The Rhythm of the Reformer Knee Stretches.
There are many reasons why the Reformer Knee Stretches is a fantastic, beginner level exercise to add into new client’s workouts:
- It’s functional & accessible for most new clients 👍
- It creates awareness of how to dynamically stabilize the torso while mobilizing the hips and knees 🏃
But another important and often overlooked reason to add it into your Beginner Pilates workouts is:
- It teaches clients how to control the carriage (vs letting the carriage control their movement) 😍
The Knee Stretches progress from the Beginner level all the way up to the Advanced Reformer. So it’s worth taking the time at the beginning to teach carriage control and movement rhythm.
Teaching Tips.
- Start off by explaining to your clients how this exercise is unique; unlike most exercises that they’ve learned so far, they should feel the springs pull the carriage into the stopper.
(quick note! Explaining to clients the why behind an exercise instead of just how is a valuable teaching tool to develop).
- Then demonstrate that to prevent the ‘bang’ 💥of the carriage on the return, they need to engage their abdominals, breath connection and the eccentric contraction of their hip extensors. 👏
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- Your clients should be far enough back that they can easily lift both hands off the foot bar.
- Cue clients to think of their sitz bones being drawn together to initiate the press out of the carriage.
Teaching the Reformer Knee Stretches with this focus is not only another great approach to deepen your clients awareness; it will improve your skills and understanding of how to progress exercises in a way that is progressive and makes sense.