Tag Archives: flexibility

WORKOUT VIDEOS – TYE4® WEEK 1

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Welcome to Phase 1 training!

Here we will work the FOUNDATIONS of true strength and fitness…

FLEXIBILITY • MOBILITY • CORE  • BALANCE

 TYE4® will help us achieve this quickly!

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⬇ DAY 1 ASSIGNMENT ⬇

1. First thing in the morning, follow the 8 minute warm-up video below.

2. Last thing before going to bed, follow the same 8 minute warm-up video.

Click here for WARM UP video

 

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For those of you who are new to TYE4, I hope you had a chance to get comfortable in it during Day 1. The morning warm-up wakes up the body, initiates circulation allowing oxygen to start moving, and is the ultimate ‘Morning stretch’ – PERFECT way to start your day!

The evening session serves a sightly different purpose:

•  To open up and stretch the chest and shoulder muscles that have been shortened throughout the day, pulling the head forward from our technology lifestyle
•  To lengthen the hamstrings, releasing back stress
•  To move hormones caused by stress from the day out of the body faster. This results in better sleep… which leads to faster muscle repair… which gets you closer to your goals! IT’S SO GOOD!

So good, in fact, that we are repeating the same routine for DAY 2! This time, think about WHY you are doing the TYE4 warmup.

Reach farther, go deeper and feel the muscles stretching!

⬇ DAY 2 ASSIGNMENT ⬇

1. First thing in the morning, follow the 8 minute warm-up video below.

2. Last thing before going to bed, follow the same 8 minute warm-up video.

Click here for WARM-UP video

 

 

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I hope you are feeling great from the past few days. Now it’s time to start layering on!

WORKOUT FOR DAY 3

• Start with warm-up video [8 min 52 sec]
• Next, do the balance video [5 min 21 sec]
• And end with the shoulder workout [this is only 1 min 33 sec… this is a good amount of time isolating the shoulders, but push yourself and do more reps than I instruct if you can]
Find a time in your day to devote 15 minutes to these sets. It won’t hurt to continue using the warm-up first thing in the morning and right before bed, but that would be extra
Continue in your regular workouts if you have any. These TYE4 warmups will set you up for better and safer workouts!
WARM-UP VIDEO

BALANCE WORKOUT VIDEO

SHOULDER WARM-UP VIDEO

 

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• Start with warm-up video [8 min 52 sec]
• Next, do the balance video [5 min 21 sec]
• And end with the shoulder workout [this is only 1 min 33 sec… this is a good amount of time isolating the shoulders, but push yourself and do more reps than I instruct if you can]

… Find a time in your day to devote 15 minutes to these sets. It won’t hurt to continue using the warm-up first thing in the morning and right before bed, but that would be extra
Continue in your regular workouts if you have any. These TYE4 warmups will set you up for better and safer workouts!

WARM-UP VIDEO

BALANCE VIDEO VIDEO

SHOULDER WARM-UP VIDEO

 

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• Choose best time of day for your workout
• Start with Warm-up Video
• Grab a mat and floor space for Roll-up Video
• Next do Leg Circles Video
• Finish with Foot Work Video

If you aren’t comfortable getting down on the floor, you can follow these workouts in the standing position. Let us know privately if you need more help modifying!

Continue using the Balance and Shoulder sequences as you see fit.

Continue using Warm-Up to help wake up your body or wind down before bed where you see value.

WARM-UP  VIDEO

PILATES ROLL UP VIDEO

LEG CIRCLES VIDEO

FOOT WORK VIDEO

 

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Choose best time of day for your workout

• Start with Warm-up Video
• Grab a mat and floor space for Roll-up Video
• Next do Leg Circles Video
• Finish with Foot Work Video

If you aren’t comfortable getting down on the floor, you can follow these workouts in the standing position. Let us know privately if you need more help modifying!

Continue using the Balance and Shoulder sequences as you see fit.

Continue using Warm-Up to help wake up your body or wind down before bed where you see value.

WARM-UP VIDEO

PILATES ROLL UP VIDEO

LEG CIRCLES VIDEO

FOOT WORK VIDEO

 

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• Start with Tye4 Warmup… try to start anticipating what comes next. Reach farther, go deeper in each movement
• Next do Balance video. Push harder today… lift leg just a little higher, pause at the top and lower with control resisting gravity
• Stay standing and do the FootWork Video standing. Triangle the leg bungees out to the side to help with balance
• End with the Pilates Roll up down on a mat

… this is the minimum workout… add more if you have time!

