3 Moves to Prep for the Pilates Teaser

The Teaser is a Pilates exercise that requires full-body strength, flexibility, and balance.  In order to properly execute the motion with precision and efficiency, the body needs to be prepped accordingly.

Bridging

is a fundamental Pilates exercise that can be done in various ways.  It begins on your back supine, feet flat on the floor, and hands by your side.  Every time you lift your hips off the floor, you are strengthening your glutes and backside of the legs while stretching the front side of your legs and hips.  Doing this exercise first is a warm-up for the muscles that’ll be used in a Teaser and helps stretch out the muscles that tend to cramp during the motion.

The Roll-Up

is another Pilates exercise that is essentially a prep to the Teaser.  You begin lying supine the same way on your back.  Arms and legs are extended out on the ground like the Teaser.  The major difference is that you don’t lift the legs when lifting the arms and rolling up the spine.  This is a great variation for clients who need to modify or are working towards the full Teaser exercise.  It warms up the abdominals and suggests a very similar motion that helps take away some of the shock value of the more advanced exercise. 

Rolling Like a Ball

is another Pilates exercise that can aid in executing the Teaser more efficiently.  When you Roll Like a Ball, your entire body is curled into a c-curve.  You roll your body back and rock back up to a balanced position with your feet off of the floor.  Rounding out the spine gives it more space to help prep into a more dynamic and demanding exercise like the Teaser that has basically the same motion with a more challenging twist to it.  

The Teaser

requires full-body activation along with mind-body connection to properly work the correct muscles.  Many people attempt it and go into their hip flexors and low back.  In order to perfect this classical Pilates exercise, proper conditioning and prepping would guide towards a better-executed motion.  The Bridge, Rolling Like a Ball, and the Roll Up are intricate ways to create stepping stones towards performing the coveted Pilates Teaser effectively and successfully.