Feet in Straps: Technique, Muscles Worked and Modifications

How to do the Feet in Straps

Lie on your back on the reformer carriage with your head on the headrest and place the long loops securely over the arches of your feet.

1. Start with your legs extended diagonally upward so the ropes are taut and your tailbone rests heavy on the carriage.
2. Press your legs down toward the footbar by engaging the backs of your legs.
3. Open your legs slightly wider than your hips to begin a circular motion.
4. Circle your legs upward and around, bringing your heels back together at the starting diagonal.
5. Bend your knees to bring your heels in toward your pelvis for the frog variation.
6. Press your feet back out to the starting diagonal line.
7. Keep your pelvis completely still throughout every variation.

• Breath. Instructors cue breathing differently, but you will often inhale as you bend or open your legs and exhale as you press the straps away.
• Where you feel it. You should feel the work in your hamstrings, inner thighs, and glutes, along with a steady effort in your deep abdominals. You should not feel pinching in your lower back or strain in your neck.
• How many. 5 to 8 slow repetitions for each variation

Common mistakes

• Tucking the pelvis. Keep your tailbone anchored to maintain a neutral spine rather than flattening your lower back into the carriage.
• Letting the straps go slack. Control the upward movement of your legs so the ropes keep a steady tension.
• Making circles too large. Limit your range of motion to a size where your torso does not rock side to side.
• Using momentum. Press and resist the straps slowly so your muscles do the work instead of the springs.

Make it easier or harder

Easier

• Use a lighter spring tension to reduce the resistance on your leg muscles.
• Keep your leg circles very small to help you maintain a steady neutral spine.
• Bend your knees slightly if tight hamstrings make it difficult to straighten your legs.

Harder

• Use a heavier spring tension to challenge your hamstrings and gluteus maximus.
• Lower your legs closer to the springs during the circles to challenge your transversus abdominis.

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.
• Reformer springs and the moving carriage add load and instability. Learn it with a qualified instructor, who can set the springs for your body and goals.

Related exercises

• Pelvic Lift on the Reformer Beginner to intermediate
• Frog on the Reformer Beginner
• Single Leg Kick Beginner to intermediate
• Control Balance Advanced
• Double Leg Kick Intermediate

When to see a doctor or physical therapist

• Sharp pain in your lower back or sacroiliac joint.
• Numbness or tingling running down the back of your legs.
• A clicking or catching sensation deep in your hip socket.

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 reformer 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.