Standing Exercises on the Pilates Reformer: How to Keep Your Balance Without Slipping

There is a moment in a Pilates Reformer class that feels daunting the first time: when the instructor says it is time to stand up. Until then you have worked lying down, seated or kneeling, with plenty of your body in contact with the machine. Standing, all your weight rests on the soles of your feet, and one of them is usually on a carriage that moves. In this guide we go through the most common standing exercises in Reformer Pilates, where balance is lost and what you need so that your foot stays exactly where you placed it.

What standing Reformer exercises are and why they demand more balance

They are the exercises in which at least one foot carries your weight in an upright position: on the floor, on the Reformer's standing platform or on the carriage itself. They tend to appear in the second half of the class, once the body is warm, and they work the legs, glutes, inner thighs and, above all, control of the centre.

They demand more balance for three reasons:

• The base of support is small: you go from resting your whole back to resting only the soles of your feet.
• Your centre of gravity is high: any small shift of the foot is felt through the whole body.
• One of the supports moves: the carriage glides on the springs, and you have to control it both on the way out and on the way back.

That is why these exercises are always learned under supervision and with a clear progression. If you are not yet sure what each part is called, start with the parts of the Pilates Reformer.

The most common standing exercises

Names vary from school to school, but these are the ones you will find in most studios:

1. Scooter

One foot on the floor beside the Reformer and the other on the carriage, pressed against the shoulder block. With your hands on the footbar, you push the carriage back with the top leg and bring it home with control. It is the gateway to standing work because you have three points of support: a fixed foot, your hands and the foot on the carriage.

2. Standing lunge

Similar to scooter, but with the focus on opening the hip: the back leg lengthens as the carriage travels away while the front leg stays bent. Here the foot on the carriage takes a lot of load on the diagonal, exactly the direction in which it slides most easily.

3. Side splits

One foot on the standing platform and the other on the edge of the carriage, side-on to the machine. You open the legs by moving the carriage away and close it with the inner thighs. It is the most recognisable standing exercise, and the one that depends most on the carriage foot not shifting even a centimetre.

4. Skating

The same set-up as side splits, but with the knees bent in a half squat. One leg presses the carriage out, as in a skating stride, while the other holds the position.

5. Front splits and advanced variations

One foot on the footbar and the other against the shoulder block, with the body lifted above the machine. These are advanced exercises that are only introduced once the previous ones are under control, and always with the instructor close by.

Where balance is lost: the three supports

Almost every standing exercise involves three different surfaces, and each one fails for a different reason:

1. The fixed support (floor, platform or footbar): usually the safest. If it slides, it is almost always down to footwear or a sock with no grip.
2. The foot on the carriage: this is the critical point. Vinyl upholstery is smooth and, with a little sweat or an ordinary sock, the foot slides towards the edge just when the carriage is at its widest.
3. Fabric on the upholstery: if there is a conventional towel between your foot and the carriage, it is not the foot that moves but the whole towel, and that is even harder to correct mid-exercise.

The rest is up to you: eyes forward, weight evenly spread and an active centre. You will find more technique cues in our guide to improving your stability during Pilates Reformer practice.

How to get on, set up and get off safely

• Step onto the fixed support first: place one foot on the platform, or keep one on the floor, before taking the other to the carriage. To get off, reverse the order: the carriage foot leaves first.
• Use the springs you are given: in side splits, less resistance does not mean easier, because the carriage is looser. If in doubt, read the guide to Pilates Reformer springs and always ask before changing the load.
• Place the whole foot: heel, base of the big toe and base of the little toe in contact. A foot resting only on its outer edge is a foot about to move.
• Start with a short range: open the carriage only as far as you can close it without jerking.
• Barefoot or with grip: avoid ordinary socks. If you prefer not to go barefoot, wear Pilates grip socks.

Common mistakes in standing exercises

• Looking at the floor: it shifts your weight forwards and rounds the back. Fix your gaze on a point at eye level.
• Letting the carriage slam shut: the return is the part that works hardest and the one that throws you off most if it gets away from you.
• Locking the knees: keep a micro-bend so the leg can react.
• Gripping with the toes: clawing your toes is a sign that you do not trust the surface. Grip should come from what is underneath you, not from tension in the foot.
• Opening further than you can control: range is earned over weeks, not in one class.

If you feel discomfort in your knees, hips or ankles, or if balancing makes you feel unsure, tell your instructor so they can adapt the exercise or offer a variation with more support.

What surface you need under your foot

No surface replaces technique or supervision, but it can take one worry off your mind. For standing work, whatever covers the carriage should offer:

• Grip on the underside, so it does not shift on the vinyl as the carriage opens and closes.
• Grip on the top side, so the sole of your foot or your sock does not slide even when there is sweat.
• A thin, even profile, so you can feel the support and are not standing on something soft or wrinkled.
• A size that fits the carriage, with no spare fabric hanging towards the rails.
• The same surface for the whole class, so you do not have to remove or rearrange anything when you go from lying down to standing.

We explain this in more detail in what really prevents slipping in Reformer Pilates.

Step on with confidence: the Bellman Pilates non-slip towel

The Bellman Pilates non-slip Reformer Pilates towel has 85% grip on both sides: the underside keeps it in place on the carriage upholstery and the top side holds your foot, so you can concentrate on your balance rather than on what you are standing on. It is thin, fits a standard carriage and stays with you for the whole session, from the first set lying down to the last standing exercise.

Available in blue, pink and grey. Discover the Bellman Pilates towel here and step onto the carriage with a support you can trust.