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Knee Stretches: Steps, Muscles and Common Mistakes

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Knee Stretches, also called the knee stretch reformer exercise, is an intermediate movement done on the Pilates reformer. The focus of this exercise is kneeling on the carriage and pushing it back while keeping your trunk completely still.

This movement trains your transversus abdominis and hip extensors as the primary working muscles. As you hold your neutral spine steady, your shoulder stabilizers and quadriceps work hard as supporting muscles to maintain your position.

Exercise data

Type
Reformer
Level
Intermediate
Equipment
Reformer
Main muscles
transversus abdominis, hip extensors
Also working
shoulder stabilizers, quadriceps
Spine
neutral spine held steady
Focus
Kneeling on the carriage and pushing it back with a still trunk
Also searched as
knee stretch reformer, knee stretches reformer

How to do the Knee Stretches

Kneel on the reformer carriage facing the footbar with your hands resting on the bar and your toes tucked against the shoulder blocks. Keep your spine in a neutral position.

  1. Find a steady, neutral spine while kneeling on the carriage.
  2. Grip the footbar lightly and engage your shoulder stabilizers.
  3. Press the carriage back by using your hip extensors and quadriceps.
  4. Keep your trunk completely still as the carriage moves.
  5. Extend your hips only as far as you can without arching your back.
  6. Control the return of the carriage to the starting position.
  7. Maintain your transversus abdominis engagement throughout the entire movement.
  • Breath. Teachers cue breathing differently, but a common pattern is to exhale as you push the carriage back and inhale as you return.
  • Where you feel it. You should feel your transversus abdominis and hip extensors working to move the carriage and stabilize your body. You should not feel pain or pinching in your lower back or shoulders.
  • How many. 5 to 10 controlled repetitions

Common mistakes

  • Arching the back. Keep your transversus abdominis engaged to hold a steady, neutral spine.
  • Moving the trunk. Focus on keeping your upper body completely still while only your lower body moves the carriage.
  • Sinking into the shoulders. Press actively into the footbar to engage your shoulder stabilizers.
  • Rushing the return. Control the carriage as it comes back in, resisting the pull of the springs.
  • Overusing the arms. Remember that the movement comes from your hip extensors pushing the carriage back, not your arms pushing the footbar.

Make it easier or harder

Easier

  • Practice holding the static kneeling position with a neutral spine without moving the carriage.
  • Reduce your range of motion by pushing the carriage back only a few inches.

Harder

  • Increase the spring tension to challenge your hip extensors and quadriceps more.
  • Perform the movement at a slower pace to increase the time under tension for your transversus abdominis.

Who should be careful

  • Kneeling can be uncomfortable with knee pain; use extra padding or choose a version that keeps you off the knees.
  • Weight-bearing through the hands can aggravate wrist, hand or shoulder pain. Fists, forearms or a raised surface can reduce the load.
  • 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

When to see a doctor or physical therapist

  • Sharp pain in your lower back while maintaining the neutral spine.
  • Sudden knee joint pain when pushing the carriage back.
  • Pinching or shooting pain in your shoulders while bearing weight on the footbar.

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.