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Hello. I am Lara Hanlon here for a fun math class today using a ball. I like to have mine slightly deflated and we’ll get right to it. So you’ll start seated on your mat facing either direction. Right in the middle of the mat, we’ll place that ball between our inner thighs I like to think the higher it is, the more you really get into those adductors, reach your arms forward, take a deep breath in. And as you exhale begin to roll all the way down onto your mat, always optionality. Use those hands behind the legs if you need a little more support, making our down way down with control. Lower the palms to the floor and then walk or drag your feet in a little bit closer towards you. So we have a nice, comfortable distance of heels to glutes and also feet from one another how this is neutral anchored onto the floor.
We’ll start with some imprinting of the spines of deep breathing as we warm up the body, inhale through the nose, And as you exhale, think of drawing your ribs together and your inner thighs together around the ball, that pelvis stays neutral, sacrum flat on the mat. Inhale slightly release the ball as we bring air into the lungs. And exhale, imagine, of course, that drawing your ribs together, drawing the inner thighs together is if you’re going to pop that ball waking up those inner thigh muscles two more times in your leg slightly release. And exhale pulling the belly button towards the spine without tucking the pelvis here We’re keeping neutral. If you have a little space between the back and the mat, think of diminishing it by using the belly one more time.
Gentle release the ball, bringing air into the lugs, and exhale to squeeze into those inner thighs. From here, we’ll add a little pelvic tuck. Arms stay down, shoulders stay open. Squeeze the ball a little tighter as you breathe in. And then exhale purposely tuck and curl your pelvis to hover.
I’ll move my hand here so you can see it’s small. I’m keeping my glutes really soft. I’m working just from my low belly, transverse abdominals pelvic floor, lengthen the tailbone back that long slight release of the ball inhale, exhale squeeze, inner thighs, small, pelvic tuck, imagine zipping up a tight pair of pants here. Two more times. And he’ll release the pelvis, release the ball, and exhale to squeeze and tuck zipping up through the low belly knitting those ribs a little tighter towards the midline.
One more time. Release on the inhale. And exhale to squeeze and curl. Inhale to release the pelvis back nice and long. Sit bones, tail bones stay reaching forward.
Use the belly to draw the legs up to a tabletop position. Inter thighs remain tight around the ball. Squeezing into it shins parallel to the floor. Keeping gaze lifted will begin to lower the feet to hover or tap the floor on the inhale. And exhale draw inner thighs and ribs together think about that corset sensation to lift.
Palvis again, stay neutral, inhale to lower. Breaking right at that hip joint feel. That crease, sit bones, tailbone stay long. 2 more times. Inhale to lower, warming up through the core here, act He’ll pull the belly a little deeper, squeeze the ball a little tighter, really accessing the low pelvic floor muscles once more inhale to lower with control.
Exhale deep in the belly to lift, head, neck, and shoulders stay relaxed. Take one more breath here. And then as you exhale lower the feet all the way down to the mat with control once they touch down, you’re back where you started feet in line with those hips, pelvis neutral arms reach up and back overhead. Take a deep breath in as you exhale squeeze into the inner thighs and then curl up to the tips of the shoulder blades fingertips reach forward towards the heels, sit bones, tailbone stay long. Again, that pelvis stays neutral. And he’ll release head and arms back, slight release of that ball, axel we squeeze in our thighs.
We reach up and forward curling over the ribs hovering at the tips of the shoulder blades. Shin hovering over the chest that we’re gazing right towards our nice ball, again, inhale to lengthen head and arms back. Exhale to squeeze and curl up and forward using the breath to sink that belly a little deeper towards spine once more inhale to lengthen and exhale to curl up and forward. We’ll keep this lift in the upper body, float the right arm up towards the ceiling, maybe slightly back by the ear. Excel, press down with resistance. See if you can squeeze the ball a little tighter, left arm lifts up and back, and exhale to press and reach, maybe curl a little higher over those ribs one more time each arm and he’ll link them.
Pull the belly deeper squeeze the ball tighter to press, left arm up and back, exhale press and reach long through those fingertips. Both arms reaching up together on the inhale. Can we curl a little higher abs sink deeper as you press one more time? Lift and exhale to press and reach. We should feel that core starting to warm up maybe reach a little higher squeeze the ball a little tighter deep breath in and exhale to lower head and arms all the way back. Give a nice big circle of those arms.
Hug the knees into the chest. Give them a squeeze. Maybe a little rock back and forth side to side. Take a deep breath in. Exel, relax the shoulders, relax the back, the hips.
