Pilates Movement Monday: Returning to the Reformer Foot Series

Bare feet pressing firmly on the Reformer footbar, building alignment and balanced pelvic connection.

The more I teach, the more I come back to the foot series on the Reformer as one of the most powerful starting points in a session. We may have touched on this before, but it is worth revisiting because of the many layers of benefit it brings.

Our feet are often the silent storytellers of our body. Postural habits, how we stand, which leg is dominant, even old injuries all of these travel up through the chain of the body and eventually influence the pelvis. And as we know, once the pelvis is affected, everything above it will be influenced as well. That is why I often say happy feet, happy pelvis, happy face.

The real magic of the foot series is that it helps to rebalance us, step by step, and reconnect the body from the ground up. The body does not transform through dramatic changes, but through consistent, simple practice, and the foot series is a perfect example of this principle in action.

As teachers, we know we have to make familiar sequences engaging. The goal is not variety for its own sake, but rather depth. Personally, I have simplified my approach to mainly parallel positions: toes, heels, a few heel raises, some walking, perhaps single leg work. I find myself avoiding rotation for most clients, since what they often need most is pelvic stability and alignment.

Dominance is another fascinating part of this conversation. Right handed people typically carry more load through the right side, and this shows in their pelvis and footwork. Interestingly, I once heard that left handed people tend to develop fewer imbalances simply because they adapt to a right handed world. It is a hidden advantage worth considering when we assess movement.

When teaching the foot series, the real art is in the cues. Each push away is an opportunity to bring in something new, perhaps attention to the spine, to the centre, or to the breath. By layering information this way, we not only keep the client engaged but also remind them why this seemingly simple sequence is so important.

And beyond the physical benefits, the foot series works wonders for the mind. Clients often walk into evening classes with their head full of the day’s noise. Standing preparation and dynamic movements can help, but nothing anchors them quite like focusing on their feet and their breath. It is a grounding practice that draws the mind into the present and sets the tone for the rest of the session.

So, when I get asked whether I always start with the foot series, my answer is always yes. For me, it is not just about tradition or habit, but about the layered benefits it brings physically, mentally, and methodologically.

Simple, consistent, powerful. That is the foot series.