Andrea Coleman - STOTT Pilates Instructor

Andrea Coleman - STOTT Pilates Instructor Helping you move better & feel stronger! STOTT Pilates Instructor, NASM CPT, TRX

06/17/2026

Star Prep: Shoulder Stability in Context

Let’s talk about what’s actually happening in Star Prep.

Stability is primarily coming from the torso and pelvis over the femurs — maintaining organization as the system is challenged by a supported lean through the upper body.

The scapula provides the interface of support, allowing load transfer while the rest of the body remains aligned and responsive.

At the same time, mobility occurs at the shoulder joint through controlled abduction and adduction of the arm, moving through range while maintaining overall organization.

And underneath it all is endurance — the ability of the stabilizers to sustain the leaned position while the carriage moves, without losing alignment or efficiency.

Key ideas:
• Stability: torso + pelvis organized over femurs
• Support: scapula providing a stable interface for load
• Mobility: shoulder abduction/adduction under control
• Endurance: sustained activation of stabilizers through movement

This is not just a shoulder exercise — it’s a full-system coordination challenge where stability, mobility, and endurance are working together in real time. Are you up for the challenge?! Let’s chat!

06/14/2026

Spinal Bouncing in Forward Fold ✨

In this variation, I’m in a forward fold position with a ball supporting the abdomen, using gentle bouncing to explore spinal and fascial responsiveness.

The goal is not to stretch or force range, but to allow a rhythmic, spring-like quality through the body.

As you explore:
• Notice how the spine responds to gentle oscillation
• Can you reduce muscular effort and allow more rebound through the system?
• Does the breath feel like it becomes part of the movement?

The support of the ball offers feedback into the abdomen, helping bring awareness to deep core tone, breath mechanics, and spinal organization.

This kind of rhythmic movement can help encourage:
• Fascial elasticity
• Spinal decompression
• Nervous system regulation
• Improved coordination between breath and movement

All information is feedback — not right or wrong — just awareness of how your system organizes itself in motion.

06/12/2026

Rotation Port de Bras

One of the first movement patterns we tend to lose as we age is rotation. Combined with modern lifestyle habits, many of us gradually develop a more forward-flexed posture.

Rotation Port de Bras is one of my favorite exercises to help counteract that pattern.

This movement highlights coordination between the upper and lower body — where one segment is stable while the other is mobile. This balance is essential for efficient, organized movement.

It restores:
• Spinal mobility in multiple planes
• Thoracic rotation and ribcage freedom
• Postural awareness
• Coordination between upper and lower body. Being aware of what is stable and what is mobile.
• A sense of length and openness through the front and back body

Rotation is essential for healthy, efficient, and sustainable movement.

06/08/2026

Arm Bouncing & Fascial Elasticity

This rhythmic bouncing movement helps stimulate the fascial system, encouraging it to become more resilient, fluid, and responsive.

Rather than creating movement through muscular force, the goal is to access a spring-like, elastic quality throughout the body — almost effortless movement.

As you watch the video, notice the difference in my arm after bouncing one side. The arm appears longer, lighter, and more relaxed. This can reflect changes in tension, fascial organization, and overall body awareness.

Pay attention to your own experience:
• Does one side feel easier than the other?
• Does one arm feel more coordinated or fluid?
• Does movement begin to feel lighter with less effort?

All of this is valuable feedback about how your body is functioning and organizing movement.

The fascial system responds well to variability, rhythm, and elastic movement patterns. Small oscillatory movements like this can improve adaptability, coordination, and movement efficiency.

06/05/2026

All Fours Breathing Exploration

Creating awareness of a three-dimensional breath pattern.

Begin in an all fours position with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Allow the spine to remain long and quiet.

Inhale
Feel the ribs expand east to west, widening gently into the sides of the body. Imagine the sit bones broadening and moving away from one another as the breath fills the body.

Exhale
Imagine there is a small flame beneath your belly button and gently draw the abdominal wall away from the flame. Feel the sit bones subtly draw toward each other. The spine remains still — the movement comes from breath, deep support, and awareness rather than spinal motion.

This exercise helps develop:
• Three-dimensional breathing awareness
• Deep core connection
• Pelvic floor awareness
• Rib mobility and expansion
• Spinal stability with breath

06/03/2026

Dynamic Body Centering

Many people have an altered sense of where the true center of their body is. By exploring and observing movement — particularly through the feet and ankles — we can improve proprioception, balance, and body awareness.

In this video:

1️⃣ Forward & Back Lean
Explores ankle plantar flexion and dorsiflexion while bringing awareness to how the body shifts through center.

2️⃣ Side-to-Side Shift
Creates awareness of inversion and eversion, helping the body organize balance laterally and reconnect to center.

3️⃣ Circular Movement Pattern
A full torso circle with the feet and ankles adapting to a more complex movement experience, integrating mobility, coordination, and dynamic centering.

The feet are constantly communicating with the rest of the body. Small shifts in awareness can create profound changes in alignment, stability, and movement efficiency. Give it a try and find your center!

06/01/2026

Bear crawl with a kick + twist—training gait patterns, core control, and coordination in a fluid, cross-body rhythm. Pilates doesn’t have to be rigid; it can be fun, creative, and dynamic. I slowed it down here so you can see the pattern and try it with control.

05/29/2026

Bear crawling trains gait patterns—the coordinated cross-body movement you use when walking and running—along with full-body coordination and core stability; it’s harder than it looks, and you can level it up by hovering your knees off the floor. Do you struggle with this? Did you crawl as a young child? Give it a try and let me know how it goes!

05/27/2026

Looks simple, but these small rebounds create load through the body that can support bone health, tendon resilience, foot strength, and elastic recoil. If you want your workouts to feel good long-term, they should feel springy, fun, and a little bit playful!

05/25/2026

When your instructor offers a modification, it’s not a sign you’re failing ✨

It’s an invitation to understand the exercise more clearly.

Modifications help remove what can get in the way:
• momentum
• compensation
• unnecessary tension
• loss of alignment

So you can actually feel the work as it’s intended.

It’s not about doing less.
It’s about getting more out of the movement you’re doing.

Sometimes the “simpler” option is where the real work lives 🤍

Try noticing next time you’re offered a modification—what changes in how the exercise feels? Save this as a reminder that smart movement is still strong movement.

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