We’ll move our ball between our ankles. Somewhere that feels comfortable that you can still feel your inner thighs engaged to squeeze it. It’s not like we’re squeezing from our ankles here, and then we’ll bend the leg back to a tabletop position, knees over those hips, shins, once again, parallel to the floor. Feel the inner thighs and low belly squeeze to connect around the ball, reach arms up to the ceiling, take a deep breath in to prepare. And then exhale to curl up and over the ribs.
We’re back to that beautiful upper body curl. We’ll breathe in fives for our hundreds here. Inhale to 3, 4, 5, exhale to 3, 4, 5 continuing to breathe in fives pumping strong through those arms. Reaching along through the fingertips and gazing right between the thighs inhale through the nose and exhale out to 3, 4, 5 b into extend your legs out long in a diagonal continuing to wrap those inner thighs inward squeezing into the ball. We have 3 more breaths in.
And exhale out 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 2. Can we squeeze a little tighter, maybe lower the legs a little further one more deep breath in? And exhale out to 3, 4, 5. Stay reach. Hold deep breath in. Can you squeeze that, Paul, inward one more inch? Try and pop it curl a little higher pull the belly a little deeper with control. Use the belly. Draw those knees in.
Take the ball out. We’ll take it between pumps, lower the feet down, legs extend long arms reach back overhead. Feeling reach through your fingers, through your toes, through your limbs here. Begin to reach the arms to the ceiling right up over the chest, press into your palms, engage in your arms, your back, your chest, flex through your heels, deep breath, and to prepare. X. I’ll begin to round and roll up.
Use your abdominals that we’ve nicely warmed up here rolling with control. Reaching fingertips past the toes. Let the head release down to framing those ears to biceps. Open up through the back deep breath in. Excel to round and roll back down.
Keep reaching through your fingertips. Press into the palms, engage in your pecs. Pull the belly a little deeper So we roll one bone at a time lengthening all the way back with control. Again, inhale arms lift. Use the breath. Use the belly around and roll up and forward, reaching past the toes.
Breathe into the back. Axel to roll back down vertebra by vertebra. Imagine those heels are reaching further forward, belly pulling further back in opposition. Find the tips of the shoulder blades pull the belly deeper before lengthening out at the bottom twice more inhale to reach up. Axle to round and roll up continuing to work our core here and just as importantly, open up the spine, open up the back, breathe in.
Axle to round and roll back down vertebra by vertebra. I think this exercise feels so good. The slower you go, the more challenging it is. Take your time. One more time. Inhale arms lift.
Axale round and roll up Scoop the belly back as you reach forward. Try not to just plop over the legs. Feel the core activate here. Press into the palms. Feel the arms activate inhale.
And exhale to round and roll all the way back down. Take your time. Pull the belly a little deeper. Find the tips of the shoulder blades as you hover. And lengthen all the way out at the bottom.
From here, we’ll take the ball into the right palm, lower that palm down, pressing into it Left palm flat on the mat by the side. Feel that stretch across the chest and engagement in your right tricep to really engage and support the body here. Draw the right leg to table topics, extend that leg nice and long deep breath in to prepare, exhale to circle the leg across the body down out and right back up. Pressing into that hand for support inhale. Exhale to circle. Pull the belly deeper as you lengthen and lift the leg a little higher.
2 more this direction. Reaching up at the top on the inhale, exhale to circle, length and lift, and stay deep breath in, exhale to reverse. Out down across keeping that pelvis really square and neutral using the low belly. Imagine a seatbelt right across your headphones for 2. Around and up, zip up through that waist once more we circle, lengthen lift and hold.
Reach out and up through both toes, curl up to the tips of the shoulder blades, reaching the arms forward, taking that ball in your right hand deep breath. And curl a little higher, hover that left leg off the mat. We take the ball into the left hand behind that right thigh scissor and switch the legs. Ball behind the left side back to that right palm using the breath inhale. Scissor switch exhale continuing to alternate here.
Using your core to stay lifted over the ribs at the tips of the shoulder blades continuing to lengthen out and up through the backs of the knees through the toes for 3 and switch and 2 and switch one more set inhale. And exhale, curl a little higher. Keep the left leg lifted. Lower that right leg down. Ball comes back into the left palm.
We press it onto the floor. Press the right palm down. Flex through your right heel and release the head to the mat. Take a moment to reset seat belt is tight. Belly is pulling down. Chin is lifted. Deep breathe into prepare.
