energy out through the feet, energy down through the legs. Energy in between the legs as they squeeze together. Never. A loss of things to focus on, roll through the spine.
Reaching forwards, pulling the body up. I love the band because it gives such nice awkward body work and reach forward. And so much opportunity to work the body more deeply And down this is our very last one. Head and chest. Roll through the spine.
Find that c curve. Find your straight back. Keep your back straight as your arms reach forward. Bend your right arm and pull out with the left arm as you rotate towards right and center. And we bend the opposite arm pulling wide with the arm that’s in the front and center and bend and lift the body.
Once again, using the band to help us increase the range in our body and center and increase sensation. And center and lift into that resistance and center and lift into the resistance. And center the last time going over and center. I say one more. Just feels too good.
And center. So we have to do one more to the other side so that we’re even on both sides. And coming back to center bending the knees. Keeping the band open around the feet, begin to roll back onto the mat. Finding a chest lift position while you’re there, feel a little bit of dig in with the heels to find the back of the legs and curl forwards and curl down. Curl forwards and back, working through the lower spine, lifting.
And pull the band to go down and resist the band to go up and pull the band to go down. We’ll do four more. Using the band to create depth and back, and three hollowing through the waist. And back. And deepening two.
And back. One more here. Lifting And back. At the bottom. Bend the knees in towards the body, let the elbows come down to the ground.
Head is down. Stretch the legs up and pause here. We’re gonna push out on the band and in, and push out on the band. Working the outsides of the legs and keep the elbows pulling into the body as the legs press out and in and out. I find it very interesting to watch my legs and see if they’re moving at the same rate, which is a personal challenge last four.
Elbows tucked in tight. Mid back supporting three and in to keeping the feet flexed and in. One more at and and bend your knees, straighten your arms and lift your head. Take the legs down in that bent knee shape, like a hip hinge, and then we roll the body up. At the top lean back and pull with the arms five and wide.
And three. And heels pressing down. Two. And one, take the arms to straight. Roll down through the spine, finding once again that chest lift position, rotate towards the right. Keeping the knees and the feet in the center roll up the right side of the body and down, and roll up the right side of the body, working through the obliques.
And, The range of motion is approximately from the shoulder blades right to the very base of the pelvis, and down four more times, lifting up. And going down. And lifting up three. And going down. Work the down is my recommendation, advice, hope, and done. Last time up.
And done. Return the body to the center. Bring the knees and elbows go down. The legs reach up into the band elbows in tight, and we take the legs to the right, lifting off the left hip, go down in a corkscrew around to the left hip, and return to center. Go over to the other side, keeping the legs side by side.
Keep the arms close as the legs reach around in a circle and return to center. And inhale. And exhale, we come down and around, slice through center, and go down and around. And slice through center one more time to each direction, down and around, and come through center feels good to me over down and around, and center. Bend your knees.
Straighten your arms. Lift your head. Take those legs down in a hip hinge again. Keep the low back connected to the ground. Roll up. Sit just behind the pelvis with a flat back and pull five. And four. Keep those feet down Meredith.
And three. And two little bit of drag with the heels will help to anchor the feet one more back and roll the body down towards the shoulder blades again. Rotate in the opposite direction and go up that side. And down. And anchoring both sides of the pelvis.
Keeping the knees straight up in the center, feeling that rotation in the body, and down, and resist the band, and pull the band. And resist the band and pull the band. I’ll do my very best to make us even on both sides, but I can’t promise. So I believe there is one more. We go up and come back and find center and bring the legs in one more time.
Here we stretch the legs. Hold them straight. Mini curl, lifting the legs in towards the body, pulling back on the band to increase the stretch through the spine through the legs as we place the pelvis back down and bend and stretch and reverse curl. So we pull up and over. Using the arms for support, really, but not using the arms to pull the legs. The legs, the reverse curl, the movement of the body comes from the abdominal.
So we come in and over. And then we place the pelvis back down from the front of the body and bend twice more and up. Lift the pelvis, and down, and last one, and up. And lift the pelvis, and down, and straighten the arms, lower the legs, lift ahead, roll the body up. You can lift up on the band with the arms to assist, holding the teaser position.
Take the legs down and separate the feet. Lifting the body, rounding the spine down. As we go down, we bend the elbows. Towards backwards. Inhale and then roll through the spine, keeping the resistance on the band until the very last minute when the arms can reach out to straight again.
We’d take the head down. Roll through the spine, pulling wide with the elbows, and then stack the spine, working against that resistance that you’re creating in your own body with your band, sitting up tall three more times round down. And elongate up. Arms straighten at the last minute. Two more times.
Round down. And elongate up. And one more time, round down, and elongate up. I may have lied slightly. We’re gonna round down Once there, remove the band from your feet, bring it with you as you stack back up.
Rotate towards the right. Take the right hand onto the floor pinning the band in place and then stretch the left arm across towards the right foot. Reach out through the spine using the spinal extensors to lengthen and lift the body, lift the arm and come to center. I want a little more tension, so I scooted my hands in a little. Rotate the other way.
The left arm pins the band. The right arm reaches out over that left leg. We use the extensors of the body to bring the body up. Take the arm, come to center and rotate, and saw, and stretch the body, stretch the band, lift the arm, come to center and rotate and reach and feel that the back is moving the band and lift the arm and come to center last time through rotate and reach. We’re gonna make a small change here just once. Reach out.
