ELDOA + MFS 60 mins
Strength Mat 45 to 75 mins & Healthy Hips 30 mins
Anatomy in Motion (feet, gait, spine) 50 mins
Slowah Eldoah & Gentle Mobility 45 mins
NEW uploads - enjoy!
If there is a class you love so much you want me to leave it in the library forever and ever, just let me know. Otherwise, I aim to rotate new material in and eventually send old videos out to pasture.
55 mins: If you are craving a different kind of challenge from ELDOA or Segmental Strength, grab some weights and join me for this overall-body-strengthening class. We work on deadlifts, squats, rowing, overhead presses, and even some fun “sprint training” at the very end. Don’t be shy – just hit play and see what happens!
1 hr: This is a true “Soma Training” class, in that we do Segmental Strengthening, Myofascial Stretching, and ELDOAs! Each of these methods will support the other, and today’s focus was on pelvic floor health (and well-being). If you want to improve your mobility and overall physical health, the pelvic floor should be at the top of your list! Enjoy!
57 mins: More Pelvic Floor! However, this class spends more time on strengthening the muscles that support the pelvic floor. Bonus: these muscles also support the hip and low back, so if you have chronic tension in those areas, this is a great class for you!
1 hr: It has been a doozy of a winter, and now we have to contend with the “Spring Forward” time change! Fingers crossed that the rest of the country will follow B.C., and stop this “changing the clocks” business. In the meantime, join me for an overall realignment. The stretches and ELDOAs in this class focus on balancing the pelvis and low back.
59 mins: Someone famous said: “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find you get what you need.” Shoulder ELDOA, 90-90 stretches, T2-T3, T7-T8… if any of these sound like what you need (even if they aren’t what you want), jump in and let’s do it!
1 hr: The focus of this class is deep strength, from pelvic floor to abdominal muscles to inner thighs! We work the body from all angles and sides. We also focus on how to do the exercises with good ribcage-to-pelvis alignment, which can make the exercise go from good to amazing! Grab some medium weights and join me for a fun hour of strength (with some ELDOAs!)
30 mins: The Compass Rose is a lovely series of positions where you practice breathing into the belly. The idea is that each position puts your diaphragm into a different relationship with gravity, so various parts of our breathing muscle are worked. From there, shoulder & neck ELDOAs release any leftover tension from your day or week. Enjoy!
30 mins: Janine always gets great ideas for areas we easily forget about or take for granted. In this class, she slows us down to focus on: mid-neck, the acromio-clavicular joint (which is crucial for functional shoulder mobility), and the shoulder joint itself. At the end, you’ll do the T6-T7 ELDOA to feel how all the previous work helps to free the mid-thoracic as well!
55 mins: In celebration of the new “Abs & Low Back” series that we are offering on Wednesdays! This class covers how to warm up the low back and pelvis in order to get the most mileage out of your low abdominal strength exercises. We also do the lumbar ELDOAs. Finally, because a happy low back and happy hips come together, we work on the hip ELDOAs (my favourite!) as well.
ELDOA + MFS | 25-30 mins
30 mins: These ELDOAs and stretches feel SO SO good when you’re done. They also happen to build a lot of postural and core strength, just by nature of holding the position while you reach. Follow along – Janine builds a class of myofascial stretches and ELDOAs to make you feel like new!
In a flash of brilliance, Janine decides we should start the New Year with a shoulder class. Follow along and feel your shoulder mobility improve, and your shoulder tension drain away. This is a class where you can simply enjoy moving your upper body in a healthy, mindful way.
46 mins – BUT after you do this class once, you can skip the first 15 minutes of practice and get straight to the workout. The circulatory work is so valuable, especially in the winter! This class only focuses on the feet and lower leg – but you’ll probably find that you feel really good overall, not just in your feet. You need a chair, a yoga block, and the willingness to do a little cardio! Have fun!
Inspired by an ELDOA “master” teacher who we learned from some years back, Janine offers a class that will relieve tension in the hands, forearms, shoulders and neck. As you know, the neck ELDOAs are all lying down, so this might be a good class to choose if you’re not feeling super energetic. Perhaps you will get a boost from releasing your neck!
