Overview
The standing stretch family works the lower body and trunk from the footbar: each exercise presses the carriage out with the feet on the carriage or the footbar while the spine stays long. They are the classical "hinge and press" family — simple to set up, rich in alignment detail, and a natural bridge between Footwork and the more complex standing work.
The four exercises:
- Up Stretch: hands on the footbar, hips lifted into an inverted V, the carriage presses out as the pelvis scoops up and back.
- Tree: one foot on the footbar, arms reaching tall, the standing leg presses the carriage out and back.
- Tendon Stretch: heels on the footbar, legs straight, hinge from the hips with a long spine.
- Squat: heels on the low footbar, knees bend into a squat as the carriage presses out.
Setup
- Up Stretch and Squat: a heavier setting (in our reference ladder: 1-2 Red); footbar down for Up Stretch, low for Squat.
- Tree and Tendon Stretch: a medium-strong setting (1 Red or 1 Green); footbar medium for Tree, low for Tendon Stretch.
- Headrest down throughout. Feet hip-width apart; hands on the footbar for balance as needed.
Key Teaching Cues
- Up Stretch: stack the shoulders over the wrists and keep the arms straight; scoop the pelvis up and back — the center drives the carriage, not the heels.
- Tree: reach tall through the crown with the ribs soft; press through the whole standing foot.
- Tendon Stretch: hinge from the hips with a long spine — never round the back to reach; keep the heels rooted.
- Squat: track the knees over the second toes and keep the chest tall; lower only as far as the heels stay down.
Common Faults
- Rounding the spine to reach further in the Tendon Stretch.
- Letting the knees cave inward in the Squat.
- Shrugging the shoulders toward the ears in Up Stretch.
- Pushing with the toes instead of pressing through the whole foot.
Variations
- Regression: bent knees (Up Stretch), smaller press (Tree), shallower squat, softened knees in the hinge.
- Progression: single heel lift (Up Stretch), held extension (Tree), deepened hinge (Tendon Stretch), slow tempo (Squat).
- Safety: keep the knees tracking over the second toe for knee issues; keep the spine long and the knees soft for low-back sensitivity.