I used to Hate the Teaser, especially on the reformer.
I just couldn’t do it.
I mean you want me to lift these tree trunks off the floor and lift my upper body off too… and make it look easy? You have to be kidding right?
Well, be damned if I was going to let this exercise defeat me, instead I practiced it, weekly! I broke that bitch down into easier versions and slowly built myself up to the full teaser on the Reformer!
So gang it is definitely possible, maybe not this week, or next but you will get there! So what do you need to be able to do, to do a Teaser, and how can you break the exercise down at home on the Mat to help you get closer to the teaser?
When you look at the shape your body makes in a teaser, you’ll see that to hold the end teaser position you need to be able to
Maintain rounding at your lower back
Keep lift and reach from your chest and arms
Hamstring length and hip flexor strength
To get to your teaser you need to be able to
Articulate your spine from neutral (laying on the floor/box) through flexion
Lift your legs up and keep them straight (but don't just use those hip flexors, you've got to get those abs involved too!)
There's really a lot going on, so when you then have to get onto a reformer, add in a moving carriage, springs and straps Oh and did I mention a smaller surface to lay on... I mean Wow! there's no way we should be jumping straight to this exercise without a bit of prep work first!
So here are three exercises that you can do on the mat to help you or your clients build-up towards the full teaser on the mat or Reformer.
1. Half Roll backs
This exercise focuses on your ability to articulate your spine into flexion and starts to focus on your abdominal endurance and strength
2. Half Roll back with single leg lift to table top
This exercise helps to build up endurance in your abdominals and hip flexors
3. Half Roll Back with Double leg lift to table top
As well as building endurance and strength in your abdominals and hip flexors, this exercise starts to work on your ability to hold this 'teaser' like posture.
If you love these regressions of teaser, and want more ways to slowly build you and your clients towards Teaser, then I have the absolute perfect solution for you! It's my new HQ Academy course Progress for Success , inside this course you'll get access to all of the exercises I use to build my clients up to not only the Teaser but 5 other advanced Reformer Exercises, check it out in more detail here
Steph
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