The Teaser is an intermediate mat exercise. Lying supine, you hinge at the hips to lift your upper body and straight legs to form a V-shape. The teaser requires abdominal strength, spine flexibility, and the ability to isolate muscle groups. Joseph Pilates developed several variations of the Teaser to help students work up to the full exercise. The Teaser takes practice, and when you can complete the exercise with control, you will have a high level of fitness.
Teaser: Preparation I
This exercise is like a slow half-sit-up with your feet on the floor and knees bent at a 45-degree angle. It differs from a sit-up because you must use your deep and lower abdominal muscles, your buttocks and your inner thighs to peel your upper body off the mat to a raised, but not sitting, position, and you must not use momentum. Your knees stay together and your lower body remains still. Roll back down in the same manner. Arms extend overhead at the start and end of the movement. At the top of the V, your arms will extend out from your shoulders. Out of habit, many people lift their shoulders to their ears and contract their chest muscles as they bring their arms forward. For the Teaser, relax your upper body and focus on using your stomach muscles to press your spine into the mat. Your spine should round up and down one vertebra at a time. The Traditional Pilates workout calls for three repetitions.
Teaser: Preparation II
Preparation II is where you straighten one leg at a 45-degree angle from the floor before you complete the same movement. Your knees remain squeezed together. Keep your legs slightly turned out from the hip. Imagine you are lifting up, rather than rolling forward. If you are holding your breath, you are not fully engaging your abdominal muscles. Your stomach should stay flattened toward the mat throughout the movement. Complete two to three repetitions, then switch legs. As with all Pilates exercises, you should not feel any pain. If your back hurts, stop; you may not be ready for this variation yet. You can pull your bent knees into your chest to help your back relax.
Full Teaser
The Full Teaser uses the same controlled movement as the preparation exercises. However, with the Full Teaser, your legs begin extended toward the ceiling with your hips bent at a 90-degree angle. Keep your feet turned out and lower both legs to 45 degrees. To hold them still for the entire exercise, you will need to squeeze your buttocks together and press your lower abdominal muscles into the mat. This exercise requires concentration to maintain balance and to isolate your working muscles while relaxing your shoulders, chest, and quadriceps. The Teaser must be done slowly and with control. Your breathing should stay relaxed throughout. Your Teaser will demonstrate your ability to move with strength, fluidity and precision.
References
- "The Pilates Body"; Brooke Siler; 2000.
- "Pilates' Return to Life Through Contrology"; Joseph H. Pilates and William Miller, 1954
- "Easy Vigour": Pilates Doing Pilates Exercises: The Teaser
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