Hey guys, Cassey here, and welcome to Pilates Bootcamp on Livestrong Woman.
Today, we have a very special Block-Buster Workout because we'll be using a yoga block.
These are very inexpensive and can add a lot more dimension to your workout.
So go ahead and go out and get one and do this workout with me.
So if you're ready, let's go ahead and get started.
So we're gonna start out with one of your favorite parts: You're inner thighs.
So I want you to go ahead and bring your arms forward, tuck that chin in towards your chest
and slowly roll down with control, vertebrae by vertebrae.
Beautiful.
Now grab onto that block -- I want you to place your heels onto the edge of the block.
You see that?
I'm not holding onto with the sides of my feet, I'm simply balancing it like so.
Now, give it a nice little squeeze.
Hands right by your sides.
Relax the shoulders, relax the chest.
I want you to press it out, leg's straight, and then bring those knees right over the
hips, okay?
So exhale, reach, flexing the feet and bringing it in.
Exhale, reach.
Very nice.
And right back in.
Beautiful.
So, as you can see, we are truly working those inner thighs, your outer thighs, your quads,
and your lower abs are really tightening to allow you to do this movement.
Beautiful.
Exhale, reach, and in.
And it might get a little bit wobbly, but that's okay, you're just gonna get used to
it.
And if you don't have time to go out and get one of this blocks before we start the workout,
it's okay to just keep the heels together the whole time, create a nice V shape and
do the same movement.
These are Froggers, one of my favorite moves for your inner thighs, because they are so
effective and they totally burn.
A couple more -- 1 and 2.
Reach and hold.
Very nice.
Now, bring the arms all the way back, bring the knees in, and I want you to reach up and
extend.
So now we're getting your abs and your inner thighs at the same time.
So bring those arms back, exhale, reach and hold.
Beautiful.
Eyes forward, bring it all the way back and reach.
Love this because it's a total body move, really engaging all of your muscles.
Reach for those toes.
A few more.
All the way up.
Good.
And out.
Bellybutton into your spine.
One more now.
And reach it out.
I feel this, I really feel this -- 3, 2 and 1.
Bring it in, grabbing onto that block.
Beautiful work.
Alright, now I want you to bring that block on top of your foot.
This can get a little bit tricky.
So just take your time, and if it falls off, it's okay -- it's actually not that heavy
and it will not hurt you.
Okay, so try to keep your foot flat, your leg straight.
Bring the knee into your chest without dropping that block, and then bring it all the way
up again.
There we go.
It's gonna take a lot of mind-body control for this one, and it's really gonna work your
quad right here.
Inhale, down.
Exhale, lift.
Inhale, down -- trying to bring that knee as close as you can to the body.
Now, it doesn't look like a big movement, but try trust me, it's truly working that
quad.
Inhale, down.
Exhale, lift.
Inhale, down.
Exhale, lift.
Go ahead and give me a few more -- 3.
And push that heel towards the ceiling or the sky.
Down and reach.
One more now.
Lower and lift.
Go ahead and bring it onto the other side.
Again, placing it on top of that foot.
You may find that one of your feet may cooperate a little bit better than the other -- but,
you know, our bodies are not 100 percent symmetrical so we gotta figure out how to work with it.
So bring that knee into your chest, exhale, push up to the sky.
Straighten out that leg.
Inhale, down.
Tighten that bellybutton into your spine.
Exhale, lift.
Good work.
Down and reach.
And this also has a lot to do with your flexibility in your lower body, your hip joints.
So, you know, like with anything else, take your time.
Take your time to really work through these moves to really feel them and get the most
out of them.
Inhale, down.
Exhale.
Pressing that heel into the block.
Inhale, down.
Reach up.
Good stuff.
A few more now, guys -- 3 and 2.
Last one.
And 1.
Okay, grab that block, I want you to place it right behind you for Tricep Dips.
So place it long ways.
I want both of your palms on top right there.
