Advanced Posterior Chain Power

Advanced Classical Flow Posterior Chain ⏱️ 45 mins 📋 14 Exercises

Props needed:

📦 Hand Weights📦 Sitting Box📦 Sponge Ball

Plan Overview

A 45-minute advanced classical session for the glutes, hamstrings, and back line: bridging, rocking, tree, and stretch work that fires the posterior chain end to end. Demanding control through long levers and deep hamstring engagement.

Sequence Flow

Warm-up 2 steps

Footwork: Parallel V-Plie

Reps: 10 reps Tempo: 2:2 smooth

Transition: Heels together in V, quick press out

Reformer ⚙️ Springs: 2-3 Red Springs Footbar: High Headrest: Up

⚠️ Caution: Knee Issues (Turnout from the feet can torque the knees; keep the knees tracking over the second toe and use a lighter spring.)

Focus Cue:

"Keep your knees tracking directly over the center of your toes."

The Hundred

Reps: 100 pumps Tempo: Rhythmic breath

Transition: Feet on footbar, arms by sides

Reformer ⚙️ Springs: 1-2 Blue or Yellow Springs Footbar: High Headrest: Up

⚠️ Caution: Osteoporosis / Osteopenia (Avoid loaded spinal flexion. Substitute with neutral spine variations.)

Focus Cue:

"Inhale 2, 3, 4, 5, Exhale 2, 3, 4, 5. Pump from the back of the arms."

Main Set 10 steps

Single Leg Bridge

Reps: 8 each side Tempo: 3:1 squeeze and lower

Transition: Footbar low, articulate one leg at a time

Reformer ⚙️ Springs: 1 Red or 1 Blue Spring Footbar: Low Headrest: Down

⚠️ Caution: Low Back Pain (Keep the pelvis level as the working leg extends; stop if the back aches.); Hip Impingement (Lifting the thigh toward the chest can pinch; shorten the range.)

Focus Cue:

"Roll the spine up one vertebra at a time and roll down the same way."

Pelvic Bridge

Reps: 8 reps Tempo: 2:2 smooth

Transition: Both feet on footbar, press hips tall

Reformer ⚙️ Springs: 1 Green or 1 Yellow Spring Footbar: High Headrest: Up

⚠️ Caution: Low Back Pain (Articulate slowly and keep the ribs down; stop if the low back aches.)

Focus Cue:

"Peel the spine up and down one vertebra at a time."

Feet in Straps: Leg Circles

Reps: 6 circles each Tempo: 2:2 smooth

Transition: Feet in straps, circles from the hip

Reformer ⚙️ Springs: 2 Red Springs Footbar: High Headrest: Up

⚠️ Caution: Hip Impingement (Circumduction can catch at the front of the hip; keep the circles small and in a pain-free arc.); Low Back Pain (Keep the pelvis anchored as the legs circle; stop if the low back rocks or aches.); Pregnancy (Supine strap work can compress the vena cava after the first trimester; elevate the head or use side-lying alternatives.)

Focus Cue:

"Only make circles as large as you can maintain a quiet, still pelvis."

Side Over

Reps: 5 each side Tempo: 2:2 smooth

Transition: Side-lying over the box, hinge and reach

Reformer ⚙️ Springs: 1 Red or 1 Green Spring Footbar: Down Headrest: Down

⚠️ Caution: Low Back Pain (Keep the side-bend in the ribs and the hips stable; stop if the low back aches.); Shoulder Impingement (Reaching the arm overhead on the side-bend can pinch; keep the arm in a pain-free range.)

Focus Cue:

"Keep both sitbones on the box — the bend comes from the waist, not the hip."

Rocking

Reps: 4-6 reps Tempo: Controlled

Transition: Prone over box, rock back and through

Reformer ⚙️ Springs: 1 Blue or 1 Red Spring Footbar: High Headrest: Down

⚠️ Caution: Acute Lumbar Disc Herniation (Avoid end-range extension and rocking; keep the lift small and controlled.)

