Quick Fit with Cassy

- Thank you for tuning in to Qu ick Fit with me, Cassy Vieth.

When I began developing these classes, I saw a need for seated classes, and I'm so glad I added them because they've really become a favorite with everyone.

The chair is just an excellent tool.

So join me now for today's seated core and ab toning class.

[upbeat music] Today's class is faster-paced.

So if you're recovering from a pain episode anywhere in your body, you'll want to go slow and half-hearted without any force.

Let's sit forward in your seats.

Sit nice and tall and just begin with some easy hip shifts.

Now, as you do these, try not to lean away from your chair and away from your hip.

If you're lifting your left hip, drop your left shoulder, okay?

Lift and lean into it.

Use your foot into the floor, shift and shift.

There you go.

Let's do some easy reach ups.

Reach, reach.

Starting to get our heart rate up.

Take some nice, deep breaths.

Go a little faster, [inhales] down to the floor.

One, two, and a little faster.

Stomach's tight, reach, reach, reach, slowing it down again.

Going into some easy twists.

[exhales] Remember, this is an opportunity to also warm up your neck.

I like to say we're not glued to our chair, so make sure your hips twist and shift in the seat as well.

[inhales and exhales] Very good, rainbows, feet are slightly forward.

So you feel stable, you can get a lot more movement.

Lift and over, warming up the sides, [inhales] your back, full circle, ready, down to the front.

[inhales] Inhale, exhale, [exhales] big.

And we'll switch directions.

Down and up, lift, down and up.

Lift, arch that back, round it and lift.

Very nice, last one.

Feet slightly forward and we'll lean out.

We're going to do these rows.

Squeeze your stomach, [inhales] reach, pull, reach, and pull.

Next one, reach with a three-second hold.

Lift, lift, lift.

Very good, all right, pull it back.

Pull the stomach in, tuck the tailbone under.

Reach, pull it back, reach, pull it back, reach and hold.

Lift those arms, stick that chest out.

Press your feet into the floor, neck is neutral.

And ready, tuck the tailbone, pull it back.

Pull in the abs, reach, back, reach, back, reach and hold.

Lift, two, three, hold it, [exhales] very nice.

All right, stretch.

All right, widening those feet.

All right, we're going to do a very big move and it's pretty important your feet can touch the floor.

Arms nice and wide, as you lean over I want you to push your foot into the floor, okay?

Reach, reach, reach.

You might find that you actually come up a little bit off of the seat.

That's exactly what we're after.

Reach, reach, reach, hold it here, palms up.

[inhales and exhales] Get that heel under you.

Reach, reach, reach.

[inhales and exhales] Your heart rate's getting up 'cause this is not easy.

Lift and over, very good.

Other side.

Keep those legs wide and over.

Lift, lift, lift.

Keep going with that clock.

Long arm, long neck, stomach's tight, pressing that foot into the floor.

Very good, and up, ready?

[inhales] Again, reach, reach, press with the feet.

Press with the feet.

Reach, reach, reach.

Last one, hold it over here.

Lift, lift, lift, lift.

[exhales and inhales] Keep it going.

Reach, reach, reach.

And other side, [inhales] and over.

Lift, lift, lift.

Keep it going.

Controlled, stomach's in, foot is pressing into the floor.

Arm is a nice, long, pretty line.

Leg's getting tired.

[exhales] Come out of that.

Round your back and stretch.

We're not leaning into the chair back.

[inhales] We're just rounding our back like the cat and cow that we do when we're on our hands and knees.

Okay, press it forward.

[exhales] We'll do that one more time.

[exhales] Chin down, lift, elbows back.

Nice, wide legs again.

Lean it out over and the other way.

A few more.

Reach, faster, faster, and hang on over here.

Lift, lift, lift and hold.

Two, three, four, five, one arm up, one arm down.

And the other side, you ready?

Reach as far as you can.

Lift, lift, touch your hands.

[inhales] Hold your arms back, chest is facing me.

Foot is pressing into the floor.

One arm up, one arm down.

[exhales] Hold it here.

Long spine and relax.

Very good, all right, round that back to ease that tension.

Pull your stomach in.

[exhales] Do that cow from a seated position, elbows back.

You're arching your spine, pulling your tailbone back.

Nice, let's turn it in your seat.

All right, working on those abs.

I'd like you to tuck your tailbone under, pulling your belly in, let's lift one, you can pull on your seat, and two.

[inhales] Just until you feel the floor, press, press, lift, lift, down, down, lift, lift, down, down.

Keep it going, lift, lift, down, down.

Lift, lift, press, press.

One more, lift, lift, press, and press and sit up.

Grab your knees and stretch it over.

[exhales and inhales] Inhale, exhale, and stretch all those muscles we were just working.

Let's do something very similar, lift and lift.

You can pull on the seat, hold it here.

One foot at a time, press, press.

Pull your stomach in.

Press.

By pulling on your chair, you get a little leverage.

You can help pull in your belly.

Other leg, press, press.

Breathe as heavy as you need to.

[inhales and exhales] I hope you're breathing heavy; I am.

Press, now let's alternate.

Press, press, a little further away, press, press.

Press, keep it going, press, press, press, press.

I can hear you complaining.

[exhales] Done, good job, good job.

Stretch it out.

[exhales] Face the front.

Pull on those legs, arch that back.

Let's just reach it over a little deeper, okay?

A little twist.

[inhales] Inhale, exhale.

[exhales] One more twist the other direction.

First pull, then look the other way, grab that other leg and pull.

Doesn't that feel good?

All right, before we finish up, let's just use two arms, [exhales] good.

One arm, halo stretch.

Round the head, round the back, arch the spine.

Round the back, arch, let's use the other arm, ready?

Round the back, arch the spine.

Round the back, arch the spine.

I just love this class.

I've seen the surprise on people's faces at how a chair can be used to challenge their core and get their heart rate up.

I hope you found it to be effective as well.

And if you did, please share it with a friend or pass on this address, pbswisconsin.org/quickfit and tell them how a little daily effort has made a huge difference in your life.

And thank you.

– Announcer: Funding for Quick Fit with Cassy is provided by Greg and Carol Griffin, founders of ElderSpan Management, Focus Fund for Wisconsin Programming, and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.