Snake and Twist: How to Do It and Muscles Worked

How to do the Snake and Twist

Stand facing the side of the Reformer with one hand on the footbar and your feet staggered on the carriage.

1. Press the carriage out away from the footbar until your body forms a long line in a side plank position.
2. Lift your hips slightly while keeping your supporting shoulder stable.
3. Rotate your torso to face the springs, sweeping your free arm down under your body.
4. Allow the carriage to close slightly as you lift your hips higher into a pike position.
5. Untwist your spine to return to the side plank.
6. Lower your hips back to the starting line and control the carriage as it moves back to the stopper.

• Breath. Teachers cue breathing differently, but you will often inhale to press the carriage out and exhale deeply as you twist and lift your hips.
• Where you feel it. You should feel intense work in your obliques and a strong, steady effort in your supporting shoulder. You should not feel pinching in your lower back or sharp pain in your wrist.
• How many. 3 to 5 slow repetitions on each side

Common mistakes

• Sinking shoulders. Actively press the footbar away to keep your shoulder stabilizers engaged.
• Dropping the hips. Keep your obliques active to maintain a straight line from your head to your feet.
• Rushing the twist. Move slowly through the rotation to ensure your spinal extensors can support the movement safely.
• Locking the elbow. Keep a tiny, soft bend in your supporting arm to avoid resting your weight on the joint.
• Twisting from the neck. Let the rotation initiate from your ribs and obliques, keeping your head in line with your spine.

Make it easier or harder

Easier

• Practice a static side plank on the mat to build baseline strength.
• Try the Mermaid on the Reformer to practice side bending and rotation with more support.
• Perform a kneeling side plank on the floor to reduce the load on your shoulder.

Who should be careful

• Twisting under load is something people with osteoporosis are often advised to limit. Keep the rotation small and upright, or ask your clinician.
• Weight-bearing through the hands can aggravate wrist, hand or shoulder pain. Fists, forearms or a raised surface can reduce the load.
• This is an advanced exercise. Build the strength and control from the simpler versions first, ideally with a qualified teacher watching.
• 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

• Up Stretch Advanced
• Mermaid on the Reformer Beginner
• Short Box Series Intermediate
• Hip Circles Advanced
• Bent Knee Fall Out Beginner

When to see a doctor or physical therapist

• Sharp or shooting pain in your supporting shoulder.
• A sudden tweak or pinching sensation in your lower back.
• Numbness or tingling traveling down your arm.
• Severe wrist pain that does not resolve with a change in hand 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.