POLESTAR PILATES MOVEMENT FINAL PAPER
2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
100% CORRECT
◉ Side Pull Up. Answer: Equipment: Chair, Heavy Springs
Exercise: Stand facing the Chair. Step one foot onto the pedal and
press it all the way down. Place your hands to the sides of the Chair
and step your second foot onto the pedal as well.
Turn your body to the right. Pivot your feet so that your feet are one
in front of the other along the pedal. Round your spine into a C-
Curve. Nod your chin to your chest. Shoulders wide. INHALE into
your back. EXHALE, lean sideways towards the chair to center your
shoulders over your wrists, press your hands firmly down until you
feel the pedal lifting. INHALE into your back as you control the pedal
down. To switch sides, pivot your feet around to the other side and
reposition your hands.
Program Design: Full Body Integration, Inverted, Standing
Benefits: Oblique abdominals, core control, shoulder girdle
organization, upper extremity strength, C-Curve, Spine rotation, hip
abduction (star).
Planes of Movement: Sagittal, Frontal, Transverse
FA: Side Lift, Push Up, Seated Hip Abduction (Star), Hundred
◉ Hamstring III. Answer: Equipment: Chair, Heavy Springs
,Exercise: Stand facing chair pedals, hands on side edges of chair seat,
both balls of feet on pedal, pilates v, round back into C-Curve by
pressing spine up to ceiling. Reach tailbone down to heels. INHALE
into your back. EXHALE, lean a bit forward, and press firmly down
onto the top of the Chair until you feel the pedal lift off. Lift higher
leading with your belly button. INHALE at the top. EXHALE, press
your hips forward as you control the pedal down, all the while
keeping the C-curve.
Reverse breath pattern possible: INHALING to lift can help expand
your mid-back. EXHALING on the return can help deepen the
abdominal scoop and improve spinal flexion. Also flat back version.
Benefits: Upper Extremity Strength, Hip Extension, core control,
lengthens back muscles, shoulder stability, HNSO, strengthens
anterior oblique sling.
Planes of Movement: Sagittal, Frontal, Transverse
Program Design: Inverted
FA: Heel Raise, Half Squat, Full Squat, Long Sit, Hundred, Push Up
◉ Monkey. Answer: Equipment: Trap table, Red or Blue Spring from
below + safety strap
Exercise: Lying supine on trap table, head might go off the table,
balls of feet on bar, pilates v, hands on bar. Hips directly under hands.
Pull knees into chest. INHALE, breathe into your back ribs. EXHALE,
press the bar up with hands and feet and roll up with a rounded
spine while extending the knees. Keep your toes pointed to the
ceiling. INHALE, at the top. EXHALE roll slowly down into the
starting position.
,Benefits: Lengthens hamstrings, strengthens abdominals, increases
spine mobility into flexion, especially thoracic, improves flexibility of
calves & hamstrings, improves ROM into hip & shoulder flexion, core
control.
Planes of Movement: Transverse & Sagittal
Program Design: Supine
FA: Half squat, full squat, long sit, heel raise, seated hip abduction,
roll up, hundred.
◉ Tower. Answer: Equipment: Trap Table, Red or Blue Spring from
Below + Safety strap.
Exercise: Supine, head under bar, hold on to the upright bars by
reaching around the spring(s). Place the balls of the feet onto the bar
in a V-Position. Bend and stretch your legs three times, directing
your knees towards your chest just in front of your armpits. Then,
EXHALE and with straight legs, push the bar upwards while rolling
your pelvis and spine off the table. Roll up until only your shoulder
blades are in contact with the table. INHALE, bend your knees.
EXHALE, straighten your legs. Repeat this a total of 3 times. INHALE,
breathe into your back.
EXHALE, slowly roll back down placing one vertebra at a time back
on the table.
Benefits: Improves spine articulation into flexion in lumbar &
thoracic spine, stretches spinal extensors & hamstrings, axial length,
improves hyperlordosis, connection of anterior oblique sling, hip
disassociation, opens thoracolumbar fascia.
, Program Design: Supine lower extremity
Planes of Movement: Sagittal + Transverse
FA: Half Squat, Full Squat, Long Sit, Heel Raise, Seated Hip Abd
(Frog/Pilates V), Roll Up, Hundred, Goal Post
◉ Assisted Squats. Answer: Equipment: Trap Table, Yellow Springs
with Handles or Rolldown Bar
Exercise: Stand facing the table with your legs hip-width apart, in
perfectly upright posture. Grab hold of the ends of the roll down bar
with your palms facing up. Pull the bar towards you, bending your
elbows to a 90-degree angle. INHALE, lean back onto your heels and
bend your knees as you sit back into the squat. Keep your torso
upright. EXHALE, push into your feet to straighten your knees and
return to the starting position.
Benefits: Lengthens HS, Lower Extremity Strength (Quads, Glutes,
HS), Strengthens biceps. Lower Extremity Alignment, Hip
Disassociation, Hip Hinge.
Program Design: Standing
Planes of Movement: Sagittal
FA: Half Squat, Full Squat, Heel Raises, Roll Up, Push Up
◉ Stomach Massage. Answer: Equipment: Reformer, RB
Exercise: Seated on Reformer, facing footbar, Hands & Pilates V Feet
on Footbar, knees bent, shoulders hip width apart, sit behind sit
bones in posterior tilt/lumbar flexion. EXHALE to push out,
2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
100% CORRECT
◉ Side Pull Up. Answer: Equipment: Chair, Heavy Springs
Exercise: Stand facing the Chair. Step one foot onto the pedal and
press it all the way down. Place your hands to the sides of the Chair
and step your second foot onto the pedal as well.
