CLUB PILATES TEST OUT COMPREHENSIVE ACADEMIC STUDY GUIDE WITH
VERIFIED CONCEPTS AND EXAM-FOCUSED EXPLANATIONS 2025–2026
What does PEACE R & R stand for? - correct answer -P is for Position/Placement
E is for Exercise Name
A is for Action
C is for Concept
E is for Explain the breath
R is Return to start
R is Repeat
Mat: Explain the difference between neutral spine and imprint spine. - correct answer -The
imprinted spine is where you lay flat and press your spine into the ground, losing its natural
curve. Your hip bones are down and your pubic bone is tilted upwards. The neutral spine is
where you lie on your back and your spine replicates your standing spine, but with a little more
precise alignment
Mat: Give an example of an open kinetic chain exercise: - correct answer -An open kinetic chain
exercise involves movement where the hand or foot freely moves without resistance. Examples
of this type of exercise include leg extensions or bicep curls.
Mat: Give an example of a closed kinetic chain exercise: - correct answer -A closed kinetic chain
exercise involves the hand or foot pushing against a surface with resistance, like a squat or
push-up
Mat: 3 spinal flexion or inversion exercises/variations: 1 Beginner, 1 intermediate, 1 advanced: -
correct answer -### Beginner: Pelvic Curl1. **Pelvic Curl**: This exercise helps to articulate the
spine and strengthen the core. - **Starting Position**: Lie on your back with knees bent and
feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Arms should be at your sides with palms down. -
,**Movement**: Inhale to prepare. Exhale, engage your abdominal muscles, and slowly lift your
pelvis off the mat, one vertebra at a time, until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to
knees. Inhale at the top. Exhale, and slowly lower your spine back to the mat, one vertebra at a
time.### Intermediate: Roll-Up2. **Roll-Up**: This exercise promotes spinal articulation and
strengthens the core. - **Starting Position**: Lie on your back with legs extended and arms
reaching overhead. - **Movement**: Inhale to prepare. Exhale, engage your abdominal
muscles, and slowly peel your spine off the mat, reaching your arms towards your toes. Inhale
as you sit up tall. Exhale, and slowly roll back down, one vertebra at a time.### Advanced:
Jackknife3. **Jackknife**: This advanced exercise requires significant core strength and control.
- **Starting Position**: Lie on your back with arms by your sides and legs extended. -
**Movement**: Inhale to prepare. Exhale, lift your legs to a 90-degree angle. Continue to lift
your hips off the mat, reaching your legs overhead. Inhale at the top. Exhale, and control the
descent of your legs and hips back to the starting position.
Mat: 2 spinal extension/probe exercises/variations: 1 Beginner, 1 advanced: - correct answer -
### Beginner: **Swan Prep****Instructions:**1. Lie face down on your mat with your legs
together and arms bent at the elbows, hands placed under your shoulders.2. Inhale to prepare,
drawing your navel towards your spine to engage your core.3. Exhale, slowly lift your head,
chest, and upper ribs off the mat while keeping your lower ribs and abdomen grounded. Use
the strength of your upper back muscles, not just your arms.4. Inhale at the top, and exhale to
slowly lower back down with control.5. Repeat 5-8 times.**Focus:** Keep the movement
controlled, and avoid overextending the lower back. This exercise helps to strengthen the upper
back and improve posture.### Advanced: **Swan Dive****Instructions:**1. Start in the same
position as Swan Prep: lying face down, legs together, and hands under your shoulders.2. Inhale
to lift into the full Swan position, extending your spine as you lift your chest off the mat.3. Once
at the top, exhale and release your hands, allowing your body to rock forward and your legs to
lift off the mat as your upper body lowers towards the mat.4. Catch yourself with your hands
and rock back up, then repeat the rocking motion, coordinating the lift and lower of your upper
body and legs.5. Repeat 3-5 times.**Focus:** This exercise requires strength, control, and
coordination. The goal is to maintain fluidity in the rocking motion, avoiding any jarring
movements.
Mat: 1 Spinal Lateral Flexion exercise: move or variation in lateral flexion: - correct answer -###
**Side Bend****Instructions:**1. Sit on the mat with your legs bent and to the side, with one
leg stacked on top of the other. Support your upper body with one hand on the mat directly
beneath your shoulder, and place your other hand on your top hip.2. Inhale to prepare. On the
, exhale, press into your supporting hand and lift your hips off the mat, extending your legs as
you reach your top arm overhead in a graceful arc.3. Your body should form a side plank, with a
gentle curve through the torso as you lift through the waist, creating a "rainbow" shape.4. Hold
briefly at the top, then inhale as you lower your hips back down with control, returning to the
starting position.5. Repeat 3-5 times on each side.**Focus:** Engage your obliques to lift and
stabilize the torso, maintaining control throughout the movement. Keep the movement fluid
and avoid collapsing in the shoulder or the waist.This exercise strengthens the obliques,
improves lateral flexibility, and challenges stability.