Excel left leg circles across and down out. Press it down into your left palm to reach the left pose a little higher to the sky for 3. Draw the ribs tighter length and to lift the leg higher for 2 around and up once more we circle, lengthen, lift, and hold, inhale, exhale reverse. Out down across length, and that outer thigh pull the belly deep as you lift a little higher inhaling and exhaling two more times. We circle length and to lift once more around lift and stay. This time flexing through both heels, feel a little more length in the back of those hamstrings and calves, reach fingertips forward, reach chin over the chest, hover right leg deep breath in.
Switch the hands, switch the legs, come back to that same scissoring exercise we were in earlier this time with that strong flex of the feet, finding a greater length through our legs, maybe curling a little bit higher over the ribs continuing to move with this nice fluid pace and switch and healing using the breath to exhale for a 3. And 2 and switch one more time inhale and exhale lift both legs up and hug them all the way in to rest. Taking a moment here. Again, giving those knees a squeeze, holding on to the legs wherever feels for your body, inhale, and exhale, relax the shoulders. From here, we’ll place the ball behind our head. Adding a little bit of support for the head and neck, but do actually feel like you’re strengthening your neck muscles by pressing the head slightly down and back into it, keeping this space through the neck, across the collar bones, press the palms to the floor.
From here, begin extending the legs up to the ceiling. If you’re tight in your hamstrings, We don’t wanna tuck the pelvis. So maybe those legs are a little bit lower. Maybe they’re slightly bent. Think about that anchor of the hips.
That secure seat belt yet again. Lights could be parallel or slightly turned out and Pilates stance pressing those palms back down, take a deep breath in to prepare. As you He’ll begin lowering the legs down to your point of control, keeping that head pressing back into the ball, and lengthen to lift the legs back up ever alignment works best in your body inhale to lower. So break at the hips deep in the belly to lift. Working into our double leg lowering here in healing on the way down.
Maybe a little further feel that low belly connection that tight zipper to lift. One more like this inhale to lower. Sober break at the hips to left. We’ll switch the breath inhale to prepare. Axel to lower down, squeezing in her thighs, heels a little tighter, inhale on the way up.
Ax. I’ll pull the belly deeper and hit the ribs tighter to low or twice, more head keeps pressing back into that ball inhale. Exhale. One more zip to lift. Deep into lower. Hold it right here.
One more breath in. Deep in the belly, lift those legs all the way back up and hug them back in towards the chest. From here, we’ll lower the feet back down to the floor. Knees up to the ceiling, take the ball out from behind the head, stay lifted over those ribs. We’ll start by placing it between our right thigh and our left elbow.
So draw the right knee in towards your chest. Left hand behind the base of the neck and skull. Curl up and over your right rib cage until that left elbow makes a connection to the ball. The knee might come a little closer Whatever you need to feel like you’re gonna pop this between those joints. Bring your right hand behind your head to match the left. Take a deep breath in.
And see if you can curl up a little higher drawing right elbow further back. Now focus on the seat belt. We don’t wanna be twisting our hips keep it anchored, keep it square, deep breath in, pulse a little higher into that ball, left elbow towards your right thigh, deep breath in. Really slightly back, exhale curl a little higher up and over into that twist inhale back and in. Exhale up and over an inch.
We’re really working into that right oblique one more time inhale. Lift and twist exhale hold option. If you have 4 more sets like that, For a little more challenge, we’ll extend our left leg long deep breath in. Pull the belly down, curl up a little higher as you exhale. And he’ll release in it.
Exhale up and over and then keep pulling right elbow back in opposition, inhale. Reach the left toes longer. Reach the left elbow further towards that right thigh. One more inhale. Axel lift and twist to stay.
Then that left knee back down. If it’s up, take the ball out. Lower the head for a moment. Right foot comes down. Left leg lifts the tabletop ball to the left thigh from here. Take it in your left hand, right hand behind the head, lift, and twist up, and over.
That right elbow comes to the center of the ball, sweep that left hand around and back, take a breath in, pull the belly deeper, curl up a little higher. Can you pull back in that left waist? Inhale back an inch, exhale up and over an inch. Use the breath inhale. As you exhale, can you pull the belly deeper, knit the ribs tighter, curling over that left waist inhale exhale lift and twist to stay option to stick with this.
A little more challenge. We extend right leg long form or deep breath in. Lift and twist deeper into those obliques for 3, exhale up and over. For 2, Lyft and twist. One more time inhale.
