Pairing weight training with Reformer Pilates is often a winning combination in my eyes when it comes to choosing complimentary workouts. Combined with my love of deadlifts, the benefits of this Reformer Pilates exercise can only be achieved on a Reformer. This month’s exercise was created just for Gabrielle as my usual go-to exercises for proximal hamstrings weren’t doing the trick.

Gabrielle, a longtime client with back pain and instability in her right hip and pelvis had been making steady gains but she’s been a bit trickier to work with due some minor medical concerns. While there have been significant improvements in areas such as glute, core and SI joint function, building up her proximal hamstring strength had continued to be elusive. This was compounded by a history of anxiety, thyroid dysfunction, hypermobility and a background in competitive gymnastics.

Pin pointing Gabrielle’s weaknesses was a bit challenging in the beginning because she could power through a lot of advanced Reformer exercises. However, with time and resolution of other weaknesses, I sorted out that her adductor magnus tended to jump in and do the job of her hamstrings when I put her into hip flexion.

[As a side note, we’ve been able to calm her piriformis by strengthening her glutes, but not so much the adductor which leads to feelings of tension in the hip flexors.

My working theory is that the adductor tension is traveling through the fascial chain into the piriformis, which in turn pushes the femoral head forward. This pressure engages the hip flexors to keep the femoral head in place. As soon as we release her adductor magnus, her feelings of hip flexor tension goes away.]

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Here’s what we covered in Gabrielle’s 30 min session:

1) Adductor and Hamstring Release: 

Dry needling and/or roll out with massage ball. I like using the big Alpha ball from Tune-up Fitness for this in sitting. No affilation or conflicts of interest, I just love it for it’s rubbery surface. (7 min)

2) Reformer: 

Single Thigh Stretch with focus on warming up eccentric release of distal hamstrings. (3 min for both sides)

3) Reformer: 

Standing Back Splits variation with the posterior knee flexing and extending vs. the anterior knee. The intention here was to warm up her stabilizers and lumbo-pelvic proprioception with a static hold using her proximal hamstrings. (3 min for both sides)

4) Reformer: 

Sustained Side Splits with Assymetrical Hip Hinge (8-10? min for both sides). Admittedly this is a terrible name, but I wanted to give a clear description.

Set-up: one medium and one light spring with Platform extender (optional) placed over springs. Make sure your client is comfortable standing on the Reformer. Please use non-stick grippy mats/Dycem or have your client wear grippy socks.

Starting position: Standing facing sideways on the Reformer with the weaker leg on the Carriage. Place this foot anteriorly and the Platform foot posteriorly on the Platform Extender. Feet in parallel (neutral hip rotation).

• Warm up with side splits through hip abduction/adduction while maintaining neutral spine and pelvis.
• Hold midrange abduction and check alignment in feet/knees/hips/pelvis etc.
• Hinge forward slowly with active abduction force to hold Carriage open. The This is intended to faciliate recriprocal inhibition of the adductors and work her abductors, which are still comparatively weaker. We’re also reinforcing lengthening of the piriformis.

Make it a deadlift! Add light dumbbell or Kettlebell to further load hamstrings and posterior chain. Only do this if your client feels safe and balanced with their hinges.

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5) Cool Down on Reformer: 

Footwork with trunk and hip rotation (known as Slalom in my Foundational Reformer course). I wanted to give Gabrielle a shake out from all the extensor work, so I put her into hip and knee flexion with active rotation. 2 heavy springs. (3 min)

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Thoughts? Feelings? I would love to hear what you think or if you have any special requests for future blog topics.