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Hi, and welcome to Angle's Lines and Curves.
I'm Carrie Anderson, and I'm very excited to finally be able to share this special workout with you.
As many of you know, my heart is truly in fitness, and has been for most of my life.
I've been teaching a variety of classes at our club since 1981, and I hope it's obvious that I love all aspects of movement training,
from step, high, low, and dance, to weight training in the gym.
Now I have the opportunity to bring to you a culmination of my years of dance and sports.
You're about to experience a dynamic and empowering mix of muscle work and flexibility training.
My goals for you go way beyond this workout.
I'm hoping that the focus and body awareness you'll develop over time will enhance all areas of your life.
You'll stand taller, develop an inner confidence, along with a new sense of your space and how you want to feel it.
The movements you'll be doing are all controlled.
You working against the forces of gravity and your own body limits to achieve specific shapes in space.
In the process, you'll discover strength, length, and control you never knew you had.
For the next 45 minutes, while performing every movement and position, I want you to focus on these five steps.
One, try to view your own body from space, feel the position from within, develop a proprioceptive sense of yourself.
Two, with a self-disciplined emphasis on technique, try to achieve the desired angle, line, or curve of each movement.
Three, focus on the required strength, flexibility, or balance to achieve a movement.
Four, remember to breathe deeply, using your exhalation to maximize your range of motion, extending beyond your physical ends.
Five, relax into your stretches, feel the release and the length of your muscles.
Remember, nothing should be painful during this workout.
Of course I want you to work, but I also want you to make careful decisions on your range of motion and listen to the messages your body sends you.
I'd like you to meet some club members and also good friends who'll be joining me.
We hope to show you our individual interpretation of the movements, as well as our differences in flexibility.
You'll understand that your body is uniquely yours, and I want you to enjoy your process of improvement over time.
Well, clear a carpeted area that allows you plenty of space to stretch out.
Take your shoes and socks off.
I want you to feel the earth with your feet and the sky with your fingertips.
Let's begin.
Abdominals in, shoulders back, press down, bend your knee, nice and easy.
Like this, just follow us.
I'm going to add a little bit of rhythm to it.
Very nice, I want you to take it into a single count, same thing.
Great.
Now, slow it down right here, sink into it, pull the elbow back.
Come up, do two singles to go to the other side.
Good, so you slowly sink down, start to pull the elbow back a little bit further.
Good, try it again.
Now, do you feel that right shoulder pull back?
Your back is very long, sitting into that hip a bit.
Excellent.
This should feel good.
Stay with the singles right here.
Inhale, arms up.
Exhale, arms down.
Step out your left foot first, just four steps.
Turn the legs out from the hip.
Good, take a deep breath, arms overhead.
Long back.
You're going to bend the knees into a plie, one hand over your head, other arm out.
Great, once you have the movement, turn the head in the direction of the straight arm.
Feel that nice, long spine as you sink into the ground.
Let's try it a little bit faster, all right?
Even though you're sinking down, you're lifting up.
It's almost like breathing.
Very nice.
We're going to do one more and you're going to hold it.
Stay here, just tilt the body.
Good, keep your hips square.
Be aware of the rest of your body.
One more time, hold it down.
Now turn this foot out.
Lift the other heel up, stay in plie.
Pivot the whole body around as a unit.
Straighten the arm and the back leg.
Place the heel down.
Now take your arms back, pull your shoulders back.
Try to give me a diagonal line from your head to that back heel.
Front knee is bent.
Excellent, now just straighten the front leg.
Keep the body in alignment.
Very nice.
Now you're going to slowly tuck the pelvis.
Your back knee will bend.
Look at my shoulders.
They come into alignment with the rest of my body.
Straight line, right up the front.
Good, push off your back leg.
Take the arms up overhead.
Let's try those plies again, going over to the right.
Sink, lift.
Should feel really great in the legs.
Beautiful.
One more time, this time hold it to the right.
Tilt the body.
Yes.
Couple more.
Going to hold this next one down.
Turn that foot out.
Line it up to the side wall.
Lift the other heel.
Pivot the body around.
Bring the elbow around.
Straighten the arm and the back leg.
Both arms down.
Now let me see that line.
Pull your shoulders back.
Abdominals working.
Excellent.
Now all you're going to do is straighten that front leg.
Straighten it out.
Slowly bend the back knee as you tuck the pelvis.
Let's see those shoulders.
Make sure you don't arch the back here.
So important.
Hold it.
Good.
Push off your back foot.
Bring your legs together.