Lift and twist as you exhale. Hold slowly draw the right knee in. Foot lowers down. Head lowers back, take that ball out, and place both feet flat on the mat. We’ll take the ball just the side for a moment, feet in line with the hips, take a breath, and pull the belly down, small tuck of the pelvis where we started here, continue to use the core, add a little glute connection to lift the hips up higher.
We’ll place the ball underneath our tail. So get it there comfortably for your body here, getting situated, making sure it’s not too high in the middle back, but really underneath your sacrum, your tailbone. Palms press firmly to the floor. Once again, we feel this sensation of a nice open chest and collarbone area. Chin is lifted.
Right leg draws to a tabletop position deep breath and pull the belly down. Pull your low belly even further towards where that ball is for support. As you lift the left leg up to meet the right from here. Draw the inner thighs together. Take a deep breath and I’ll pull the belly deeper and then extend your right leg long. Draw the right knee back into tabletop.
Extend the left leg long. Think of your single leg stretch here, moving from tabletop with control, pulling the belly down, reaching right toes forward, keeping those fingertips reaching forward, crown of the head back inhale. Exobelli pulls a little deeper towards the space between the back and the mat and down towards the sacrum towards the ball. One more. Inhale and exhale. Moving a little quicker.
We’ll alternate reach right leg long inhale. Reach a left leg long, exhale, who we switch for a 4. And 3. And Sweck last two. Can you keep your body really stable here last time? Drop both knees back in.
And from here, begin to extend your legs up. You might find that if those hamstring were to feeling tight earlier with this slight lift of the pelvis, your legs are a little longer, a little straighter. That might allow you to flex your feet, getting even more stretch for the back of those hamstrings. Scissoring the legs will lower the right leg, maybe taking the left leg a little closer towards us. And scissor and switch, alternating inhale, and exhale.
Now, yes, I love to feel some length through the front of that hip and thigh of the leg that’s lowering, but I wanna try and keep a fairly even scissor here working to lengthen out the back of the legs and stabilize the hips. So it’s just as much about lifting that leg up and closer towards you using your core as it is about lowering that leg down with control and switch for 2. Inhale. Exhale. One more set. We switch and switch. We’re gonna add a bicycle. Bend your right knee.
And as you lower the leg long. We reach that right leg up, then the left hand, lower the right leg down, the left heel to the ceiling, inhale. And exhale. Keep it moving here and switch to more this direction. And switch gazes at palms, press down, reverse the bike reach left heel, outright leg high, and little backpedal, inhale, and exhale.
I like to try and stay parallel here reaching through those heels pressing from the back of the legs last 2 and switch 1 more. Inhale. And exhale. Lift both legs up to the ceiling. Take a deep breath and exhale bend the knees into your chest. Give them a nice squeeze, a little hug if you feel stable there, and then lower the arms back down with control, lower one foot, and then the other feet will be in line with those hips as best as you can. Feel the low belly and the glutes connect to tuck and curl those hips back up.
Keep the gaze up. Slide that ball out from underneath you. Deep breath in and exhale to roll all the way down with troll. Feel that tail length and nice and long. From here, we’re gonna take that ball back between our inner thighs where we started here.
And those legs will float back up to a tabletop position, breaking at the hips, using the belly to arrive. And then this time, bring your feet together into a diamond shape. We’ll start by holding on behind the legs, take a deep breath in, and then begin to curl up chin over the chest. Think of gazing towards your ball pressing legs in the hands, hands in the legs deep breath in and then begin to curl all the way up trying to keep those shins parallel to the floor. Draw your elbows wide.
Pull your shoulders down and lift through your chest and heart. Keep squeezing inner thighs and knees together. Maybe you stay holding on, maybe you reach forward to work our balance, deep breath, and begin to lower just the upper body to the tips of the shoulder blades. Taking our time. Holding on if you need.
Can you keep those legs still? The more you squeeze into the ball, working those adductor muscles, those inner thigh, tomorrow, it’ll help you roll evenly on your spine inhale to prepare at the tips of the shoulder blades. The exhale heals us right back up scoop out from the low belly. Lengthen up through the crown of the head and the heart, reach through your fingertips, inhale, begin to lower back down with control as you exhale. Can we draw our inner thighs tighter around the ball? Can we keep squeezing our heal bones together towards the midline inhale to hover?
Axle belly button pulls down to curl us right back up keep the gaze forward. Keep the link through the back. Inhale at the top. One more time, lowering down bone by bone. Working that slow articulation, very similar to our roll up, a little more challenging here, perhaps deep breath in exhale to lift all the way back up, up, up, up, up, reach and hold, and exhale to let it go.
