POLESTAR PILATES MOVEMENT EXAMINATION
TEST 2026 TESTED QUESTIONS WITH FULL
SOLUTION GRADED A+
◉ Thigh Stretch. Answer: Equipment: Trap Table, 2 Short Y from Roll
down bar.
Exercise: High kneeling on top of the table facing the roll down bar.
Grab the bar at shoulder width or slightly wider. Walk back to bring
some initial tension onto the springs. Press the bar gently down to
bring some initial tension into the springs and stabilize the shoulder
girdle (by activating the under-arm muscles). INHALE, lengthen your
spine and send your hips forward. EXHALE to hinge back with a flat
back from the knees, keeping neutral alignment. Press down through
dowel to engage the shoulder muscles, maintaining width across the
chest. Inhale to return to starting position. May modify breathing as
necessary; exhale in both directions for increased core control.
Benefits: Lengthens quadriceps & hip flexors, Posture, Increases
Thoracic Ext, Trunk Stability, HNSO
Program Design: Kneeling
Planes of Movement: Sagittal
FA: Prone Knee Bend
◉ Teaser. Answer: Equipment: Trap Table, B or Y Spring from Push
Thru Bar Above
,Exercise: Supine beneath TB - head close to end of table. Hands on
TB, arms extended overhead. Knees & hips flexed, feet on table.
Teaser Prep I: Inhale to lengthen spine. Exhale, initiate roll up by
sending the sternum toward the pelvis. Curl up until resting just
behind sit bones. Exhale to roll back down, returning to starting
position. May modify breathing as necessary; inhale to curl up,
exhale to curl down. Teaser Prep II: Start w/ legs in TT. Add 1 leg
extension at a time, then both.
Full Teaser: Maintain legs extended thru full movement.
Benefits: Core control, Assisted articulation of thoracic spine, HNSO,
Movement Integration, strengthen your abdominals, improve spine
articulation into flexion, To improve your C-Curve, To improve
eccentric hip flexor control.
Planes of Movement: Sagittal (Transverse if add Oblique Variation)
Program Design: Supine, Seated or Full Body Integration
FA: Roll Up, Hundred
◉ Reverse Abdominals. Answer: Equipment: Reformer, B or R
Exercise: Quadruped, facing back/pulleys of reformer, knees 1-2"
away from shoulder pads. Hands on frame, slightly in front of
shoulders. Spine in neutral. Shift body weight forward so that
shoulders are ahead of hands, putting body in a parallelogram
position. Grip with thumbs on top. Exhale to flex hips, bringing
carriage towards hands. Maintain neutral spine. Inhale to extend
hips, allowing carriage to move towards foot of reformer, past
starting position. INHALE to prepare. EXHALE to pull your knees
,underneath your body without moving your upper body. (hip
flexion). INHALE to return the carriage with control.
Benefits: Balance, Shoulder Girdle Organization, Hip Disassociation,
Strengthens Upper Abdominals, Hip Flexors, Shoulders + Arms,
Anterior Oblique Sling, HNSO, Core Control.
Program Design: Upper Extremity Weight Bearing
Planes of Movement: Sagittal & Transverse (Oblique Variation)
FA: Push Up, Hundred, Roll Up
◉ Knee Stretches. Answer: Equipment: Reformer, RB or RY
Exercise: Hold on to the foot bar while coming to kneel on the
carriage. Grab the carriage shoulder-width apart and place the soles
of your feet against the shoulder rests. Your toes are flexed and on
the carriage. Sit back about halfway to your heels. Exhale when hip is
going into flexion. Knee Stretch-Flexion: Spine in flexion. Shoulders
at 135 degrees. Sit bones just above heels. Inhale to extend the hips,
pressing the carriage back only as far as you can go maintaining
spine in flexion. Exhale to increase spine flexion & bring the carriage
in w/o touching the stoppers. Knee Stretch-Neutral: Spine in neutral,
shoulders at greater than 90 degrees. Inhale to extend the hips,
pressing carriage back. Exhale to flex the hips & bring carriage in
w/o touching stoppers. Reverse breathing- exhale on press back for
more support & strength. Knee Stretch-Extension: Thoracic spine in
extension, shoulders at 90 degrees. Lengthen the thoracic spine into
extension w/o changing the lumbar spine. Sit bones just above heels.
