©BRAINBARTER 2024/2025
Pilates Mat Exam Study Guide.
Breathing - answer✔Position: Supine on mat with knees and legs hips distance apart flexed up
Action - Breathe through the nose, exhale through the lips, filling the posterior and lateral side of
the rib cage; engage the abdominal walls
Pelvic Rocks - answer✔Position - Supine on mat, knee and legs hips distance apart, flexed
Action - Rock the pelvis side to side
Shoulder isolation - answer✔Position - Supine on the mat, feet and legs hip distance apart flexed.
Arms reaching up by side
Action - Reach shoulders and fingers toward the ceiling
Arms circles - answer✔Position: Laying supine, with arms straight up
Action: Flex shoulders, bringing arms over head and back down to side. (like a clock)
- Legs in tabletop if want
Chest lift - answer✔Position: Lay supine with hands with hands behind bottom of head
Action: Life up head, neck, and chest
- Legs can be in tabletop
Knee folds - answer✔Position: Laying supine with arms flat by side
Action: Bring one leg at a time to table top
Toe taps - answer✔Position: Laying supine, arms flat by side, legs in table top
Action: taping one toe at a time to the floor and back to table top
Knee circles - answer✔Position: Laying supine, arms by side, and legs in table top
Action: Neutral pelvis, keeping legs in table top creating small circles
Bridge - answer✔Position: Laying supine, knees bent hip distance apart, arms by side
Action: Life hips up to straight line and back down
- Pulses, single leg bridge
One leg circle - answer✔Position: Laying supine with arms by side
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Acton: Maintain neutral pelvis, one leg straight up to extend towards side, down and back up,
creating a circle
Hundreds - answer✔Position: Supine on mat with legs in table top
Action: Upon exhaling, lift neck, chest, and arms while extending legs, and start pumping arms
Single leg stretch - answer✔Position: lay supine on mat in table top position
Action: One leg extends while the other leg goes into the chest. Same hand as pulled in leg hold
the ankle while the other hand holds the knee
Double leg stretch - answer✔Position: Supine on mat, legs in tabletop, arms straight up
Action: Extend your feet and hips for 45' while your neck and chest lift up with your arms
straight up by your side
Scissors/single straight leg stretch - answer✔Position: Laying supine on mat with both legs
straight up
Action: Lift neck, head, and chest, and arms up, while lowering one leg keeping the other
extended and continuously switching
- Hold ankle of the leg in air for deeper stretch
Double straight - leg lower and lift - answer✔Position: Laying supine on mat, lift both legs
straight in air
Action: Hands behind lower back of head with chest and neck lifted, lowering both legs to 45'
and lifting them back up
Crisscross (Bicycle kicks) - answer✔Position: laying supine with legs in tabletop, hands behind
bottom part of head
Action: Extend one leg with the other remain in table top coming in to meet your knee to your
elbow with the opposite arm
Bicycle (straight leg bicycle) - answer✔Position: Laying supine with arms by side
Action: One leg is extended straight, while the other leg is coming to table top, lifting straight,
and then lowering back down constantly switching legs
Hip twist - answer✔Position: Seated with arms to side of the body or on forearms
Action: Legs extend up straight to 45' degree angle, twisting from side to side
Spine stretch - answer✔Action: Seated up straight on mat with arms extended out in front and
legs extended out straight in V
Position: Flex the spine forward, flex the feet and reach your hands to your toes or straight in the
middle gap
Pilates Mat Exam Study Guide.
Breathing - answer✔Position: Supine on mat with knees and legs hips distance apart flexed up
Action - Breathe through the nose, exhale through the lips, filling the posterior and lateral side of
the rib cage; engage the abdominal walls
Pelvic Rocks - answer✔Position - Supine on mat, knee and legs hips distance apart, flexed
Action - Rock the pelvis side to side
Shoulder isolation - answer✔Position - Supine on the mat, feet and legs hip distance apart flexed.
Arms reaching up by side
Action - Reach shoulders and fingers toward the ceiling
Arms circles - answer✔Position: Laying supine, with arms straight up
Action: Flex shoulders, bringing arms over head and back down to side. (like a clock)
- Legs in tabletop if want
Chest lift - answer✔Position: Lay supine with hands with hands behind bottom of head
Action: Life up head, neck, and chest
- Legs can be in tabletop
Knee folds - answer✔Position: Laying supine with arms flat by side
Action: Bring one leg at a time to table top
Toe taps - answer✔Position: Laying supine, arms flat by side, legs in table top
Action: taping one toe at a time to the floor and back to table top
Knee circles - answer✔Position: Laying supine, arms by side, and legs in table top
Action: Neutral pelvis, keeping legs in table top creating small circles
Bridge - answer✔Position: Laying supine, knees bent hip distance apart, arms by side
Action: Life hips up to straight line and back down
- Pulses, single leg bridge
One leg circle - answer✔Position: Laying supine with arms by side
, ©BRAINBARTER 2024/2025
Acton: Maintain neutral pelvis, one leg straight up to extend towards side, down and back up,
creating a circle
Hundreds - answer✔Position: Supine on mat with legs in table top
Action: Upon exhaling, lift neck, chest, and arms while extending legs, and start pumping arms
Single leg stretch - answer✔Position: lay supine on mat in table top position
Action: One leg extends while the other leg goes into the chest. Same hand as pulled in leg hold
the ankle while the other hand holds the knee
Double leg stretch - answer✔Position: Supine on mat, legs in tabletop, arms straight up
Action: Extend your feet and hips for 45' while your neck and chest lift up with your arms
straight up by your side
Scissors/single straight leg stretch - answer✔Position: Laying supine on mat with both legs
straight up
Action: Lift neck, head, and chest, and arms up, while lowering one leg keeping the other
extended and continuously switching
- Hold ankle of the leg in air for deeper stretch
Double straight - leg lower and lift - answer✔Position: Laying supine on mat, lift both legs
straight in air
Action: Hands behind lower back of head with chest and neck lifted, lowering both legs to 45'
and lifting them back up
Crisscross (Bicycle kicks) - answer✔Position: laying supine with legs in tabletop, hands behind
bottom part of head
Action: Extend one leg with the other remain in table top coming in to meet your knee to your
elbow with the opposite arm
Bicycle (straight leg bicycle) - answer✔Position: Laying supine with arms by side
Action: One leg is extended straight, while the other leg is coming to table top, lifting straight,
and then lowering back down constantly switching legs
Hip twist - answer✔Position: Seated with arms to side of the body or on forearms
Action: Legs extend up straight to 45' degree angle, twisting from side to side
Spine stretch - answer✔Action: Seated up straight on mat with arms extended out in front and
legs extended out straight in V
Position: Flex the spine forward, flex the feet and reach your hands to your toes or straight in the
middle gap
