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Todays video is a guide to build strength and connection with your core …. Abdominals & Glutes to enable you to work towards being able to do a full V-Sit or Pilates Teaser.
When I began to dip my toe in the Pilates world a Teaser was an exercise way beyond my capabilities, in fact I couldn’t ever imagine being able to do one. Three young children and very little core strength I was a long way off being able to attempt this exercise with any control or hope of success.
Over time , with patience , a greater understanding of what needs to engage and a stronger core connection I am far more confident when I do this exercise however as I always say to clients we are looking for progression not perfection.
Here I share some tips to build strength . I give you a plan to work towards being able to confidently & safely do a ‘teaser’ .
Please listen to my cues , listen to your bodies , rest when you need to and revisit often 😜.
Enjoy x
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0:00
Hi, how are you? Okay, so today you and I are going to look at an exercise called the teaser
0:08
and then we're going to break that down. I'm going to break it down. You're going to follow my
0:12
guidance and we're going to work out how we get from not being able to do it to finally
0:20
being able to do that exercise. So we're not looking for perfection in this. We're looking
0:25
for progress. And when I first started on my journey and discovered the joy that is Pilates
0:31
I was nowhere near being able to do a teaser and I'm not saying that it's perfect now. However
0:37
the progress is there. It was a goal that I set for myself. If it isn't a goal for you
0:44
you don't need to watch this video. Click on one of my other videos. Go and make yourself a cup
0:49
of tea. However, if it is something that you would like to set yourself as a goal, then the
0:55
The idea behind this video, behind this workout, is that I'm going to help you break it down into segments and you can gradually build strength, build connection, build control. And we're going to do it together. So let's get started now together. You just need a mat. Okay, so we're lying down on our mats. I want you to bring the heel of your hands onto your hips. Point your fingertips down towards your pubit bone. Slowly slide those feet up
1:25
the mat. We want new feet, knees, hip distance apart. We're going to tuck our pelvis. So my pubic
1:34
bone is lifting. My hips are lowering and my lower back imprinted on the mat. Then I tilt the opposite
1:41
way, hips lift. You've got that increased arch here in your lower back. We go again. Three, two
1:51
one more. And then come. come back or come to that neutral position
1:58
We're then going to slide the legs back down the mat, maintaining that neutral spine
2:03
We're going to start with a roll-up. So we're going to reach the arms, float those arms to a vertical position
2:11
Take an inhale. In terms of the legs, just think about lengthening the legs
2:15
softly point those feet. We're going to breathe in, drawing your navel down towards your spine
2:21
And as you exhale, start to lift your head. reach with the arms. Shoulders lift and we're going to roll forwards here. Rolling, rolling, rolling
2:33
reaching, maintain that C curve. Now draw those ribs back. Find that C shape and roll down. So we're starting
2:42
to focus on that connection with our core. We're going to go again. So inhale, shoulders relaxed
2:49
Exhale, head lifts, shoulders, arms are reaching forward. Drawing the name. back rolling forwards here and slowly roll down good well done one more time inhale exhale head shoulders
3:12
arm reach thinking about the crown of your head reaching forwards and slowly come up to a seated
3:21
position well done so now we're going to slide the feet up the mat. So we're going to start with the soles of the feet on the mat, knees, hip distance apart
3:31
We're going to lift up. So thinking about that long spine, drawing the navel down, the ribs down
3:36
pulling the shoulders away from our ears. So lightly hold on to the back of your thighs
3:42
Take an inhale. Chin lowers, spine, find that C shape. Start to roll back here. Extend the arms
3:50
We're going to lift one foot away from the mat. Extend. Bend
3:55
return opposite side draw that thigh towards you extend bend return we're going to do one more on
4:03
each side well done and return that foot so keep that C shape now raise the arms and reach
4:15
up here well done we going to do the same thing knee to chest extend bend return well done one more time Knee to chest Extend bend return Take an inhale
4:31
place the hands behind the thighs, breathe out and roll up. Okay, we're going to do the same thing
4:39
but we're going to change our spine now. So we're going to go from a C shape to what we call a J shape
4:45
Okay. So inhale, find that C shape. Start to roll back. So you'll
4:50
opening through the front of the hips. Now, J shape, you've got that curve at the base of your spine