Arms out to the side.
Get your balance on your left foot.
Lift your right.
Feel the weight towards the ball of your foot.
Take the foot back.
Knee faces the floor.
Arms go down.
They come overhead.
You feel that line from your fingertips to your toe.
Now bring the line about 45 degrees.
When you get more advanced, take it to 90.
Now you'll see both versions right now.
Bend your standing leg.
Keep parallel to the floor if you're in the 90 degree.
You're reaching through your fingertips and through your toes.
Longer than your body.
Slowly come up as the leg goes down.
Exhale.
Did you breathe?
Take the arms out.
Let's try the other side.
Don't hold your breath.
Good.
Take the leg back.
Knee faces the floor.
Let me see those arms.
Be aware of your breathing.
You don't have to hold your breath during this workout.
Let's see 45 degrees.
Dominoes tight.
If you want to, 90 degrees.
Reach towards me.
Bend your supporting leg.
Sink.
Beautiful.
Lift.
Try it again.
Sink.
And lift.
Leg comes down as the arms come up.
Exhale, arms down.
Just bend the right knee again like we started.
You're doing great.
Just keep this going.
On your hands and knees now,
I want you to slowly let your tailbone tip up towards the ceiling.
Feel your shoulder blades come together a little bit.
Back is arched.
Now we're going to start to do the reverse.
Pass through neutral.
Start to tuck the tailbone under.
Shoulder blades spread, chin comes towards the chest.
Good.
Once again, pass through neutral.
Go back into that first position.
Let the tailbone tilt up.
And now come back to neutral,
and you're going to hold it there the rest of this.
Take your right leg straight back.
Knee faces the floor.
Hips face the ground.
Lift the leg parallel to the floor.
Dominoes tight.
Now take your opposite arm straight out.
Put your head into alignment.
Hold it right there.
You're going to slide the body back a couple of inches.
Bring it back forward.
Now do you see the picture you're making in space here?
Keep the body parallel to the ground.
Use all the muscles you need to to achieve this.
Come back center.
You're going to lower the leg.
Lower your arms.
Let's try the other side.
Right.
Take the foot back.
Knee faces the floor.
Hips square.
Lift the leg parallel.
Very good.
Take that opposite arm.
Put your head into alignment.
Hold it there.
Beautiful.
Ready to slide back?
Come back forward.
You don't need to go very far on this one.
Show your control.
Great.
Everything parallel to the ground.
One more time.
Going to lower the leg and lower the arm.
Tuck your tailbone.
Spread your shoulder blades and release the back.
Good.
Back to neutral again.
Let's take that right leg back once again.
Knee faces the floor.
Keep the hips square and rotate the leg out.
Good.
So you move the thigh and the hip joint.
Try it again.
Rotate out.
Hold it there.
Lift the leg about hip level.
Take it a little bit higher without crunching the back.
Now lower to the floor.
Down.
Lift up again.
Excellent.
Good.
Try it again.
Just challenge yourself a little bit, but I don't want you to arch the back excessively
there.
Down.
Lift up.
Stay right there.
Now can you lift a little higher?
Start to bend the elbows.
As the leg keeps going up, let your forehead come to the floor.
Now energy right up that leg.
Keep it straight.
Reach through the toes.
Keep pressing the leg.
Overhead.
Excellent.
Now slowly start to straighten the elbows.
Lift that if you can.
Now don't crunch your back.
I want you to feel extension up.
Reach through the knee.
Beautiful.
Bring the knees together.
Tuck your tailbone.
Release the back.
Back to neutral.
Let's try the other side.
Leg is out.
Straight.
Rotate it.
Bring it back to neutral again.
Keep those hips very square to the floor.
Try it again.
Rotate out.
Now start to lift the leg parallel to the ground.
Go a little higher and touch down.
Great.
Try it again.
Now I want you to try to maintain your back in this position.
You don't need to arch anymore.
Test how high you can lift the leg.
Excellent.
One more time.
Stay there.
Can you lift a little higher?
As you do, start to bend the elbows and keep the leg coming.
Keep pressing.
Come on.
Go, go, go.
Forehead to the floor.
Straighten that leg as much as you can.
Reach through your toes.
Now slowly straighten the elbows.
Lift your body towards me if you can.
Keep reaching through the leg.
Come on.
Very nice.
Bring your legs together.
Once again, tuck your tailbone.
Drop your chin.
Back to neutral.
Now step your hands out and go a little bit wider.
Bring your hips in alignment.
Tuck your toes.
So straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
A little bit harder now.
I want you to lift the knees off the floor.
Straight line.
Squeeze your buttocks.
Tighten your abs.
Now lift your right leg, keeping the knee facing the floor.
Hips square, lower down, try the other side.
Squeeze.
Don't let the back arch.
Bring it back down.
Lower the knees to the floor.
Now look at me.
Watch my shoulders.
They sink and they lift.
Feel the shoulder blades come together.
Pull apart.
Very nice.
Keep the arms straight.
One more time.
Take the hips back slowly.
Release your feet.
Bring the forehead to the floor and reach through your fingertips.
All right.
You want to start in this S position.
As you get more advanced, I want you to start to try to pull this leg a little bit further
behind you.
Now bring your shoulders square to me.
You're kind of resting on this right thigh.
Put your hands in front.
Try to lower the chest towards your thigh.
Let your head relax down.
Spine is curved.
Hold it there.
Good.
Now start to lift the head of the shoulders, but don't come too high.
I want you to test and see if you can lift your thigh off the floor.
Beautiful.
Replace it back down.
That's kind of tough.
First time you do it.
Try it again.
Lift the thigh off the floor.
Squeeze, lower back down.
Good.
Try it again.
Lower back down.
Good again.
Lift up.
Lower back down.
Last one.
Hold it up right there.
Now this is a little tougher.
Keeping the leg parallel to the floor, bring your knee towards your elbow.
As you bring it back behind you, pull it as far back as you can.
Let's try that again.
Bring the knee towards the elbow and pull it back behind you.
Really squeeze.
Good.
Remember to let your torso come forward a little bit so you're not feeling that you're arching your back too much.
Good again.
Take it back behind you.
Now this is a little tougher.
Bring your legs to the side.
Roll onto your bottom and take it back behind you on the other side.
Hold it there.
Pull.
Try that again.
Bring it up.
And pull it back.
Stay.
Let's try it a little bit faster, all right?
Use your abs as those legs come forward.
And again.
So you tighten up.
Squeeze it back.
Again.
This should feel kind of fun, very free in the wind.
Nice.
Stay right here this time.
Pull the leg a little further back.
Lower it down to the floor.
Now bring your shoulders square to me once again.
Hands in front of you.
Start to lower the chest towards the thigh.
Feel that release in this hip on the left side.
Let your head go.
Breathe once again.
Start to lift the head and the shoulders a little bit.
Let's test the thigh.
Lift it up off the floor.
And lower down.
Good.
Try it again.
Lift it up.
Lower back down.
Are you trying to pull it behind you as you do this?
Try to keep pulling it back.
Good.
Then you've got all these muscles working together.
Again, lift up.
Lower down.
Last one.
You're going to hold it up for me.
Now remember that movement, bringing the leg around to the side.
Bring it in.
Good.
And slowly pull it back.
Excellent.
Do you feel yourself getting better on, everyone?
Yes.
Good.
Let's do working against yourself and with yourself.
Good.
One more time.
Bring it back.
Stay right here.
Now remember that switch of sides.
Let's go.
Bring it front.
Pull it back.
Again, front.
Pull it back.
Very nice.
How are you doing back there?
We love this part.
And again.
One more time.
Good.
Now stay here.
Slowly bring that right leg up and around.
Bring it forward.
Sit cross-legged for me.
Hands on your ankles.
Let the pelvis rock back.
Think of the belly button going backwards.
Let the chin tuck.
Lift up.
So nice straight back.
Let me see a curved line.
Good.
Let me see a straight line as much as you can.
Beautiful.
Stay here.
We're going to make it a little harder.
Fingertips forward.
Slowly slide the hands towards me.
And you're going to try to get the elbows to the floor.
Let your head go.
Use your breathing.
Exhale.
Roll up slowly through your back.
Come back up to that straight back position.
Kick your right hand down on the floor.
Press through the palm of your hand.
Now nose face is me.
Start to bring your ear towards your left shoulder.
But don't turn your head.
Good.
You feel that release right through the neck and the shoulder.
Bring it back up.
Switch hands.
Press through the palm of the hand.
Nose forward.
Start to tilt.
Good.
Relax.
Good.
Both hands forward.
Give me a deep breath.
Inhale.
Exhale.
And drop it down.
Now lying on your side, let's see about a 45 degree angle at your hip.
Bring your lower legs parallel to the front.
Hand in front of your chest and pick your top leg up.
Place it on the floor a little bit higher than your belly button.
Now keeping your hips very square like they are right now.
