Exercise guide · Pilates

Pilates Teaser

The Teaser is an advanced Pilates V-sit performed from your back. You roll up to balance on your sit bones with legs and torso lifted, then roll down with control. It demands deep core strength and spinal articulation.

Targets: Core
Equipment: Mat (Pilates)
Type: Isolation

Step by step

How to do the Pilates Teaser

Lie on your back with arms overhead and legs together extended at about 45 degrees off the floor.
Inhale to prepare, then exhale as you tuck your chin and peel the spine into a C-curve.
Reach your arms forward parallel to your lifted legs and balance on your sit bones.
Hold briefly at the top with abs scooped and chest open.
Roll down with control: articulate the spine piece by piece and lower the legs together.
Return arms overhead and repeat for your programmed reps.

Form cues

Roll up from your abs, not momentum
Legs and torso rise as one unit
Chest open, shoulders down
Control the descent

Common mistakes

Swinging up with momentum and loose legs
Collapsing into a rounded slump at the top
Dropping the legs faster than the spine
Holding your breath through the rep

Muscles worked

Primary

Core

Secondary

None significant

Safety: Build up with bent-knee variations until you can roll smoothly. Skip if you feel sharp lower back pain.

Alternatives

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