Pilates intermediate reformer exercises
Abduction side arm prep breathing - ANS-Exhale: maintain scapular stabilization, torso
and pelvis on femurs, keep elbow flexed and abduct humerus away from torso to move
carriage out
inhale: return arm to starting position, controlling return of carriage.
Back row springs - ANS-1-2 springs
Back rowing order - ANS-Round back
straight back
Back splits breathing - ANS--inhale: keep torso, pelvis and back knee stable and extend
front knee to press carriage out
-exhale: keep torso, pelvis and back knee stable, and flex front knee to bring foot
directly under knee, to control return of carriage.
Back splits modifications - ANS--hands holding shoulder rests: place hands on shoulder
rests for more support while getting used to pattern of movement without challenging
balance as much as full version, keep spine long and neutral.
Footbar position #2: lowering footbar, and therefore back leg. Makes it easier to avoid
overextending lumbar and easier to keep pelvis stable and square.
Back splits springs - ANS-1-2 springs
Back splits starting position - ANS-Lunge, facing pulleys. One knee flexed with ball of
foot in crease of headrest, directly under knee. Other leg straight, hip as extended as
possible and laterally rotated, with as much surface area of foot as possible on footbar.
Pelvis low and as level as possible. Spine in extension with upper body upright. Arms
reaching out to sides, palms down. Scapulae stabilized.
Backstroke prep breathing - ANS-Exhale- maintain spinal flexion and pull arms in
toward hips to move carriage out
inhale-open arms to return to starting position, controlling return of carraige
Backstroke prep springs - ANS-2 springs
Backstroke prep starting position - ANS-Supine on box, headed toward pulleys.
Imprinted postion. Upper body flexed. Legs table top. Arms held out to sides. Slightly
,rounded just higher than shoulder level, maintaining scapular stability. Hands in straps,
fingers long, palms facing body
Beats breathing - ANS-Exhale- keep heels connected and legs laterally rotated and
press feet into straps, extending knees to move carriage out, PF ankles, and gently
pointing toes. Reach legs as low as pelvic stability can be maintained
Inhale- quick breath, maintain pelvic stability, minimize movement of carriage, keep
lateral rotation of legs and abduct slightly, no wider than shoulder distance
exhale- quick breath, keep legs straight and adduct
inhale-keep heels connected, flex knees and hips and DF ankles as carriage returns
Beats springs - ANS-2 springs
Beats starting position - ANS-Supine, pelvis and spine neutral. Feet in straps, heels
together, toes apart. Legs laterally rotated with knees flexed and ankles DF.
Breathing adduction side arm prep kneeling - ANS-Exhale- maintain stabilization of
scapulae, torso and pelvis on femurs, adduct humerus to pull forearm across front of
torso and move carraige out
inhale- return arm to starting position and return carraige
Breathing bow and arrow - ANS--inhale- laterally flex spine toward floor
-exhale- lengthen from tail to head to return spine to diagonal line
Breathing for footwork - ANS-Inhale- extend knees and press carriage out
exhale- flex knees and hips controlling return of carriage.
Breathing for single leg develope - ANS--inhale- extend supporting knee to press
carriage out and flex gesture leg through tabletop position, then extend knee to reach
foot toward ceiling, both legs extending simultaneously
-exhale- maintain neutral pelvis and lower gesture leg from hip joint reaching toe to
footbar then up to ceiling
-inhale- dorsi flex both ankles, then PF both ankles
-exhale- flex supporting knee and hip, controlling return of carriage, and flex gesture leg
through tabletop position, then extend it over footbar, both legs returning simultaneously
Chest expansion breathing - ANS--exhale: maintain stabilization of scpaulae, torso adn
pelvis on femurs, pull arms back to extend shoulders as far as stabilization can be
maintained
-inhale: maintain arm position and turn head to one side, then other
, -exhale: maintain arm position and return head to center
-inhale- return arms to starting position, controlling return of carriage.
Chest expansion modificatiosn - ANS-Palms facing back
Palms facing front
move away from shoulder rests
Chest expansion order - ANS-Chest expansion
pulses
Chest expansion pulses breathing - ANS--exhale: maintain stabilization of scpaulae,
torso and pelvis on femurs, pull arms back to extend shoulders as far as stabilization
can be maintained
-inhale: return arms just in line with hips
-exhale: for three counts, pressing arms back with each count as far as scapular
stabilization can be maintained.
-inhale: return arms to starting position, controlling return of carriage.
Chest expansion springs - ANS-1-2 springs
Chest expansion starting position for both chest expansion and pulses - ANS-Kneel on
carriage, thighs against shoulder rests, facing pulleys. Femurs vertical in space, spine
and pelvis neutral. Arms straight holding ropes in fists, palms facing in, reaching as far
forward as scapular stabilization can be maintained
Coordination breathing - ANS--inhale- extend elbows, arms level with shoulders, to
move carriage out. Simultaneously, extend legs on diagonal as low as imprint can be
maintained.
-exhale- keep legs straight and spine imprinted, keep carriage still, and abduct then
adduct legs (no wider than shoulder distance)
- inhale- keep upper body flexed and arms reaching and flex knees
- exhale- keep upper body flexed and flex elbows to return carriage
Coordination springs - ANS-2 springs
Coordination starting position - ANS-Supine, imprinted position. Upper body flexed.