Inhale to extend the hips, pressing carriage back. Exhale to flex the
hips & bring the carriage in w/o touching stoppers.
, Benefits: Hip Disassociation, Shoulder Girdle Stability/Strength,
Core Strength, Thoracic Extension, Glutes, Abdominals, Stabilizes SI
Joint, Lengthens Hip Flexors, Hip Extension.
Program Design: Kneeling
Planes of Movement: Sagittal
FA: Hundred, Push Up, Roll Up
◉ Quadruped Series. Answer: Equipment: Reformer, B or R
Exercise: Quadruped, facing footbar. Hands on base of frame,
shoulders approximately over hands, spine in neutral. Hips & knees
at 90. Feet between shoulder rests or against them. Eyes of elbows
facing each other - unlocked. Hip Flexion/Extension: (Push w/ legs
first and pull). Maintain shoulders over hands (for more challenge-
press back until in greater than 90 degrees of shoulder flexion).
Exhale to extend hips, pressing the carriage back. Maintain neutral
spine. Inhale to flex hips, pulling the carriage back in. Shoulder
Flexion/Extension: (Push & pull w/ arms). Maintain hips over knees
or for more challenge, press the legs back until 45 degrees of hip
flexion. Exhale to press thru the arms until shoulders are flexed to
approx. 135 degrees. Maintain neutral spine. Inhale to pull the
carriage in, extending the shoulder. May modify breathing as
necessary.
Combination: (Combined hip & shoulder movements). (Push legs
back first, then arms, pull knees in, then arms). Maintain shoulders
over hands. Inhale to extend the hips, pressing carriage back. Keep
hips extended & press back thru shoulders. Exhale to flex the hips,
TEST 2026 TESTED QUESTIONS WITH FULL
SOLUTION GRADED A+
◉ Thigh Stretch. Answer: Equipment: Trap Table, 2 Short Y from Roll
down bar.
Exercise: High kneeling on top of the table facing the roll down bar.
Grab the bar at shoulder width or slightly wider. Walk back to bring
some initial tension onto the springs. Press the bar gently down to
bring some initial tension into the springs and stabilize the shoulder
girdle (by activating the under-arm muscles). INHALE, lengthen your
spine and send your hips forward. EXHALE to hinge back with a flat
back from the knees, keeping neutral alignment. Press down through
dowel to engage the shoulder muscles, maintaining width across the
chest. Inhale to return to starting position. May modify breathing as
necessary; exhale in both directions for increased core control.
Benefits: Lengthens quadriceps & hip flexors, Posture, Increases
Thoracic Ext, Trunk Stability, HNSO
Program Design: Kneeling
Planes of Movement: Sagittal
FA: Prone Knee Bend
◉ Teaser. Answer: Equipment: Trap Table, B or Y Spring from Push
Thru Bar Above
,Exercise: Supine beneath TB - head close to end of table. Hands on
TB, arms extended overhead. Knees & hips flexed, feet on table.
Teaser Prep I: Inhale to lengthen spine. Exhale, initiate roll up by
sending the sternum toward the pelvis. Curl up until resting just
behind sit bones. Exhale to roll back down, returning to starting
position. May modify breathing as necessary; inhale to curl up,
exhale to curl down. Teaser Prep II: Start w/ legs in TT. Add 1 leg
extension at a time, then both.
Full Teaser: Maintain legs extended thru full movement.
Benefits: Core control, Assisted articulation of thoracic spine, HNSO,
Movement Integration, strengthen your abdominals, improve spine
articulation into flexion, To improve your C-Curve, To improve
eccentric hip flexor control.
