Pilates Teaser: How to Do It and Muscles Worked

How to do the Teaser

Lie flat on your back on a mat with your legs extended together and your arms reaching overhead.

1. Squeeze your inner thighs together to engage your adductors.
2. Reach your arms forward toward the ceiling and lift your head and shoulders off the mat.
3. Begin to articulate your spine upward while simultaneously lifting your straight legs to a 45-degree angle.
4. Continue rolling up until you balance just behind your sit bones in a V-shape.
5. Pause at the top with your arms reaching parallel to your legs.
6. Slowly roll your spine back down to the mat, lowering your upper body and legs at the same time.
7. Return to your starting position with control.

• Breath. Teachers cue breathing differently, but a common pattern is to inhale as you begin to lift, exhale as you roll up into the balance, and inhale as you roll back down.
• Where you feel it. You should feel deep, intense work in your abdominal muscles and hip flexors. You should not feel sharp pain or pinching in your lower back or neck.
• How many. 3 to 5 slow, controlled repetitions

Common mistakes

• Using momentum. Move slowly and rely on your abdominal muscles to lift your torso rather than throwing your arms forward.
• Arching the lower back. Maintain a slight scoop in your abdominals and focus on spinal flexion as you roll up and down.
• Dropping the legs. Keep your hip flexors and adductors active to hold your legs steady at an angle while your torso moves.
• Tensing the shoulders. Keep your shoulders drawn down away from your ears as you reach your arms forward.

Make it easier or harder

Easier

• Perform the exercise with your knees bent and feet flat on the mat, rolling only your upper body up.
• Start with your legs already lifted to a tabletop position before rolling your torso up.
• Hold onto the backs of your thighs with your hands to help guide your torso up into the V-sit.

Harder

• Hold the V-sit balance at the top and lower and lift your straight legs a few inches before rolling back down.
• Reach your arms up by your ears instead of parallel to your legs while holding the balance.

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.

Related exercises

• Hip Circles Advanced
• Scissors Advanced (supine version beginner)
• Single Leg Teaser Intermediate
• Corkscrew Intermediate to advanced
• Open Leg Rocker Intermediate to advanced

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 neck when lifting your head.
• Pinching or deep aching in the front of your hips.
• 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 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.