Has it been a while since you really checked in on your glutes (and nearby muscles) and low back? How are they doing? This class will give your body a quick touch-up on strength, stretching, and ELDOAs to re-balance and re-set the low back area. Enjoy!
If you don’t know what to do, but need to do something – click Play and don’t overthink it. Notice the tension you’re holding in your upper back, and let Janine take you through this ELDOA class to relieve it! Follow along as she explores some new-to-us concepts around the upper and mid-thoracic spine ELDOAs. This is a high-quality, efficient exercise class.
Janine does it again! She packs a TON of great shoulder and neck work into this half-hour! Pictured is the C2-C3 ELDOA, which is a fantastic stretch and release for the neck. You’ll also do ELDOAs that target all around the sternum & collarbones, so that you will have a neck like a giraffe by the end!
We all need this class, even if the upper thoracic ELDOAs are not our favourite. 😉 Feel free to modify with a chair, and take 30 minutes out of your day (or week) to give your upper back some love. Janine is great at teaching these postures, and you will feel a huge difference by the end!
If you stretch your hip flexors all the time, but they are still
tight, you may need to focus on your deep rotators. These smaller, deeper muscles are rotators, acting in ways that are similar to the famous “rotator cuff” of your shoulder joint – when they are working well, your joint mechanics are improved and your hip flexors can stop holding on for dear life!
Janine breaks the bad news: if your hip flexors are tight they are also weak. :/ But that’s ok, because by doing this class you are taking steps to improve their strength and flexibility. I recommend doing this class and the “Tight hip flexors?” class below to get a head start on relieving those chronically tight hip flexors for good!
This class is for the desk jockeys (or anyone who needs to quickly release neck & shoulder tension). I kept the entire class
on the chair so that you can pause writing that email and just do this class right at your desk. We warm up the shoulders & upper back, and then do ELDOAs for the shoulder girdle, and of course T6-T7. Your neck deserves this little break!
This class is named as such because it touches on all the good spots: Hips, Lats, Hamstrings, Thoracic cage stretches, and General ELDOA. If your mind is busy and you’re feeling out-of-sorts, try this class! It will bring you back to neutral because it’s fun and it moves around to keep your brain occupied for the half-hour. You’ll need a chair and a band or strap. Have fun and feel good about moving your body!
This class focuses on spinal ELDOAs, with minimal warm up and MFS. ELDOAs include: General ELDOA, C5-C6 (neck), T6-T7, T8-T9 (mid-back), L2-L3, L3-L4 (low back), and L5-S1 (everyone’s favourite). You’ll feel all fresh and new!
If you want a blissful lie-on-the-floor-and stretch class, do this half hour recording. We still do the ELDOAs, but only after we have fully stretched the hamstrings – and I bet you’ll feel a difference!
ELDOA + MFS | 50-60 mins
57 mins: This class is really interesting, because we only work on ELDOAs for the very top and very bottom of the spine structure. However, a full re-set happens and you might find you feel relief in areas we didn’t even work on! Try it out, especially if you like the idea of doing lots of the class lying on your back.
This recording is easy to break up into 20-minute increments, focusing on releasing the shoulders & neck, the hips,
and of course the spine. Here is the breakdown! Please use this as a little movement break in your day, or do the whole thing!
For the first half of the class, we warm up and focus on re-awakening the low abdominals and the glutes. Once those supporting structures are back online, we work on low back and sacroiliac joint decompression with ELDOAs and myofascial stretches. This is friendly and effective “abs & butt wake-up”!
This is a quicker-than-usual class – just 42 minutes! When my hips feel a little hinky, I know it’s time to work my deep rotator muscles. These muscles support the proper movement of the hip joint, and when they are working well, your hips (and low back) feel really good! Grab a yoga block and a cushion for side-lying and kneeling. (Dedicated to Miriam!)
