Pelvic Lift on the Reformer: How to Do It and Muscles Worked

How to do the Pelvic Lift on the Reformer

Lie on your back on the reformer carriage with your knees bent and the arches or heels of your feet resting securely on the foot bar. Rest your arms long by your sides with your head flat on the headrest.

1. Engage your core gently to prepare your body for movement.
2. Press your feet firmly into the foot bar while keeping the carriage completely still.
3. Lift your hips straight up toward the ceiling in one solid piece.
4. Stop lifting when your knees, hips, and shoulders form a straight diagonal line.
5. Pause at the top to feel the effort in the back of your legs.
6. Lower your hips back down to the carriage in one solid piece.
7. Rest briefly before starting the next repetition.

• Breath. Instructors cue breathing differently for this movement, but you will often exhale as you lift your hips and inhale as you lower them. Alternatively, you might inhale to lift and exhale to lower.
• Where you feel it. You should feel strong work in your gluteus maximus and hamstrings, along with a steady effort in your deep core. You should not feel pinching or sharp pressure in your lower back or neck.
• How many. 8 to 10 controlled repetitions

Common mistakes

• Moving the carriage. Focus on pressing straight down into the foot bar rather than pushing away to keep the springs quiet.
• Arching the lower back. Maintain a neutral spine held steady by engaging your transversus abdominis instead of lifting your ribs toward the ceiling.
• Rolling up the spine. Lift your pelvis and spine in one solid piece rather than peeling up bone by bone.
• Resting weight on the neck. Keep your weight across your upper back and shoulders to protect your cervical spine.
• Knees falling open. Keep your legs parallel and aligned with your hips throughout the entire movement.

Make it easier or harder

Easier

• Practice a basic pelvic lift on a mat before trying it on the moving reformer.
• Place a small, soft Pilates ball between your knees to help maintain leg alignment.
• Do the movement with the carriage securely stoppered or with heavier springs to prevent accidental sliding.

Harder

• Lighten the spring tension to demand more hamstring control to keep the carriage still.
• Lift one leg off the foot bar into a tabletop position while bridging.

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

• Feet in Straps Beginner to intermediate
• Single Leg Kick Beginner to intermediate
• Control Balance Advanced
• Double Leg Kick Intermediate
• Leg Pull Back Advanced

When to see a doctor or physical therapist

• Sharp pain in your lower back or tailbone area.
• A pinching sensation in your neck or shoulders.
• Sudden cramping in your hamstrings that does not resolve with rest.
• Numbness or tingling traveling down your legs.

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.