POLESTAR PILATES COMPREHENSIVE EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS 2025/2026
✔✔Bent Knee Opening - ✔✔Equipment: Mat
Exercise: Supine on mat, knees bent, feet on floor - hip width, spine neutral, arms by
sides, palms up or down. INHALE (into your back) to prepare. EXHALE, open one knee
to the side (by rolling to the outer edge of the foot). INHALE, return the leg to center
where your knee points straight to the ceiling and your foot is flat on the mat. Alternate
Legs.
Benefits: Hip Disassociation, Torso Control, Adductor Muscles, Strengthens deep hip
rotators, Hip External Rotation, Spine Stability, Abdominals (Transverse + Obliques),
Inner thigh, glute + abs work, Lumbo-Pelvic Stability
Program Design: Supine
Planes of Movement: Transverse
FA: 1/2 squat, Full squat, Seated Hip Abductor, Z-Sitting, Roll Up, Hundred, Prone knee
bend
✔✔Side to Side - ✔✔Equipment: Mat
Exercise: Supine on mat, Legs at TT, spine slight lumbar flexion or neutral, arms by
sides, arms on floor at 45 degree angle out to side. Inhale as legs & pelvis rotate to the
right. Exhale and rotate back to center. Inhale as legs & lower torso rotate to the left.
Exhale back to center. Maintain shoulder blades on the mat.
Benefits: Lengthens Back Muscles, Trunk Strength, Spine + Rib Mobility, Shoulder +
Hip Mobility, Strengthens Core, Posture.
Program Design: Supine Abdominals
Planes of Movement: Sagittal + Frontal + Transverse
FA: Z-Sitting, Side Lift, Long Sit, 1/2 squat, Full Squat, Seated Hip Abductor, Hundred
✔✔Quadruped - ✔✔Equipment: Mat
Exercise: Come onto your hands and knees. Align your wrists parallel to the front edge
of your mat, and directly below your shoulders. Position your knees one fist-width apart.
Direct your shins straight back in two parallel lines, so your heels are in line with your
knees. Point all ten toes straight back. INHALE, to prepare. EXHALE, reach your right
leg and left arm. INHALE, return to the starting position. EXHALE, reach your left leg
and right arm. INHALE, return to the starting position.
Benefits: Balance, Shoulder Flexion, Shoulder Girdle Organization, Upper Extremity
Strength, Hip + Shoulder Mobility, Hip Disassocation, Arm Disassocation.
Program Design: Upper Extremity Weight Bearing
Planes of Movement: Sagittal + Frontal (if extend arm and leg to side).
FA: Push Up
✔✔Swimming - ✔✔Equipment: Mat
Exercise: Prone, Arms and Legs extended long. Lift your head and your chest a little bit
off the mat. INHALE into your upper back to prepare. EXHALE, lift your arms and legs a
few inches off the mat. Paddle your arms and legs with control while holding your trunk
completely still. Breathe fluidly throughout.
, Benefits: Strengthens Back + Posterior Shoulder Muscles, Core Control, Coordination,
Hip + Shoulder Disassociation, Trunk Stability, Hip Extension, Shoulder Flexion,
Thoracic Extension,
Program Design: Prone
Planes of Movement: Sagittal
FA: Goal Post, Superman, Prone Shoulder, Prone Press Up, Prone Knee Bend, Squats
✔✔Scarecrow - ✔✔Equipment: Mat
Exercise: lay down prone, arms in captial "E" or goal post. Neutral spine, legs together.
Head hovering off mat, aligned w/ spine. Inhale & externally rotate arms, lift hands &
forearms off floor. Exhale to lift elbows, maintain hands higher than elbows. Inhale to
extend thoracic spine, continuing to ER arms and extend arms. Bend at elbows to bring
arms back. Exhale to roll back down to mat, maintaining arms elevated. Lower elbows
to mat, maintain hands higher than elbows. Lower forearms to mat.
Benefits: Shoulder External Rotators, Scapular + Humeral Strength + Awareness,
Thoracic Strength + Mobility, Core Control, Posterior Shoulders.
Program Design: Prone
Planes of Movement: All
FA: Prone Press Up, Superman, Prone Shoulder, Push Up, Goal Post
✔✔Book Opening - ✔✔Equipment: Mat
Exercise: Lie on your side with your legs bent at 90/90 in front of you. (at a 90-degree
angle in your hips and knees). Reach both arms out in front of you in line with your
shoulders, palms touching. Inhale. Exhale & reach top arm up toward ceiling, allowing
eyes & sternum, ribs & spine to follow. Keep legs in starting position. Continue rotating
as far as possible w/o letting the shoulder press forward. Focus on segmental rotation of
spine, inhale to reach arms apart. Exhale to return to starting position initiating from rib
cage.
Benefit: Spine Mobility into Rotation, Shoulder Mobility, Outer Hip Mobility, Posture,
Strengthens Pecs + Back Muscles, Length in Chest, HNSO.
Program Design: Sidelying
Planes of Movement: Transverse & Frontal/Coronal
FA: Long Sit, Goal Post, Seated Hip Abductor.
✔✔Side Lift - ✔✔Equipment: Mat
Exercise: Lying on your side, support yourself on your forearm, rest your top arm on top
side of your side body, flex your ankles. Press your feet and forearm into the mat and lift
your hips. Breathe normally while holding the position.
Benefits: Shoulder Girdle Organization & Strength, Lateral Hip Abductor Strength,
outside of ankle strength, oblique & transverse abdominals, hip adductors, hip
abductors in star, connects rib cage & pelvis, rib cage glides under scapula.
