How to Pilates Exercises · From Our Archive

Reformer Foundations and Pelvic Lift

Learn the purpose of your setup, movement, and ending with teacher guidance.

1 minute read

A student practicing Pelvic Lift on the Reformer
From The Pilates School SF Fall magazine, PDF page 16.

Pelvic Lift appears near the end of the magazine's foundational Reformer sequence. It asks you to coordinate an assigned pelvic position with supported foot placement and carriage movement.

The setup deserves careful instruction. Ask your teacher where your feet belong, how to organize the position, and what movement range is appropriate. Learn how to return and finish the exercise as well as how to begin it.

Pay attention to the relationship between the movement of the legs and the organization of the trunk. Your teacher can help you recognize whether the task is staying clear as the carriage travels.

If the position or movement is unclear, ask for a demonstration or a different variation. A picture can show one moment but cannot tell you how to make the exercise appropriate for your body.

Work with the settings and repetitions assigned by your teacher. The aim is to leave with a movement you understand, including a clear beginning and ending.