PILATES ANATOMY ALL SET QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS SET A+
✔✔chest lift - ✔✔-lie on ground with knees bent and hands behind head
-exhale, lift scapulae off mat, pull in abdominal wall
-inhale, pause
-exhale, slowly lower trunk and head
✔✔leg lift supine - ✔✔-lie on back with knees bent and hands at side
-exhale, raise one leg until thigh is perpendicular to the mat
-inhale, lower leg until toes touch the mat while still maintaining 90 degree angle of knee
✔✔leg lift side - ✔✔-lie on one side with the bottom of arm and both legs straight and in
line with body, head resting on bottom arm, top arm is bent with the palm on the mat in
front of the torso and the fingers pointing toward the head
-exhale, raise both legs as one unit toward ceiling then lift legs higher by laterally flexing
the spine
-inhale and lower the legs until they are just above the mat
✔✔leg pull side - ✔✔-lie on side in straight line with head resting on bottom arm which
is straight, top arm is bent in front of torso with palm on ground facing upwards, the
bottom leg is resting on the mat and the top leg is held slightly higher than top hip, feet
pointed
-exhale, raise bottom leg towards top leg until touching
-inhale, lower bottom leg until it lightly touches mat
✔✔spine twist supine - ✔✔-lie on back with shins creating a tabletop and feet off the
ground knees making a 90-degree angle
-exhale, pull abdominal wall in, slight posterior pelvic tilt, pull inner thighs together
-inhale, rotate middle and lower trunk so the pelvis and knees move as a single unit to
one side
-exhale, rotate back to center
-repeat on other side
, ✔✔chest lift with rotation - ✔✔-perform chest life
-when crunched up, exhale, rotate upper trunk to one side
-inhale, rotate back to center
-repeat on other side
✔✔back extension prone - ✔✔-lie on stomach with forehead on mat with arms at sides
palms pressing against outer thighs, legs together and feet gently pointed
-exhale, lift head, upper and middle trunk off mat while keeping legs together and the
arms pressing against the sides
-inhale and slowly lower back down
✔✔roll-up - ✔✔-Lie on back with Legs straight and with feet gently pointed and arms
straight overhead in line with shoulders palms facing up
-inhale, draw the abdominal cavity inward toward the spine lift the arms toward the
ceiling and bring the chin to the chest while lifting the head and shoulder blades off the
mat simultaneously flex the feet
-exhale, continue to roll up passing the sitting position until the upper body is over the
legs with the fingers reaching toward the toes
-inhale, Roll down until the back of the shoulder blades start to touch the mat, exhale
and finish rolling down then bring the arms overhead returning to start position
✔✔neck pull - ✔✔-lay flat on back with hands behind head and legs together and feet
flexed
-do same as roll-up except keep hands interlocked behind head
✔✔hundred - ✔✔-lie on back with legs raised straight at a 60-degree angle or higher,
feet slightly pointed, arms resting at sides with palms down
-draw the abdominal wall in and lift upper trunk into chest lift position and bring arms
forward 6-8 inches above thighs palms down
-inhale and pump arms slightly down and then up
-exhale, lower torso and brings arms back to side
✔✔one-leg stretch (single-leg stretch) - ✔✔-lie on back with head and scapulae off mat
in chest lift position and one knee pulled into chest, the hand on the same side of the
knee holds the skin above the ankle, the other arm is bent with the hand on knee,
straight leg is at height at which the lower back can still maintain contact with the mat,
gently point feet
-inhale, switch legs
-exhale as the leg fully straightens and hands switch to other knee
✔✔spine stretch (spine stretch forward) - ✔✔-sit upright with legs straight in front of you
slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and feet flexed, arms straight by side with palms
on mat
-exhale, draw abdominal wall in as head and upper spine roll down and arms reach
forward, glide hands across mat on inside of legs
ANSWERS SET A+
✔✔chest lift - ✔✔-lie on ground with knees bent and hands behind head
-exhale, lift scapulae off mat, pull in abdominal wall
-inhale, pause
-exhale, slowly lower trunk and head
✔✔leg lift supine - ✔✔-lie on back with knees bent and hands at side
-exhale, raise one leg until thigh is perpendicular to the mat
-inhale, lower leg until toes touch the mat while still maintaining 90 degree angle of knee
✔✔leg lift side - ✔✔-lie on one side with the bottom of arm and both legs straight and in
line with body, head resting on bottom arm, top arm is bent with the palm on the mat in
front of the torso and the fingers pointing toward the head
-exhale, raise both legs as one unit toward ceiling then lift legs higher by laterally flexing
the spine
-inhale and lower the legs until they are just above the mat
✔✔leg pull side - ✔✔-lie on side in straight line with head resting on bottom arm which
is straight, top arm is bent in front of torso with palm on ground facing upwards, the
bottom leg is resting on the mat and the top leg is held slightly higher than top hip, feet
pointed
-exhale, raise bottom leg towards top leg until touching
-inhale, lower bottom leg until it lightly touches mat
✔✔spine twist supine - ✔✔-lie on back with shins creating a tabletop and feet off the
ground knees making a 90-degree angle
-exhale, pull abdominal wall in, slight posterior pelvic tilt, pull inner thighs together
-inhale, rotate middle and lower trunk so the pelvis and knees move as a single unit to
one side
-exhale, rotate back to center
-repeat on other side
, ✔✔chest lift with rotation - ✔✔-perform chest life
-when crunched up, exhale, rotate upper trunk to one side
-inhale, rotate back to center
-repeat on other side
✔✔back extension prone - ✔✔-lie on stomach with forehead on mat with arms at sides
palms pressing against outer thighs, legs together and feet gently pointed
-exhale, lift head, upper and middle trunk off mat while keeping legs together and the
arms pressing against the sides
-inhale and slowly lower back down
✔✔roll-up - ✔✔-Lie on back with Legs straight and with feet gently pointed and arms
straight overhead in line with shoulders palms facing up
-inhale, draw the abdominal cavity inward toward the spine lift the arms toward the
ceiling and bring the chin to the chest while lifting the head and shoulder blades off the
mat simultaneously flex the feet
-exhale, continue to roll up passing the sitting position until the upper body is over the
legs with the fingers reaching toward the toes
-inhale, Roll down until the back of the shoulder blades start to touch the mat, exhale
and finish rolling down then bring the arms overhead returning to start position
✔✔neck pull - ✔✔-lay flat on back with hands behind head and legs together and feet
flexed
-do same as roll-up except keep hands interlocked behind head
✔✔hundred - ✔✔-lie on back with legs raised straight at a 60-degree angle or higher,
feet slightly pointed, arms resting at sides with palms down
-draw the abdominal wall in and lift upper trunk into chest lift position and bring arms
forward 6-8 inches above thighs palms down
-inhale and pump arms slightly down and then up
-exhale, lower torso and brings arms back to side
✔✔one-leg stretch (single-leg stretch) - ✔✔-lie on back with head and scapulae off mat
in chest lift position and one knee pulled into chest, the hand on the same side of the
knee holds the skin above the ankle, the other arm is bent with the hand on knee,
straight leg is at height at which the lower back can still maintain contact with the mat,
gently point feet
-inhale, switch legs
-exhale as the leg fully straightens and hands switch to other knee
✔✔spine stretch (spine stretch forward) - ✔✔-sit upright with legs straight in front of you
slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and feet flexed, arms straight by side with palms
on mat
-exhale, draw abdominal wall in as head and upper spine roll down and arms reach
forward, glide hands across mat on inside of legs
