Cues learned from The Elders: Reformer 2

On the heel position, Romana used to sit on the bottom of my feet to push the forefeet towards the shins (during the bending of the legs).  Joseph Pilates and Romana required the toes drawn back towards the shin, which is good exercise for the anterior tibialis.  I tend to require long toes (like you are standing on the wall in front of you with a slight dome in the metatarsal arch).  Kathy Grant required long toes, Carola Trier-inspired teachers encourage the doming of the metatarsal arch and long toes.  Drawing the toes back enhances recruitment of the thigh muscles (especially the VMO) but can add tension to the hip flexors.  My clients tend to overwork the hip flexors and thighs during the Footwork, so it is not a good idea to use a technique that encourages the hip flexors and thighs to overwork. Although Kathy Grant did not like to have the toes up on the Footwork on the Chair, I do teach the Footwork on the Chair with the toes up (to recruit the VMO).    The other cue I like in the heel position I learned from Physio-synthesis:  to feel like you have a hook on the outside of your outer arch which pulls up from the outer arch to your outer ankle bone (As Glenn D’mello says: “Feel like you are pulling up your boot straps.”)