Up Stretch: Technique, Muscles Worked and Modifications

How to do the Up Stretch

Stand on the Reformer with your toes on the carriage against the shoulder rests and your hands placed firmly on the footbar. Hinge at your hips to find a pike position, keeping your spine neutral and your arms straight.

1. Press your hands firmly into the footbar to engage your shoulder stabilizers.
2. Push the carriage out by extending your hips until your body forms a straight plank line.
3. Hold this plank position for a brief moment while keeping your spine neutral.
4. Engage your transversus abdominis to initiate the return movement.
5. Pull the carriage back toward the footbar by lifting your hips toward the ceiling.
6. Return to your starting pike position while lengthening the back of your legs.

• Breath. Teachers cue breathing differently for this movement, but you will often inhale to press the carriage out into a plank and exhale to pull it back into a pike. Some instructors prefer the reverse, so use the pattern that helps you maintain the most control.
• Where you feel it. You should feel deep work in your abdominals and strong support around your shoulders, along with a stretch in the back of your thighs. You should not feel pinching in your lower back or strain in your neck.
• How many. 3 to 5 slow, controlled repetitions

Common mistakes

• Losing neutral spine. Keep your transversus abdominis engaged so your lower back does not arch or sag when moving into the plank.
• Sinking into the shoulders. Actively press the footbar away from you to keep your shoulder stabilizers working throughout the entire movement.
• Bending the knees. Keep your legs as straight as possible to ensure your hamstrings receive a lengthening stretch in the pike position.
• Rushing the return. Control the carriage as it comes back to the bumper rather than letting the springs pull you in quickly.
• Tucking the chin. Keep your head in line with your spine, looking slightly down and forward rather than straight back at your feet.

Make it easier or harder

Easier

• Practice the Elephant exercise on the Reformer to build hamstring flexibility and shoulder stability.
• Perform a plank hold on the mat to strengthen your transversus abdominis before adding movement.
• Try the Long Stretch on the Reformer to practice the plank alignment without the deep pike transition.

Who should be careful

• Weight-bearing through the hands can aggravate wrist, hand or shoulder pain. Fists, forearms or a raised surface can reduce the load.
• Tight hamstrings make the straight-leg version hard to do well. Bending the knees keeps the focus on the spine instead of forcing a stretch.
• 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

• Snake and Twist Advanced
• Tendon Stretch Advanced
• Backstroke Intermediate
• Elephant Intermediate
• Knee Stretches Intermediate

When to see a doctor or physical therapist

• Sharp or shooting pain in your lower back during the plank phase.
• A pinching sensation in your shoulder joints when bearing weight.
• Numbness or tingling traveling down your arms or legs.
• Sudden dizziness when moving your head between the high and low positions.

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.