You're going to slowly lift the knee off the floor.
Take it as high as you can.
And then lower back down.
Now when I say as high as you can, I mean without rocking that top hip back.
Good.
So you really have to control.
You're creating the tension.
Excellent.
Keep it going.
Now if you quiver a little bit, that's a good thing.
Squeeze.
Take it down.
Good.
Try it again.
Up.
Back down.
Looking good.
Back down.
Let's do one more.
Very nice.
I can feel you working.
Bring it down about halfway.
Pull the knee to your chest and extend the leg straight out.
Take your arm over it.
Show me a very straight line right there.
Abdominals tight.
You're going to lift the leg slowly.
Let the arm follow.
And lower back down.
Now keep your knee facing me.
Right? That's the hard part.
Your leg's not going to go too high.
A little bit faster now, right?
Very smooth even though it's a little faster.
Now I know if you rotated your leg out, you could bring it right over your head.
I don't want that.
All right?
Very good.
Lift up.
Down.
Keep working.
Good.
One more.
Give me one more.
Very nice.
Bend the knee in.
Roll onto your back.
Tuck your pelvis.
Put that foot on the floor.
Take your other leg.
Just cross it on top.
Tuck your pelvis.
Let the knees roll towards me.
That top leg will stretch the bottom one.
Feel the stretch in through the outer hip.
Excellent.
Breathe.
Now tuck your tailbone under.
Pull that leg off.
Push yourself up.
Let's go quickly to the other side.
Do the same thing.
Support your head.
45-degree angle.
Let me see the lower leg parallel.
Top leg up.
Lay it on the floor.
Hand is right in front of your chest.
Here we go.
Now slowly squeeze it up.
And lower back down.
Good again.
You should be even better on this side because you know exactly what to do.
Great.
Stacked, press, press, press, press, and down.
I want you to use every beat of the music.
Good.
So you're not resting at the top or resting at the floor.
Lift.
Yes.
We're doing it.
A couple more.
Keep pressing.
So when you start to feel fatigue, it's really working.
Last one.
Good.
We're about halfway down.
Knee in front of the chest and then extend it out.
Show me the straight line first.
Arm is in alignment.
Lift it up.
Lower back down.
Try that again.
Very controlled.
Make sure your knee is facing me.
Your hips are stacked.
Excellent.
A little faster now.
Take it up.
Down.
Good.
Test yourself.
Good.
Pressing.
Wonderful.
Now are you reaching beyond your fingertips, beyond your toes?
That knee is really straight.
Keep it going.
We've got just one more.
Make it a beauty.
Lift.
Bring it in.
Bring the knee in.
Roll onto your back.
Put that foot on the floor.
Cross your leg on top.
Tuck your pelvis.
Now let the top leg pull the bottom one slowly.
Roll it to the front.
Make sure you're not arching your back.
Breathe.
Remember, exhale.
Sink into the stretch.
Relax.
Take your top leg off.
Use your hands.
Push yourself up.
Stay right there.
All right, very straight back.
Nice.
Now I want you to rock the pelvis back just a little bit.
Tighten up those abs.
And roll back up.
Try that again.
So you want to curve the spine.
Come back up into that neutral spine.
Very straight line.
Now when you're sitting up, I want you to look very proud.
Pull those shoulders back.
Great.
Now we're going to add some arms to this.
Take your arms out front.
Palms face the floor.
Round the back again.
As you come up, pull the elbows back.
Great.
So those hands are going to come over your head.
Keep your shoulders down.
Keep pressing them down.
As you get stronger, you'll be able to pull the elbows back behind your ears.
Very nice.
Last one.
Bring it up.
Open the arms.
Just place them on the floor.
Slide your front leg up.
Cross it over the other one.
Use your hands to pull the leg in a little bit closer.
Now look at the center line of your body and gently pull the knee across that.
Put your hand or your elbow where your hand was.
Take the other hand and place it back.
Now in one smooth movement, press with the elbow as you turn the body.
And gently look over that shoulder.
Once again, pull your abdominals in.
Breathe.
Bring the body back to your front.
Hands down.
Lean back a little bit and slide that bottom leg in.
See how the top one just crosses?
Hold it right there.
You're going to rock back.
And come back up to city.
Try it again.
You'll feel the stretch increase a little bit if you pull those legs in.
Very nice.
Abs tight.
Try it again one more time.
Keep the foot down this time.
Now slowly straighten the elbows.
Bring the belly button up through.
Press that knee open.
Lift your chest to the ceiling.