Planes of Movement: Sagittal (Transverse if add Oblique Variation)
Program Design: Supine, Seated or Full Body Integration
FA: Roll Up, Hundred
◉ Reverse Abdominals. Answer: Equipment: Reformer, B or R
Exercise: Quadruped, facing back/pulleys of reformer, knees 1-2"
away from shoulder pads. Hands on frame, slightly in front of
shoulders. Spine in neutral. Shift body weight forward so that
shoulders are ahead of hands, putting body in a parallelogram
position. Grip with thumbs on top. Exhale to flex hips, bringing
carriage towards hands. Maintain neutral spine. Inhale to extend
hips, allowing carriage to move towards foot of reformer, past
starting position. INHALE to prepare. EXHALE to pull your knees
,underneath your body without moving your upper body. (hip
flexion). INHALE to return the carriage with control.
Benefits: Balance, Shoulder Girdle Organization, Hip Disassociation,
Strengthens Upper Abdominals, Hip Flexors, Shoulders + Arms,
Anterior Oblique Sling, HNSO, Core Control.
Program Design: Upper Extremity Weight Bearing
Planes of Movement: Sagittal & Transverse (Oblique Variation)
FA: Push Up, Hundred, Roll Up
◉ Knee Stretches. Answer: Equipment: Reformer, RB or RY
Exercise: Hold on to the foot bar while coming to kneel on the
carriage. Grab the carriage shoulder-width apart and place the soles
of your feet against the shoulder rests. Your toes are flexed and on
the carriage. Sit back about halfway to your heels. Exhale when hip is
going into flexion. Knee Stretch-Flexion: Spine in flexion. Shoulders
at 135 degrees. Sit bones just above heels. Inhale to extend the hips,
pressing the carriage back only as far as you can go maintaining
spine in flexion. Exhale to increase spine flexion & bring the carriage
in w/o touching the stoppers. Knee Stretch-Neutral: Spine in neutral,
shoulders at greater than 90 degrees. Inhale to extend the hips,
pressing carriage back. Exhale to flex the hips & bring carriage in
w/o touching stoppers. Reverse breathing- exhale on press back for
more support & strength. Knee Stretch-Extension: Thoracic spine in
extension, shoulders at 90 degrees. Lengthen the thoracic spine into
extension w/o changing the lumbar spine. Sit bones just above heels.
Inhale to extend the hips, pressing carriage back. Exhale to flex the
hips & bring the carriage in w/o touching stoppers.
, Benefits: Hip Disassociation, Shoulder Girdle Stability/Strength,
Core Strength, Thoracic Extension, Glutes, Abdominals, Stabilizes SI
Joint, Lengthens Hip Flexors, Hip Extension.
Program Design: Kneeling
Planes of Movement: Sagittal
FA: Hundred, Push Up, Roll Up
◉ Quadruped Series. Answer: Equipment: Reformer, B or R
Exercise: Quadruped, facing footbar. Hands on base of frame,
shoulders approximately over hands, spine in neutral. Hips & knees
at 90. Feet between shoulder rests or against them. Eyes of elbows
facing each other - unlocked. Hip Flexion/Extension: (Push w/ legs
first and pull). Maintain shoulders over hands (for more challenge-
press back until in greater than 90 degrees of shoulder flexion).
Exhale to extend hips, pressing the carriage back. Maintain neutral
spine. Inhale to flex hips, pulling the carriage back in. Shoulder
Flexion/Extension: (Push & pull w/ arms). Maintain hips over knees
or for more challenge, press the legs back until 45 degrees of hip
flexion. Exhale to press thru the arms until shoulders are flexed to
approx. 135 degrees. Maintain neutral spine. Inhale to pull the
carriage in, extending the shoulder. May modify breathing as
necessary.
Combination: (Combined hip & shoulder movements). (Push legs
back first, then arms, pull knees in, then arms). Maintain shoulders
over hands. Inhale to extend the hips, pressing carriage back. Keep
hips extended & press back thru shoulders. Exhale to flex the hips,
