GRATZ GALLERY | MEJO WIGGIN
Image courtesy of MeJo Wiggin
THE HORSEBACK | WUNDA CHAIR (left image)
"The Horseback is my favorite exercise on the Wunda Chair! It requires many of the principles we teach in Pilates. It requires Coordination, Control, a strong a Powerhouse, a C-curve, Balance, and a 2-way Stretch, while maintaining your rhythm and dynamics. First you have to scoop your powerhouse in and up to help lift you off the chair and in a C-curve position. Then you carefully draw the pedal to the floor while balancing and lifting your powerhouse upward. This creates a stretch from your tail all the way to your fingertips. To come up, you have to deepen your c-curve and scoop your powerhouse even further so your hips do not fall back. Once your powerhouse has pulled the pedal all the way up, you challenge yourself even more by taking your hands off the pedal (without falling back or sitting down) and balancing as you circle your arms (or shave before sitting down again. What a beautiful exercise, thanks Joe!"
- MeJo Wiggin
THE MOUNTAIN CLIMB | WUNDA CHAIR (right image)
"The Mountain Climb is a deceiving exercise. It appears as if the leg on the pedal pumping up and down is the leg that's doing the work, when it's really just the opposite. In the Mountain Climb, you have to keep the leg on the chair steady (ideally the thigh is parallel to the floor) as you draw your powerhouse in and up maintaining a C-curve in your spine. Once your powerhouse is deeply working, your leg on the chair is stabilized and you found your balance, the leg that's on the pedal should be free to move. (Similar to the knee stretches on the reformer with your knees off). The key is to stabilize yourself so that the back lag can pump freely. You can challenge yourself further by reaching your arms upward, holding them up for 8 counts, then coming back down. What a great challenge!" - MeJo Wiggin
About MeJo Wiggin
Romana Certified Teacher. MeJo began her Pilates study with Master Teacher Romana Kryzanowska in 1990. She was fortunate to study with many renowned teachers including Sari Mejia Santo, Kathy Grant, Jay Grimes, and Bob Liekens. By 1995 she was teaching next to Romana at Drago’s Gym in NYC and she earned her certification in 1996. She was later certified again by Romana in 2003 as a Level III Teacher Trainer for Romana’s new school, Romana’s Pilates. MeJo is recognized as one of the leading Teacher Trainers and practitioners in the world. Romana often referred to MeJo’s work as “poetry in motion,” and she awarded MeJo with a Gold Card in 2002 for her advanced abilities. MeJo is featured in over five DVD’s, including the Romana’s Pilates Mat Series, Romana on Pilates: The Legacy Edition; Pilates Revealed with Jay Grimes, and her own videos: 20 Minutes Twice a Week and The Gratz Arm Chair. MeJo has appeared on national television and has been written up in numerous publications for her expertise in Classical Pilates. While running her own studio for 13 years in Greenwich, Connecticut, she became sought after for her keen eye and skillful hands-on approach that has changed hundreds of bodies. Her students have included Pilates teachers and apprentices, celebrities, professional athletes and dance companies, movie stars, and supermodels. She has also applied the method to help students suffering from injuries, scoliosis, back pain, and many other conditions. As MeJo’s work gained recognition doctors from the renowned Hospital for Special Surgery in NY referred their patients to her for rehabilitation pre and post surgery. Today, MeJo is a strong advocate and example of the classical Pilates method. She is sought after for her captivating seminars in the United States, Europe, and Russia. She teaches private lessons in New York and Connecticut. MeJo’s mission is to continue teaching and inspiring students and instructors worldwide in the classical Pilates method. (Source)
MeJo Wiggin | The Classical Syllabus®
mejowiggin.com