In this class, we combine some of Guy Voyer’s Respiratory exercises with ELDOAs to increase our lower lung capacity, making it easier to take a deep breath! Grab a pillow or a folded blanket, and put yourself near a wall. Yes, the exercises are a little weird, but you’ll be surprised at how much difference they make! (This class is great for singers!)
I always underestimate the power of lower-thoracic mobility. It’s a less obvious area when it comes to exercise classes, and perhaps that is exactly why (when we choose to focus on it) it feels soooo beneficial. The diaphragm stretch alone is worth doing!
It’s all connected – we say this all the time! This class
focuses on a particular “layer” of fascia that run continuously from the pubic bones, up to the armpits, then around and down to the low back. I got feedback from a client that the morning after this class, she woke up without the low back pain that had been dogging her for a while. Yay!
We all need mindful, impactful movement for our hips and low back, especially in times of stress, or if you are sitting a lot for work or travel! This hour is packed with our favourites: stretches for the hamstrings, quads, and glutes, and ELDOAs for the hips and lumbar spine.
Think about your upper back and shoulders right now… How do they feel? If the answer is “not amazing” jump in to this class. We unwind those areas with refined ELDOAs (emphasizing the lemniscate, breath, and timing of tensions). The extra attention to detail makes all the difference!
If you feel stuck or “tacked down” around the side ribs and waistline, this is the recording to do! Yes, there are a couple of rib ELDOAs, but there are also beautiful stretches and breathing exercises to give you relief from the more intense work.
If the idea of doing any sort of exercise is unappealing right now because you are just exhausted… try this class. We never leave the mat, and although we do a handful of spine ELDOAs, all the exercises are either done lying down, sitting, or occasionally kneeling. Myofascial stretches include the hamstrings (grab a band), diaphragm, and hip flexors.
Get ready! It’s a fun class because we switch it up a lot: from the TFL myofascial stretch, to a diaphram global postural stretch, with all your favourite spine ELDOAs sprinkled in. Expect: a little abdominal oblique strengthening, glute & TFL stretches, some mid-and-upper thoracic rib and spine ELDOAs, and L5-S1!
There are a few special places in your spine that, when they are well-aligned, will help you improve you overall posture. It’s a bit of a “posture hack,” because you can do these five ELDOAs and make a significant improvement all the way along the spine. We call these the “Gravity Line ELDOAs.” If you’re looking for bang-for-your-buck, do these!
Is it possible to breathe, stretch, and ELDOA your way to a new body? Yes! This class touches on some of the most important stabilizing structures of the body – remember your thoracic diaphragm and pelvic floor are two of your essential “core” muscles. Grab a band, a pillow, and remember to breathe.
The “Nutcracker” ELDOAs are excellent for re-aligning the sacrum at the sacroiliac joints. If your sacrum is slightly shifted / rotated, that imbalance can make it feel like one side of the pelvis is always tight or “stuck.” If you feel like your pelvis needs to be “reset”, try the Nutcracker ELDOAs. They aren’t as intense as the name suggests!
Dedicated to Janine!, who said she got a big fascial release from this class. You need a band & a low book or cushion. We do MFS for glute med, piriformis, & superficial glute max (a good one for knee pain or TFL tightness). The difference in this class is that we do versions of the stretches that are less common, but equally as important (ie: stretching both the “top” and “bottom” of the glute med). Proceed gently and mindfully as with any new stretch. You might discover a new favourite!
Take this class to open up the upper back and lower neck, and get lots of relief just from exploring the areas before we dive into the full ELDOA exercises. By the end of the class, you should notice that it’s easier to take a full breath, and your shoulders will feel naturally dropped away from your ears, without you having to consciously do it!
Tight front chest muscles + weak back muscles = forward shoulders and poor posture. This also sets us up for the dreaded “forward head” position. Let’s strengthen the muscles that open the front of the shoulder, and stretch the muscles that close it. That way, when we’re done, it’s a little easier to stand tall and our head has a nice supportive column on which to perch.
