Gratz Wunda Chair & Small Arm Chair Exercises
The Wunda Chair is one of my favorite pieces of Gratz equipment for working on body imbalances where some muscles are too strong or too weak compared to others.
- Give yourself more spring resistance for additional support, then remove assistance as you become stronger.
- Push through the floor with your hands and back muscles to connect into your abdominals, then lengthen through the legs.
One of my favorite places to perform the Teaser is on the Gratz Chair. The apparatus provides excellent support and feedback while adding the challenge of controlling a moving structure.
About Alexandra Bohlinger
Alexandra Bohlinger is an internationally recognized, classically trained Pilates teacher who studied under Joseph Pilates’ protégé Romana Kryzanowska . She has taught the classical Pilates method for nearly 20 years.
Alexandra studied Sport Science at Durham University in the UK and earned a Masters in Osteopathy from the British School of Osteopathy in London. Prior to moving to the United States, she operated a combined osteopathy clinic and Pilates studio in Greenwich, London.
Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Alexandra moved to New York as a teenager to pursue dance. While teaching dance and working as a personal trainer, she discovered the authentic classical Pilates method and devoted herself to mastering the work after her first lesson.
She trained and was certified at Drago’s New York Pilates Studio under Romana Kryzanowska. Alexandra has also studied with:
- Sari Mejia Santo
- Edwina Fontaine
- Jerome Weinberg
- Cynthia Shipley
- Bob Liekens
- Jay Grimes
After working under Romana in New York City, Alexandra moved to California and worked with Mari Winsor in Beverly Hills before opening her own studio. During that time, she also continued performing ballet at the Colburn School of Dance and Music.
Her clients include celebrity artists, actors, elite athletes, and individuals looking to improve their health and movement through Pilates.
Alexandra is also a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and a certified personal trainer. She credits authentic classical Pilates with improving her ballet technique and helping her maintain strength through and after three pregnancies.
Alexandra now operates Alexandra Bohlinger Pilates & Osteopathy in East Grand Rapids, Michigan, in a fully Gratz-equipped home studio and clinic. She teaches workshops and conferences nationally and internationally, offers mentorship programs both in-person and via Zoom, and has produced educational content for: