
Welcome to one of the most challenging Pilates exercises. No matter how well you perform it, there are always methods to improve and deepen connections. This exercise represents the need to employ all six of the Pilates principles: Breath, Concentration, Control, Center, Precision and Flow. I break down the exercise into a few sections so even if the full exercise is not appropriate for your body, perhaps some of the nuanced portions are useful.
- Sit tall with legs extended along the mat; cross one leg over the other and place the palms down alongside the hips.
- Initiate from your core, scoop navel in, and tip back lifting the legs off the floor
- Roll back until your legs are parallel to the floor, arms pressed into the mat, criss cross the legs and smoothly roll up to a teaser position, arms extended parallel to the legs.
- Turn palms upward and bend elbows near your sides. Arms keep reaching behind you until you can clasp your hands. Create a shoulder stretch and gradually lift the arms higher as you lower the legs down to the mat with the upper body curved over the lower body. Arms remain behind you.
- Once in the forward fold, unclasp the hands and circles the shoulders around to rest on the feet. Repeat