Welcome! I am glad that you're here and pleased to offer you some resources to move your body, relieve pain, and reduce stress so you can feel your best this Spring!. Bookmark this page so you can return regularly.
I'm Ky Russell, MA and I'm sharing this retreat series from my virtual Pilates membership, the Blessful Body. I've been teaching Pilates for over 20 years, have a Master's degree in Kinesiology, and teach stress management courses virtually and as university faculty.
These workouts are from my Spring Renewal Home Retreat, they'll introduce you to my Tri-CORE workouts - blending Pilates, yoga, and stress relief techniques to help you be strong, calm, energized, and increase immunity.
I recommend doing 1 or 2 workouts per day - they're 15 - 20 minutes so they can fit into your day when needed for instant body and stress relief!
To get frequent doses of healthy living tips, positivity, and motivation follow me on Instagram and Facebook.
Core Foundations Workout
You're going to connect into your deep core center in this Core Foundation Workout to help you get stable and grounded, so important as we go through our day.
After you've completed the workout today I invite you to bring the feeling of stability and strength into your day.
If you're feeling anxious or unsteady simply stop and press your feet into the earth, take a deep breath, and say "I am grounded and strong."
Day 2: Pilates Posture Party Workout
When you do all the chest-opening, back strengthening moves from today's class, you'll stand taller and longer with better posture.
This not only helps your body feel better, but studies have shown that standing erect with strength leads to drops in cortisol (one of the stress hormones) and in UPLIFT in mood.
This workout picks up the pace from yesterday’s foundational workout but still offers lots of tension relieving stretches - if something feels too challenging or isn’t right for your body then please modify or rest during that exercise.
To practice throughout your day, find moments to open your chest and lengthen your spine, and hold for 2 deep breaths - repeat regularly during your day!
Day 3: Core Flow Workout
Today's workout is a Core Flow workout that is picking up intensity and adding in some more challenging strength moves.
I'll be teaching how to do a ab curl that actually strengthens your core and neck in a healthy, functional way - so you don't want to miss it!
You'll feel balanced, energized, and STRONG after this workout!
Day 4: Pilates for Stress Relief Workout
Today’s Pilates 4 Stress Relief workout is designed to help you manage your stress and leave you with a stress-shield that helps you avoid absorbing other people's stress all day! (Truly all the workouts in the Blessful Body, my online Pilates studio, are optimized to provide maximum stress relief for women - but this one even more so).
This workout will take you through several cycles of nervous system activation into rest, helping you train yourself to more easily shift out of fight or flight into rest and digest.
When we’re operating from the rest and digest state our immune systems are stronger, our bodies can repair and build strength, and we’re capable of making calm, loving decisions instead of reacting with fear and anger.
Bring more peace into your day by adding in the calm breath guided audio bonus, found below.
Day 5: Integration Challenge
The Integration Challenge workout is a full-bodied zesty workout that is going to get you moving and help you integrate core control and stress relief into your life.
It is going to help you move and celebrate how far you've come and how much you've learned in just 5 days (and give you an inspiring glimpse of some more challenging exercises so you can see just what's possible with consistent practice).
Enrollment for the Blessful Body Online Pilates Studio is Opening Soon!
To skip to the front of the line and be the first to get notified when doors open, simply click the button below.