On the mat we have the Basic 5.
Economical. Effective. An elegant sufficiency when you’re short on time.
What about the Reformer?
Maybe I haven’t got much time… but today I’d prefer the comfort of springs and straps instead of Mat exercises.
I propose 10 fundamental exercises on the Reformer:
- Footwork
- The Hundred
- Frog and Circles
- Pull Straps and T Straps
- Stomach Massage Series
- Short Box Series
- Elephant
- Kneeling Knee Stretch Series
- Running
- Pelvic Lift
Within this list there are actually more than 10 exercises.
Duly noted.
However, think of an exercise series as one continuous chain of movement. Let’s allow our time constraint to present a prime opportunity to focus on flow of movement.
Places to go…people to see…
Keep up your pace and you should finish in about 15-20 minutes. Not too shabby.
Use these practice videos to perfect your Fundamental 10.
If the exercises are new to you use the more deliberately paced workout first. Then challenge yourself with the uptempo video.
Enjoy!
Deliberate Pace:
Brisk Pace:
Using just the Fundamental 10 will prepare you for the larger Pilates Reformer repertoire to come. Even advanced Pilates exercises will rely on skills you’ll learn with these fundamentals.
Remember our mantra?
4 Responses
Thanks Andrea,
I love these 10 Reformer exercises.
I use them with my clients too when I want to work with Wunda chair or some other individual needs apparatus ! 10 reformer exercises is a flow – good warm up, before a deep work of some of them!
This works for you???
Ciao Nicoletta 🙂
Thanks so much for reading and watching and sharing your thoughts here. Yes, that’s a perfect way to use these 10 Reformer exercises – they would be wonderful before a nice Wunda or Cadillac workout – Great point! Maybe I need to do that to myself in another video 😉
xox love to you!
Hello from London again!
This is really great! I’ve just done this exercise series with you in my own house studio – well, kind of!! It’s like having a private lesson with you, so thanks for that! I’m still working on the deliberate pace, of course!!
Have to admit that I snuck in a short spine massage, as this is my most favourite exercise (possibly ever!!!) and I don’t feel that I’ve really been on my reformer without completing it at least a few (or several :-)) times over! #iloveshortspine !!
I actually added it in at the end – out of order! #yikes!! but next time round will find a more suitable place for it…..after short box, maybe….
Anyway, still loving your blog….#rockon!! xxx
Alessandra 🙂
Short Spine is a great addition to this sequence! Depending on your workout for that day this structure can be a guideline and then if you’ve got the time you can add an embellishment or two, perfect! I want to film another version with the most advanced versions of just these exercises. And yes Short Spine after Short Box would be a good spot, but at the end when you are very warm – as this is not a terribly long series of exercises – is a good choice too.
Thanks for all the blog love #neededittoday #willcontinuetorockon