Good.
Reach in a little bit.
Press the shoulders back.
Round the back a little bit and lift the leg to the ceiling.
Reach through the toes.
Lower it down to the floor.
Take the other leg, cross it over.
Pull it in a little bit and take it across the center line of your body.
Great.
Let me see that elbow where the hand was.
Take the other hand back.
Now very smooth.
You press with the arm as you start to rotate the spine.
Really pull that left shoulder back.
Good.
And bring it back to your center once again.
Hands back.
Lean back a little bit.
Slide that leg in.
Let the other one cross.
Hold it there.
Good.
And we're going to rock back once again.
You'll feel the legs come a little closer.
Good.
And roll back down.
Try it again.
Flatten the abdominal wall.
Feel the pelvis.
Tilt up.
Give me one more.
Good.
Stay right here.
Straighten the elbows slowly.
Bring the belly button up through the legs.
Lift the chest.
Use your breathing once again.
Round the back.
Stand the leg up in the air.
Lower it to the floor.
Bring both legs together.
Good.
Now working with the front leg first, you're going to lift it straight off the floor.
Cross it over the other one.
And lift.
Now the trick is to try to really keep that knee straight.
You'll feel this in your quadriceps, the top of your thigh, and also work in the hip flexor.
Good.
As you get stronger, you'll lift it a little higher.
Let's do one more.
Excellent.
Give that leg a break.
Let's try the other one.
Lift up.
Now every time the legs come together, I want you to make sure you adjust the back if you've
lost it a little bit.
Lift.
Cross.
Good.
Again.
Lift.
Cross it over.
Take your time.
Use all of the music.
One more time.
Now we're going to have a little fun here.
Round the back as you bend the knee.
Extend it to the ceiling and hold it.
Lower it down.
Make sure your abs are in.
Try it again.
Other leg.
Bend.
Extend and hold it.
Now do the same thing and add your arms.
They're going to curl in.
Extend out.
Now take that same leg, bring it to the front like this.
Front.
Bring it together.
Go to the other side.
Good.
Now front leg again.
Round.
Extend.
Hold it.
Lower down.
Bring that leg forward again.
One.
Two.
Lift the leg up.
Very nice.
Let's try it again.
Round your back.
So important.
Keep it rounded.
Lower down.
Open the leg.
Very sharp.
Precise.
Good.
Last one.
Front leg last time.
Round it.
Lift and hold.
Keep the back rounded.
Sit up straight for me right there.
Now slowly start with the tailbone.
Roll through your spine.
One vertebra at a time.
Let me see it.
Keep going.
Abs tight.
Shoulders down to the floor.
Let the head go.
Let the hands relax.
Feel the length of the body in the floor.
Breathe.
Slowly slide your feet in.
Now you don't want your feet directly under your knees.
All right?
A little bit forward of that.
Be aware of pressing the low back towards the floor.
Now a pelvic tilt very slowly, tuck your tailbone up and roll it back down.
So it's a combination of tightening the abs and also squeezing the rear end.
We're going to press it a little bit higher, all right?
Make sure you lead with the pelvis and then roll back down.
Try it again.
Really curl up and roll back down.
I want you to feel every vertebra of your spine and press through the heels so you're
working the back of the thigh.
Excellent.
Now we're going to make it a little bit harder.
Put that front leg on top of the back one.
Take a moment to just adjust your position low back into the floor.
Let's go again.
Slowly tuck the pelvis up and slowly roll down.
Very nice.
Now you decide how high you're going to go.
This is a little more work now for that supporting leg.
Good.
Use the music.
Here we go like a caterpillar, up, roll back down, exhale up, inhale back down.
You're doing great.
Keep going.
One more.
Now we're going to work even a little harder.
You're going to take that leg up in the air, press it straight up, tuck the pelvis lower
if you can in line with the other leg.
Push it back up and roll down through the back.
Now if you feel anything in your low back, I want you to keep your waistband on the floor
like I'm doing right here.
So it's a little modified lift.
You're still working hard.
Good.
You're only going to do a few more so let it go.
Curl up.
Emphasize the tilt of the pelvis, energy out from that toe, up through the ceiling and
lower down.
Never arch the back.
One more time.
Feeling the back of that thigh?
I hope so.
Good.
Roll down through the back.
Just bend that leg, put it on the floor, put your other foot on top.
Take a moment to set up.
Let's start with the pelvic tilt right here, tuck and press, and roll down.
Good.
Now make sure that you haven't slid that foot in under the knee.
