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Nikita S., MD | movement + medicine

@movewithnikita

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🩺 Resident Physician @stanfordpeds
✨Certified Pilates Teacher
⭐️ Empowering Bodies with Mindful Movement
🧠 10+ years teaching
@balanced_body cert

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Upper Body + Short Box Love 💗

I always love a good seated, side-facing arm series. This one is also a great option for clients with knee pain since it uses a seated rather than kneeling setup.

Some of my favorite cues here: • Widen across the collarbones (aka the clavicles) • Gently glide the shoulders away from the ears while engaging the lats to reduce tension in the neck • Lengthen through the spine and sit tall on the sit bones

Grip Socks: @moveactive Use NIKITA for 10% off ✨ by @movewithnikita

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8

a month ago

Save and try this seamless full body flow⚡️ I love teaching this one all on 1 spring: yellow for more support and blue for a challenge.

Grip Socks: @moveactive Use NIKITA for 10% off by @movewithnikita

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16

2 months ago

Adductor and core focused flow 🌟
In the side lying position, I like to cue clients to press into the supporting forearm and lift the ribcage and waist away from the mat to avoid sinking into the shoulder area ❤️‍🔥

Grip Socks: @moveactive Use NIKITA for 10% off by @movewithnikita

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7

2 months ago

Side-facing upper body flow with spinal mobility ✨

My favorite cue here: imagine widening across the collarbones (aka the clavicles!) while gently gliding the shoulders away from the ears to create more space through the chest for postural awareness.

Grip Socks: @moveactive
 Use NIKITAXMOVE15 or MOVEWITHNIKITA15 for 15% off 💜 by @movewithnikita

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10

2 months ago

Supine full body work ⚡️Lots of work through the lats, core, hamstrings and glutes with this full body flow. I love this one to work deeply into coordination and the mind-muscle connection 🫶🏾

One of my favorite cues in this setup is to encourage clients to connect their ribs to carriage to connect through the tranverse abdominals 💌

Grip Socks: @moveactive Use NIKITAXMOVE15 or MOVEWITHNIKITA15 for 15% off

#reformerpilates #pilatesflow #pilatesinspo #pilates #pilatesinstructor by @movewithnikita

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6

3 months ago

Upper Body & Scapular Mobility ✨

I recently taught this series and love how it challenges the upper back while building awareness and control through the shoulder girdle.

One of my favorite cues here is to encourage the scapulae (shoulder blades) to gently glide toward the spine as the corresponding elbow bends. It’s a simple cue that can help create more connection and support through the upper body.

Give this one a try on a light to medium spring 🔥 by @movewithnikita

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9

5 months ago

International Pilates Day was this week, and I couldn’t be more grateful for this movement I fell in love with over 12 years ago—one that continues to support, challenge, and connect me to my body every day. by @movewithnikita

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5 months ago

Lots of layers + core work ✨

This one builds gradually and has you staying connected to the core throughout. Try this one on a light or medium spring and let me know what you think 💌

Favorite Cues:
✨ Gently scoop the low belly to find a subtle pelvic tuck
✨ Keep the chin away from the chest, lengthening the back of the neck
✨ Widen the collarbones to keep the chest open
✨ Roll the shoulders back and down, engaging the lats to do so
✨ Stabilize the pelvis and anchor the sit bones into the mat

#reformerpilates #pilatesflows #corework #pilates #pilatesinspo by @movewithnikita

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9

8 months ago

Upper Body with the Circle 🪩
I’ve been loving side-facing arms lately, and adding the circle was such a fun way to layer in a coordination challenge. As always, the circle is completely optional. If it starts to take away from your connection into the upper body, leave it and come back to the movement without the prop. Sometimes simpler really is better. 💙

Try this on a high light spring or a medium spring 😮‍💨

Favorite Cues ✨ Lengthen through the back of the neck, keeping the chin away from the chest
✨ Widen the collarbones to keep the chest open
✨ Gently glide the shoulders back and down, engaging the lat muscles
✨ Press the shins into the mat and imagine growing taller through the length of the spine

Reformer pilates, pilates, upper body, pilates instructor by @movewithnikita

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14

8 months ago

Banded glute series 🍑
The booty band is one of my favorite props because it instantly increases glute activation. Adding lateral tension asks your hip abductors and external rotators to work harder so that these leg presses feel much more challenging. Give this one a go… your glutes will thank me later. 😉

Favorite Cues ✨ Press through the forearm and palm to create space between the shoulder blades ✨ Knit the ribs toward the hips to maintain core engagement ✨ Keep a long line from the crown of the head to the tailbone ✨ Imagine pushing the footbar away when pressing the foot against it

#pilates #pilateslovers #pilatesinstructor #reformer #reformerpilates #reformerflow #reformerclass #reformerexercises #pilatesexercises #reformerpilatesexercises #pilatesvideo #pilatesinspo #pilatesinspodaily #pilatesflow #pilateslife #pilateslove #core #gluteexercises #lowerbody #movement #fitness #exercise #strength #glutes #spinalmobility #health #injuryprevention by @movewithnikita

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17

a year ago

Side-Lying with the Magic Circle
Love adding the magic circle in this setup as it brings a bit more upper-body and core work — I like to exhale as I press into it to engage the core further. ✨
I usually set this up without the circle first so the movement stays clear. Then I offer the circle to anyone who wants extra challenge or feedback. Props should progress the work, not distract from the foundational movement. 💪💕

Favorite Cues ✨ Press the supporting forearm into the mat ✨ Lift your bottom ribs away from the floor ✨ Press the top arm into the circle ✨Imagine the top foot pressing the footbar away to engage the glutes further
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Grip Socks: @moveactive Use NIKITAXMOVE15 or MOVEWITHNIKITA15 for 15% off 🧦💗

#pilates #pilateslovers #pilatesinstructor #reformer #reformerpilates #reformerpilatesinstructor #reformerflow #reformerclass #reformerexercises #pilatesexercises #reformerpilatesexercises #pilatesvideo #pilatesinspiration #pilatesinspo #pilatesinspodaily #pilatesflow #pilateslife #pilateslove #core #gluteexercises #lowerbody #movement #fitness #exercise #strength #glutes #spinalmobility #health #injuryprevention by @movewithnikita

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5

a year ago

Feeling extra grateful for Pilates this year 💙 Loved flowing through this series inspired by the lovely @pilateswithliana There’s something so grounding about the chest expansion and heart-opening movements in this flow. Side overs are also one of my favorite ways to engage the obliques and work through spinal mobility.

Favorite Cues ✨ Lengthen through the back of the neck, keeping the chin away from the chest
✨ Widen the collarbones to keep the chest open
✨ Gently glide the shoulders back and down, engaging the lat muscles
✨ Press the shins into the mat and imagine growing taller through the length of the spine

#pilates #pilateslovers #pilatesinstructor #reformer #reformerpilates #reformerpilatesinstructor #reformerflow #reformerclass #reformerexercises #pilatesexercises #reformerpilatesexercises #pilatesvideo #pilatesinspiration #pilatesinspo #pilateschoreography #pilatesflow #pilateslife #pilateslove #upperbodystrength #posture #core #obliques #spinalmobility #coreexercises #corework #armexercises #upperbodyworkout by @movewithnikita

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13

a year ago