Reformer Embodiment & Practice Logbook

Date of practice: 2026-06-02

Duration: 60 mins

Location: ALIGNed, Listowel, Co. Kerry

Exercises I practised: Footwork Series
- Double leg press (balls of feets, toes on bar, heels on bar & wide stance heels on bar)
-Calf raises & tendon stretch
- Walking into running

Bridge Series
- Heels on bar bridge
- Bridge pulses
- Bridge hold
- High bridge hold extension

Hundreds
Sit ups with feet under footbar
Russian twists

Lung Series (long box on the ground)
- Lunge
- 90/90 Lunge
- Pulse
Hold

Scooters
- Lunge scooter
-Scooter

Planks
Plank Hold
Knees Off
Mountain Climbers

What I noticed in my body: I enjoyed this class and enjoyed the pace & flow. The instructor encouraged us to slow the pace of each exercise down and connect out mind to the muscles working. I thought this helped me to concentrate on what i was doing and helped me to engage and work the relevant muscles.

Challenges I experienced: The bridge work was the most difficult - my hamstrings were very tight.

Insights for my teaching: Helpful cues - imaging a bowl of water on our pelvis don't allow it to rock or spill; engage to core muscles squeeze the belly button back like you are zipping up a pair of tight jeans; holding a peach under your chin

Reflection: This class helped me to think about the cues I will use in class

Date of practice: 2026-06-06

Duration: 60 minutes

Location: Halo, Killarney

Exercises I practised: Single leg press
Extension
Pulses
Brides

Lunge on short box
Lunge
Skater
Glute kickback
Squat sumo & pulses

Push away and squat push away

Kneeling arms with ball
Chest press
Ball pass
Shoulder press
Bicep curls
Tricep extensions

Low lunge
Static lunges

Core
Arm arcs
100s
T arms
T coordination

What I noticed in my body: I en

Challenges I experienced: Hol

Insights for my teaching: C

Reflection: I

Date of practice: 2026-06-07

Duration: 60 mins

Location: Halo, Killarney

Exercises I practised: Parallel heels footwork
Parallel toes footwork
Pilates V footwork
Wide second position footwork
Running
Calf raises
Single-leg footwork
Frogs
Leg circles
Reverse leg circles
Leg lowers and lifts
Walking
Scissors
Heel Beats
Glute bridge
Bridge with extension
Bridge march
Chest expansion
Biceps curls
Hug a tree
Triceps press
Salute
Arm circles
Standing lunges
Single-leg press
Curtsey lunge
Side lunge
Squat to balance
Long stretch plank
Knee tucks
Pike
Mountain climbers
Elephant
Shoulder taps
Hundred
Coordination
Teaser prep
Teaser hold
Mermaid stretch

What I noticed in my body: My alignment generally felt good, and I was conscious of maintaining a neutral pelvis and engaging my core throughout each movement. The one movement I found difficult was the glute bridging. As the intensity increased, I noticed that focusing on my breath helped me maintain control and stability

Challenges I experienced: The glute bridge with leg extension was the most challenging exercise for me. Maintaining a level pelvis while extending one leg required a lot of glute activation and core stability. I noticed a tendency for my hips to drop or rotate slightly, particularly on my weaker side.

Insights for my teaching: I would encourage clients to imagine their pelvis as a tray of water that should remain level throughout the movement. Cueing them to engage their glutes before lifting into the bridge and to maintain abdominal connection during the leg extension can help improve stability. I also recognised the importance of offering regressions, such as holding the bridge without extending the leg, to ensure clients can maintain good alignment before progressing

Reflection: This session reinforced the value of experiencing each exercise in my own body before teaching it to others. Feeling where the challenges occurred has given me a better understanding of the common compensations clients may experience and how to address them through effective cueing and appropriate progressions or regressions.

Date of practice: 2026-06-10

Duration: 60 mins

Location: ALIGNed, Listowel

Exercises I practised: Warm Up Breathing - hands on ribcage, hands on hips and lower belly, hands on carriage

Footwork Series (Double leg)
- Balls of feet
-Toes on bar (heels high)
-Heels on bar (hip width & wide)
- Pilates V (heels together toes apart over and under the footbar)

Single leg press
-Toes on bar
- Heel on bar

Legs in Straps (lying on side)
-Leg lift and lower
-Leg swing
-Leg bend and flew
-Leg pulse
-Leg circles

Half roll back (C spine)
Half roll back bicep curl
Half roll back low row

Legs in straps on second leg

Short box - Planks
Plank Hold
Knees off

Lunge Series (long box)
- Lunge
-90/90
-Pulses
-Lunge Hold
-Scooter

Elephant Stretch
Long Stretch
Down stretch
Mermaid Stretch
Monkey Stretch
Childs Pose

What I noticed in my body: Glute work was very tough today. The legs in straps really isolated the glute muscles and I found it hard to keep correct alignment and keep legs at hip height throughout the movement.

Challenges I experienced: Remaining stable on the carriage for glute work - adaptations given by instructor - ball under my head and free hand on the carriage for stability

Insights for my teaching: The instructor gave me adaptations for exercises I found difficult. She also used great cues that helped me understand the aim of the movements. During legs in straps glute work she said to push our legs through the straps as if we were pushing our foot against a wall and we were then moving up and down the wall.

Reflection: Todays class showed me some adaptations to offer to students. It has also reminded me to prioritise quality of movement over intensity and to encourage clients to move with control, awareness and confidence throughout the class.

Date of practice: 2026-06-13

Duration: 60 minutes

Location: Halo Studio, Killarney

Exercises I practised: Footwork Series

Single Leg Extension
Single Leg Pulse
Single Leg Bridge
Single Leg Bridge with Pulse

Short Box - Lunges
Static lunges
Skater
Glute Kickback
Sumo squat (heels against box)
Sumo squat pulses

Standing Abduction Series
Hip abduction
Squat into hip abduction
Hip abduction scooter

Arm Series - kneeling with balls
Chest press
Chest extension ball pass
Shoulder press
Bicep curls
Tricep extension

Lunge series - box on floor
Low lunge
Static lunge

Core
Arm arqs
100s
T Arms
T arm coordination
Legs under footstep sit up

What I noticed in my body: I noticed strength and stability in my legs and glutes during the single-leg work, but also became aware of differences between my left and right side. My hips and glutes worked hard throughout the standing abduction and lunge series, and I felt my core engage to help maintain balance.

Challenges I experienced: The biggest challenge was maintaining balance and control during the single-leg and standing exercises.

Insights for my teaching: Experiencing the class reminded me that balance, coordination, and body awareness can be just as challenging as strength. As a teacher, this reinforces the importance of giving clear instructions, allowing time for practice, and offering encouragement when learners are working through unfamiliar or demanding movements.

Reflection: It reminded me how important clear cueing, demonstrations, and encouragement are when learning new movements. By noticing where I felt challenged, fatigued, or unsure, I can better understand the needs of my future clients and create a supportive environment that promotes confidence, body awareness, and progression

Date of practice: 2026-06-16

Duration: 6

Location: Halo

Exercises I practised: Arches, heels and toes on bar
Single leg heels
Wide stance
Stretched in between

Legs in strap glute work
Stretches in between

C spine
C spine bicep curl
C spine row

Lunge series long box

Short box planks

Lunge series long box

Elephant stretch
Down stretch and long stretch in

What I noticed in my body: I

Challenges I experienced: I s

Insights for my teaching: Hand position during planks - hold over the footbar as opposed

Reflection: I

Date of practice: 2026-06-20

Duration: 2026

Location: Flex, Tralee

Exercises I practised: Footwork
Pilates V position – toes on bar
Parallel pulses
Arches on bar
Heels on bar
Running
Single leg footwork
Wide stance footwork

Supine legs
Frog
Leg circles small circles → larger circles
Open V / Butterfly
Legs open wide hold
Walking legs
Hamstring stretch
Strap-assisted hip stretch

1.Pelvic Curl / Bridge
2. Supine spine twist
3. Dead bug variation
4. Mermaid preparation - into mermaid with counter stretch

Kneeling arm series
Chest expansion
Serving tray
Salute
Reverse hug
Arm circles

1.Elephant
2. Long stretch
3. Down stretch
4. Up stretch

Cat cow, childs pose, monkey stretch, roll downs
Finished with breathing, lights out and mindful minute

What I noticed in my body: My flexibility was poor and I found I was inclined to hold my breath through the movements.

Challenges I experienced: I found the long a=stretch and down stretch difficult, I had to bend at the knees.

Insights for my teaching: A few breathing cues I found helpful were breath wide, knit the ribs back together and hold

Reflection: This was my first mobility style class and I enjoyed it. I would like to bring elements of it into my class. I thought the breathing at the end was a lovely way to end the class, This was an evening class so it was nice and relaxing.

