Pilates Pelvic Curl: How to Do It and Muscles Worked

How to do the Pelvic Curl

Lie on your back on the mat with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and arms resting by your sides.

1. Rest your arms gently by your sides with your palms facing down.
2. Press your feet firmly into the mat.
3. Tilt your pelvis slightly and begin articulating your spine up and off the mat.
4. Lift your hips until you reach a bridge position.
5. Keep your neutral spine held steady while you pause at the top.
6. Roll your spine back down to the mat one vertebra at a time.
7. Return your pelvis to the starting position.

• Breath. Teachers cue breathing differently, but a common pattern is to exhale as you roll your hips up and inhale as you hold the top position. You then exhale again to roll back down, inhaling once you return to the mat.
• Where you feel it. You should feel your gluteus maximus and hamstrings working hard to lift your hips, along with engagement in your transversus abdominis. You should not feel any sharp pinching or strain in your lower back or neck.
• How many. 5 to 8 slow repetitions

Common mistakes

• Arching the back. Avoid pushing your ribs up toward the ceiling at the top of the movement. Keep your neutral spine held steady to engage your abdominals.
• Tensing the neck. Keep your weight across your shoulder blades rather than your neck. Press your arms gently into the mat for support.
• Knees falling outward. Imagine holding a small ball between your knees. This helps keep your legs parallel and your hamstrings properly engaged.
• Rushing the movement. Take your time articulating your spine up and down. Moving slowly ensures your supporting muscles do the work instead of momentum.

Make it easier or harder

Easier

• Limit your range of motion by only lifting your hips halfway up.
• Focus on gently squeezing your inner thighs together to help activate your leg muscles.

Harder

• Lift one leg off the floor and hold it straight while maintaining your bridge.
• Cross your arms over your chest to reduce your base of support.

Who should be careful

• After the first trimester of pregnancy, many guidelines advise against long periods lying flat on the back. A side-lying or propped version is an alternative.

Related exercises

• Control Balance Advanced
• Double Leg Kick Intermediate
• Leg Pull Back Advanced
• Shoulder Bridge Intermediate to advanced
• Single Leg Kick Beginner to intermediate

This exercise is part of our pages on Pilates for Back Pain, Pilates for Lower Back Pain, Pilates After Pregnancy, Pilates for Knee Pain, Pilates for Hip Pain, Pilates for Arthritis, Pilates for Hypermobility, Pilates for Runners, Pilates for Golfers, Pilates for Beginners, Pilates During Menopause, Pilates for Balance.

When to see a doctor or physical therapist

• Sharp or shooting pain in your lower back.
• Numbness or tingling traveling down the back of your legs.
• A pinching sensation in your neck or shoulders.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. If you have a health condition, are pregnant or are recovering from an injury or surgery, check with your own clinician before trying new exercises.

How we put this page together. Exercise data (type, level, equipment and muscles) was compiled by our editors from the classical mat order in Joseph Pilates’ 1945 book and from commonly taught mat repertoire. Muscle lists are a general anatomy guide; cueing differs between teachers. Text drafted with AI assistance and checked by the Editorial Team. See our editorial policy. Last checked October 2026.