Mermaid on the Reformer: How to Do It and Muscles Worked
Mermaid on the Reformer, also called mermaid reformer, is a beginner exercise that focuses on side bending your spine while the carriage moves under your hand. It is a wonderful way to move your torso in a different plane of motion than you might be used to in daily life.
This movement targets your obliques and the quadratus lumborum in your lower back. You will also get a great lengthening sensation through your latissimus dorsi as you reach over and stretch the side of your body.
Exercise data
- Type
- Reformer
- Level
- Beginner
- Equipment
- Reformer
- Main muscles
- obliques, latissimus dorsi (lengthening)
- Also working
- quadratus lumborum
- Spine
- side bending
- Focus
- Side bending with the carriage moving under the hand
- Also searched as
- mermaid reformer
How to do the Mermaid on the Reformer
Sit sideways on the Reformer carriage with your legs folded, placing one hand on the footbar and letting your other arm rest by your side.
- Press your hand gently into the footbar to push the carriage away.
- Reach your free arm up toward the ceiling and over your head.
- Bend your spine sideways to create a long curve from your hips to your fingertips.
- Keep both of your sitting bones heavy on the carriage as you move.
- Pause for a moment to experience the stretch along your side.
- Use your abdominal muscles to pull the carriage back to the starting position.
- Lower your arm gracefully as you return to an upright posture.
- Breath. Teachers cue breathing differently, but you will often inhale as you push the carriage out and side bend, then exhale as you return. Some instructors prefer the opposite pattern to help you engage your core on the way out.
- Where you feel it. You should feel a stretch along the side of your torso and engagement in your obliques and lower back. You should not feel pinching in your spine or strain in your shoulders.
- How many. 3 to 5 slow repetitions on each side
Common mistakes
- Lifting the hip. Keep both sitting bones anchored to the carriage to ensure the stretch happens in your torso.
- Twisting the spine. Imagine you are moving between two panes of glass to keep your side bend pure.
- Shrugging the shoulder. Slide your shoulder blades down your back and away from your ears as you press into the footbar.
- Collapsing the ribs. Lift up tall through your spine before you bend sideways to create a long, supported curve.
Make it easier or harder
Easier
- Sit on a small box or folded towel if your hips are tight in the folded leg position.
- Perform the movement with a smaller range of motion, pushing the carriage out only a few inches.
- Keep your free hand on your hip instead of reaching it overhead.
Harder
- Add a slight torso rotation toward the footbar at the deepest point of your side bend.
- Hold the side bend for a few extra seconds to challenge your oblique endurance.
Who should be careful
- Side bending under load may need to be limited with osteoporosis or a recent back injury.
- 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
- Mermaid Beginner
- Short Box Series Intermediate
- Snake and Twist Advanced
- Bent Knee Fall Out Beginner
- Open Book Beginner
When to see a doctor or physical therapist
- Sharp or shooting pain in your lower back or ribs.
- A pinching sensation in your shoulder joint when pressing the footbar.
- Numbness or tingling traveling down your arm.
- Dizziness or lightheadedness when returning to the upright position.
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.