Pilates Movement Monday: The Reformer Salute

A Pilates teacher demonstrates the Reformer Salute, building shoulder stability with mindful breathwork.

This Movement Monday we’re turning our attention to a Reformer classic, the Salute. While often paired with the Shave, it deserves its own spotlight, especially when it comes to shoulder stability and postural awareness.

The Pilates Salute begins in a diamond press position, with hands lightly touching at the forehead, elbows wide. As you exhale, the arms extend forward, maintaining that diamond shape. What is key here is not just the movement of the arms, but the stability of everything else, the spine, the shoulder girdle, and the breath.

Yes, the shoulders are working, but this is not about brute strength. Think of it instead as a postural training exercise. It teaches control, awareness, and how to move the arms from a stable base.

You can perform the Pilates Salute kneeling on the carriage or seated upright on a box, each variation gives different feedback through the spine and pelvis. The kneeling version asks more from the core, while the box version may offer greater focus on the arm path and shoulder setup.

A few teaching tips:

• Breath: Exhale as you extend the arms, using the breath to cue spinal stability

• Spring choice: Choose a spring tension that supports but does not overpower. Think of it as a partnership, 50 percent you, 50 percent the springs

• Focus: Cue the direction of movement from the back of the shoulders, rather than just pushing from the hands

This is not a strength exercise in the traditional sense but the arms will feel it. So will the deep postural muscles, especially if alignment and breath are well integrated.

Have your clients salute the Reformer with mindfulness, not muscle alone.