Hold that rotation. Now take the band and wrap it around the body as you take rotation to the back. You’re welcome. Come back to center, lift the arm, and center one more time over and down, and reach the body up. Take your rotation.
Come back, lift the arm, come to the center. Step the feet in so that they’re just hip distance apart and roll down. As you arrive at the bottom, bend your knees and bring your arms straight up over the chest. Inhale here. As you exhale begin articulating through the spine, and as the spine is lifting, open the arms all the way down to the ground.
And inhale. And then slow release the band as the spine articulates back down. And inhale. And articulate the spine up and open the arms wide. Working the back of the body and slow release the band as the spine comes down, down, down, down, down, and in here.
Just depending on how heavy your band is is where you want your hands, so you’ll feel into what works best for you, really feel the backs of the legs working at the top, and down, slow release. And two more. So we have the backs of the legs, backs of the shoulders, the mid back. All the back parts of the body that are so important and roll down. Take your time. Last time, lifting up, opening the arms, and slowly down.
At the bottom, take the left leg out straight, bring the right foot into the band. Take your time to square the pelvis, get organized elbows in close. We’re gonna do a spine twist and a leg circle at the same time. So we lift the pelvis, reach the leg across. Take it down around and center and lift and reach and go down around and center and lift and reach. Feel the abdominals.
Around, and center. Keep the elbows in close. And down, around. And center one more time in this direction. Resuspend. And down around and holding at the top to reverse. Go out.
Down. As the leg comes across the body, the pelvis lifts up the elbow presses down, and we find center, and go open and down, and across the body, and find center, and go around. Taking that spinal rotation and two, around and center and one, down and around. And holding the center, bend the knee. Pull back on the leg as you stretch that leg into space and inhale. If you want a little bit more tension, I do. Come a little higher on the band’s that we give a little resistance in our stretch and bend.
Upper back is working. Elvis are in close. Chest is open to more bend. And reach and bend and reach. Take the band into the left hand. Right arm out to the side and bring that right leg cross the body, letting the pelvis leave the ground, and just letting the band support the body as we reach across and stretch.
Come back through center and change sides. Hold different body on this side for this person. Flexing through the feet, take your time, get organized, and here we go. Lifting the hip. Go down.
Go out around fine center and rotate. Down, heavy. Feel the freedom of the leg and the band, and the freedom of the spine all the while creating support from the abdominals last two in this direction, around and center. And across, around, and center. We’re gonna take the reverse. Go out, down, lifting the pelvis, reaching out into that band, and center and go out and reaching across and go out down and across.
It’s a lot of oblique work to be had here if you’re curious about it and think about it last two. I like to be curious all the time. And one. In life, as well as Pilates. Bend your knee.
Maybe you want a little bit more attention and stretch that leg and inhale to bend and press down through the pelvis as the leg presses back up. And three, reaching up elbows in close, abdominals working, and two, and reaching up. And last time, Reaching up, taking the band into the right hand, left arm out to the side, bring the leg across the body, allow the pelvis to leave the ground, reaching out and finding a stretch Come back through center. Bring both feet into the band. Press up with both legs.
Take both legs down, lift the head. One more teaser. Roll up. Look where you’re going. It’s helpful.
Stay lifted at the top and wide arm pull holding our balance five. And four little more hard when the arms reach forward. So we have to hold without using the resistance. Last two, and last time. Take the legs down.
Take the band off your feet and come onto your knees. I’ll give you a front facing view. Holding the band in the hands, bring the arms overhead. Take your body to the right, leaning into that stretch. Hold the left arm still.
Pull with the right arm. It will take you further into your stretch, bring that arm back up, and bring your body up. And go over the other way, pressing the pelvis forward, take the arm down, lean into the stretch, lift the arm up, and come back up one more time through. Reach over and pull and lean, and lift up holding that side stretch, and come back up and over, and pull down, and hold the stretches the arm lifts up, and come back up And bring the arms forwards, bend them, rotate the elbows. Bring the arms over your head. Let the upper back.
Lift up. And take the arms down. And bend the arms. Go into the rotation. The elbows reach forward.
The hands reach back. The that idea of external rotation in the shoulders helps us find that mid back area. And bring the arms over the top. Two more bend. Rotate.
And reach back. You’re in charge of your body. You make your just extension as big as you want. I’m trying to focus really a lot in my upper back. Last one, bend. Rotate.
Reach for the loose ends of the band with the elbows. You take your arms all the way back behind you. Enjoy as a suggestion. Come back over the top. Keep the arms straight now and raise the arms up.
Take the arms all the way behind. Take the arms all the way back around. Opening the chest. Opening the shoulders reach all the way around. You can pull it as you need.
Try to keep the wrist as straight as possible there. Coming back around and up, around to the back. And up, and around to the front, and one more, around to the back Keep the arms back. Take the band down. And now just without the band go up, open the arms. Take a stretch.
Reach wide. And down, and feel the whole body lifting with the arms, and let the reach of the arms pull the chest forward opening the heart and softly down. One more of the same kind of feels nice to have some freedom with the arms after all that arm worked to me. And around and softly down. Thank you so much for taking class with me.
