Teasing Gravity

Exercises for Elevating Your Teaser

The iconic teaser: an original mat exercise that requires full body integration. It not only challenges your core strength, but works balance, spinal stability and flexibility. And it's not easy so if you haven't noticed, the teaser is not in the beginning of the mat repertoire. Everything we do in Pilates is a prep for the ultimate teaser. Work these exercises at home to keep sharpening your "V".

The Hundred

Fully committing to practicing 10 breaths while engaging your powerhouse is a great way to strengthen your core and create stability in the waistline.

The Roll Up

This exercise works spinal articulation in the upper body necessary to performing the teaser. Working your secondary powerhouse (shoulder girdle) in harmony with your core will help you find your balance up in your teaser.

Rolling Like A Ball/ Open Leg Rocker

Teaser is a balancing act and rolling like a ball (or open leg rocker) prepares you to continuously move while finding balance. The spine staying in flexion is helpful to engaging the low belly while also massaging out the lumbar spine.

Series of Five

This is a no brainer for your teaser needs. The previous exercises all promoted spinal movement specifically in the upper body. The series of 5 will help not only strengthen your powerhouse but your hip flexors, a group of muscles that help you to lift your legs towards your torso.

Shoulder Bridge

It may seem counterproductive to the Teaser, but this exercise will stretch open the hip flexors and thighs which tend to cramp up during the teaser exercise. This is a great exercise for creating stability and strength in the low back and glutes providing for better balance and control.

Side Kick Series

It may seem cruel that the side kick series is jsut before the teaser in that mat repertoire but there is a method to the madness that Joseph Pilates devised. The legs are just as important in the teaser as the torso and spine. Being able to maintain stability and control in the legs is vital to holding the V position.

We are all about practice making us better and you don't ever need much more than yourself and a mat to get you on your way to finding a balanced and controlled teaser. Work these exercises and see your teaser transform on the mat and on the apparatus.