Pilates Movement Monday: The Frog on the Reformer

Maintaining pelvic stability, the client performs the Frog on the Reformer with precise control.

The Pilates Frog is one of those exercises that looks simple, but only if you do it halfway. When taught correctly, it’s a masterclass in pelvic stability and core control. On the Reformer, the springs give you feedback you can’t ignore, and that’s what makes it so valuable.

Many teachers place the Frog before leg circles. The reason is practical: it’s easier for clients to understand the feeling of pushing away with bent knees before asking them to maintain straight legs in motion. The Frog teaches both control and awareness. It sets the foundation for the leg circles that follow.

When you teach or practise the Frog, keep your focus on the following:

• Start Position: Heels together, knees apart, feet in small turnout. The pelvis should be neutral and still.

• Action: Inhale to prepare, exhale as you press the legs away, keeping the heels connected and maintaining stability through the centre.

• Return: Inhale to bend the knees, controlling the movement as the carriage returns home.

• Focus Point: The pelvis stays still. The movement comes from the hip joint, not the lower back.

Common errors include letting the knees drift too wide, allowing the pelvis to rock, or losing the heel connection. Each of these reduces the control and precision that make the Frog so effective.

If your client struggles with leg circles, go back to the Frog. It helps them feel the power of pushing evenly through both legs while maintaining core engagement. Once they master that, they can better manage the longer lever and increased instability of the circle.

The Frog is more than a warm-up. It’s a stability test. When done with intention, it brings awareness to how movement begins and ends, and how control is maintained between.