National Pilates Certification Final Exam
(2025/2026) – Actual Exam |
Comprehensive Pilates Instructor
Certification | Nationally Recognized
Standards
Pilates Movement Principles
Control, Breath, Concentration, Centering, Flowing motion, Precision
Planes of Motion
Transverse, Frontal, Sagittal
Transverse Plane
divides the body into superior and inferior parts
frontal (coronal) plane
vertical plane dividing the body or structure into anterior and posterior portions
Sagittal Plane
a vertical plane that divides the body into right and left parts
Cephalad
toward the head (upward)
Caudal
toward the tail
Extension
increases the angle of a joint
Flexion
,Decreases the angle of a joint
Abduction
Movement away from the midline of the body
Adduction
Movement toward the midline of the body
Medial Rotation
rotational movement towards the midline
Lateral Rotation
outward (lateral) movement of a body segment in the transverse plane
Circumduction
circular movement of a limb at the far end
Supination
movement that turns the palm up
Pronation
movement that turns the palm down
Elevation
raising a body part
Depression
lowering a body part
Inversion
Turning the sole of the foot inward
Eversion
turning the sole of the foot outward
,Plantar Flexion
bending of the sole of the foot by curling the toes toward the ground, pointing the toes
Dorsiflexion
bending of the foot or the toes upward
Protraction
moving a body part forward and parallel to the ground
Retraction Axial Elongation
moving a body part backward and parallel to the ground
Long Bones
bones that are longer than they are wide, arms and legs
Short Bones
bones of the wrist and ankles
Flat Bones
These bones are thin, flat, and curved. They form the ribs, breastbone, and skull.
Irregular Bones
bones of the vertebrae and face
Fibrous Joints
consists of inflexible layers of dense connective tissue, holds the bones tightly together.
Immovable. Sutures, Gomphoses, Syndesmoses.
sutures, syndesmoses, gomphoses
three types of fibrous joints
Sutures
immovable joints of the skull
, Gomphoses
Peg-in-socket joints of teeth in alveolar sockets
Fibrous connection is the periodontal ligament
Syndesmoses
Joint in which two bones are bound only by ligaments
Cartilaginous Joints
allow only slight movement and consist of bones connected entirely by cartilage.
Synchondroses, Symphesis.
Synchondroses
a joint in which the bones are united by hyaline cartilage
Symphesis
Bones cover with hyaline cartilage that is fused to a middle plate of fibrocartilage
Amphiarthroses
Synovial Joints
freely movable joints. Ball and socket, hinge, saddle, gliding, ellipsoid, pivot
Ball and socket joint
shoulder and hip
Hinge Joint
Joint between bones (as at the elbow or knee) that permits motion in only one plane
Saddle Joint
type of joint found at the base of each thumb; allows grasping and rotation
Gliding (Plane) Joint
(2025/2026) – Actual Exam |
Comprehensive Pilates Instructor
Certification | Nationally Recognized
Standards
Pilates Movement Principles
Control, Breath, Concentration, Centering, Flowing motion, Precision
Planes of Motion
Transverse, Frontal, Sagittal
Transverse Plane
divides the body into superior and inferior parts
frontal (coronal) plane
vertical plane dividing the body or structure into anterior and posterior portions
Sagittal Plane
a vertical plane that divides the body into right and left parts
Cephalad
toward the head (upward)
Caudal
toward the tail
Extension
increases the angle of a joint
Flexion
,Decreases the angle of a joint
Abduction
Movement away from the midline of the body
Adduction
Movement toward the midline of the body
Medial Rotation
rotational movement towards the midline
Lateral Rotation
outward (lateral) movement of a body segment in the transverse plane
Circumduction
circular movement of a limb at the far end
Supination
movement that turns the palm up
Pronation
movement that turns the palm down
Elevation
raising a body part
Depression
lowering a body part
Inversion
Turning the sole of the foot inward
Eversion
turning the sole of the foot outward
,Plantar Flexion
bending of the sole of the foot by curling the toes toward the ground, pointing the toes
Dorsiflexion
bending of the foot or the toes upward
Protraction
moving a body part forward and parallel to the ground
Retraction Axial Elongation
moving a body part backward and parallel to the ground
Long Bones
bones that are longer than they are wide, arms and legs
Short Bones
bones of the wrist and ankles
Flat Bones
These bones are thin, flat, and curved. They form the ribs, breastbone, and skull.
Irregular Bones
bones of the vertebrae and face
Fibrous Joints
consists of inflexible layers of dense connective tissue, holds the bones tightly together.
Immovable. Sutures, Gomphoses, Syndesmoses.
sutures, syndesmoses, gomphoses
three types of fibrous joints
Sutures
immovable joints of the skull
, Gomphoses
Peg-in-socket joints of teeth in alveolar sockets
Fibrous connection is the periodontal ligament
Syndesmoses
Joint in which two bones are bound only by ligaments
Cartilaginous Joints
allow only slight movement and consist of bones connected entirely by cartilage.
Synchondroses, Symphesis.
Synchondroses
a joint in which the bones are united by hyaline cartilage
Symphesis
Bones cover with hyaline cartilage that is fused to a middle plate of fibrocartilage
Amphiarthroses
Synovial Joints
freely movable joints. Ball and socket, hinge, saddle, gliding, ellipsoid, pivot
Ball and socket joint
shoulder and hip
Hinge Joint
Joint between bones (as at the elbow or knee) that permits motion in only one plane
Saddle Joint
type of joint found at the base of each thumb; allows grasping and rotation
Gliding (Plane) Joint
