For this Movement Monday, we’re exploring the Elephant, a well-loved Reformer exercise, and how to bring it into your matwork classes. The Elephant is an excellent exercise for lengthening the posterior chain—targeting the back, hamstrings, and calves—while also encouraging control and precision in movement. Although it’s traditionally done on the Reformer, adapting it to the mat can offer new challenges and benefits for your clients.
How the Elephant Translates to Matwork
When teaching the Elephant on the mat, remind your clients that, as with all movement, everyone’s experience will differ. Some may feel the stretch more in their hamstrings, while others might notice it in their back. This is particularly important to keep in mind if you have clients with varying levels of flexibility.
The goal in this exercise is to move the feet toward the hands as you fold the upper body inwards. This deepens the stretch along the back of the legs and the spine. However, if your clients can’t get their heels to the floor—something many people struggle with—it’s important not to force the position. Instead, cue them to move their heels slightly backwards. This adjustment helps release tension while still maintaining the integrity of the movement, allowing them to continue lengthening without placing unnecessary strain on the Achilles tendons or lower back.
Dynamic Movement and Breathing
Unlike the static nature of yoga’s Downward Dog, in Pilates we want continuous motion. From a four-point position, guide your clients to lift their hips up and back as they breathe out, focusing on folding the chest towards the knees. On the inhale, they’ll return to the four-point position. This rhythmic movement helps develop a better connection between breath and motion, which is a cornerstone of the Pilates method.
Key Pilates Principles in the Elephant
As always, the Pilates principles are central to this exercise. Here’s how to incorporate them into your cueing:
Centering: Encourage your clients to maintain a strong core engagement throughout the movement. The support from their centre will help them find stability as they move in and out of the position.
Breath: Breath is key to this exercise. Cue an exhale as they lift their hips and fold the chest toward the knees, and an inhale as they return to the starting position.
Precision and Control: Ensure each movement is deliberate. Even though it’s a dynamic exercise, it should be performed with control. Encourage your clients to focus on how they move rather than rushing through the position.
Lengthening: As they move into the Elephant, remind them to lengthen through the spine and the backs of the legs. The goal is to find a deep stretch without forcing the body into a position it isn’t ready for.
Making Adjustments
If your clients struggle to get their heels to the floor, it’s important to offer adjustments. Moving the heels slightly backwards can relieve pressure, allowing them to find a more comfortable position. Remind them that they should work towards bringing the feet closer to the hands, but only if they can maintain their alignment and stability.
Bringing Reformer Movements into Matwork
Adapting Reformer exercises for the mat not only adds variety to your classes but also helps clients engage more deeply with the Pilates method. Without the support of the Reformer springs, they’ll have to rely on their body’s own strength to stabilise, which can bring a new dimension to familiar movements. The Elephant is particularly effective for this, encouraging flexibility, control, and a strong connection between breath and movement.
By incorporating this movement into your matwork classes, you’ll offer your clients a fresh challenge while still staying rooted in the principles of Pilates. Give it a try and see how your clients respond to this dynamic, flowing exercise.
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