Inspire Studio: Pilates & Barre, Elk River, MN Videos

Looking to improve leg and core strength? Try our Pilates Chair and Spring Wall Classes! The Pilates Chair, developed by Joseph Pilates, is a compact and versatile tool that offers a full-body workout. It enhances strength, flexibility, and balance while focusing on core engagement. This chair challenges your stability and coordination, requiring you to maintain balance and control, which supports overall body alignment and posture. Take a look at these Classical Chair exercises that use your full body to control the pedal movement. Learn how to use your powerhouse to its full potential with exercises like Footwork, The Pull Up (or Pike), Pumping One-Leg Standing Front, Scooter, and Going Up Front. The Chair will help you develop great control and balance. Check out our schedule and join us to experience the benefits of the Pilates Chair. See you in class! Class Schedule: * Monday: 8:00 AM * Tuesday: 10:30 AM * Tuesday: 4:30 PM * Wednesday: 5:45 PM * Thursday: 9:15 AM * Saturday: 9:15 AM (Video has been speed up to 2x speed)

Happy National Pilates Day! Today, we celebrate not just the strength and balance Pilates brings to our bodies and minds, but the incredible community we've built together. Thank you to our amazing clients for being part of our journey! Let's flow together, celebrate together, and grow together as we embrace the transformative power of Pilates. Here's to every breath, every stretch, and every smile shared in our studio. Cheers to celebrating Pilates today and every day, because our community is what makes it truly special.

Elevate Your Side Lying Reformer Practice: Let's delve deeper into refining our side lying work on the reformer by addressing common mistakes and enhancing our technique. 1. Alignment is Key: Precision in alignment is paramount for a successful Pilates practice. Begin by ensuring your hips are stacked directly on top of one another, aligned with your shoulders. Additionally, pay attention to the alignment of your neck, keeping it in a neutral position and looking straight forward. Proper neck alignment reduces strain and supports overall spinal alignment. 2. Engage Your Core: Another crucial aspect is activating the abdominal muscles to support and stabilize your body throughout the exercise. Avoid allowing the waist to collapse onto the carriage by lifting it away and engaging the core. A strong core not only enhances performance but also reduces the risk of injury. 3. Controlled, Mindful Movement: Maintain control and move deliberately within your comfortable range of motion. Rushing through the exercises without adequate control compromises form and effectiveness. Remember, quality trumps quantity in Pilates practice. Now, let's integrate these principles into our practice. Take a moment to watch the attached video. Focusing on aligning your hips, engaging your core, and maintaining control. These visual cues will guide you in refining your technique during side lying work on the reformer.

Discover the power of our Cardio Reformer Class featuring the Pilates Jump Board at InSPIRE Studio Pilates & Fintess! Here are the top 5 benefits: 1. Works to tone and strengthen your muscles, without hurting joints 2. Improves & focuses on joint mobility, especially ankle, knee & hip 3. Helps core activation & strengthens abs 4. Works on your cardiovascular endurance 5. Perfect for improving co-ordination & control within the body Join us now: Mondays 4:15pm Wednesdays 10:30am Thursdays 4:30pm Schedule: Vagaro.com/inspirestudiollc Check out the studio: www.inspirestudiomn.com

Try this 5-minute workout you can easily do at home, offering greater effectiveness than countless crunches. These classic Mat Pilates moves, known as the Series of 5, go beyond targeting just your abs. This combination of exercises strengthens not only your abs but also your low back, pelvic muscles, and all four groups of abdominals - in Pilates, we refer to this combination as your powerhouse! Follow these tips and tricks while performing the series: •Maintain stability in the torso and hips throughout the entire sequence. •Lower your legs toward the mat only as far as possible without arching the low back. •Avoid rushing; relish in slow, fluid movements to maximize impact. •Engage the abdominal muscles by pulling them toward the spine, rather than letting them protrude. •Remember to breathe; each exhale enables you to engage the stomach muscles more deeply. •Keep your shoulders wide throughout the exercises. The workout consists of the following exercises and rep counts: •Single leg stretch x16 •Double Leg stretch x8 •Scissors x16 •Lower lifts x6 •Criss Cross x16 Begin with just a few repetitions of each exercise, gradually working up to the full series. As you build strength, feel free to take brief breaks between exercises. Get ready to feel the burn and strengthen your core!