You want to keep it forward so you get a little more work in the back of the thigh.
We're doing great.
Keep going.
Tuck and lift and lower.
Concentrate on what you're working here.
Very nice.
One more time.
You're using the music great.
Up.
Down.
Ready to extend that leg?
Here we go.
Protect your low back.
Lower it in alignment.
Lift it back up.
Now just in case you don't understand, watch how much I lower this leg.
I only need to go a little bit to feel some work, all right?
You decide.
Roll back down.
We just have a couple more.
Try it again.
Curl up.
Bring it right up that leg.
Lift back up, pressing through the ground with your supporting leg.
One more time.
Make it good.
Lower it down.
Good.
Lift back up and roll down through the back.
Lower that leg straight this time to the floor.
Pull the other knee to your chest.
Wrap the arm right around the thigh.
Now make sure this leg is extended along the ground and feel the opposition stretch.
As you straighten the top leg, bend your bottom leg.
Grab ahold of the one in the air.
Take a deep breath.
As you exhale, try to bring the leg a little closer.
Feel the release in the hamstring.
Now very slowly lift your head and your shoulders off the floor towards your legs.
Stay right there.
Take a deep breath.
As you exhale, try to pull the leg a little closer, but don't let the tailbone come up.
Now slowly roll down through your back.
Hold the stretch for a moment.
Good.
Lower that straight leg to the floor.
Pull the other leg in.
Wrap your arm around the thigh.
Stay right there.
Feel the length of that leg along the floor.
Now bend the bottom leg as you stretch the top one.
Grab ahold of the leg.
Take a deep breath first.
See if you can increase the stretch as you exhale.
Keep the leg as straight as you can.
Slowly lift the head and the shoulders up towards the leg.
You decide where you're going.
Take a deep breath.
Here we go.
Challenge.
Lengthen the muscle.
Relax.
Slowly roll down through your back.
Very nice.
Very slowly lower that leg to the floor.
And let the other leg just straighten out next to it and relax into the ground.
Bring your legs up slowly.
You're going to extend the legs right over your hips, straight up in the air.
I want you to open into a V position.
You don't have to go too wide yet.
Bring it up.
Try it again.
Inch it a little bit wider.
Make sure you're pressing your low back into the floor.
Little wider once again.
Good.
Bring it up.
Now I want you to choose a mid-range.
Stay right there.
You're going to bend the knees in right here.
Now you're going to let the toes lead the way up together.
Then you stretch the legs and you open.
Try that again.
You bend.
Now the goal here is to try to fight.
Keep the knees open as the toes come together.
Stretch up and open.
Good.
So bend.
It's as if someone's resisting your knees.
Lift and open.
Try it again.
This is a difficult exercise.
Once again, technique is everything in order to get the benefits.
Here we go.
I can tell by your face whether you're feeling this one.
Right?
Come on.
Here we go.
Bend.
Let the toes lead the way.
Stretch.
Open.
Are you still concentrating on pressing the back to the floor?
Bring it in.
Now you're going to straighten up this time and open the legs and let them open a little
wider.
Put your hands inside the legs.
Relax through the inner thigh.
Now slowly bend your elbows and pull the legs towards your shoulders.
Hips are going to roll off the floor a little bit.
Once again, roll back down.
Open the legs and they might be a little bit wider.
Straighten your knees as much as you can.
Bend the elbows once again, everybody.
Let the hips roll up a little bit, flatten those abdominals.
Roll back down.
Relax the legs.
Good.
Now pull the legs up together.
Put your hands on the backside of your legs now.
I want you to lift your head and then your shoulders off the floor.
Use your arms and gently pull the legs towards your head.
Beautiful pike position.
Feel the straight line of the legs, the curve of the spine.
Roll down through your back and take the legs right over your hips once again.
Bend both knees.
Roll onto your side facing me.
Good.
Just support your head.
Now pick up your top foot.
Grab a hold of the ankle or the foot.
Pull the heel to your thigh or your rear end.
Start to pull the thigh back.
Let me see the knees stacked on top of each other.
Tuck your pelvis under, abdominals.
Start to pull the thigh back a little bit more, keeping that pelvic tilt.
Try if you can to get the knee to head towards that side wall without arching the back.
Good.
Now you're going to open the knee, grab underneath the leg, straighten it up in the air.
Take a deep breath once again.
Let the air out and pull it in towards your body.
Try to press this top hip forward towards me a little bit so you don't roll onto your
back.
Very nice.
Bend that top leg.
