Pilates Scissors: How to Do It and Muscles Worked

How to do the Scissors

Lie on your back on your mat with your arms by your sides and your knees bent.

1. Roll your hips up and over your shoulders, supporting the back of your pelvis with your hands.
2. Extend both legs straight up toward the ceiling to find your balance.
3. Reach one leg back over your head while extending the other leg forward and down in a scissor motion.
4. Pulse the legs gently twice at the widest point of the split.
5. Switch your legs smoothly to bring the opposite leg overhead and the other leg forward.
6. Pulse again twice to deepen the stretch.
7. Continue alternating legs while keeping your pelvis perfectly still in your hands.

• Breath. Teachers cue the breathing differently, but you will often inhale as you switch your legs and exhale for the two pulses. You might also be taught to inhale for one full leg switch and exhale for the next.
• Where you feel it. You should feel strong work in your abdominals and hip flexors, along with a stretch down the back of your hamstrings. You should not feel sharp pressure or pain in your neck.
• How many. 5 to 8 sets on each leg

Common mistakes

• Resting weight on the neck. Keep the weight across your upper back and shoulders. Do not let your body roll so far back that your neck gets compressed.
• Dropping the pelvis. Use your hands and your transversus abdominis to keep your hips lifted high. Your pelvis should not sink down toward the mat as your legs move.
• Bending the knees. Reach through your toes to keep your legs as straight as possible. This helps your hamstrings get a proper lengthening stretch.
• Moving the torso. The scissor action should only happen at the hip joint. Keep your spine and pelvis completely still while the legs split apart.

Make it easier or harder

Easier

• Perform the beginner version by lying flat on your back with your pelvis on the floor.
• Keep your knees slightly bent if your hamstrings feel too tight to straighten your legs completely.
• Rest your pelvis on a small folded towel or cushion instead of lifting your hips into the air.

Who should be careful

• This exercise puts weight on the shoulders and upper back with the hips above the head. Skip it if you have neck problems, osteoporosis, glaucoma or uncontrolled high blood pressure, or are pregnant, unless a clinician who knows your history has said it is fine.
• 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.
• 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.

Related exercises

• Bicycle Advanced
• Single Leg Teaser Intermediate
• Teaser Intermediate to advanced
• Neck Pull Advanced
• Boomerang Advanced

When to see a doctor or physical therapist

• Sharp pain or pinching in your neck or cervical spine.
• Numbness or tingling traveling down your arms or legs.
• Sudden lower back pain when lifting your pelvis or splitting your legs.
• A feeling of intense pressure in your head or eyes while inverted.

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 mat 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.