We’ll take the ball out. Take a little forward for a moment. Let those inner thighs release. Should feel almost necessary. Let the head release and enjoy that moment in this butterfly stretch.
Take a breath in. And exhale to relax. Alright. From here, we’ll roll back up We’ll meet on our hands and our knees. So that ball will come back between the inner thighs. Gotta kinda get it there in the right spot.
Once you do, shoulders over those wrists, palms pressing into the floor, tops of the feet and shintz pressing into the floor. Do you feel your inner thighs activate here again? It’s gonna help us activate in the low pelvic floor. Use that connection, inhale with this nice, long spine flat back. Excel. Pull the belly up and in.
Let the head release down. Maybe take a moment to shake it out, opening up through the upper back and neck. From there releasing the squeeze of the ball, releasing sit bones, and tailbone back, belly down, stretch out those abdominal, pull the shoulder blades away from the ears, lift your gaze, lift your heart, take a deep breath in, and exhale to round up and in finding that black cat shape press the floor away, open up through the spine one more time into that cow shaped shoulder slide down the back heart lifts forward, opening up through the neck, through the throat, inhale, and exhale to curl up and in. This time we’ll stay in this rounded shape. The gaze stays back.
You’re staring at your beautiful ball. Tuck your toes. Press the feet the toes now into the floor. Press the palms into the floor. Take a deep breath in.
See if you can squeeze the ball tighter, you hover your knees an inch or 2 from the mat. Now keep your upper background and keep that gaze back head drops. So we’re protecting our neck alignment here. Squeeze the ball tighter and release it gently. Squeeze it a little tighter exhale. And he’ll release 2 more times.
Squeeze the ball, try and pop it, pull the belly up and in. Release one more time squeeze hold. Lower the knees to hover or tap the mat for 4. Inhale down. Exhale. Pull the belly up.
Lift the knees up for 3. This is tiny movement. For to press the floor away, get out of those shoulders one more time, lift in the waist, hover the knees and hold. Take one more breath in. Gay stays back, belly pulls up, squeeze the ball tighter, slowly release the knees, untuck the toes.
We’ll take one more nice, juicy cow stretch, deep breath in. And exhale. This time coming back to a flat back, crown of the head forward, tailbone back. Take the ball out. You’re gonna place it underneath your left palm, pressing that palm to the floor, pressing your right palm to the floor as well, working on our balance here, extend that left leg back. Same hand as leg. Little more challenging to not open up the hips.
So we can we keep both hip bones pointing down. Try not to sink into that right side. Right side stays parallel. Deep breath in. Pull your belly up and in. Press the shoulder blades down away from your ears.
We’re gonna tricep push up from here. That left elbow will bend wide. The right elbow will stay tight to the ribs, inhale, exhale, press the ground away, lift in the low waist. For 3, forehead to the floor, left toes to the sky, press it up, work on a square hip alignment here, lower, and lift one more time inhale down, exhale up, belly lifts, leg lifts, lower the knee with control. We’re gonna slide that ball over to the other side.
Starting with our balance, left palm down, right palm presses into the ball. Make sure they’re even pull the shoulders back, zip up through the waist without tucking. Can we keep that long spine? And extend your right leg back. Now find your alignment first.
Take a breath in. Pull the belly up a little tighter. Squeeze your inner thighs and glutes a little tighter. They’ll begin to bend left elbow towards the ribs, right elbow wide on the inhale, exhale, press the earth away for 3. And press.
Think of working both directions here. The whole body. 2. One more time inhale down. Exhale up. Stay take a deep breath and exhale lift the leg a little higher and lower the knee all the way down. From there, we’ll take the ball, slide it on forward, and then lower all the way down onto the belly.
We’ll work into some Swan, some back extension, hyper extension for spine here pressing palms onto the top of the ball, letting that head release down, again, biceps framing the ears, toes pointed back tops of the feet and where your toe nails shoelaces would be pressing firmly into the floor. So our glutes are connected. If anything, your knee might lift a little bit, but without lifting in the toes, pull that belly up and then pull the shoulders away from the ears. A lot to think about even here. Take a deep breath into prepare.
Begin to slide the ball to the crown of the head, lift your chest, lift your heart, slight lift of that gaze, deep breath in, exhale pull the belly up and in away from the floor. Think of that tight zipper connection, low in your core, crown of the head. Fingerhips reach forward. Shoulders continue to slide down the back, inhale to prepare. Exel, press down into the ball, lift through the sternum, drawing heart forward shoulders back collar bones wide, deep breath in.