WARM-UP VIDEO

BALANCE VIDEO VIDEO

FOOT WORK VIDEO

PILATES ROLL UP VIDEO

 

HISTORY OF PILATES & MY PILATES BEGINNING

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Check out this fun crash course on the History of Pilates

NOW FOR MY PILATES STORY

I fell in love with Pilates and committed to study it and share it with others after I experienced life-improving results from it 12 years ago.
Out of college, I earned my AFAA Group Fitness Certification and began teaching fast pace, high energy, sweaty group fitness classes at Memorial Hermann Wellness Center in Houston, Tx.  I loved it!  After some time my boss, Joetta Dickerson  [opened the first Pilates studio in Houston] told me she wanted to start training me in Pilates through the PhysicalMind Institute because she was wanting to add Mat and Reformer Pilates to our schedule there at the Wellness Center.  I originally thought, “Sure, that will be an easy class to teach.”
First order of business, take a Pilates class. At this point I had NO IDEA what this even was… and I was probably pronouncing it wrong as well!  So, first class,  I set my mat up in the back of the room and was ready to memorize these exercises.  I remember the lights were dimmed and the atmosphere was quiet and calm.  I was afraid I would fall asleep… after all, we were laying down… with the lights out…  Joetta had us breathe and she led us into the first exercise.  WOW… it was really hard!  I could’t do a lot of them, and what I could do felt very sloppy, tight and uncoordinated.  Ugh, what was happening??? I was an athlete and a group fitness instructor!  I thought I was strong before and what I quickly learned was that my strength was extremely imbalanced.
My takeaway… I NEED TO PRACTICE!!!  I started practicing Pilates every night just so I could build strength to perform the exercises.  I started reading materials that Joetta gave me to study and began observing her sessions.  At this point Joetta was working with the Houston Rockets Basketball Team. An impressional moment I will never forget was watching Joetta work with Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon on his Roll-Up.  It was CRAZY!  This giant man could hardly do it… and his flexibility was not great.  At all.  This was the moment Pilates got my attention.
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Photo credit: Memorial Hermann Wellness Center

Joetta Dickerson and Hakeem Olajuwon
 So after a month of daily practice, my hubby started noticing changes in MY body!  My shape was changing!!!  Now, I didn’t start doing this for my own benefits.  This was my job.  I wasn’t looking for results but the results found me!  I gained flexibility I’d NEVER had before.  I felt great.  My shape completely changed and I rehabbed my shoulder that I was suppose to have had surgery on 5 years prior and didn’t.   This happened during the time I was studying Reformer Pilates.  I COULD NOT BEIEVE THIS!
As I studied this Method, I began to identify with Joseph Pilates… being that we were both sick kids and wanted nothing more that to be strong, fit and healthy.
I enjoy and see the benefit in a variety of fitness methods, but Pilates will ALWAYS be a part of what I do and what I teach.  This is something that will keep my body young and add value to my life as long as I live.
And now the NEW Tye4® System from Pilates PhysicalMind Institute is the latest in the Pilates evolution.  It’s a wearable Reformer that can go anywhere!

More TYE4 videos and workouts on my Youtube Channel:

Ashley Benson Fitness – SUBSCRIBE!!

New classes and programs at St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital Wellness Center, Murfreesboro Tennessee.

Pilates Classes

Check 840west.org for more info.

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MUSCLE INJURY REHAB

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“Hamstring strain injuries are very common in sports.  They can become chronic, nagging injuries due to scar tissue formation with up to a 63% chance of re-injury.”  Dynamic Physical Therapy & Sports Enhancement

In high school – long, long ago – I injured my hamstring playing sports and have re-injured it many times since.  IT’S SO FRUSTURATING.  

Five months ago I developed a pinched bursa in my left hip → which led to spasms in my gluteus medius  – a TRUE pain in the butt! → and then the problem trickled down into my hamstring… because it will take any opportunity to cause me grief.

theSOLUTION

First, I got K-Laser Therapy from Laser Therapy & Chiropractic Center for my hip.  This started helping immediately and paired with icing for a few weeks, inflammation was reduced without any medication.  Then I started doing pressure point therapy for my butt muscle – basically I would sit on a tennis ball holding for intervals of 3 minutes while crying from all the pain until the spasm released. Thank you Results Physiotherapy, Murfreesboro Tn for the torturous, yet effective instruction you gave me 🙂  And finally I started using a foam roller and Tye4® to rehab that stubborn hamstring.  

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My BFF.  Her name is Foam Roller

The Tye4 has been HUGE in helping me maintain/regain flexibility and maintain/build strength during this time.  Over the past weeks, when my hamstring is being a nerd and causing aches and pains, I have consistently found relieve after using Tye4!  

 I also kicked my nutrition into high gear by supplementing with a few products that the pros use when they are recovering from injuries.  I figure, if it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for me!  I’ve added Advocare BioTools and Post-Workout Recovery Drink to my daily intake.  This, along with my basic core nutrition, has done wonders for my recovery.  

Here’s one extra tip…
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Tennis ball + wall + back tension = much relief!!!
Give it a try!
When dealing with muscle injuries, we need to have patience, proper resources and common sense while recovering.  I just thought I’d share what’s been going on with me.  It’s easy to get discouraged, but we gotta hang in there and keep going!  
There is too much life to live to quit.