Legs tabletop. Elbows flexed by sides of body. Humeri level with shoulders. Hands in
straps, fingers long, palms facing away
Abduction side arm prep breathing - ANS-Exhale: maintain scapular stabilization, torso
and pelvis on femurs, keep elbow flexed and abduct humerus away from torso to move
carriage out
inhale: return arm to starting position, controlling return of carriage.
Back row springs - ANS-1-2 springs
Back rowing order - ANS-Round back
straight back
Back splits breathing - ANS--inhale: keep torso, pelvis and back knee stable and extend
front knee to press carriage out
-exhale: keep torso, pelvis and back knee stable, and flex front knee to bring foot
directly under knee, to control return of carriage.
Back splits modifications - ANS--hands holding shoulder rests: place hands on shoulder
rests for more support while getting used to pattern of movement without challenging
balance as much as full version, keep spine long and neutral.
Footbar position #2: lowering footbar, and therefore back leg. Makes it easier to avoid
overextending lumbar and easier to keep pelvis stable and square.
Back splits springs - ANS-1-2 springs
Back splits starting position - ANS-Lunge, facing pulleys. One knee flexed with ball of
foot in crease of headrest, directly under knee. Other leg straight, hip as extended as
possible and laterally rotated, with as much surface area of foot as possible on footbar.
Pelvis low and as level as possible. Spine in extension with upper body upright. Arms
reaching out to sides, palms down. Scapulae stabilized.
Backstroke prep breathing - ANS-Exhale- maintain spinal flexion and pull arms in
toward hips to move carriage out
inhale-open arms to return to starting position, controlling return of carraige
Backstroke prep springs - ANS-2 springs
Backstroke prep starting position - ANS-Supine on box, headed toward pulleys.
Imprinted postion. Upper body flexed. Legs table top. Arms held out to sides. Slightly
,rounded just higher than shoulder level, maintaining scapular stability. Hands in straps,
fingers long, palms facing body
Beats breathing - ANS-Exhale- keep heels connected and legs laterally rotated and
press feet into straps, extending knees to move carriage out, PF ankles, and gently
pointing toes. Reach legs as low as pelvic stability can be maintained
Inhale- quick breath, maintain pelvic stability, minimize movement of carriage, keep
lateral rotation of legs and abduct slightly, no wider than shoulder distance
exhale- quick breath, keep legs straight and adduct
inhale-keep heels connected, flex knees and hips and DF ankles as carriage returns
Beats springs - ANS-2 springs
Beats starting position - ANS-Supine, pelvis and spine neutral. Feet in straps, heels
together, toes apart. Legs laterally rotated with knees flexed and ankles DF.
Breathing adduction side arm prep kneeling - ANS-Exhale- maintain stabilization of
scapulae, torso and pelvis on femurs, adduct humerus to pull forearm across front of
torso and move carraige out
inhale- return arm to starting position and return carraige
Breathing bow and arrow - ANS--inhale- laterally flex spine toward floor
-exhale- lengthen from tail to head to return spine to diagonal line
Breathing for footwork - ANS-Inhale- extend knees and press carriage out
exhale- flex knees and hips controlling return of carriage.
Breathing for single leg develope - ANS--inhale- extend supporting knee to press
carriage out and flex gesture leg through tabletop position, then extend knee to reach
foot toward ceiling, both legs extending simultaneously
-exhale- maintain neutral pelvis and lower gesture leg from hip joint reaching toe to
footbar then up to ceiling
-inhale- dorsi flex both ankles, then PF both ankles
-exhale- flex supporting knee and hip, controlling return of carriage, and flex gesture leg
through tabletop position, then extend it over footbar, both legs returning simultaneously
Chest expansion breathing - ANS--exhale: maintain stabilization of scpaulae, torso adn
pelvis on femurs, pull arms back to extend shoulders as far as stabilization can be
maintained
-inhale: maintain arm position and turn head to one side, then other
, -exhale: maintain arm position and return head to center
-inhale- return arms to starting position, controlling return of carriage.
Chest expansion modificatiosn - ANS-Palms facing back
Palms facing front
move away from shoulder rests
Chest expansion order - ANS-Chest expansion
pulses
Chest expansion pulses breathing - ANS--exhale: maintain stabilization of scpaulae,
torso and pelvis on femurs, pull arms back to extend shoulders as far as stabilization
can be maintained
-inhale: return arms just in line with hips
-exhale: for three counts, pressing arms back with each count as far as scapular
stabilization can be maintained.
-inhale: return arms to starting position, controlling return of carriage.
Chest expansion springs - ANS-1-2 springs
Chest expansion starting position for both chest expansion and pulses - ANS-Kneel on
carriage, thighs against shoulder rests, facing pulleys. Femurs vertical in space, spine
and pelvis neutral. Arms straight holding ropes in fists, palms facing in, reaching as far
forward as scapular stabilization can be maintained
Coordination breathing - ANS--inhale- extend elbows, arms level with shoulders, to
move carriage out. Simultaneously, extend legs on diagonal as low as imprint can be
maintained.
-exhale- keep legs straight and spine imprinted, keep carriage still, and abduct then
adduct legs (no wider than shoulder distance)
- inhale- keep upper body flexed and arms reaching and flex knees
- exhale- keep upper body flexed and flex elbows to return carriage
Coordination springs - ANS-2 springs
Coordination starting position - ANS-Supine, imprinted position. Upper body flexed.
Legs tabletop. Elbows flexed by sides of body. Humeri level with shoulders. Hands in
straps, fingers long, palms facing away