4:56
but then we're going to lift our chest. So we're trying to think about the middle of your back
5:00
flattening, pull those shoulders away from your ears, draw your navel down, raise the arms up
5:06
We're going to do the same as before. So we lift, extend, bend, return. Lift, extend
5:15
bend, return. Well done. Take the arms a little bit higher. So can you see
5:20
that we're coming to that shape of a teaser. Well done. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale
5:28
Trying to work really hard to maintain this J shape. Well done. And one more. Well done. Foot comes down
5:38
Hands return. Find that C shape. Roll up. So I'm already feeling that I feel challenged in terms of my holding that position
5:50
core strength. So just rest whenever you need to. If that's enough for today, stop there. Keep coming
5:55
back to this and then we're going to layer into this. Okay. So inhale, find that C shape again
6:02
Start to extend the arms. Well done. Think about the chest lifting, the back, our spine
6:08
flattening here in the middle of our back, shoulders pulled away from our ears. Now you're going to
6:12
lift one foot away from the mat. Extend that leg, bend, return. And again
6:20
Okay, now we're going to go for both. So we lift, lift, pull those shoulders down, extend, bend
6:28
slowly return, just tap those toes, lift, extend, bend, return. So inhale, breathe out
6:39
inhale, exhale. Keep thinking about the chest lifted, those shoulders pulling down away from your ears
6:47
We're going to go two more. Have a rest if you need one. Well done. One more. Good. Well done. Bring the feet down. Find that C shape and roll all the way up. Well done. And then obviously you can do as many reps as you feel that you can. Not to exhaustion, but just to layer in and build that stamina. Okay. So now we're going to roll down together onto the mat. So inhale, C shape. Exhale start to roll down. Now my arm
7:20
are fully extended. I'm going to slide my hands now round the side of the thighs and I'm going to bring my head, shoulders down onto the mat. Hands are still in this position. Take an inhale. Head lift, shoulders lift. So you're reaching down the thighs. Hold the back of the side and you can bring yourself up to this position. We slowly go down. Well done. And we roll down. Well done. Relax the shoulders
7:50
Curl up, holding the back of the thighs to give you a little bit of support
7:54
You're going to come all the way up and we're going to go down. Now, we're going to lay it into this
7:59
Well done. So this time, walk the feet a little bit closer towards you
8:05
Find that neutral spine. Okay. So we start to curl up, head, shoulders, reaching
8:13
We're going to extend this leg and we're going to curl up here
8:16
Can you see how much more challenging it is? Well done. As I said, I too am a work in progress. Bring that foot down. Extend the opposite
8:27
leg. Take an inhale. Think of that sense of reaching round, drawing the navel down towards your spine
8:34
Lift up and slide down. Return the foot onto the mat. We're going to do a couple more on each side
8:43
So breathe out And lift Well done So we not going to coming to that J shape yet with the spine Well done And again we reaching round head and shoulders lifting
8:58
extending the leg as we lift and roll back. Well done. One more time
9:05
Try not to throw ourselves forward, trying to find that control. Well done
9:13
Brilliant. And down we go. And one more time. Extend the leg. Lengthen connect through that posterior chain
9:25
down the back of that leg and slowly, slowly come all the way down. Well done. So settle yourself onto the mat
9:35
Okay, and we're going to bring the legs in to double knee fold. I'm going to hold the back of your thighs here
9:41
Now, lock the elbows here behind the thighs, not behind the thighs. Hands are behind the thighs
9:49
Lock the elbows. Draw those knees, thighs, towards your chest. Okay, so you'll be familiar
9:58
possibly with an exercise rolling like a ball, rolling like a rocker. So we're thinking about that
10:03
flexion, the rounding of our spine here. So take an inhale. And as you breathe out, start to think about the feet
10:11
the toes driving forwards and you roll up to this position here. Now, find that J shape. Lift the chest
10:20
pull those shoulders down. Extend the legs here. Well done. Bend the knees, C shape, and roll down with
10:29
control. Well done. We're going to go again. So elbows are locked. Chin is lifting
10:35
Took that chin down. Roll up. That's it. Extend the legs. Lift the chest. Lift the chest. Lift the
10:41
chest shoulders down. Bring those knees in. Find that C shape and roll down. Okay, I'm going to do it better this time. We're not looking at the
10:51
camera. Well done. So you're doing really well. Inhale. Breathe out. Press forwards. Roll up. Well done. Lift the chest
11:01
shoulders down. You're going to do this two more times. Find that C shape. Roll all the way down
11:07
