Reformer Embodiment & Practice Logbook

Date of practice: 2026-02-01

Duration: 60 mins

Location: IFT Studio

Exercises I practised: Footwork, bridge and arm sequence of hundreds prep, tricep pushdown, 45's.

What I noticed in my body: The exercises felt different now that I am learning from a teaching perspective rather than a class attendeee. I really focused on my alignment and struggled to keep my breath but it is something now to focus on going forward as well as prioritising my flexibility.

Challenges I experienced: Focusing on lateral thoracic breathing and matching it to the movement phase. Inhale to prepare to lengthen, exhale to engage and stabilise.

Insights for my teaching: Cueing neutral alignment and knees tracking over toes will really benefit my teaching practice going forward.

Reflection: This session will allow me to become a better teacher as it allows me to feel and embody the movement first to understand exactly how the client feels. It is easy to make cues but its important to assess what feedback is needed for specific movements example verbal vs tactile.

Date of practice: 2026-03-06

Duration: 60 minutes

Location: Reform Lab Studio

Exercises I practised: Footwork series, legs in straps, long box series.

What I noticed in my body: I found after session one my alignment was much better. I took on the role of focusing on lateral breathing throughout and keeping my alignment as a priority. I felt a big shift when I moved with intention.

Challenges I experienced: I struggled with feet in straps as it is easy for your hips to lift up off the carriage. Again, maintaining a neutral spine and genuinely focusing on the movement allowed me to adapt and slow down the movement.

Insights for my teaching: Cues that would have been useful is to keep hips down on the carriage and reduce range of motion if there is a struggle here.

Reflection: I learnt how easy it is to lift away from the carriage and how this may impact my future students, this is something I will look out for going forward.

Date of practice: 2026-03-08

Duration: 60 minutes

Location: Reform Lab Studio

Exercises I practised: Full focus on footwork and spring guidelines.

What I noticed in my body: My alignment felt much better in today's practice. Tendon stretch was once a big struggle for me after an injury and is now becoming easier with time.

Challenges I experienced: Ankle mobility as the heels drop under the footbar in tendon stretch but again it is a lot easier now along with running.

Insights for my teaching: Inhales - exhale push the carriage away.

Reflection: I learnt that mobility will take time but seeing the small gradual changes is encouraging. I know going forward there will be clients with a wide range of issues / injuries. Thankfully this will give me some insight into modifications.

Date of practice: 2026-03-11

Duration: 60 minutes

Location: IFT Studio

Exercises I practised: Bridge articulation, chest extensions, open book, bicep curls, tall row/ low row.

What I noticed in my body: I felt my focus on breath / alignment has came on a lot since the beginning of my teacher training along with my flexibility. It can be easy to allow shoulders to pull upwards and for your scapula to close inwards. This did not happen to me during this session which I am very pleased with.

Challenges I experienced: The row tall and low are challenging especially finding the appropriate strings. Once I found my footing, it felt a lot more comfortable.

Insights for my teaching: Shoulders away from ears, if struggling with arms in strap the option is always there to use the long loop instead.

Reflection: Regular practice has helped me understand my own strengths combined with the reformer as I really do feel so many benefits when I use the springs appropriate to each exercise.

Date of practice: 2026-03-12

Duration: 60 minutes

Location: Home

Exercises I practised: Offering, hug, chest press, salute.

What I noticed in my body: Front rowing is probably one of my favourites! I felt my alignment was a lot stronger especially during my chest press/ salute movements.

Challenges I experienced: The salute can be hard to keep core engagement, again I adapted by using a single green and it made it a lot easier to keep the carriage steady.

Insights for my teaching: During the salute you are using a diamond shape in the front of your forehead, slightly leaning forward and pressing the diamond towards the ceiling.

Reflection: This session today will allow me to become a better teacher as I was around individuals with different abilities. I heard specific cues that I can now bring forward into my own teaching.

Date of practice: 2026-03-14

Duration: 60 minutes

Location: IFT studio

Exercises I practised: Posture assessments, swan prep, stomach massage series

What I noticed in my body: Lower back stiffness during swan prep as I was lengthening. Also keeping head in correct alignment was a struggle here.

Challenges I experienced: I adapted by bringing my hands in closer with my hands narrow.

Insights for my teaching: To focus on clients who may have a tight lower back like myself.

Reflection: I learnt the benefits of posture such as increased lung capacity, fewer headaches and overall better abdominal definition.

Date of practice: 2026-03-15

Duration: 60 minutes

Location: IFT studio

Exercises I practised: Safety checks, knee stretch series: round, flat, knees off.

What I noticed in my body: I noticed pressing the carriage away using the hips instead of just pushing through arm strength. It was also great to learn here that fewer springs allows for more core and stability focus.

Challenges I experienced: I struggled with heavier springs as they were more hips / shoulder focused.

Insights for my teaching: I learnt that movement through the knee joint can happen rather than the hip joints.

Reflection: I learnt that my hip stability and improved drastically.

Date of practice: 2026-03-28

Duration: 60 minutes

Location: IFT studio

Exercises I practised: Legs bend and stretch, legs lift and lower, leg circles.

What I noticed in my body: I noticed greater pelvis stability and hip control in this session with feet in straps. It was once very hard for me to engage a neutral spine, thankfully it has improved due to my embodiment sessions.

Challenges I experienced: Avoiding pressing into the carriage with arms and to focus on the movement coming fully from the lower body.

Insights for my teaching: Helpful cues:
Keep the hips still and level,
Point toes to come up, flex the heels to come down.

Reflection: I learnt how easy it is for hips to lift off the carriage along with knee hyperextension. It is very important for core to stay engaged.

Date of practice: 2026-03-29

Duration: 60 minutes

Location: IFT Studio

Exercises I practised: Single leg circles, frogs, supine arm circles.

What I noticed in my body: In this session I struggled with a niggle in my neck. To combat this I used the neck support with the headrest up during my supine arm sequences.

Challenges I experienced: I struggled with the tension in my neck but adjusted the reformer as needed and allowed the springs to mirror that too.

Insights for my teaching: Helpful cues:
As you inhale release the arms up towards the ceiling, exhale as you open through the chest, floating arms to the side and circle them back to starting position.

Reflection: This session will allow me to become a better teacher as it made me realise how I felt in the moment with an injury, and how I hope my future clients feel seen and heard as we make the necessary modifications.

Date of practice: 2026-04-04

Duration: 60 minutes

Location: Reform Lab Studio

Exercises I practised: side arm series: lateral raise, tricep/ swords, spine twists.

What I noticed in my body: I noticed a big change in my overall upper body/ core strength!

Challenges I experienced: This was my first practice session where I felt I didn't struggle. I felt connected in my alignment and strength during each movement. This day was very enjoyable!

Insights for my teaching: Today I placed a lot of focus in safety which I feel will benefit me as a teacher. I want to have a very safe teaching space for all of my future clients.

Reflection: Regular practice has changed my understanding of the reformer as it has allowed me over the last 10 sessions to make mistakes and learn from them. Having a safe teaching environment is so important as as mentioned above I want to make the space I teach in safe and welcoming.