The Pilates System: Teaser on the Cadillac

The Pilates System: Teaser on the Cadillac

Hello there my lovelies!

Thanks for joining me for yet another post in my Teaser series.

Today we’ve got perhaps the Method’s finest: Teaser on the Cadillac avec Push Thru Bar (PTB).

It’s 2 Exercises in 1!

The Teaser on the Cadillac is brilliantly 2 exercises in 1.

Part 1: Upper Body Reach

From the lift in the waist all the way up to your fingertips, the upper body must learn to connect into the deeper back muscles.

What luck!

We’ve got a brilliant way to work on just that.

(Many, in fact.)

Begin lying down, arms overhead with hands firmly gripping the PTB. Note you also have the luxury of the mat behind you for feedback and support.

With hands on the apparatus – PTB – push into the bar as it starts to move toward you. In this way we can connect our fingertips into the deeper back muscles.

With our backs against the mat we can tangibly feel what’s going on (or not going on) behind us.

Never let the spring push you around! This must be your Pilates mantra.

Part 1 is lovely for lots of folks whether they’ll continue to the full-on Teaser or not.

To recap:

  • Set up your position under the PTB.
  • Pull in your stomach, exhale and drop your ribs: get as much of your back on the mat as you can.
  • With a firm grip on the bar resist! as it moves toward you bending your arms.
  • Do not let the spring push you.
  • Sustain this connection as the bar changes direction to move upward.
  • You should not lose control of the bar – it should not accelerate!

Part 2: Teaser options

Using the helpful lift of the PTB you’ve got several options for your Teaser, depending on who you are.

You can work just the upper body.

The Pilates System: Teaser on the Cadillac

Or you can explore your full-on Teaser here.

The Pilates System: Teaser on the Cadillac

You can lift the lower body with the legs straight a la Teaser 3.

If necessary you can begin in the Frog and reach out to your angle as you roll up.

The Pilates System: Teaser on the Cadillac

Okay you’ve made it up to your Teaser, so now what?

You’ve got a few options here as well. Traditionally you’ll complete your Teaser 3x.

You’ve even got an optional “dismount.”

One Potential Sequence for Teaser on the Cadillac

  • Begin with Part 1 to arrive at your Teaser.
  • Roll up to your Teaser.
  • Lift your back and bend your arms 3x a la Shave on the Reformer. Your back should not sink when your arms bend.
  • Roll down.

The Pilates System: Teaser on the Cadillac

  • Roll up to your Teaser a second time. Keep the arms straight and the back lifted.
  • Lower and lift your legs 3x a la Teaser 2.
  • Roll down.

The Pilates System: Teaser on the Cadillac

  • Return to your Teaser for a 3rd and final time. Here you’ve got some options:
  • Alternate – arms bend 1x, legs lower 1x. Repeat 3x.
  • Roll down.

OR

  • All together now! Bend arms and lower legs together and then lift everything up.
  • Repeat 3x.

What was that about a dismount??

Let’s put it all to the test. You’ve completed 3 Teasers and you’re ready to move on.

  • Use the lift of your back to reach up and return the PTB without a sound.

The Pilates System: Teaser on the Cadillac

Both arms reach to up to the sky and the toward the toes to finish on your own – unassisted – in your beautiful Teaser.

Voila!

Check out this short video tutorial for more info and tips for a perfect Boomerang ending.

Thanks for watching!

Related posts:

And here’s where to find me in 2017.

4 Responses

  1. Hey there! Another excellent post! I love this version of teaser. Your pointers on the upper body reach are really useful… when I reach into the bar before I start to bring it through.. bingo???? Something wakes up in my upper back and I feel my deep back muscles working… trying to keep the connection as the bar moves through, however, is somewhat more tricky, ????but hey.. #workinprogress????????
    And then you find that deep #2waystretch!!
    I’m off now to try and find the same connections in push through ????
    I can feel a tower session coming in my next lesson…????????
    #rockon Andrea! xoxo

    1. So glad you liked this video of the Teaser. It is such a good version of this exercise on the Cadillac. Yes, let’s work on the tower when I see you next or in the studio when you are in town – yay! coming up fast!
      Thanks for being such an awesome Pilates person and blog subscriber – I am so glad we have met and that I get to come to the UK all the time to get to see you there as well 🙂 #loveUK xox see you on Fridayyyyyyyyyyeee!

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