Pulling that belly up and in, coming at the ribs a little tighter thing of that corset sensation right around the waist. Inhale at the bottom. Acts, he’ll begin to lift. Feeling that link through the front of the body inhale. Pull the belly up and in away from the floor and at the ribs a little tighter to length.
And as you lower, once more inhale at the bottom. Shoulders slide down the back. Be gonna drag the ball towards your chest. Lifting up. Use it. Use your arms. Use your back, inhale.
Excel lower all the way down with control. Let your body release for a moment. Give your hips a little wiggle side to side. Reconnect in those inner thighs and then take the palms back to the outside of the ball. Feet once again stay down.
Press into the palms, begin to hover the arms right in line with your shoulders here. Take a deep breath and and then begin to lift up through the chest through the back pull the shoulder blades back as you inhale lift a little higher ball into the right hand, reach those arms to a tee, squeeze between the glutes and shoulder blades. Take the ball behind your back. Can you exchange it into the left hand, reach back to that tee, and then back forward overhead and lower down? We’ll do the reverse of the arms. Start by lifting the arms pressing into the paltz, lift the chest, take a deep breath in, exhale open arms to a tee ball in the left hand squeeze the glutes and shoulder blades together neck in line with the spine. Ball behind the glutes behind the back transferring to the right hand, reach back to that t inhale.
Axle reach forward and lower. 2 more times. Inhale arms lift, chest lifts. Axle to the t. Squeeze into the back.
Find your teeth. Reach forward and lower once more. Keep those feet pressing down abs and glutes engaged, lift arms, and back. Exhale to the t. Inhale to the back. Exhale back to your tee, reach arms overhead, and lower all the way down with control.
Once again, give those hips a little wiggle. He’ll sit all the way back into a rest position from here. Hit towards those sit bones. Any other position that might feel better on your body here, go for it. Try to let your chest drape maybe over or between your thighs. Let your head release any tension you’re holding in your body.
Take a deep breath in and exhale. Let it go. One more breath inhale and exhale. Alright. We will walk those hands back in. We’ll do a little bit of sideline work today for those outer glutes. So grab your ball.
We’ll start working our left leg, and we’re going to think of maybe slightly wedging this underneath our waist. However, I like to think of not squishing it and staying as lifted as possible. Whatever that means for your body, lower right forearm down, fingertips, or fist forward, ball underneath that oblique, underneath that right rib cage as a gentle reminder to not slouch into the shoulder into the neck. That’s really press the floor away. I like to keep my knees at a ninety degree bend here. I have a flat line from the crown of the head to my tail, imagine lining up against the back edge of your mat, knees are at that ninety degree bend with heels in line with the hips.
Top hand could be on the hip on the mat. Stay lifted in the low belly. Inhale. Open that left knee to the ceiling, squeeze the heels together, and exhale to lower back down with control. Those hips stay square. I like to think about having a wall behind my back.
So I’m not rocking. That ball stays still in hand to open. School wheezing the seat right behind us. Excel resists to close one more like this, inhale to open. Pull the belly button back in in.
Ribs stay connected to close. Meas and thighs stay down. Feet ankles shin’s lift. He’ll stay connected. We open to that beautiful diamond shape, resist to close back down again. Ian, he’ll open.
Axle to close. 2 more squeezing from the seat working on that external and internal rotation of the hips. One more time open and close. We’ll do one more clamshell variation here. Those feet ankles shouldn’t stay down. You press into that right forearm.
To lift the hips, lift the body away from your ball, left fingertips reach up, shoulders pull down. Can we press the ground away and squeeze the glutes a little bit more forward? From here start to open left knee up for a 4. Resist to lower. For 3, squeezing the seat. Same movement we just work.
2 more times, shoulders stay down. She stays lifted and lower once more open and close. Slowly release the hips back down. We’ll take this ball underneath our left palm, extend the legs out long, and then lower the body all the way down. Bicep to ear here.
Now we’re gonna use this palm onto the ball for support, little more challenging than when it is on the floor. Start by lifting both legs up, squeeze inner thighs together, using those same adductor muscles, lower with control. Press down into the palm as the legs lift inhale, exhale lower. One more time, inner thighs tight. Toes reaching out in a way.
Legs lower. Now press into the palm. You use your left tricep. Use your obliques. Palm is up. We lift the upper body and we lower. Again, inhale lift doesn’t have to be huge movement here.
Feel that left oblique working for 2. Lower. Legs stay down. Upper body only. Lower. Now both upper and lower body together, press into the palm to lift.