Turn your body to the right. Pivot your feet so that your feet are one
in front of the other along the pedal. Round your spine into a C-
Curve. Nod your chin to your chest. Shoulders wide. INHALE into
your back. EXHALE, lean sideways towards the chair to center your
shoulders over your wrists, press your hands firmly down until you
feel the pedal lifting. INHALE into your back as you control the pedal
down. To switch sides, pivot your feet around to the other side and
reposition your hands.
Program Design: Full Body Integration, Inverted, Standing
Benefits: Oblique abdominals, core control, shoulder girdle
organization, upper extremity strength, C-Curve, Spine rotation, hip
abduction (star).
Planes of Movement: Sagittal, Frontal, Transverse
FA: Side Lift, Push Up, Seated Hip Abduction (Star), Hundred
◉ Hamstring III. Answer: Equipment: Chair, Heavy Springs
,Exercise: Stand facing chair pedals, hands on side edges of chair seat,
both balls of feet on pedal, pilates v, round back into C-Curve by
pressing spine up to ceiling. Reach tailbone down to heels. INHALE
into your back. EXHALE, lean a bit forward, and press firmly down
onto the top of the Chair until you feel the pedal lift off. Lift higher
leading with your belly button. INHALE at the top. EXHALE, press
your hips forward as you control the pedal down, all the while
keeping the C-curve.
Reverse breath pattern possible: INHALING to lift can help expand
your mid-back. EXHALING on the return can help deepen the
abdominal scoop and improve spinal flexion. Also flat back version.
Benefits: Upper Extremity Strength, Hip Extension, core control,
lengthens back muscles, shoulder stability, HNSO, strengthens
anterior oblique sling.
Planes of Movement: Sagittal, Frontal, Transverse
Program Design: Inverted
FA: Heel Raise, Half Squat, Full Squat, Long Sit, Hundred, Push Up
◉ Monkey. Answer: Equipment: Trap table, Red or Blue Spring from
below + safety strap
Exercise: Lying supine on trap table, head might go off the table,
balls of feet on bar, pilates v, hands on bar. Hips directly under hands.
Pull knees into chest. INHALE, breathe into your back ribs. EXHALE,
press the bar up with hands and feet and roll up with a rounded
spine while extending the knees. Keep your toes pointed to the
ceiling. INHALE, at the top. EXHALE roll slowly down into the
starting position.
,Benefits: Lengthens hamstrings, strengthens abdominals, increases
spine mobility into flexion, especially thoracic, improves flexibility of
calves & hamstrings, improves ROM into hip & shoulder flexion, core
control.
Planes of Movement: Transverse & Sagittal
Program Design: Supine
FA: Half squat, full squat, long sit, heel raise, seated hip abduction,
roll up, hundred.
◉ Tower. Answer: Equipment: Trap Table, Red or Blue Spring from
Below + Safety strap.
Exercise: Supine, head under bar, hold on to the upright bars by
reaching around the spring(s). Place the balls of the feet onto the bar
in a V-Position. Bend and stretch your legs three times, directing
your knees towards your chest just in front of your armpits. Then,
EXHALE and with straight legs, push the bar upwards while rolling
your pelvis and spine off the table. Roll up until only your shoulder
blades are in contact with the table. INHALE, bend your knees.
EXHALE, straighten your legs. Repeat this a total of 3 times. INHALE,
breathe into your back.
EXHALE, slowly roll back down placing one vertebra at a time back
on the table.
Benefits: Improves spine articulation into flexion in lumbar &
thoracic spine, stretches spinal extensors & hamstrings, axial length,
improves hyperlordosis, connection of anterior oblique sling, hip
disassociation, opens thoracolumbar fascia.
, Program Design: Supine lower extremity
Planes of Movement: Sagittal + Transverse
FA: Half Squat, Full Squat, Long Sit, Heel Raise, Seated Hip Abd
(Frog/Pilates V), Roll Up, Hundred, Goal Post
◉ Assisted Squats. Answer: Equipment: Trap Table, Yellow Springs
with Handles or Rolldown Bar
Exercise: Stand facing the table with your legs hip-width apart, in
perfectly upright posture. Grab hold of the ends of the roll down bar
with your palms facing up. Pull the bar towards you, bending your
elbows to a 90-degree angle. INHALE, lean back onto your heels and
bend your knees as you sit back into the squat. Keep your torso
upright. EXHALE, push into your feet to straighten your knees and
return to the starting position.
Benefits: Lengthens HS, Lower Extremity Strength (Quads, Glutes,
HS), Strengthens biceps. Lower Extremity Alignment, Hip
Disassociation, Hip Hinge.
Program Design: Standing
Planes of Movement: Sagittal
FA: Half Squat, Full Squat, Heel Raises, Roll Up, Push Up
◉ Stomach Massage. Answer: Equipment: Reformer, RB
Exercise: Seated on Reformer, facing footbar, Hands & Pilates V Feet
on Footbar, knees bent, shoulders hip width apart, sit behind sit
bones in posterior tilt/lumbar flexion. EXHALE to push out,