Mat: 1 Spinal Rotation exercise: Move or variation that activates the rotator muscles - correct
answer -### **Spine Twist****Instructions:**1. Sit tall on your mat with your legs extended
straight in front of you, feet flexed, and arms extended out to the sides at shoulder height,
palms facing down.2. Inhale to prepare, lengthening through the crown of your head to sit as
tall as possible.3. Exhale as you twist your torso to one side, initiating the movement from your
waist. As you twist, think of spiraling up and around, keeping your pelvis stable and legs
anchored to the mat.4. Inhale to return to the center with control.5. Exhale and twist to the
other side, again focusing on lengthening as you rotate.6. Repeat 5-8 times on each
side.**Focus:** Keep the spine long and the shoulders relaxed throughout the movement. The
goal is to increase spinal mobility and strengthen the obliques while maintaining alignment and
control.
Upper Body Facing Away from Straps with 2 progressions: 1 Beginner, 1 Intermediate - correct
answer -1 beginner: salute hands in a diamond or triangle slightly hinged at the hips and hands
are in the short straps. hands start at the forehead and go out straight and come back. Feet are
on the side of the carriage. 1 red spring
1 Intermediate: shave the head Here are the cues for "Shave the Head" on the Reformer:1. **Sit
tall**, legs crossed or extended, facing the footbar.2. **Hold straps** with hands at forehead,
elbows wide.3. **Inhale** to prepare, **exhale** to press arms forward and up.4. **Inhale**
to bend elbows, returning hands to forehead.5. Keep **shoulders down** and **core
engaged**
Mat: side-Lying Series: 2 variations of the side leg series (1 side only) - correct answer -### **1.
Side-Lying Leg Lifts****Instructions:**1. Lie on your side with your body in a straight line, legs
extended, and stacked one on top of the other. Rest your head on your bottom arm, and place
your top hand on the mat in front of you for balance.2. Inhale to prepare, and on the exhale, lift
VERIFIED CONCEPTS AND EXAM-FOCUSED EXPLANATIONS 2025–2026
What does PEACE R & R stand for? - correct answer -P is for Position/Placement
E is for Exercise Name
A is for Action
C is for Concept
E is for Explain the breath
R is Return to start
R is Repeat
Mat: Explain the difference between neutral spine and imprint spine. - correct answer -The
imprinted spine is where you lay flat and press your spine into the ground, losing its natural
curve. Your hip bones are down and your pubic bone is tilted upwards. The neutral spine is
where you lie on your back and your spine replicates your standing spine, but with a little more
precise alignment
Mat: Give an example of an open kinetic chain exercise: - correct answer -An open kinetic chain
exercise involves movement where the hand or foot freely moves without resistance. Examples
of this type of exercise include leg extensions or bicep curls.
Mat: Give an example of a closed kinetic chain exercise: - correct answer -A closed kinetic chain
exercise involves the hand or foot pushing against a surface with resistance, like a squat or
push-up
Mat: 3 spinal flexion or inversion exercises/variations: 1 Beginner, 1 intermediate, 1 advanced: -
correct answer -### Beginner: Pelvic Curl1. **Pelvic Curl**: This exercise helps to articulate the
spine and strengthen the core. - **Starting Position**: Lie on your back with knees bent and
feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Arms should be at your sides with palms down. -
,**Movement**: Inhale to prepare. Exhale, engage your abdominal muscles, and slowly lift your
pelvis off the mat, one vertebra at a time, until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to
knees. Inhale at the top. Exhale, and slowly lower your spine back to the mat, one vertebra at a
time.### Intermediate: Roll-Up2. **Roll-Up**: This exercise promotes spinal articulation and
strengthens the core. - **Starting Position**: Lie on your back with legs extended and arms
reaching overhead. - **Movement**: Inhale to prepare. Exhale, engage your abdominal
muscles, and slowly peel your spine off the mat, reaching your arms towards your toes. Inhale
as you sit up tall. Exhale, and slowly roll back down, one vertebra at a time.### Advanced:
Jackknife3. **Jackknife**: This advanced exercise requires significant core strength and control.
