Teasers and Your Strength

I often say to my class, "And next is the Teaser because when I think of Pilates I think of teasers." And that's true for a lot of people. The best part of the Teaser is how it measures your strength and impovement. I really enjoy the numerous Teaser Preps as well. Prep in Pilates is a term meaning preparation and it's referring to an exercise that's a small part of the bigger picture of the original move. It's preparing you to do the original move in great form. Preps are no joke and can be a lot of hard work within themselves and/or are essential to pratice your form so you can do the original move with greater ease and comfort and safety.

If you really want to prove to your friends how effective Pilates is at impoving your core strength then show them the Teaser.

Heck, Show them a Teaser Prep! Here's a Teaser variation with the stability ball. Think of it as a Russian Twist Teaser variation.

There are a few line of thoughts when it comes to form, especially spinal form, of the Teaser. My schooling was big on making sure the spine is always protected and that why I come up into Teaser with my sits bones and back/spine in a U shape (or hair pin shape). Others do the Teaser in a strict V shape where there's more pressure/stress on the lower back, and that just not me and I don't feel like its right for my classes and the spinal integratey of my clients. Stick with the lower spine (lumbar region) curved and you'll be doing Pilates kick*ss like.

A good Teaser Prep is the Rowing Teaser

1. Sit on your mat with feet on the mat, legs pressing together and knees up, arms stretch out parallel to the mat, hands in fits-touching.

2. Using your core, slowing lean back to balance on your sits bones with a curve in the lower back and feet will be floating over the mat and in this fluid motion you will do the start of the rowing move with your arms (fits together and bring them to your chest with elbows bending out wide to the side.) Breathe in here.

3.Staying blanced on your sits bones now extend arms (fits still together) and unbend legs so that your legs and arms are parallel. One fluid motion. Breathe out here.

4. Bend knees and touch feet to floor coming out of the U shaped balanced shine and while starting the return to first step bring fits in to chest as before and then straighten them out again reaching out over knees with arms again parallel to mat, fits never coming apart. 1 fluid movtion. Breathe in here.

5.Repeat

I hope you love the Teaser as much as I do and stay tuned for more exciting news for next months classes!