Program Design: Sidelying
Planes of Movement: Coronal
FA: Side Lift
✔✔Sidekick - ✔✔Equipment: Mat
AND ANSWERS 2025/2026
✔✔Bent Knee Opening - ✔✔Equipment: Mat
Exercise: Supine on mat, knees bent, feet on floor - hip width, spine neutral, arms by
sides, palms up or down. INHALE (into your back) to prepare. EXHALE, open one knee
to the side (by rolling to the outer edge of the foot). INHALE, return the leg to center
where your knee points straight to the ceiling and your foot is flat on the mat. Alternate
Legs.
Benefits: Hip Disassociation, Torso Control, Adductor Muscles, Strengthens deep hip
rotators, Hip External Rotation, Spine Stability, Abdominals (Transverse + Obliques),
Inner thigh, glute + abs work, Lumbo-Pelvic Stability
Program Design: Supine
Planes of Movement: Transverse
FA: 1/2 squat, Full squat, Seated Hip Abductor, Z-Sitting, Roll Up, Hundred, Prone knee
bend
✔✔Side to Side - ✔✔Equipment: Mat
Exercise: Supine on mat, Legs at TT, spine slight lumbar flexion or neutral, arms by
sides, arms on floor at 45 degree angle out to side. Inhale as legs & pelvis rotate to the
right. Exhale and rotate back to center. Inhale as legs & lower torso rotate to the left.
Exhale back to center. Maintain shoulder blades on the mat.
Benefits: Lengthens Back Muscles, Trunk Strength, Spine + Rib Mobility, Shoulder +
Hip Mobility, Strengthens Core, Posture.
Program Design: Supine Abdominals
Planes of Movement: Sagittal + Frontal + Transverse
FA: Z-Sitting, Side Lift, Long Sit, 1/2 squat, Full Squat, Seated Hip Abductor, Hundred
✔✔Quadruped - ✔✔Equipment: Mat
Exercise: Come onto your hands and knees. Align your wrists parallel to the front edge
of your mat, and directly below your shoulders. Position your knees one fist-width apart.
Direct your shins straight back in two parallel lines, so your heels are in line with your
knees. Point all ten toes straight back. INHALE, to prepare. EXHALE, reach your right
leg and left arm. INHALE, return to the starting position. EXHALE, reach your left leg
and right arm. INHALE, return to the starting position.
Benefits: Balance, Shoulder Flexion, Shoulder Girdle Organization, Upper Extremity
Strength, Hip + Shoulder Mobility, Hip Disassocation, Arm Disassocation.
Program Design: Upper Extremity Weight Bearing
Planes of Movement: Sagittal + Frontal (if extend arm and leg to side).
FA: Push Up
✔✔Swimming - ✔✔Equipment: Mat
Exercise: Prone, Arms and Legs extended long. Lift your head and your chest a little bit
off the mat. INHALE into your upper back to prepare. EXHALE, lift your arms and legs a
few inches off the mat. Paddle your arms and legs with control while holding your trunk
completely still. Breathe fluidly throughout.
, Benefits: Strengthens Back + Posterior Shoulder Muscles, Core Control, Coordination,
Hip + Shoulder Disassociation, Trunk Stability, Hip Extension, Shoulder Flexion,
Thoracic Extension,
Program Design: Prone
Planes of Movement: Sagittal
FA: Goal Post, Superman, Prone Shoulder, Prone Press Up, Prone Knee Bend, Squats
✔✔Scarecrow - ✔✔Equipment: Mat
Exercise: lay down prone, arms in captial "E" or goal post. Neutral spine, legs together.
Head hovering off mat, aligned w/ spine. Inhale & externally rotate arms, lift hands &
forearms off floor. Exhale to lift elbows, maintain hands higher than elbows. Inhale to
extend thoracic spine, continuing to ER arms and extend arms. Bend at elbows to bring
arms back. Exhale to roll back down to mat, maintaining arms elevated. Lower elbows
to mat, maintain hands higher than elbows. Lower forearms to mat.
Benefits: Shoulder External Rotators, Scapular + Humeral Strength + Awareness,
Thoracic Strength + Mobility, Core Control, Posterior Shoulders.
Program Design: Prone
Planes of Movement: All
FA: Prone Press Up, Superman, Prone Shoulder, Push Up, Goal Post
✔✔Book Opening - ✔✔Equipment: Mat
Exercise: Lie on your side with your legs bent at 90/90 in front of you. (at a 90-degree
angle in your hips and knees). Reach both arms out in front of you in line with your
shoulders, palms touching. Inhale. Exhale & reach top arm up toward ceiling, allowing
eyes & sternum, ribs & spine to follow. Keep legs in starting position. Continue rotating
as far as possible w/o letting the shoulder press forward. Focus on segmental rotation of
spine, inhale to reach arms apart. Exhale to return to starting position initiating from rib
cage.
Benefit: Spine Mobility into Rotation, Shoulder Mobility, Outer Hip Mobility, Posture,
Strengthens Pecs + Back Muscles, Length in Chest, HNSO.
Program Design: Sidelying
Planes of Movement: Transverse & Frontal/Coronal
FA: Long Sit, Goal Post, Seated Hip Abductor.
✔✔Side Lift - ✔✔Equipment: Mat
Exercise: Lying on your side, support yourself on your forearm, rest your top arm on top
side of your side body, flex your ankles. Press your feet and forearm into the mat and lift
your hips. Breathe normally while holding the position.
Benefits: Shoulder Girdle Organization & Strength, Lateral Hip Abductor Strength,
outside of ankle strength, oblique & transverse abdominals, hip adductors, hip
abductors in star, connects rib cage & pelvis, rib cage glides under scapula.
Program Design: Sidelying
Planes of Movement: Coronal
FA: Side Lift
✔✔Sidekick - ✔✔Equipment: Mat