- **Starting Position**: Lie on your back with arms by your sides and legs extended. -
**Movement**: Inhale to prepare. Exhale, lift your legs to a 90-degree angle. Continue to lift
your hips off the mat, reaching your legs overhead. Inhale at the top. Exhale, and control the
descent of your legs and hips back to the starting position.
Mat: 2 spinal extension/probe exercises/variations: 1 Beginner, 1 advanced: - correct answer -
### Beginner: **Swan Prep****Instructions:**1. Lie face down on your mat with your legs
together and arms bent at the elbows, hands placed under your shoulders.2. Inhale to prepare,
drawing your navel towards your spine to engage your core.3. Exhale, slowly lift your head,
chest, and upper ribs off the mat while keeping your lower ribs and abdomen grounded. Use
the strength of your upper back muscles, not just your arms.4. Inhale at the top, and exhale to
slowly lower back down with control.5. Repeat 5-8 times.**Focus:** Keep the movement
controlled, and avoid overextending the lower back. This exercise helps to strengthen the upper
back and improve posture.### Advanced: **Swan Dive****Instructions:**1. Start in the same
position as Swan Prep: lying face down, legs together, and hands under your shoulders.2. Inhale
to lift into the full Swan position, extending your spine as you lift your chest off the mat.3. Once
at the top, exhale and release your hands, allowing your body to rock forward and your legs to
lift off the mat as your upper body lowers towards the mat.4. Catch yourself with your hands
and rock back up, then repeat the rocking motion, coordinating the lift and lower of your upper
body and legs.5. Repeat 3-5 times.**Focus:** This exercise requires strength, control, and
coordination. The goal is to maintain fluidity in the rocking motion, avoiding any jarring
movements.
Mat: 1 Spinal Lateral Flexion exercise: move or variation in lateral flexion: - correct answer -###
**Side Bend****Instructions:**1. Sit on the mat with your legs bent and to the side, with one
leg stacked on top of the other. Support your upper body with one hand on the mat directly
beneath your shoulder, and place your other hand on your top hip.2. Inhale to prepare. On the
, exhale, press into your supporting hand and lift your hips off the mat, extending your legs as
you reach your top arm overhead in a graceful arc.3. Your body should form a side plank, with a
gentle curve through the torso as you lift through the waist, creating a "rainbow" shape.4. Hold
briefly at the top, then inhale as you lower your hips back down with control, returning to the
starting position.5. Repeat 3-5 times on each side.**Focus:** Engage your obliques to lift and
stabilize the torso, maintaining control throughout the movement. Keep the movement fluid
and avoid collapsing in the shoulder or the waist.This exercise strengthens the obliques,
improves lateral flexibility, and challenges stability.
Mat: 1 Spinal Rotation exercise: Move or variation that activates the rotator muscles - correct
answer -### **Spine Twist****Instructions:**1. Sit tall on your mat with your legs extended
straight in front of you, feet flexed, and arms extended out to the sides at shoulder height,
palms facing down.2. Inhale to prepare, lengthening through the crown of your head to sit as
tall as possible.3. Exhale as you twist your torso to one side, initiating the movement from your
waist. As you twist, think of spiraling up and around, keeping your pelvis stable and legs
anchored to the mat.4. Inhale to return to the center with control.5. Exhale and twist to the
other side, again focusing on lengthening as you rotate.6. Repeat 5-8 times on each
side.**Focus:** Keep the spine long and the shoulders relaxed throughout the movement. The
goal is to increase spinal mobility and strengthen the obliques while maintaining alignment and
control.
Upper Body Facing Away from Straps with 2 progressions: 1 Beginner, 1 Intermediate - correct
answer -1 beginner: salute hands in a diamond or triangle slightly hinged at the hips and hands
are in the short straps. hands start at the forehead and go out straight and come back. Feet are
on the side of the carriage. 1 red spring
1 Intermediate: shave the head Here are the cues for "Shave the Head" on the Reformer:1. **Sit
tall**, legs crossed or extended, facing the footbar.2. **Hold straps** with hands at forehead,
elbows wide.3. **Inhale** to prepare, **exhale** to press arms forward and up.4. **Inhale**
to bend elbows, returning hands to forehead.5. Keep **shoulders down** and **core
engaged**
Mat: side-Lying Series: 2 variations of the side leg series (1 side only) - correct answer -### **1.
Side-Lying Leg Lifts****Instructions:**1. Lie on your side with your body in a straight line, legs
extended, and stacked one on top of the other. Rest your head on your bottom arm, and place
your top hand on the mat in front of you for balance.2. Inhale to prepare, and on the exhale, lift