STRENGTH MAT (Pilates + Soma Training) | 30-60 mins
62 mins: Here is a class to open up your shoulders, chest, and upper back. You’ll feel stronger in the arms and back muscles, which is a wonderful feeling in this season of slouchy posture. Grab a chair and some light and medium weights. To balance out all the back-body work, we also touch on the abs and some hip strength. Stretches at the end help you wind down, and there you have it: a stronger, more open-feeling body.
60 mins: There’s a reason physios love giving these exercises as
homework – everyone (even you!) can benefit from stronger glutes and abdominals. However, perhaps there’s room to “tidy up” our technique for bridges, side leg lifts, and planks. We break down these super-common exercises and execute them in the most targeted, most efficient way possible. Not to mention the improved awareness… Laura said, “I finally understand what muscles we are working in a side plank!”
If you only have 40-minutes, that’s enough to get a great workout! You can use light, medium, or heavy weights – or no weights at all! Try to finish with some quiet breathing or legs-up-the-wall. Enjoy a little blast of movement. This class will pick you up when you’re feeling sluggish (or anxious!).
Who doesn’t want to do some strengthening for the hips and lower obliques? Grab a band (a loop band is easiest), and a chair. This class goes fast because we cover a lot of ground. (Warning: glute med is back in full force here. So take breaks if needed and jump back in when you’re ready.) Have fun!
71 mins: A few people have requested shorter workouts! While I
figure out how to edit these videos into smaller, bite-sized workouts, here is the breakdown for this class, which can be done in bits and pieces:
Beginning to 18:00 – Warm up + shoulder mobility
18:00 to 39:00 – Arm exercises for strength
39:00 to 55:00 – Ab exercises for strength
55:00 to 1:11:00 – Myofascial stretches & ELDOAs
73 mins: You name it, we do it: abs, glutes, inner thighs, arms, back, and more. To top it all off, we do myofascial stretches and ELDOAs for the related areas. We all need some work on all these areas, so don’t overthink it; grab some light / medium weights, press play, and let’s go!
I was going to trash this recording because I didn’t think it was energetic enough – but then someone requested it go in the library! A good lesson for me that sometimes less is more. This week we took things a touch easier in some ways, slowed down, and tried to focus on our techniques. I hope you feel both stronger AND a little more relaxed! Props: chair, weights, & band.
I heard an astounding statistic recently that eccentric hamstring strengthening can reduce hamstring injuries by almost 80%!! Even if that percentage is exaggerated, there is research supporting the concept, so we explored it in this class. We also did some back and core strengthening to round it out. You’ll need a stability ball or a skateboard. 😉
71 mins: Do you recognize the exercise in the thumbnail? It’s the “Saw” – from our Pilates classical mat work! This class combines circulatory exercises (Soma Training), myofascial streches for the hands and wrists, and the classical Pilates Mat exercises that improve spine rotation. The result: fresh blood flow to the legs, a supple spine, and released shoulder tension.
71 mins: A bunch of us really liked how this class felt in our bodies! If you like working on your hips and low back, this class is a little different, in that we work isometrically (holding a contraction, as opposed to pulsing). You can feel the difference at the end! Thank you, Arna, for doing the class and requesting it be added here! I hope it has the same positive effect on other people’s bodies.
32 mins: Hey friends, give yourself a mini break from sitting at your desk to do some strengthening & stretching for the large muscles on the front, back, and inside of the hip. Grab 3 props: a chair, a cushion or squishy ball, and a band. It’s a quick and rewarding class – and if you happen to have extra time after, go for a walk to enjoy your newly-balanced pelvis.
After this class, I could feel an improvement in my pelvis, legs, and low back! I really wasn’t expecting such a change, but apparently other people in the class had a similar response! This class was all about how to improve our gait (walking) and how to walk long distances without pain by strengthening key muscle groups.
Here it is, Jenella! 🙂 Thanks to Laura for the request to do back of arms / armpit area! This ended up being a good strength class for the back as well as the back of the arm and armpit. You’ll need a chair and light weights. The exercises target the triceps, lats, rhomboids, pectorals, and other “armpit” muscle groups. Enjoy!