Legs in underneath your butt and elbows back.
Now roll the shoulders back, open up that chest, bellybutton in.
I simply want you to come down and lift.
Lower and lift.
Now doing these on top of the block gives you a lot more room to dip lower, truly working
your triceps here.
And if you don't have the block, feel free to do this on top of, you know, a stack textbooks,
just make sure that they don't slide.
Or you can do it directly on the mat.
Nice.
Inhale, down.
Exhale, up.
Inhale, down.
Exhale, up.
A couple more.
Down and lift.
Lower and lift.
Okay, now, let's add something cool.
I want you to extend that leg, pointing the toe.
Every time you come down, I want you to kick up that leg, okay?
And kick it and down.
Kick and down.
Now we're getting your legs, we're getting your abs, we're getting your arms all at the
same time, truly working all of your body.
Beautiful work.
Keep that toe pointed.
Lovely.
A few more -- 3 and 2.
Last one now -- 1.
And back to center, but do not rest.
No, don't even think about it.
Go ahead and bring out that other leg, point that toe out, inhale though your nose, and
exhale.
Let's go ahead and dip it.
Kicking up and down.
Up and lower.
How are those arms feeling?
Feeling okay?
Little jello-y?
It's alright, you'll work through it and you'll be just fine.
We're gonna work through this together.
Reach and lower.
Come on.
Up and down.
And lower.
Press, nice.
All the way up.
A few more now -- 3 and 2.
Last one -- 1.
And bring it in and rest it down.
Great work.
Now take that block, place it right in front of you long ways again, okay?
We're gonna go into some pushups, but they're going to be staggered, because one of your
hands are gonna be right on top, the other one outside.
So you really start tricking your chest, fusing it a little bit, and working it really hard.
So your legs are all the way out just like so, but if you can't do that, no worries,
come on to your knees.
And if your knees are hurting, place a little towel or something here just to protect your
joint.
Otherwise, go hardcore with me onto the toes.
So, I want you to press down into that pushup.
Exhale, lift up.
Switch the hands onto the other side.
Lower and lift.
Center, out, lower and lift.
Beautiful.
How's this one feel, you like it?
I really like this one.
So, again, if you don't have a block, place some type of like mini, baby stool or just
something to give you a little bit of height right here, and make sure it's firm against
the mat so you do not slip.
Lower and lift.
But, again, these are really cheap.
So it's a really easy way, economical way to add a little bit of interestingness into
your workout.
And down and lift.
Center.
And down and lift.
A few more now, guys.
Really working out that chest.
Working that upper body.
This also gets your upper back.
And one more here.
All the way down and lift.
Hold it right there.
Knees down into that Child's Pose.
Now we're gonna end, finally, with our last move to really get that core.
So go ahead and come onto your back and bring that block all the way behind your head, okay?
Inhale through your nose.
On the exhale, I want you to lift up, place it between your knees, give a nice a little
squeeze here, and you're out.
Up, switch, heels together and out.
There it is.
That's all.
Working your abs, your arms, your legs, everything.
Good, come on.
All the way down.
Exhale, lift and lower.
Beautiful form.
Keeping that low back into the mat.
Bellybutton into the spine.
We are almost done, guys.
Give me that grace.
Flow with me.
Nice.
A few more, okay?
Make it good now.
Keep it in Pilates stance, head, neck and shoulders.
Up, nice.
Okay, last one.
Make it super good for me.
And reach it out.
Hold, hold, hold -- 5, 4, extend, 3, 2, 1.
And slowly lay it down.
Very nice.
Inhale through your nose.
Exhale, peel your back off the mat.
Sitting super tall, hands by your sides.
And that's it.
That was your Block-Buster.
I hope you really like that.
Let me know in the comments below which one of those moves was your favorite.
And be sure to subscribe to Livestrong Woman.
And I'll see you next week for another episode of Pilates Bootcamp.
Alright, keep working hard.
Love you, guys.
Bye