And lower. Can we get the right fingertips and toes and alignment? And down. 2 more times in Hala. Axale lower. 1 more inhale lift and exhale to lower.
Bend those knees in, press the body all the way up. We’ll switch right over to our other side. Ball will now be underneath that left waist. Again, nice, long, spine, elbow, crown of the head tail and alignment, obliques kind of hovering over that ball. Heels in line with the hips, shoulders down, and back open, proud chest.
Rotate from that right hip. Feel that right glute engage on the inhale. Or resist to close as you exhale inhale to open. Pelvis stays really square and low belly pulling back in an inhale. And exhale.
2 more like this. Keeping those heels connected. Toes can open. And close ties down. Feet ankles shins up. Again, heels squeeze together. Find your beautiful diamond shape here and close. Yes.
We like to make it a big diamond, but can you do so without adjusting those hips and close two more times in the heel open? Ax out to close. Belly stays connected. Ribs stay connected. One more.
And together, lowering back down, feet, shins, press down, left palm presses down. We lift away from our ball. We squeeze our glutes forward, zip up through the waist. Right fingertips up, shoulder blades back and down. Right knee opens for 4.
Resist as you close. For 3 squeeze the seat right behind you. I think sit bones butt cheeks together too and close one smart inhale open. Ax hail close. Alright. Lower those hips back down.
We’ll take the ball underneath the right palm. This time extending those legs out long, upper body all the way down left ear to left bicep pressing into right palm shoulder blades roll down and back We really wanna try not to lift that right shoulder or allow it to roll forward. Zip up through the inner thighs. Hover both legs up on the inhale. Lower the legs down as you exhale.
Press down into the palm as the legs lift. Feel those right obliques engaging and lower. Interthighs, ankles, knees all zipping together, and lower. Once more lengthened to lift and lower upper body. Now right palm presses down.
Right obliques lift us up. And lower shoulders away from the ear, small little lift, and take it down 2 more times. Belly pulls up and into lift. And lower once more inhale and exhale body and legs moving together here I think long line from fingertips to toes resist on the way back down working all directions for 3. Lower.
Use the breath inhaler. Exhale down. Last time we lift, and we lower. Then those knees and press the body all the way back up, and then we’ll take the ball and spin to face either direction this time placing the ball behind our low back. So we’re gonna do a little prep for the neck pull exercise that I like to teach thinking about that beautiful tall flatback that we have in neck pull long line through the spine that we’ve been talking about, legs can be a little bit more extend it a little bit straight or do what works best for your body here.
Make sure that ball is underneath your tail, but you’re not slouching back into it, and we’ll start with the arms reaching out in front of us. Imagine a tight zipper lifting you up tall. Take a deep breath. And as you exhale, begin to hinge back with that gorgeous long line of the spine flat back. Zip up through the waist. Take a deep breath in. Excellent. Hit the ribs together.
Pull the pubic bone back to the sacrum belly button back to the ball. To curl forward without losing connection of back to ball back to the flat back long line on the inhale. Small deep scoop and contraction to curl us forward, inhale to lengthen neck in line with the spine. Exhale to curl up and forward one more time inhale lengthen back and exhale to curl up and forward. From there, sit back up tall.
Make sure that ball is still connected. Option to keep those arms there for a little more challenge. We’ll place them behind the back of the neck and skull. Once again, find that lift, shoulders away from the ears, zip up through the waist as you inhale, begin to lengthen up and back on the exhale, opening up across the chest. Maybe challenge yourself and go a little further deep breath into prepare. Core should already be trembling. Pull the belly back small contraction up and over the ribs as you exhale, inhale to lengthen back, exhale to curl up and over.
Two more times. Find the length and ribs draw away from the hips. Feel that scoop, that low belly initiation connecting to pull us up and over. One more inhale and exhale forward. Once again sitting all the way up tall, option to keep those hands wherever they are.
Maybe if you want to switch it up, hands here for somewhere in between level wise. Sit a little taller to start deep breath in. Begin to hinge back. Find your point of control here. Take a breath in.
Can we lower a little further? Challenge your self without losing that low belly connection without losing that beautiful long line of the spine deep breath in will add a twist curling up and over the left waist. Over the left rib cage, hips stay square and knees stay straight up, twisting right into that oblique muscle. Length and long spine back inhale. Up and over the right waist as you exhale. Inhale back.
Exhale lift and twist pull back in that left waist. Inhale back center. Pull the low belly back first then twist up and over the right one more time each side. Inhale, lengthen. Exhale to curl inhale back center, exhale up and over, inhale back to center and hold, and exhale to curl all the way back up tall to rest. We’ll take that ball, place it back between those inner thighs We’ve been here before.
