| We’re really getting into our Grasshopper Program now and already noticing increases in strength and mobility.
The Reformer is such a versatile piece of equipment: you can lie on it, kneel on it, stand on it or sit on it! You can use it facing forwards, backwards, or sideways. Over the course of this program, we’ll be using the Reformer in many of these ways. They all bring differing benefits to the body – and variations help keep things interesting!
This week, we thought we’d take a look at Seated Arms (facing forward) – what we’re doing and the benefits it will deliver.
One of the first things to be aware of, is that, just by sitting tall and maintaining a neutral spine throughout the exercise, we are using muscles in our core. Later in the program, some of us may want to progress to upright kneeling, increasing the stability challenge and therefore working deeper into core muscles.
We’ll be practising reaching our arms long and then bringing them back so that our thumbs reach our lower ribs, with elbows brushing our ribs along the way. That’s quite a challenging movement – not everyone has that range in their body. It’s the range required for a press-up/push-up and will help us find our Grasshopper later in the program.
As we’re moving through this exercise, we’ll be working into muscles in our arms and shoulder girdle, as well as into our pectoral muscles (chest and front of shoulders). We use these muscle groups when pulling, pushing, lifting, or reaching (eg. to a high shelf).
All of these muscles work to support our shoulder joints and upper spine and help to keep our upper body (including the head and neck) balanced and stable. By increasing the range of movement in our shoulder girdle, we will improve the functionality of our arms, leading to improved efficiency of movement. This will really help if you’re a swimmer, golfer, tennis (or any racquet sport) player, but will also help us move efficiently, without straining, in our everyday life.
In the Grasshopper Program, we’re focusing quite a lot on increasing strength and mobility across our shoulder girdle. We hope that, as the weeks progress, you’ll notice the benefits in your day-to-day activities!
If you’d like to experience the Grasshopper Program, reserve your place in one of our Reformer Plus classes. |
