Have you ever had a day where you needed a class plan and didn’t have one? Maybe you completely forgot your idea walking into class. Or maybe you got distracted over the weekend and didn’t have a chance to create a class plan. Perhaps a few new participants surprised you by joining your class and what you were hoping to teach was not suitable for them.
In cases like these, it’s great to have a ‘go-to’ class that you’re familiar with.
Today, I’d like to share one of our Body Harmonics Core Reformer class plans.
This is a great Beginner-Intermediate level class that will leave most class participants feel worked and energized as they walk out the door.
Please note, this is a class designed for people who do not have back issues. If your clients have specific conditions, you need to make appropriate modifications.
Enjoy!
Core Reformer Sample Class Plan
Supine Series with feet on foot bar 2 reds + 1 blue
Footwork, balls of feet x 20
Footwork, heels x 20
Footwork, heel lift and lower x 20
Footwork, running x 20
Footwork, balls of feet x 20
Footwork, heels x 20
Footwork, heel lift and lower x 20
Footwork, running x 20
Bridge, heels + abducted hips x 10
Hip rolls side to side, hold posts, legs in tabletop (obliques)
Transition: Drape legs over bar and roll up to sitting
Seated Series with legs draped over foot bar
Mini ab curls with legs draped over bar x 8
Roll down onto carriage and back up x 1
Mini ab curl with torso twists x 8
Roll down onto carriage and back up x 1
Transition: Swing legs to side, remove one red spring and press up to stand
Standing Series with hands on foot bar 1 red + 1 blue
Elephant, parallel x 6
Elephant, turn out x 6
Elephant, turn in x 6
Transition: Step down to floor, change springs to one red and lower footbar so it is parallel to ground. Place long box on carriage.
Long Box Prone Series, facing back of machine 1 red
Mini Swan, hands on rails x 6
Pulling straps x 6
Swimming legs x 20
Pulling Straps x 6
Transition: push up to sitting, facing back of machine
Long Box Seated Series facing back of machine 1 red
Seated Rotations x 4 ea side
Chest Expansion x 6
½ Roll Back, feet on headrest + arms reaching forward x 6
Chest Expansion x6
½ Roll Back, feet on headrest + arms crossed over chest x 6
Transition: Remove box, change spring to one yellow and kneel sideways on Reformer
Side Kneeling Series, with left leg against shoulder rests 1 yellow
Torso Twist x 6
Hitch Hiker with left hand x 8
Hitch Hiker with right hand x 8
Shoulder Rolls x 4 ea direction
Roll Down so fingertips graze the floor; roll back up to tall kneeling
Transition: Cat with hands on rails x 4
Side Kneeling Series, with right leg against shoulder rests 1 yellow
Torso Twist x 6
Hitch Hiker with right hand x 8
Hitch Hiker with left hand x 8
Shoulder Rolls x 4 ea direction
Roll Down so fingertips graze the floor; roll back up to tall kneeling
Transition: Turn to face footbar, change springs to one red and one blue, step down to left side of machine
Lunge Series (left side) 1 red + 1 blue
Lunge x 8
Lunge + one hand on bar x 8
Lunge pulses x 16 ( press carriage out and in one inch)
Transition: walk around to right side of machine
Lunge Series (right side) 1 red + 1 blue
Lunge x 8
Lunge + one hand on bar x 8
Lunge pulses x 16 ( press carriage out and in one inch)
Transition: Pick up box and place lengthwise on carriage
Long Box, prone facing foot bar
Swan with hands on foot bar x 10
To Finish
Stand on floor and do shoulder rolls, wrist rolls, rotational sweeps, lateral arm arcs with breathing.
Voila!
Go ahead, spice it up
Feel free to use this class as-is or spice it up with your favorite piece of apparatus, themed cue or exercises you love to teach.
If you’d like some guidance in building a class plan, check out an article I wrote about Pilates Class Design Principles You Can’t Live Without.
Question for you
Do you have a ‘go-to’ class plan that you use? If so, what are some of the exercises you incorporate and why do you use them?
If you don’t have a ‘go-to’ class plan, is this something you would like to add to your teaching toolbox? Why?
Please share in the comments section below.
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I absolutely have go-to class plans for reformer and mat too! They are basically a blend of my favorite classes that I’ve taken, or taught over the years. Although my go-to classes sometimes feel familiar, they are always the most fun to teach. New little variations, and surprises come up each time making that basic go-to plan engaging and ever evolving!
I have a go to class plan for all my reformer and mat classes, but I’d love to see more posts like this. I like to shake things up in class every once in a while and teach participants something they haven’t done or haven’t tried in a while. It really gets clients to connect more into mind body and takes their Pilates practice to another level.
Hi Emma,
We’ll definitely make sure to include more class plans in the near future.
I’m glad you liked the post.
Love this thanks. Do you have any recommendations for figure skaters class sequence. Especially the Biellman spin as well.
Thanks
Hi Jodie,
I’m glad you found this useful. We don’t have any content for figure skaters at this time, but will put it on the list. Thank you for your suggestion. If you’d like to epplore conditioning techniques for figure skaters, you can book a private tutorial at the studio. Just call our Teacher Training department at 416.482.4884 to set something up. Hope that helps.
Larisa