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Teaser on the Reformer: How to Do It and Muscles Worked

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Teaser on the Reformer (also called teaser reformer) is an advanced exercise that challenges your balance and control. You lie on the carriage, holding the straps in your hands, and move your body into a V shape.

This movement focuses on spinal flexion and finding your Teaser balance while the straps add load to the arms. It heavily targets your rectus abdominis and hip flexors, with your latissimus dorsi working as supporting muscles to help manage the arm movement.

Exercise data

Type
Reformer
Level
Advanced
Equipment
Reformer
Main muscles
rectus abdominis, hip flexors
Also working
latissimus dorsi
Spine
spinal flexion
Focus
Teaser balance while the straps add load to the arms
Also searched as
teaser reformer

How to do the Teaser on the Reformer

Lie on your back on the Reformer carriage with your head resting on the headrest, holding the straps with your arms reaching straight up to the ceiling. Bend your knees into your chest or extend your legs out to a diagonal angle.

  1. Keep your arms straight and press your hands down toward your hips.
  2. As your arms press down, nod your chin and curl your head and shoulders off the carriage.
  3. Continue rolling your spine up into flexion until you are balancing just behind your sit bones.
  4. Lift your legs so your body forms a V shape, keeping your arms reaching forward.
  5. Hold this balanced position for a moment while maintaining tension on the straps.
  6. Slowly roll your spine back down to the carriage, vertebra by vertebra.
  7. Return your arms to the ceiling and your legs to the starting position.
  • Breath. Teachers cue breathing differently, but a common pattern is to exhale as you roll up into the Teaser and inhale as you hold the balance. Exhale again as you roll your spine back down to the starting position.
  • Where you feel it. You should feel a deep effort in your rectus abdominis and hip flexors to hold the shape, along with work in your latissimus dorsi as you press the straps. You should not feel pinching in your lower back or strain in your neck.
  • How many. 3 to 5 controlled repetitions

Common mistakes

  • Relying on momentum. Move slowly and use your rectus abdominis to curl up rather than throwing your arms and upper body forward.
  • Arching the lower back. Keep your spine in a flexed position while balancing to protect your lower back and keep the work in your abdominals.
  • Letting the straps pull you. Engage your latissimus dorsi to control the straps, ensuring your arms stay active and steady throughout the movement.
  • Tensing the neck and shoulders. Keep your shoulders drawn down away from your ears and let your abdominal muscles do the heavy lifting.
  • Dropping the legs. Keep your hip flexors engaged to maintain the height of your legs in the V shape as you roll up and down.

Make it easier or harder

Easier

  • Practice the Teaser on the mat without the added resistance of the Reformer straps.
  • Keep your knees bent in a tabletop position instead of extending your legs straight.
  • Perform the arm presses on the Reformer while keeping your head and shoulders resting on the carriage.

Who should be careful

  • If you have osteoporosis or low bone density, or a recent disc injury, ask your clinician whether repeated loaded forward bending of the spine suits you. Many bone health organizations recommend limiting it.
  • Rolling on the spine is not a good idea with osteoporosis, a bony or sensitive spine, or a recent back injury. Use a thick mat, or hold the balance without rolling.
  • 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

When to see a doctor or physical therapist

  • Sharp or shooting pain in your lower back during the roll up.
  • A pulling sensation or pain in your groin or hip joints.
  • Sudden numbness or tingling radiating down your legs.
  • Severe neck pain or dizziness when lifting your head off the carriage.

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.