This class builds endurance strength in the upper limbs and back. Soma Training aims to promote healthy glide in the fascia by working on each muscle or (even part of it) in isolation. Although we eventually get to the mat, first we strengthen the biceps, triceps, deltoids, lats, upper traps, rhomboids, and more. Grab some light & medium weights and a chair.
Joseph Pilates was “ahead of his time” in that he put together some fabulous movements to encourage strength, stress-relief, breathing, and lengthening in the body. Not to mention the visceral and fascial benefits! This is as “classic” as I get – which isn’t very classic at all. 🙂 But it’s a great, full-body workout, and I hope you like how you feel at the end!
Anatomy in Motion (feet, gait, & spine)
51 mins: This class is about how our feet handle pronation (flat arch) and supination (lifted arch). Our feet should move through both positions as we walk. Pronation is especially important, because pronation is the “jumping off point” for all the other stages of walking, and it happens only once per footfall. So if our feet cannot pronate well, none of the other stages of gait will be optimal. What’s more: when we pronate (and supinate), there is a reciprocal effect all the way up the spine. This movement offers all the joints in the pelvis, spine, and shoulder girdle an opportunity to move and stretch in a very nourishing, healthy way! So you can see how, if we walk well, every step is a strengthening and stretching exercise for the whole body. Based on the Anatomy in Motion method.
Based on Level 1 Anatomy in Motion (AiM), which studies the movements of the feet, spine, and peripheral joints in gait! Here we combine the “cogs” (spine movements) from AiM with our ELDOA lemniscates. It’s a nice way to de-stress all over and free the stuck areas in your back. Happy Holidays, everyone – and thank you as always for trusting me with your movement practice.
Gentle Mobility + Slowah Eldoah | 45 minutes
Every day, I am so grateful for you, my friends and clients. This particular morning, I was feeling overwhelmed with all the “fancy” class ideas scattered around my brain, and the kind folks in this class encouraged me to just “keep it simple”. So we took it right back to the basics, and what do you know: the basics are hard work! Haha! But it’s good work, so I’d encourage everyone to do this class as a way to “brush up” on your ELDOA technique.
Janine’s “slowah eldoah” class is a hit! In this class, ELDOAs for the hips, shoulders, and spine ELDOAs are done with the assistance of a chair. Sometimes, it’s nice to take it a little easier – and you’ll still get the benefits of fascial release and a calmer nervous system.
Experience a warm up from the chair, and then let Janine walk you through ELDOAs for the spine, from the neck to the low back! You are welcome to do as much or as little on the chair as you like.
Grab some light hand weights and a chair. This class can be done in part or whole for a good movement break, or to reset your nervous system.
Pushing is an important movement in life. This class begins with wall pull-ups, and then explore various standing exercises to build lower body strength and coordination.
We made it to the floor today, but only after some good practice reaching, creating resistance for some strength training, and practicing opposition.
3-D workout™ is a home-grown modality, developed by Dianne Woodruff in Toronto. It’s a brilliant movement practice that builds on natural movements and improves coordination and brain-to-body connections.
Movement Breaks | 10-30 mins
10 minutes: Get up off the chair, take a break from your emails! This quick standing movement break encourages reaching, stretching, awareness, and breath.
9 minutes: If you’ve been sitting in the same position a lot, do your spine a favour and move! It’ll be over in a flash, but you’ll feel refreshed.
11 minutes: Intermediate work on the mat. Focus: mobilizaton and sequencing of the spine. Added bonus: shoulder girdle, arm, and full-body strengthening.
18 minutes: You have time for this! Get on the floor and challenge your core muscles with some good quadruped work. This work makes your spine, shoulders, and hips say Thank You!
27 minutes: It’s amazing how much a wall can help you access good movement and stretch. This class will refresh your body from head to toe.
27 minutes: Start with the feet and then move up the spine, into the hips and shoulders. Your chair might be your best workout prop for quick strength and stretch exercises.