Check out these four simple TRX arm exercises: Chest Press, Tricep Extension, Bicep Curl, and Low Row. What sets them apart? It's the full-body burn! While sculpting those upper body muscles, your core is in action too. The plank is the secret foundation, keeping you solid, flat, and stacked. So next time you're in class, remember your form is key. Keep that core tight and stack those ankles, hips, and shoulders to truly get a full-body workout. • Join us for TRX class: Tuesday 7:00am Wednesday 9:15am Thursday 5:45pm Saturday 8:00am • Schedule: Vagaro.com/inspirestudiollc Check out the studio: www.inspirestudiomn.com

We all recognize our love language in the world of Pilates: "Feet in the Straps." But why is this routine so irresistible? Let's explore the reasons behind our collective affection for the magic that happens when our feet meet those straps. THE IRRESISTIBLE CHARM OF FEET IN THE STRAPS: The widespread appreciation for the "Feet in the Straps" routine is no mystery. The controlled movement against spring resistance provides a unique sense of engagement, allowing for both a stretch and strengthening sensation. This dual experience could be the reason why we love it so much. THE FUNCTIONAL IMPORTANCE OF FEET IN THE STRAPS: Behind the apparent simplicity of strapping your feet in lies a functional powerhouse for core engagement and overall muscle activation. This exercise isn't just about the legs; it's a comprehensive workout. The straps act as resistance tools, demanding attention from various muscle groups, including the crucial abdominal and hip flexor muscles. This dual nature of controlled movement against resistance contributes to improved strength and flexibility, making it a valuable component in all classes. THE MINDFUL APPROACH FOR SUBTLE EFFORT: In the event that the feet in straps routine doesn't immediately feel strenuous, it's not an excuse to coast through the exercise. Pilates is as much about mindfulness as it is about physical effort. Rather than dismissing the lack of intensity, embrace it as an opportunity for heightened awareness. Focus on stabilizing the pelvis and spine, connect with the controlled movement, and breathe intentionally. Even when the challenge seems subtle, we encourage you to move with conscious intention, turning seemingly easy exercises into opportunities for refined movement and awareness. So, the next time you find yourself on the Reformer, eagerly anticipating your feet in the straps, savor the experience. See these seemingly simple moves as chances to improve you Pilates practice and stay in tune with your body. NOTE: V

Take a look into our new studio and explore our newly added classes starting this week! * Monday: 5:45 pm - Spin Fusion * Tuesday: 5:45 pm - Barre * Wednesday: 5:45 pm - Reform & Restore * Thursday: 5:45 pm - Barre * Friday: 8:00 am - Mat Pilates Schedule: Vagaro.com/inspirestudiollc

Team InSPIRE Studio had a great time participating in our first Thumbs Up 5k/10k Event and it was amazing! So much love all around. And so many mental resource affiliates represented. Thank you Thumbs Up. Keep moving forward! We can’t wait to get more involved next year! Thank you to the 25 members that were able to join our team this year. And thank you to all that donated. We raised over $1500 for Thumbs Up for Mental Health! Let’s set those goals higher for next year!

Leg Springs: Airplane This exercise is not for everyBODY but just thought I’d show some fun on the tower (or springboard)!! Goal of Exercise: Challenges control and coordination. Strengthens the powerhouse and legs. Strengthens the posterior muscles in the body. If you can do the Reformer short spine massage and the Mat roll over-lets give this a try! inspirestudiomn.com vagaro.com/inspirestudiollc #pilates #balancebodytower

Pilates Fundamental-Rib Cage Arms If you have trouble stabilizing the shoulder complex during movement in exercises such as the roll-up, elephant, teaser, swan, etc. This fundamental exercise teaches the Critical Connection of Scapula to Rib (button 4) and the Key Concepts of arms move from the back, length, alignment, decompression, and working in the joint. This is great homework to try at home and improve your pilates practice…go ahead and record yourself, a great visual tool to see what you are doing! Goal: Increase awareness of how to stabilize the shoulder complex. Teacher independent movement of the arms from the rib cage; teaches how to limit range of motion within the boundaries of proper movement; teaches how to “work in the joint.” Execution: Reach your arms back, keep posterior ribs on the mat. Do not allow your back to arch or your ribs to pop off the mat. “Move your arms from your back” My video: 1st is correct, the 2nd I am allowing my rib cage and low back to come of mat and going past my ideal shoulder range of motion, the 3rd I am allowing my traps (neck) to initiate the movement instead of my lats (upper back). Lets get your shoulder girdle moving correctly! HAPPY PRACTICING inspirestudiomn.com vagaro.com/inspirestudiollc #ribcagearms #fundementals #practice #pilates #shouldergirdle

