Every Pilates exercise – from the simplest warm-up to the most advanced challenge – comes from a set of core movement skills your body learns, strengthens, and layers over time. If you’ve ever felt stuck on an exercise, unsure why something feels harder than it should, or curious about how to build a stronger foundation, this series is designed for you.
Throughout the Movement Skills Series, we’ll break down the seven essential skills that power every Pilates exercise. You’ll learn what each skill is, why it matters, how to practice it, and how it shows up in real movements you do in class. You’ll also get a short teaching video with each post so you can see the movement in action and follow along at your own pace. No fluff, no guesswork – just clear guidance to help you move better, feel stronger, and build confidence in your practice.
One of these movement skills is spine flexion, a skill that shows up in countless Pilates exercises for beginners and advanced movers alike. When this skill is strong, your whole practice feels more supported. When it’s not, everything feels harder than it needs to be. Let’s break it down and build it up, one step at a time.
Build Your Foundation: Why Spine Flexion Matters
If you’ve ever struggled to lift your head and shoulders off the mat without straining your neck, you’re not alone. Spine flexion is one of the most important movement skills in Pilates, and it shows up in dozens of exercises. But like any skill, it takes practice, precision, and the right kind of guidance.
That’s where we come in. At Today Pilates, our job is to help you build the strong, reliable movement foundation your body needs to progress safely and confidently. And whether you’re brand new to the method or returning after time away, mastering spine flexion is one of the best places to start.
What Is Spine Flexion?
Spine flexion is your body’s ability to bend your upper spine using the muscles along the sides of your torso – NOT your neck. When this skill is strong and clean, your head and shoulders lift smoothly, your chest stays open, and your neck feels relaxed and supported.
You’ll use this skill in many Pilates exercises for beginners, including:
- The Hundred
- Stomach Series
- Spine Stretch Forward
- Roll Up
- Teaser
- And many others!
If these movements have ever felt difficult, shaky, or impossible, strengthening your spine flexion is the best path forward.
Correct vs. Incorrect Spine Flexion
Before you can build strong, reliable spine flexion, it helps to understand what the movement should – and shouldn’t – feel like. Many people try to lift their head and shoulders using the wrong muscles, which leads to neck strain and frustration instead of strength and stability. Here’s how to recognize the difference between correct spine flexion and the common mistakes that can throw your form off.
Correct movement initiation:
Engage the muscles on the sides of your torso and right beneath your chest. These muscles bend your upper spine and lift your head and shoulders together as one strong unit.
Incorrect movement initiation:
Pulling with the neck. When the neck muscles try to do the lifting, you’ll feel strain, see tension, or feel like your head is doing all the work.
Clean movement starts with the right muscles.
How to Practice Spine Flexion: Step-by-Step
Once you understand what spine flexion is and how it should feel, the next step is practicing it with clarity and control. These simple movements help you build the strength, awareness, and precision needed for more challenging Pilates exercises. Start with the basics below, move slowly, and focus on the quality of each lift.
Preparation & Exploration
- Lie on your back with legs straight and arms down by your side.
- Use the muscles on the sides of your torso and beneath your chest to bend your upper spine to lift your shoulders and head.
- Keep your chest open and your shoulders and blades connected.
- Resist reaching with your arms (moving shoulders away from blades).
- Resist pulling with your head and neck.
Once your blade tips are on the mat that’s as far as you need to go. Do this 5-8 times.
This small, controlled lift is the foundation you’ll rely on for more challenging exercises.
Powerhouse Play #1: Build Strength & Stamina
After you’ve practiced the basic lift and built a clean movement pattern, you’re ready to add a bit more challenge. Powerhouse Play #1 takes your spine flexion work to the next level by strengthening the deep support muscles that keep you stable, controlled, and energized. These variations help you build stamina without losing form – an essential step for progressing into more demanding Pilates exercises.
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat.
- Keep your “zipper zone” long—from pubic bone to belly button.
- Lift your head and shoulders until blade tips touch the mat.
- Raise your arms on a diagonal, close to your thighs.
- Bring one leg to tabletop, then the other. Thighs vertical, shins parallel.
Keep your body stable as you add one of these arm challenges:
A. Single Arm Reach (Easiest)
Alternate lifting one arm overhead (bicep by the ear) and return it.
Repeat 2–5 sets.
B. Both Arms Reach (More Challenging)
Lift both arms overhead together.
Repeat 2–5 times.
C. Arm Circles (Most Challenging)
Do the overhead reach, then open arms wide to the side before returning to the diagonal.
Repeat 3–5 times.
If your neck tires or starts to work too hard, rest and try again. Strength comes from consistency, not strain.
Why This Skill Matters for Your Pilates Journey
At Today Pilates, we believe movement skills are the building blocks of a strong, healthy body. When a more advanced exercise feels out of reach, the solution isn’t forcing it – it’s returning to these fundamentals and strengthening them with clarity and intention.
Mastering spine flexion helps you:
- Lift without neck strain
- Support your head and shoulders with ease
- Improve core strength
- Build confidence for more advanced exercises
- Move with better control, precision, and endurance
You’ll feel the difference immediately, and even more as you move through the rest of the movement series.
Watch the Exercise in Action
Your next step is simple: watch the demonstration video below. You’ll see how spine flexion works, what to avoid, and how to build power from the right places.
Keep Building Your Skills
Spine flexion is just the beginning. As you continue practicing and strengthening this movement skill, you’ll notice other Pilates exercises start to feel more accessible, more powerful, and more connected throughout your whole body. Keep coming back to these fundamentals whenever something feels challenging—they’re your roadmap to steady, sustainable progress. And remember, you don’t have to figure it out alone. We’re here to help guide your practice every step of the way.
Explore the Full Movement Skills Series
Once all seven lessons are published, each link below will take you directly to the next skill in the series:
- Movement Skill #1: Upper Spine Flexion (USF) (current post)
- Movement Skill #2: Hip Flexion and Extension
- Movement Skill #3: Move Your Arms from Your Back
- Movement Skill #4: Spinal Flexion
- Movement Skill #5: Side Bend
- Movement Skill #6: Twist
- Movement Skill #7: Spinal Extension
- Movement Skills: All Together As A Workout