I’m practicing Romana’s classical Reformer order this month. I loved having a whole month of the classical Mat order, and I wanted to keep it going. As I’m teaching and practicing the work, my client asks about the difference between the Short Spine Massage and the Long Spine Massage. They are similar in the benefits of getting mobility of the spine.
Last month I showed The Bicycle & Scissors up on a foam roller for low bone density.
The Short Spine Massage and Long Spine Massage are the same concepts. Finding the open chest and scapular stability in the upper body. They both are meant to strengthen abdominals, hamstrings, glutes and increase the flexibility of the spine and hamstrings while improving spinal alignment & balancing the spinal musculature.
Both exercises are inversions where we have our feet in the straps. The straps are a great way to support the body to come into the position.
They are both advanced movements where you’d want to have hamstring flexibility, be good with spinal flexion, and have no neck issues.
I now modify for low bone density and do the leg choreography leaving the inversion out. I’m going to try it with my hips elevated on a yoga block to get that same inversion feeling but in a safe way similar to the hips up on a foam roller for the Mat Bicycle and Scissors. The footbar up can be helpful to get your feet in straps, just make sure the headrest is down.
Here are some differences between the two:
| Short Spine Massage | Long Spine Massage |
| Regular straps | Long Straps (short loop on the shoulder rest) |
| Springs: RY-RR (I was taught that lighter uses more core) Go heavier if you are larger or stiff in your body. | Springs: RB-3R |
| More flexibility through the upper back | More flexibility through the lower back |
| Leg Choreography: Combo of lift/lower & frogs from feet in straps work | Leg Choreography: Like rollover in Mat work, where at the top of the inversion you open the legs shoulder-width and roll down. You’d then reverse it. |
| Carriage stays moving as you go up. | Beginner: Let the carriage bring you up For more advanced, the carriage stays still as you roll up and down, either keep the carriage in or with the carriage held out (harder). It’s keeping it still wherever you start at rolling up & rolling down. Add on the hinge at the hips once at the top, bring the legs back towards the risers keeping the pelvis still then take the legs towards the footbar, then release down. Progress to high frog and there’s an airplane version too! |
The straps and springs vary depending on what Reformer you are working on.
These are to be avoided or limited with pregnancy, low back injuries, neck injuries, high blood pressure, eye problems, overweight individuals, and those with osteoporosis.
I don’t typically teach these since the majority of my clients have some combination of the conditions above, including me with low bone density!
As I watch myself doing this exercise I see how much my body isn’t wanting to articulate fully and the roll-down part looks a bit like a whole chunk of my back coming down at the end.
These photos are of me performing Long Spine Massage during my training days.
Back to the “Classical Reformer Order” I’ve listed the exercises and have “Reformer on the Mat” videos in the works! Check out the standing warm-up video below.
Breathing w/arm lifts (inhale lift the arms, exhale lower) 3x
Knee bends or Plies (focus on leg alignment, posture & abdominal control) 10x
This list below is modified for low bone density. I leave out the rounded forward flexion and inversion exercises or sub them out with the low bone density safe variations.
- Breathing supine: I like to add a pelvic clock here
- Bridging 3x
- Footwork 10x full sequence: I’ll be using a resistance band to mimic footwork on the Reformer
- The 100: Head down with the option to use a resistance band or dowel instead of arm straps
- Coordination: head down 6x
- Short Spine Massage 6x: No inversion, leg lowers & frogs in the resistance band
- Hug a tree 10x: I’ll use a resistance band or weights
- Stomach Massage: Chest up, may use a ball, roller, or just slide the feet out and in.
- Short Box Abs – 3-4x: Hinge back vs round back; gentle oblique version and possible climb a tree hold version.
- Long stretch 4x: Plank adding in flex and point
- Up stretch
- Down stretch: Using a roller for this one is so much fun!
- Elephant 6x: Walking Elephant on the mat
- Semi-circle 6x each direction: May use a fitness ball or play with bridging variations
- Long spine massage 3x each direction: No inversion, sub leg circles with a band
- Knee Stretch: Flatback and Jackrabbit 4-8x
- Running in place 25x: We can come up to run it out on this one!
- Pelvic Lift 10x: fitness ball and bridging variations
- Standing 6x each side: Resistance band work.
- Rowing Front 1 – Flatback 4x: Resistance band or lightweights
- Mermaid 3x
Finish: Sit on the side of the Reformer, hinge forward to stretch the back. HInge the spine back up & rise to stand.
I’ll be teaching this sequence Reformer revised to the Mat, next Saturday 4/24 at 3:00 PM CST in my monthly virtual community class! Link to join.