Focus Cue:

"Rock only as far as you can hold the position — no momentum."

Elephant

Reps: 8 reps Tempo: 3:1 controlled

Transition: Footbar down, flat-back hinge, press out

Reformer ⚙️ Springs: 1-2 Red Springs Footbar: Down Headrest: Down

⚠️ Caution: Osteoporosis / Osteopenia (Avoid loaded spinal flexion. Substitute with flat back hinge.)

Focus Cue:

"Imagine drawing your navel up and under your ribs as the carriage moves."

Tree

Reps: 5 each side Tempo: 2:2 smooth

Transition: Side-lying, top leg presses the carriage

Reformer ⚙️ Springs: 1 Red or 1 Green Spring Footbar: Medium Headrest: Down

⚠️ Caution: Low Back Pain (Keep the side-bend in the ribs and the hips level; stop if the back aches.); Shoulder Impingement (Reaching the arm overhead can pinch; keep the arm in a pain-free range.)

Focus Cue:

"Reach tall through the crown — the arms stay long and the ribs soft."

Down Stretch

Reps: 5 reps Tempo: 2:2 smooth

Transition: Push through arms, lengthen hamstrings

Reformer ⚙️ Springs: 1 Red or 1 Green Spring Footbar: Down Headrest: Down

⚠️ Caution: Spinal Stenosis / Spondylolisthesis (Sustained extension can aggravate stenosis and pars stress; keep the drop small.); Shoulder Impingement (Loaded plank and pressing strain the shoulders; widen the hands and skip with active shoulder pain.); Low Back Pain (Keep the ribs connected and the drop small; stop if the low back aches.)

Focus Cue:

"Inhale as the hips lower, exhale as they lift back to plank."

Up Stretch

Reps: 5 reps Tempo: 2:2 smooth

Transition: From down-stretch, lift hips to shoulder balance

Reformer ⚙️ Springs: 1-2 Red Springs Footbar: Down Headrest: Down

⚠️ Caution: Shoulder Impingement (The loaded plank-to-pike presses the shoulders; widen the hands, limit the pike depth, and skip with active shoulder pain.); Osteoporosis / Osteopenia (The pike loads the spine in flexion; keep the pike shallow or substitute a neutral plank.); Acute Lumbar Disc Herniation (Avoid end-range flexion under load; keep the pike shallow and the abdominals braced.)

Focus Cue:

"Stack the shoulders over the wrists and keep the arms straight."

Squat

Reps: 8 reps Tempo: 2:2 smooth

Transition: Footbar low, deep squat press

Reformer ⚙️ Springs: 1-2 Red Springs Footbar: Low Headrest: Down

⚠️ Caution: Knee Issues (Keep the knees tracking over the second toe and limit the depth; stop if the knee complains.)

Focus Cue:

"Track the knees over the second toes and keep the chest tall."

Cool-down 2 steps

Tendon Stretch

Reps: 6 reps Tempo: 2:2 smooth

Transition: Heels on low footbar, hinge long from the hips, press carriage out

Reformer ⚙️ Springs: 1 Red or 1 Green Spring Footbar: Low Headrest: Down

⚠️ Caution: Low Back Pain (Keep the spine long and the knees softly bent; stop if the low back aches.)

Focus Cue:

"Keep the legs straight and the heels rooted on the footbar."

Eve's Lunge

Reps: 3 each side Tempo: slow and settling

Transition: Kneel, front leg wide, settle the hips

Reformer ⚙️ Springs: 1 Green or 1 Yellow Spring Footbar: Low Headrest: Down

⚠️ Caution: Knee Issues (The deep lunge loads the front knee; shorten the stride and limit depth.); Low Back Pain (Keep the spine tall and the hips square; stop if the back aches.)

Focus Cue:

"Inhale to lengthen, exhale to sink the hips forward."

Plan Overview

Sequence Flow

Related Guides