Date of practice: 2026-06-25

Duration: 45 mins

Location: Flex, Tralee

Exercises I practised: Warm Up – Footwork
Pilates V toes on bar
Parallel toes on bar
Arches on bar
Heels on bar
Running
Wide V stance footwork
Single leg footwork
Legs in Straps – Hip Opening & Hamstring Mobility
Frog
Leg circles
Reverse leg circles
Open V / butterfly stretch
Scissors
Bicycle legs
Hamstring stretch (one leg long)
Hip opener stretch (leg out to side)
Supine figure 4 stretch with strap
Spinal Mobility & Core Connection
Pelvic curls
Articulating bridge with arm reach
Supine spinal twist
Dead bug
Knees to chest stretch
Roll downs
Upper Body & Thoracic Mobility
Chest expansion
Salute
Serving tray
Hug a tree
Arm circles
Mermaid (both sides)
Reformer Flow & Full Body Stretch
Elephant
Long stretch
Down stretch
Up stretch
Standing lunge on carriage
Standing hip flexor stretch
Deep Stretch Finisher
Kneeling hip flexor stretch
Pigeon / figure 4 stretch
Mermaid side bend
Forward fold
Child’s pose
Cat/cow
Supine spinal twist
Legs up the bar relaxation

What I noticed in my body: I enjoyed this class and the stretch. I felt I was slighly more flexible this time and managed my breathing better.

Challenges I experienced: The most challenging part for me was maintaining control and finding the balance between creating a deep stretch while still maintaining correct alignment and core connection.
I adapted by reducing my range of movement, slowing down the tempo and focusing on my breath rather than forcing the position,

Insights for my teaching: Useful cues included encouraging lateral thoracic breathing by asking clients to "breathe into the sides and back of the ribs" and "allow the ribcage to expand like an umbrella." Using imagery to help clients understand movement, such as "creating space through the spine," "finding length through the crown of the head," and "allowing the hips to soften and open.

Reflection: Today I became more aware of my own body, particularly noticing tightness through my hip flexors. During exercises involving hip extension, lunging movements and deeper hip opening, I felt areas where I had limited range of motion and needed to move with more control.

Date of practice: 2026-07-06

Duration: 60

Location: H

Exercises I practised: Footwork
Arches, heels and toes on bar
Walking
Single leg heels
Wide stance

Arches, heels and toes on bar
Single leg heels
Wide stance
Stretched in between

Short box - C Spine (facing back of carriage holding short loops)
Round back roll back
Roll back with bicep curl
Roll back with low row
Roll back with high row
Alternating row roll back
Y arms roll back

Single leg in footstrap on short box
Roll back - round back
Roll back oblique twist both sides and alternating
Tree

Short box Planks - knees off, full plank & hold

What I noticed in my body: The short box series required greater control, particularly during the roll backs where I had to avoid collapsing through my chest and instead lengthen through my spine. Coordinating my breath with each movement helped me move with more control, especially during the more demanding core exercises.

Challenges I experienced: The single-leg Tree exercise on the short box was the most challenging movement for me. Maintaining a rounded spine during the roll back while controlling the lifted leg required a combination of hamstring flexibility, abdominal strength and balance

Insights for my teaching: This class really highlighted the importance of cueing spinal positioning.
Keeping chest open was the most benefical cue for me today.
During the Tree exercise, cueing clients to keep the movement controlled and to exhale as they return to sitting can help improve abdominal engagement. I also recognised the value of offering different ranges of movement so clients can maintain good technique without compromising their alignment.

Reflection: This class really challenged my core work & put me thinking as how best to cue these exercises. They are quite difficult and over cueing them could overwhelm a client. I was reminded to observe movement quality carefully, encourage controlled movement over range, and use clear, concise cues that help clients maintain alignment and connect with their breath throughout the session.

Date of practice: 2026-07-06

Duration: 6

Location: AL

Exercises I practised: Bridging
Glute bridge, pulse, extension and single leg

Sit ups - feet under footbar
Sit up with twist
Arm extensions
T arms
Tricep press
Hundreds

Lunge Series (on box)
Lunge , hold, pulses, scooter
In between mountain climbers

Kneeling arms
Salut, hug, bicep curl

Legs in straps
Leg lift and lower , frogs, leg circles

What I noticed in my body: I noticed improved body awareness, particularly my ability to recognise when I was compensating and make small adjustments to my alignment. I felt more confident maintaining stability through challenging movements such as single-leg bridges.

Challenges I experienced: I found the bridging series challenging, particularly the single-leg bridge and extension variations, as they required strong glute activation, pelvic stability and control through the hips. I focused on slowing the movement down, maintaining even weight through the shoulders and finding connection through the glutes rather than relying on momentum.

Insights for my teaching: Useful cues included:

"Drive through the heel and squeeze the glute at the top of the bridge."
"Keep the hips square and imagine headlights shining forward during lunges."
"Lift from the centre rather than pulling from the neck during sit ups."
"Keep the ribs knitted together as the arms move."

Reflection: Today I noticed the importance of glute activation and hip stability in my own movement. I became more aware that when my glutes are not fully engaged, I tend to compensate through other areas such as the lower back or hip flexors.