and last one rolling up make sure we're tucking the chin down
11:12
as we come up hold here hold now release with one arm
11:16
if you can lift that chest release with the other well done and hold three
11:21
two one hand returns then the other hand lift the chest well done hold
11:28
inhale see curve rolling down well done now this time as we roll up
11:33
we're going to try and release the legs almost immediately so take an inhale
11:37
inhale, breathe out, find that connection, lend in those legs and reach and lift the chest
11:44
Three, two, one. We took, hold, C shape, roll down. Well done. And again, breathe breath in
11:54
roll up and lift chest, shoulders pull down, reach, hold. Three, two, one
12:02
Took and roll all the way down and one more time. lift, chest lifts, shoulders down. Three, well done. Two, one, knees, hold, C shape, down. We go, well done. Now, bring your feet down, give yourself a little rest. So in class, we've been laying through all of these different variations. When we then try and move to a full teaser, we tend to start with the legs in this position
12:37
So I want you to think about the heels together, the knees, hip distance
12:41
So I always say let's get lots of flexion in the hips. So drawing those thighs towards you, but keep your tailbone heavy on the mat
12:48
Okay, so we're going to draw those knees into the chest, ankle bones together
12:54
spine heavy or tailbone heavy, ribs connected onto the mat. Okay, so we're going to take an inhale
13:01
We're starting to lift the head and breathe out, lengthen the legs, reach with the
13:07
those arms and find that biting point that balance chest lifts Now bring those knees in and see if we can roll the spine down with control We go in again big breath in Head lifts that sense of reaching forward chest lift shoulders down hold
13:25
Three, chest lifts, two, one, took the knees, hold the back of the thighs if you need to find
13:33
that C shape and roll down. Well done. One more time, soften those elbows
13:40
three, two, one. Knees, spine rolling all the way down. Brilliant. Now you're going to bring those feet
13:57
legs down onto the mat. Okay. So we're going to try a full teaser now. If we're not ready
14:05
that's absolutely fine. Okay, so you can start with your hands. down by your sides. So on that sense of reaching down the mat, lengthen, connect through the legs
14:20
draw your navel down towards your spine. Okay, we're going to take an inhale. Reach, reach
14:27
your heads lifting, your shoulders and lift to here. Well done. Raise the arms up
14:34
Bring those hands down, bring the knees down and slowly come back down onto the mat
14:40
Bring the feet down, slide those feet away. We're going to go again
14:44
Take an inhale, reach, lengthen through the legs, draw your navel towards your spine
14:51
Take the hands away from the mat, lift the chest. Well done. We're going to now bring one leg down
14:56
bring the other leg down, and we're going to roll all the way down onto the mat
15:02
Okay, and again, three, two, one. Press down with the hands, lengthening through those legs, hold, lift, chest lifts. Well done. Slowly lower one leg. Lower the other leg
15:18
and then roll all the way down onto the mat. Okay, we're going to take those arms overhead
15:26
Now as those arms are going overhead, the back of the ribs are staying heavy on the mat
15:31
Find the connection through the legs. So it's crown of the head down to the toes
15:37
or tip of the fingers down to the toes. Taking that inhale
15:43
breathe out, think about that connection through the body as you lift to here
15:49
Raise those arms. Well done. Three, two, one. And slowly connect through the legs
15:57
all the way back down onto the mat. Try that one more time
16:01
Big breath in. lift hold and then slowly slowly don't lose that connection through the legs as you roll all the way
16:18
down well done slide your feet up the mat okay we're going to have the soles of the feet together
16:24
take those arms a little bit wider we're going to rotate your spine okay take an inhale
16:31
Lift your left hip and roll those knees to that right side
16:36
Keeping those shoulders nice and wide, the collarbone wide. Well done, use your core
16:41
Draw the navel to spine and rotate those knees. Return them back to the centre
16:47
And then we're going to go on the opposite side. Twist and breathe out
16:57
So let me know how you got on with this. And as I said, we're not looking
17:01
for perfection, we're all a work in progress. So those tips, those are ideas of things that I do with
17:10
clients in class and I've done for myself in my own practice on the mat to build that strength
17:17
to enable me to get to the point where I can do a teaser. Okay, I hope you found it really useful
17:24
Let me know how you get on and drop me a comment. And if you get chance
17:31
Just lie on your mat and relax now after all your hard work
17:37
I look forward to seeing you soon. Well done
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