Our fourth visit to the studio would, coincidentally, be met with another instructor swap. Jin from the previous week had been wonderful, exuding a gentleness amidst her strict, educational presence. This week, I had been informed that scheduling conflicts would hand us over to Min, a face I had been acquainted with briefly while fangirling with the receptionist. With our belongings stuffed into the cubbies, she gestured us towards the exercise space, introducing herself as well as asking of my condition. She was the first of all Dal Pilates instructors encountered thus far that had introduced herself with her name, and the only one which had inquired of possible pain or injuries. (Though, I had been informed that a few had also asked during my washroom-visiting absence.) I relayed my concern of stomach pains to her, attempting to hint at biological causes rather than stress- or strain-induced sources. Whether the message had been interpreted correctly was unknown, however the entire class proceeded without lying on the Carriage whatsoever, much to my relief. Beyond removing inverted inclines from the picture, I was also spared of hair-washing duties later that evening.
Rotating to face the footbar, we maintained the kneeling position with hands thread through the tension straps. The starting position involved bending the arms such that the elbows were tucked into the sides of the ribs and the palms faced upwards. The arms would be extended forward to about shoulder height with an exhale, where the position would be held momentarily with an inhale, then arms retracted to the starting position with an exhale. Variations of this move involved:
- Extending the arms forward, opening to a T, then drawing the arms back towards the front of the body (By this point, I had switched to just one blue spring to prevent loss of form.)
- Starting from a low kneeling position, extending the arms forward while raising one's body to a high kneeling position (quads and hamstrings), opening to a T, and slowly returning the low kneeling position
Needless to say, this portion of the class was the most difficult upper body routine I had undertaken in a while. Min had, impressively, remembered both of our names and gave directed form reminders throughout the exercises. Her frequent encouragement, regulation of speed for rep consistency, rep countdowns were also greatly appreciated.
The next exercise blended core work with lower body isolations. With the Short Box placed across the back of the Reformer, we sat on the box facing the footbar, rolled down into a C-curve, and hooked both heels onto the shoulder rests. The Carriage was to be drawn close while bending the knees, engaging the hamstrings and glutes. Constantly reminded was I to keep my core engaged and prevent my right knee from rolling inward, an indicator of a weak righ inner thigh. The instructor was quick to rectify when any alignment changes were observed, with her tone of voice being much more encouraging and insightful than the second instructor (980). Mirror checks also incredibly helpful as it alowed me to be more mindful when undertaking mat practice at home. Variations of this exercise involved keeping one leg lifted and drawing the Carriage close with the other foot. The lifted foot was pointed, as to work the inner thigh, while the other leg continued to draw the Carriage inward using the hamstring. Before transitioning to the next segment, we rotated parallel to the Reformer for inner thigh drag-ins. In this exercise, it was very important to prevent the pelvis from shifting and keeping both sitbones on the Short Box while continuing to isolate the thigh.
Min also introduced/brought back some of my favourite thigh exercises on the Reformer. Standing parallel to the Reformer with one foot placed on the frame and the other on the Carriage, we would push the Carriage out, forming an inverted V-shape with the legs, then return to the starting position, summoning strength from the inner and outer thighs. Despite wearing grip socks, both of us admitted to feeling unsafe while exerting force on the contraption; as such, sticky mats were derived from the prop shelf and slipped underneath our feet to increase friction. While helpful, it did not remove the hazard completely, for I lost my footing on one instance of the exercise, causing the Carriage to slam into the frame. Thankfully, my balance was maintained - a result of consistent core conditioning efforts, and regular GO train commutes. The second exercise was a side scooter, which involved hinging the upper body to a 45-degree incline, bending the supporting leg, and dragging the Carriage in and out using the other leg. Being deeply familiar with the exercise, both on and off the Reformer, I was well aware of its alignment needs. I received a few reminders to "relax the shoulders" and "keep the core engaged", while my pilates partner was urged to maintain steadiness in the standing leg and keep the knee directly over the heel.
The class concluded with inner thigh external rotation and thigh openers with oblique stretch to provide release of the hip flexors. Overall, the session had been extremely satisfying, with tremendous soreness experienced in the upper back, shoulders, and lats for days onward. The series also demanded stability from the core in unpredictable ways: two-part movements had been instructed with an inhale to prepare, exhale to "go", inhale to hold, and exhale to return. Occasionally woven into the routine were a handful of holds, but no pulses whatsoever. Each exercise was very focused and intentional, yet delivered in an undeniably cheery, supportive manner. Form reminders and being urged to take note of one's alignment in the mirror was especially helpful for personal practice.