Place it on the floor in front of you.
Relax your head now.
Take that top arm, reach right towards me, touch me.
Slowly reach it up towards the ceiling and keep that circle going as you open to the
back wall.
Let your chest open up.
Try to keep the knee on the floor.
Make sure you do a good exhale.
Relax the body.
And bring your arms up overhead right along the floor.
Bring it around in front of you.
Use your hands.
Help yourself up.
Let's quickly go to the other side.
Get that position.
Support the head.
Good.
Once again, reach for the foot, pull the heel right to the thigh or the bottom, stack your
legs first.
Let me see that pelvic tilt.
Now your foot should be right behind your thigh.
Now try to pull that thigh back.
Pull that long line right down your body, over your flat stomach, down your thigh.
Great.
Now, turn the knee out.
Hold underneath it.
Take a deep breath, exhale, pull it towards your body.
Good.
Bend the leg that's up.
Lay it on the floor.
Let your head relax.
Take the arm to me.
Slowly lift it up to the ceiling.
Slowly open it to the back wall.
Good.
Exhale, breathe, sink into the ground.
Slowly bring the arm up overhead once again.
So you're facing me, lift the knee off the floor, roll onto your back, bring your knees
up, wrap your arms around, clasp your own hands together, and just hug your thighs to
your chest.
Let the knees fall open.
Good.
It's right there.
Relax and feel the length of the body into the floor.
Very slowly draw the hands along the floor.
They come up overhead, reach very tall.
Now as the arms start to come down again, you're going to start to lift the head, bend
the knees, tighten the abdominals, round the back, and curve up just a little bit.
Roll back down.
It's got to be a curved spine.
Try it again, and do this very conservatively.
Use your fingertips underneath your thigh for a little bit of help.
Good.
Exhale as you roll down.
Take the arms overhead.
Hold it there.
We're going to go a little bit faster, all right?
Take two counts up.
Roll back down.
Now you have to decide whether you use your arms for a little bit of help, and how high
you're going to come.
Great and again.
Feel the curved line of the body, including your arms.
Very nice, again.
One more time.
This time we're going to come all the way up, so use your hands for a little help.
Good.
Reach forward with the arms as you flatten the back.
Very good.
Turn and face me, and bring your legs around.
Take a straddle position.
Not too wide yet.
One hand in front, one hand in back.
Lift your hips up, and scoot your hips a little bit forward.
Try to keep your knees on top.
Put your hands in front of your body.
We're going to let the belly button rock back a little bit, so you roll onto your rear end.
Come back up, straight back.
Yes, very tall.
Once again.
Try to keep the knees on top.
Come up and let me see one elbow down, one elbow up.
We're going to go back and forth.
Now just flow here.
One more time, and lay that left elbow down to the ground.
Take the other arm up.
Keep facing me if you can.
Press that right hip down.
Slowly roll and face the arm that's on the floor if you can.
Stay where you are, but slowly rotate forward and face me once again.
Press that hip down.
Come back up.
Give me the elbow again, side to side.
Beautiful.
One more time.
Lay this elbow down.
Left arm comes up.
Good.
Press that left hip down.
Stay where you are, and slowly rotate the body if you can.
Let the elbow come around, hold it there.
Slowly roll back to me, always aware of your abdominals.
Very nice.
Once again, come up, lead with the elbow, go down, and lift.
Very nice.
This one, open both arms.
Nice and tall.
Put your hands in front, start with a flat back.
Once again, I want you to rock back, curve the back, let the chin go a little bit.
Come up and sit up straight.
Neutral spine.
We're going to add a little bit of arms to that.
Arms are forward as you curve, they open up as you straighten.
Now you'll actually see, as I straighten my back, that my chest comes slightly forward.
Very good.
You only do that if you have the flexibility to achieve it.
Stay right here.
Hands down, flex your feet, bring your legs together, bend your knees and flip them over
to the side.
Now you're going to come up into a pike position.
Feet are together, hands are apart, keep your head lifted for a moment, press your heels
down.
Now try to bring your head and your shoulders through the arms.
Create a triangle in space.
Now slowly bring it into a flat line position.
Abdominals tight, tighten up the buttocks a little bit, don't arch.
Once again, go back up into the triangle, press the heels down, flat back, and come
back into that flat line position.
Good.
Be very aware of your position.
Now this time a little harder.
Watch my front leg.
It's going to start to go up as the body comes up.
Try to create that line, do the best you can.
As you come down, try to keep it happening as a unit.
Feet come together when you hit the flat line.