The “C-Curve” Here are 3 exercises that demonstrate the C-Curve. 1st CORRECT, 2nd INCORRECT! The C-curve is to make your spine look like the letter C. To achieve that, the cervical and lumbar spine have to lengthen and flex the most, the thoracic spine is naturally in a rounded position, which makes flexion easier in this part of the spine. So even though the spine should look "evenly rounded", the effort in the spine is not evenly distributed along all sections. The effort in the thoracic spine will be less than in the other two parts. It is created by the deep pull of the traverse (the lower “belt”) abdominals wrapping like a girdle around the spine and the opening of the spinal column in flexion, deepening the body into a LIFTED curve. Focus on C-Curve increases spinal mobility and abdominal strength. Practice! Sit on a chair w/ extended knees or on the floor holding thighs with knees bent. Start with a tall straight spine and draw your abdominals in and up. The top of your head is reaching for the sky and your shoulders are relaxed. Take deep breaths to feel what is happening in your abdominals. As you inhale the breath will lightly expand your abdominal wall. As you exhale draw the waistline in and up growing even taller. Pull your abs in so that they form a deep scoop. Pretend that someone has a string attached to your belly button from behind. As you exhale, feel the string pulling your belly button right back through your spine and up towards the top of the wall behind you. As your abs deepen in toward your spine, keep your neck long, shoulders relaxed and let the hips curl under you to open up the lower back. As you deepen your curl, resist any collapsing. Instead, lengthen up and out to create a high hollow C-curve rather than a low shallow one. At the deepest lowest point, hold the position. Lower your gaze to your abdominals (keep the cervical spine long—make sure you are not collapsing the chin to chest, keep shoulders down and open in

Another mat pilates intermediate move. Want to get those transverse abdominals (lower abs) this move will get them! All those short spine massages on the reformer have been prepping you for this Mat move! Corkscrew II Goal of Exercise: Challenges the Powerhouse. Teaches control of the Powerhouse Execution: Inhale. Reach the legs straight across your body past your shoulder, keeping the heels pressed firmly together. Reach the legs, circling away toward the floor. Keep your abs hollowed and your spine to the mat. Exhale. Circle the legs to the other side, keeping the opposite hip working in opposition. Lift the pelvis up off the mat with control, then roll down through the spine until the sacrum is flat. Reverse. Precision Points: Legs press into the Centerline. Legs stay in the same position throughout the circle without rotating thighs in or out. Arms reach long, with elbows and wrists long. Heels, knees and sitz bones stay connected throughout. Keep the wrap of the thighs. Keep back ribs on the mat. Curl the last five vertebrae off the mat. You may want to stick to Corkscrew I (not lifted pelvis) if you have any SI joint conditions, or serious neck issues. Come and try it out Mondays 5:45 pm, Wednesdays 11:45 am inspirestudiomn.com vagaro.com/inspirestudiollc #corkscrew #matpilates #abstrengthener

Sun's out buns out! ☀️🍑 Did you know that lunges on the Reformer can offer a multitude of benefits for your body and mind? In addition to building strong and toned legs, lunges on a reformer can also help to improve your balance and stability, as well as increase your flexibility and body awareness. As you perform the lunge movement on the reformer, you’re engaging your core muscles to maintain proper form and stability, which can help to strengthen your core and enhance your mind-body connection. Come in and check it out for yourself. Your body and mind will thank you for it!! 👍🧘‍♀️ • Schedule: Vagaro.com/inspirestudiollc Check out the studio: www.inspirestudiomn.com • • • • #refromerpilates #pilates #lunges #strongbodystrongmind #Sunsoutbunsout #healthylifestyle #mindbodyconnection #elkrive #inspirestudio

My mind is on Mat pilates lately so here is another Mat move! Open Leg Rocker Goal of exercise: Challenges balance, control and ability to initiate movement from the Powerhouse. Promotes alignment and massages the spine. Inhale. Pull the abdominals in to roll back to the shoulder tips, gazing at your navel. Head stays off the mat. Exhale. Roll back up, pause, balance on your bottom, lift your chest, and keep your gaze out. Precision Points Roll to the shoulders. Reach the arms out for the entire movement. Lift the chest above the knees at the top. Initiate with a scoop and a glute activation. Please know that this exercise isn't for every body. Here is a list of cautions that may require you to modify. Serious eye problems, lower back disc issues, scoliosis, osteoporosis, or neck issues (if lack of control isn't there to keep off the neck). Want to try out the fun exercise…take a MAT PILATES CLASS with us! Mondays 5:45pm and Wednesdays 11:45 a.m. inspirestudiomn.com vagaro.com/inspirestudiollc.com #openlegrocker #funmatpilates #massagethespine #stretchthehammies

