PILATES BASI WRITTEN EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
2025/2026
When and where was Joseph Pilates born? - ANS Dusseldorf, Germany, 1883
What did Pilates do in England? - ANS Worked was a war camp with rehab for sick and
disabled
When did he come to America? - ANS Came to NYC in 1926
What is controlology? - ANS When stabilizing muscle groups are encouraged to work
isometrically to maintain correct positioning and alignment.
What are the 10 principles of Pilates? - ANS Awareness
Balance
Breath
Concentration
Center
Control
Efficiency
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,Flow
Precision
Harmony
(all bad bitches can call Christy especially for precision and harmony)
When are you in neutral pelvis? - ANS When the ASIS and pubic symphysis is on the same
horizontal plane and two ASIS are on the same transverse plane
Can the spine be neutral when the pelvis is not? - ANS When the spine is in neutral the pelvis
must be neutral, however, the pelvis may be neutral when the spine is not
What are the pros of using a neutral pelvis? - ANS encourages muscular development and
correct muscle recruitment
teaches efficient posture and ideal alignment
pelvis alignment influences body segments above and below it
What are the benefits of breathing in Pilates? - ANS -oxygenates blood
-improve circulation
-calm the mind and body
-encourage concentration
-recruit the appropriate muscles for the movements
-provide an 'inner' rhythm for the movements
What happens during the breathing cycle? - ANS inhale- diaphragm lowers and enlarges
cavity. pressure inside the lungs is lower than the pressure outside
exhale- diaphragm relaxes and decreases volume of cavity. increases pressure of the lungs and
equalizes the pressure to the outside (air is forced out)
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,How much of the respiratory effort is the diaphragm responsible for? - ANS 75%
What kind of breathing does Pilates use? and why? - ANS lateral breathing of "intercostal
breathing". it maintains ab contraction while performing exercises during inhalation.
What is shaped breathing? - ANS using breathing patterns
What is Muscle Focus? - ANS the muscle or group of muscles that is the primary focus of the
exercise
What are Objectives? - ANS the objective describes the action of the muscle being used.
although there may be one muscle focus, there could be many objectives.
What are the Cues? - ANS Cues are the actual execution of the exercise. precision provides
results. Cue is to communicate which leads to good understanding which leads to success
What are Movers? - ANS generating or controlling movement
What are the Antagonists? - ANS actions oposite to movers
What are the Synergists? - ANS neutralizes undesired actions of movers
What are the Stabilizers? - ANS muscles that hold body parts still
What is BASI's SIM? - ANS Stabilizer- stabilize the body
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, Initiator- initial cue or focus of movement
Mover- move part of the body
What do you engage first before the movement takes place (SIM)? - ANS Initiators (it is
understood as the mind part of the movement), the initiator will in fact be either a stabilizer or
a mover
What do you think about during an execution of movement (SIM)? - ANS stabilizers to
promote efficient movement
Pelvic Curl
BLOCK
BREATH
MUSCLE FOCUS
OBJECTIVES
CUES - ANS BLOCK -Foundation
BREATH -inhale hold at top, move on exhale
MUSCLE FOCUS- abs, hamstrings
OBJECTIVES- spinal articulation, hamstring control, pevlic lumbar stabilization
CUES- neutral pelvis, maintain lumbar flexion
Spine Twist Supine
BLOCK
BREATH
MUSCLE FOCUS
OBJECTIVES
CUES - ANS BLOCK- Foundation
4 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
2025/2026
When and where was Joseph Pilates born? - ANS Dusseldorf, Germany, 1883
What did Pilates do in England? - ANS Worked was a war camp with rehab for sick and
disabled
When did he come to America? - ANS Came to NYC in 1926
What is controlology? - ANS When stabilizing muscle groups are encouraged to work
isometrically to maintain correct positioning and alignment.
What are the 10 principles of Pilates? - ANS Awareness
Balance
Breath
Concentration
Center
Control
Efficiency
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,Flow
Precision
Harmony
(all bad bitches can call Christy especially for precision and harmony)
When are you in neutral pelvis? - ANS When the ASIS and pubic symphysis is on the same
horizontal plane and two ASIS are on the same transverse plane
Can the spine be neutral when the pelvis is not? - ANS When the spine is in neutral the pelvis
must be neutral, however, the pelvis may be neutral when the spine is not
What are the pros of using a neutral pelvis? - ANS encourages muscular development and
correct muscle recruitment
teaches efficient posture and ideal alignment
pelvis alignment influences body segments above and below it
What are the benefits of breathing in Pilates? - ANS -oxygenates blood
-improve circulation
-calm the mind and body
-encourage concentration
-recruit the appropriate muscles for the movements
-provide an 'inner' rhythm for the movements
What happens during the breathing cycle? - ANS inhale- diaphragm lowers and enlarges
cavity. pressure inside the lungs is lower than the pressure outside
exhale- diaphragm relaxes and decreases volume of cavity. increases pressure of the lungs and
equalizes the pressure to the outside (air is forced out)
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,How much of the respiratory effort is the diaphragm responsible for? - ANS 75%
What kind of breathing does Pilates use? and why? - ANS lateral breathing of "intercostal
breathing". it maintains ab contraction while performing exercises during inhalation.
What is shaped breathing? - ANS using breathing patterns
What is Muscle Focus? - ANS the muscle or group of muscles that is the primary focus of the
exercise
What are Objectives? - ANS the objective describes the action of the muscle being used.
although there may be one muscle focus, there could be many objectives.
What are the Cues? - ANS Cues are the actual execution of the exercise. precision provides
results. Cue is to communicate which leads to good understanding which leads to success
What are Movers? - ANS generating or controlling movement
What are the Antagonists? - ANS actions oposite to movers
What are the Synergists? - ANS neutralizes undesired actions of movers
What are the Stabilizers? - ANS muscles that hold body parts still
What is BASI's SIM? - ANS Stabilizer- stabilize the body
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, Initiator- initial cue or focus of movement
Mover- move part of the body
What do you engage first before the movement takes place (SIM)? - ANS Initiators (it is
understood as the mind part of the movement), the initiator will in fact be either a stabilizer or
a mover
What do you think about during an execution of movement (SIM)? - ANS stabilizers to
promote efficient movement
Pelvic Curl
BLOCK
BREATH
MUSCLE FOCUS
OBJECTIVES
CUES - ANS BLOCK -Foundation
BREATH -inhale hold at top, move on exhale
MUSCLE FOCUS- abs, hamstrings
OBJECTIVES- spinal articulation, hamstring control, pevlic lumbar stabilization
CUES- neutral pelvis, maintain lumbar flexion
Spine Twist Supine
BLOCK
BREATH
MUSCLE FOCUS
OBJECTIVES
CUES - ANS BLOCK- Foundation
4 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