Try the other side.
The leg starts immediately.
Now make sure you're pressing that heel down into the floor if you can.
Slowly come back together.
Great.
This is tough.
Keep it going.
Once again, front leg comes up, feel that heel press into the floor immediately.
Slowly come back down.
Take your time.
Let me see that flat line.
One more time, here we go.
Energy up through your toes.
Slowly bring it back down together.
Let me see that beautiful line.
Now bend your knees.
Place them on the floor.
Release your feet.
Let your hips go back over your heels all the way.
Forehead to the floor.
Now slowly roll up through your back.
Feel your hands kind of slide in.
Roll up.
You're going to take your front leg and place it in front of your body.
Square your hips off.
Look at neutral spine, arms up overhead.
Think of your hips as a hinge and your body as the door.
Slowly we're going to start to shut the door.
Keep it very flat.
Reach up through your fingertips.
Now take your hands either to your leg or the floor, depending on your flexibility.
Try to keep the back flat.
Now you're slowly going to curve the back.
Let the head go.
If you can't reach the ground, that's all right.
Now bend the front knee.
Let the body weight come forward, stretching through the hip.
Straight line from this knee to that knee and the knee is right over the ankle.
Very good.
Now I want you to let the hips go back into that hamstring stretch once again.
Ease it back.
Straighten the leg if you can.
Good.
Once again come forward into that hip stretch.
Let me see the line.
Take this back arm.
Place the elbow on the floor a little ways away from the foot.
Back the other elbow, reaching straight up to the ceiling.
Slowly unfold the arm.
Reach for the sky.
Slowly bring the arm up overhead.
It's going to come along the floor and see if you can pull it in along the ground next
to the other elbow.
Use your hands to help yourself up.
Roll up through your back.
Very nice.
Let's change legs.
Just bring that one in.
Other one forward.
Square the hips.
Hands up.
Flat back.
Now once again, bend at the hip, not the waist.
Reach through your fingertips.
Put your hands down for support if you need it.
This might be all the further you can go.
Let the back round.
Go a little further.
Work with your own body.
Slowly bend the front knee.
Let me see that hip stretch.
Make sure the angle is right on this front leg.
Straight line knee to knee.
Very good.
Slowly take it back.
Let the hips go back.
Let me see that hamstring stretch again.
One more time forward.
Let me see that hip stretch.
Very good.
Now we use the front arm.
Place the elbow down along the floor.
Take the other elbow and aim it up first.
Just the elbow.
Then slowly extend.
Reach up through the fingertips.
Slowly bring the arm up overhead.
Good.
Slide it along the floor.
See if you can get that elbow towards the ground.
Once again, use your hands.
Push yourself up.
Slide that front leg in.
Use your hands for support.
And let's come up to standing.
Legs together.
Arms up overhead.
Take a deep breath.
Take this right arm down.
Bend your right knee.
Let the hips swing out to the left.
Let me see that curved line.
Like the bow of a bow and arrow.
Beautiful.
Come up.
Once again, your abdominals are working.
Let those hips swing out.
Good.
Come up once again.
Both arms up.
Open them to the side.
A little balance once again.
Lift that right leg up.
Go to knee this time.
Open the leg.
Cross it over right above the knee.
As you bend at the hips, let the hips go back.
Standing leg bends.
Reach towards me.
Keep your back flat.
Let me help you.
Right?
That's it.
Keep the back flat.
Bend the arms.
Curve the elbows up.
Hold it.
Excellent.
Let yourself come up.
I hope you're still breathing.
Take the arms up.
Other foot to knee.
You don't have to hold your breath.
Open it up.
Beautiful.
As the standing leg bends, the hips go back.
Good.
Let me see neutral spine.
It's not a rounded back.
It's flat.
Touch me.
Good.
Bend the arms.
Open it to the side.
Let me see those curved lines.
Very nice.
Bring your legs together.
Take your hands behind you.
Clasp your hands.
As you straighten the elbows, lift the arms.
Lift the chest to the ceiling.
Bring your arms in front of you now.
Palms face you.
Tuck your tailbone.
Bend your knees.
Round the back.
Chin drops.
Good.
Release the arms.
Step out.
Let me see that turned out position.
Rise up to your half toe.
Now bend the knees.
Sink down.
Straighten the knees.
Reach up through the ceiling.
Hold it.
As you roll down through your feet, lead with the elbows.
Good.
Keep the arms coming.
Listen to your heartbeat.
Feel your breathing.
We'll see you next time.