The Roll-Over GOAL OF EXERCISE: Teaches reverse spinal articulation. Strengthens the Powerhouse. Execution: Inhale. With the Powerhouse, lift the hips and legs straight over the head. Keep legs firmly together. With control, touch feet to the mat overhead, reaching long in the arms with the chest open. Open the legs to shoulder width, flex the feet, reach through the heels and press the balls of the feet into the mat. Keep your neck long. Exhale. Slowly and with control, roll down vertebra by vertebra, keeping the thighs as close as possible to the chest. Reach the legs away, close the legs and swiftly lift the hips to repeat two more times. Reverse directions. Precision Points: Keep 80% of the weight on the shoulders. Control the movement from the Powerhouse. Arms and palms flat on mat and continue the reach. Keep wrist and elbows extended. Keep head pressed firmly into the mat. Legs reach in opposition from the spine when rolling down. Thighs stay close to the body when rolling down. Please know that this exercise is not for every body here is a list of cautions that may require you to modify. serious eye issues, high blood pressure, acute neck or back problems, lack of abdominal control to stop from putting too much weight on neck, osteoporosis, and sciatica. Want to try this….take Mat Pilates Class! Monday 5:45 pm, Thursdays 11:45 am inspirestudiomn.com vagaro.com/inspirestudiollc #rollover #matpilates #spinalarticulation

Long Box Teaser Challenging exercise..but one of my favorites! Read below for the precision points and my areas I need to work on! Goal: Strengthens abdominals on an unstable surface. Promotes spinal articulation and control from full spinal extension, both to and from flexion. Precision points: Keep tension in straps at all times. Abdominals stay scooped in and up to lift the ribs out of hips. Body stays still and spine stays lifted while the arms are move. (I am a little wobbly..need to work on it!) Toes and eyes remain at the same height throughout the exercise. (Notice I need to improve!) Arms stay shoulder-width apart on the roll up and roll back. Lower the arms to the hips, not behind the body (I have hyper mobile shoulders and need to work on this control!) Circle in peripheral vision. Legs stay straight and together. Get ready for some teasers! inspirestudiomn.com vagaro.com/inspirestudiollc #teaser #reformerpilates #formiskey #practicemakesperfect

Having strong glutes is very important to injury prevention and should always be a staple in your exercise routine! Pilates is a great way to strengthen your glutes..and we all know I love to target them! 🍑 Here is a great series that targets your backside and can be completed by most individuals! There are always ways to modify so don't be scared! Some key points to think about when completing these moves are... 1. Side Sleepers: In Pararrel, make sure the hips are stacked and the knee is level to the hip. In Exeternal Rotation, make sure the hips are still stacked (only rotate the femur as much as you can without letting the top hip fall back), toes and knee are aligned. 2. Donkey Kicks: In Paralell, hips and shoulder sqaured to floor, abdominals activated so low back isnt arching. In External Rotation, hips and shoulder slightly turned out, make sure the knee and toes align. 3. Standing external rotation lunge: Keep bending knee behind toe, weight in the carriage leg heal. Defiinitly a classic in our reformer classes! Inspirestudiomn.com vagaro.com/inspirestudiollc #glutesworkout #pilatesreformer

Playing around with some Mat Pilates exercises on the reformer! There are so many different ways to incorperate these abdominal exercises into a Pilates routine. Being on the reformer actually makes them a little "easier" to complete with less pressure on the lower back! A great practice to keep you moving and keep your form so you can become stronger when completed them without the help of the springs. All the pieces of Pilates equipment when used in a weekly routine can really compliment eachother and help your body gain strength you never knew you had! I highly suggest trying out each and every class so you can start to see how this system can work so well! Have a Happy Night! inspirestudiomn.com vagaro.com/inspirestudiollc #matpilates #reformerpilates #exochair #springboard

TRX Floor Demo! There are so many exercises that can be done on the suspension trainer! 🔥🙌 Our 45 minute Classes are designed with a HIIT (high intensity interval training) format, this allows for maximum results in shorter amounts of time! These exercises target the whole body! They are always a fun challenge and get the hamstrings/core so good! 😘 1. Hamstring Curl, Bridge, Bicycle hamstring curl 2. Pike/Plank, Knee Pull, Mountain Climber, Side Planks There are ways to modify these exercises so don’t worry if something looks tough…we can always make it work! Classes are offered Tuesday 7:00 am, Wednesday 9:15 am, Thursdays 5:45 pm, Saturdays 8:00 am Sign up for one today! Schedule: Vagaro.com/inspirestudiollc Check out the studio: www.inspirestudiomn.com #inspirestudio #strengthtraining #HIIT #TRX #Strong