We’ll take our time rolling down. Reach those arms forward. Hold on if you need to take a deep breath in. Squeeze into the inner thighs, begin to roll down one bone at a time. Think of your heels, your knees, all staying straight up to the ceiling in line with those hips, That way once we arrive at the bottom, our shoulders relax, we can drag those heels in, and they’re still in alignment with the hips.
Moving into a little bit of bridge work here for the back of those glutes and hamstrings, take a deep breath in at the bottom. Think about how we started class We exhale. We draw the ribs and inner thighs together, connecting everything to the midline. Imagine you’re gonna pop that ball. Hold it there. Take another breath in.
Now start to pull the belly button down so much that the pelvis tucks and curls. We turn on those glutes. We squeeze sit bones and butt cheeks together. We lift the pelvis high, pubic bone and hip bones lift up, but low belly begins to pull down further. Ribs connect further to support the spine.
Can you squeeze the glutes a little tighter? Press into your heels, maybe wiggle your toes. That way we were really working from the backside to lengthen the hips. Inhale at the top, exhale to roll back down chest away from the chin, keep squeezing that ball, think of a melting down into this mat. Vertabrub by vertebrake it into the middle of the waist into the low back. Are you still squeezing? Those inner thighs should be trembling.
Release the hips at the bottom. Again, like that, take a deep breath in. Hip stay heavy on the mat, draw the ribs together, inner thighs together to hold. Take another breath in. Pull the belly down. Curl the hips up.
Squeeze your seat. Press into the heels. Press into the palms, lift the chin away from the chest, open neck and throat. We’ll add a small pulse, squeeze the ball tighter, lower the hips an inch inhale. Lift the hips right back up, squeeze as you exhale.
For 4. Squeeze sit bones and butt cheeks together, press into the heels and palms for 3. Lift and squeeze. For 2. Belly pulls down, pelvis lifts up one more time inhale, exhale squeeze and stay.
Take one more breath here. Give it all you got. Squeeze up all one more inch, breathe in, exhale slowly roll all the way down vertebra by vertebra through the upper back. Through the middle of the waist into the low back, finally releasing the hips at the very bottom. From there, let the ball come out, let the soles of the feet come together, take a moment, little butterfly stretch.
Those inner thighs should be feeling this. You should feel like the stretch is absolutely necessary. We’re gonna finish with a little bit of teaser work. Start with that ball right up over your chest. Press into your palms, engage in your back.
Bring those knees back up to center and then lift them one at a time to a tabletop position. Think of that inner thigh connection we’ve worked here. Use your legs to squeeze together deep breath in begin to curl up reaching the fingertips in the ball towards the knees chin hovering over the chest. Take another breath in. From here, we curl all the way up.
Those legs could always stay bent if you feel like you really have that balance right away, extend those legs long. Lift the chest, lift your gaze, take a deep breath, and press into your palms, and then begin to lower everything down vertebra by vertebra. Those knees could bend back into tabletop or towards the chest or those legs can lower along with the spine with control We have her heels. We have her shoulder blades. Press the heels together. The palms together to hold. Slowly release the head and arms back and legs long on the mat.
Inhale arms lift. Acts, you’ll begin to curl up chin over the chest. Belly pulls down. Legs begin to hover lifting all the way up. Think of lifting those legs from your core, pull the belly deeper, lift the heart a little higher brewery than at the top, exhale to roll down vertebra by vertebra.
Think of that tight zipper sensation through the low belly could always bend your knees in. Maybe you ditch the ball. Maybe you hold on for dear life. Listen to your body here. Moving with control.
We have 1 more. Connect the inner thighs together. Use those adductors we’ve worked in hill arms lift. Use the low belly in the pelvic floor to curl up and hover the legs. Use the breath to lengthen all the way out through those limbs at the very top.
If you’re solid in that balance, keep those heels squeezing together, press the palms together, reach your arms overhead, ears to biceps, biceps to ears, lift a little taller through the heart, take one more breath in. Begin to roll all the way down in 4. Use the breath. In 3, arms stay by the ears. Belly pulls a little deeper towards the mat.
In to find that hover, lengthen squeeze a little tighter into that midline and release everything down at the bottom. From there, reach those arms back up, flex through your heels, take a deep breath in, and exhale turn around and roll all the way up. To a seat sitting nice and tall. You are all done. I hope you don’t wanna throw your ball at me. Really nice work today.
I hope you had a good class.