Workouts with Mariska
Mariska Breland is the inventor of the Fuse Ladder and runs the majority of the teacher trainings offered in the U.S. and online. Mariska started her fitness career in 2005 with her first certification in Pilates. Since then, she has co-owned three successful Washington, D.C.-based studios, and she has been a presenter at industry conferences and studios in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and the Middle East. She is a popular visiting teacher on Pilates Anytime.
Mariska's classes are a combination of the types of exercise she loves - Pilates, strength training, calisthenics, and even barre and yoga. The majority of her classes have optional music (find the mixes under her Public Playlists on Spotify).
In addition to teaching hardcore workouts for fitness, Mariska is the co-founder of The Neuro Studio, an organization dedicated to teaching movement specialists how to work with clients with neurological disease or injury, as well as offering workouts for people with MS, stroke, Parkinson's disease, and other conditions. Mariska herself has been living with multiple sclerosis since 2002. She might point out some left leg difficulties in her classes, which are a result of her medical condition (and a spectacular 3 bone leg break in 2018).
Her work with the neurological community has been recognized by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society of the U.S., MS Hope for a Cure, and the UK MS Society.
Outside of fitness, Mariska is obsessed with her dog children and loves a good book, movie, or TV series. Also food. She's a big fan.
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Mariska 1 - Arms and Legs (and a Bug 😳)
Work your limbs using all parts of the Fuse Ladder. This full body workout is very similar to the group classes Mariska used to teach at the original Fuse Ladder studio. Bug is not required.
To listen along to music, find Mariska Fuse Ladder 1 on Spotify under her Public Playlists.
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Mariska 2 - Backboard Ideas and Lots of Legs
Wondering what to do with your backboard? This class includes variations for "footwork," squats, snake/twist, and more. On top of that, you'll do leg work, balance, and arms.
To listen along to music, find Mariska Fuse Ladder 2 on Spotify under her Public Playlists.
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Mariska 3 - Plyometrics and Balance
Mariska brought in her husband Brian to be her student in this balance focused class that also explores plyometrics and even handstands. At the time of this recording, Brian was playing a lot of squash. This workout is perfect for training a sport that requires speed and balance. Much to his chag...
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Mariska 4 - Pull Ups and Stuff
Mariska takes you through some variations to build up to your pull up. She also goes through some leg and ab exercises for a break.
To listen along, find Mariska Fuse Ladder 4 on Spotify under Public Playlists.
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Mariska 5 - The Glute Med
Hip stability is the focus of this class, which also includes some targeted glute and shoulder work.
To listen along to Mariska's mix, find Mariska Fuse Ladder 5 on Spotify under Public Playlists.
You'll need the long purple springs, the short yellow springs with the handles and the Roll down b...
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Mariska 6 - Shoulder Openers and Legs
Mariska has a lot of work to do on her handstands and backbends. If you, too, have tight shoulders, you'll pick up some ideas to help get you off of the struggle bus (or at least make some progress). To balance out the workout, Mariska throws in a lot of leg work.
To listen along to her mix, fin...
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Mariska 7 - Full Body
This full body class includes a fun backboard/hanging bar/jumping warmup, climbing, lots of legs, suspension work, and even practice on the calisthenics flag.
To listen along, find Mariska Fuse Ladder 7 on Spotify under Public Playlists.
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Mariska 8 - Backboard and New Stuff
Mariska plays around with the backboard and some newer exercises (i.e. - not in the Fuse Ladder training) in this class.
To listen along, find Mariska Fuse Ladder 8 on Spotify under her Public Playlists.
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Mariska 9 - Pikes, Planks, and Inversions
Mariska explores pikes, planks and inversions in this class. You'll need the long purple springs and short arm springs.
Mariska makes a sling combining the two leg springs, but if you have a larger sling you'd like to use, grab it (or the short box strap from a reformer works, too.) For the han...
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Mariska 10 - Only the Springs
In this shorter class, Mariska uses the arm and leg springs in multiple ways (1, 2, 3, or 4 at a time).
To listen along to the playlist, find Mariska Ladder 10 on Spotify under her Public Playlists.
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Mariska Ladder 11 - Barre
Back in the old days, Mariska was the second (!!) barre teacher in the D.C. area. She taught it for nearly a decade, and still pulls out those tiny moves in her other classes. In fact, Fuse Ladder was created because she wanted to offer a new class at her studio but didn't want to do barre. Maybe...
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Mariska Ladder 12 - Strength Circuit
6 exercises taught in sets and reps. In this class, Mariska shows you how she structures a strength training session using the Fuse Ladder.
(No music mix)
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Mariska 13 - Reformer on the Fuse Ladder
In this class, Mariska demos some reformer exercises modified to work on the Fuse Ladder. You'll need a reformer box.
To listen along to music, find Mariska Ladder 13 under her Public Playlists on Spotify.
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Mariska 14 - Yoga Sling Workout
If you have a Fuse Ladder yoga sling or another brand, this class explores using it for a full body stretch and strength workout.
No music mix for this one!
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Mariska 15 - The Push Through Bar
Explore some exercises using the Push through bar attachment.
To listen along, find Mariska Ladder 15 on Spotify under Public Playlists.
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Mariska 17 - For the Love of Leg Springs
In this class, Mariska mostly only uses leg springs for legs, but she throws in a couple of upper body moves as well.
To listen along to music, find Mariska Fuse Ladder 17 on Spotify under Public Playlists.
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Mariska 16 - Back & Butt
Mariska is joined in this class by Pilates teacher Rachel Hornstein In a workout focusing on the backside of the body. She begins with a jumping warmup using the roll down bar - one of the three standard warm up options Mariska uses in group classes.
To listen along to music, find Mariska Fuse L...
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Mariska Ladder 17 - Lunges
Mariska is joined by Dani for this class focused on lunge variations with added calf work.
To listen along, find Mariska Fuse Ladder 17 on Spotify under Public Playlists.
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Mariska Ladder 18 - Rehab: Weight Shifts for Walking
In this class, Mariska uses 1 spring setting to practice weight shifts that are essential for walking. She's using long yellow springs, but you can use long purples for a bigger challenge.