Search “pilates reformer exercises for beginners” and you’ll find lists of forty moves with no spring settings, no reps, and no sense of which five actually matter. Here are the twelve exercises virtually every beginner reformer class is built from — what each one trains, where the springs typically sit, and the single form cue that fixes the most common mistake.
Key takeaway: Beginner reformer work revolves around twelve foundational exercises: footwork, leg circles, hundred prep, frog, pelvic curl, supine arm work, mermaid, knee stretches, elephant, chest expansion, spine stretch, and short box. Heavy springs for leg work, light springs for arm work, and more spring (not less) whenever you’re kneeling or standing on the carriage — light springs make the carriage unstable, which is the opposite of what a beginner needs.
The twelve reformer exercises beginners learn first are: (1) footwork — toes, arches, heels, and calf raises on 2-3 heavy springs, training leg press mechanics and alignment; (2) leg circles in straps on 1-2 springs for hip disassociation; (3) hundred prep on 1-2 springs for deep core endurance; (4) frog on 1-2 springs for inner thigh and pelvic control; (5) pelvic curl/bridging for spinal articulation; (6) supine arm work (arms pulling straps) on a light spring for scapular control; (7) mermaid stretch for lateral flexion; (8) knee stretches round back on 1-2 springs for core-driven movement; (9) elephant on 1-2 springs for hamstring length with a stable spine; (10) chest expansion kneeling on 1 spring for posture and lat engagement; (11) spine stretch forward for sequential spinal flexion; and (12) short box round back for seated core control. Spring guidance for beginners: heavy for footwork, light for arms, and never too light when kneeling or standing on the carriage — insufficient spring makes the carriage unstable. All twelve have mat equivalents, so beginners can prepare the movement patterns at home before paying for studio classes.
The 12 exercises at a glance
Spring colours below follow the common Balanced Body convention (red = full, blue = half, yellow = light). Studios vary — always confirm with your instructor.
| # | Exercise | Typical springs | Reps | Primarily trains |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Footwork (toes/arches/heels) | 2-3 red | 10 each position | Legs, alignment, core |
| 2 | Leg circles in straps | 1 red + 1 blue | 5-8 each direction | Hip disassociation, core |
| 3 | Hundred prep | 1 red + 1 blue | 5-8 breath cycles | Deep abdominals |
| 4 | Frog | 1 red + 1 blue | 8-10 | Inner thighs, pelvic control |
| 5 | Pelvic curl / bridging | 1 red | 6-8 | Spinal articulation, glutes |
| 6 | Arms pulling straps (supine) | 1 blue or yellow | 8-10 each variation | Scapular control, triceps |
| 7 | Mermaid stretch | 1 blue | 3-4 each side | Lateral flexion, obliques |
| 8 | Knee stretches (round back) | 1 red or 1 red + 1 blue | 8-10 | Core-driven hip movement |
| 9 | Elephant | 1 red + 1 blue | 6-8 | Hamstrings, trunk stability |
| 10 | Chest expansion (kneeling) | 1 red | 6-8 | Lats, posture, balance |
| 11 | Spine stretch forward (on box) | — (box) | 5-6 | Sequential spinal flexion |
| 12 | Short box — round back | — (box, light safety spring) | 5-6 | Seated core control |
The exercises, with the cue that matters
1. Footwork. The first thing you’ll ever do on a reformer: lying supine, feet on the footbar, pressing the carriage out and controlling it home through four foot positions. The cue: the return is the exercise — resist the springs home rather than letting them yank you.
2. Leg circles in straps. Legs in the long straps, drawing controlled circles from the hip. The cue: the pelvis stays carved in stone; if it rocks, shrink the circle.
3. Hundred prep. Head and shoulders curled, arms pumping in the straps — the beginner version of the classical hundred. The cue: curl from the breastbone, not the neck.
4. Frog. Heels together, knees wide, pressing out and resisting in. The cue: the movement comes from the inner thighs closing, not the knees snapping straight.
5. Pelvic curl. Feet on the footbar, rolling the spine up and down one vertebra at a time. The cue: peel and place like a strip of tape — no hinging at the waist.
6. Arms pulling straps. Supine, pressing or pulling the straps with a light spring. The cue: set the shoulder blades down and wide before the arms move an inch.
7. Mermaid. Seated sideways, one hand on the footbar, side-bending over as the carriage glides. The cue: lift up and over an imaginary beach ball, don’t collapse sideways.
8. Knee stretches, round back. Kneeling on the carriage, hands on the footbar, pressing the carriage back and drawing it in with the abdominals. The cue: the carriage moves because your core drags it — the arms are just posts.
9. Elephant. Standing on the carriage in a pike, heels down, pressing the carriage back with straight legs. The cue: the spine doesn’t move; only the legs travel.
10. Chest expansion. Kneeling tall, pulling the straps back past the hips and holding while you breathe. The cue: grow an inch taller as the arms pull back.
11. Spine stretch forward. Seated on the box, rounding forward sequentially and restacking. The cue: curl over a beach ball, then stack the spine from the tailbone up.
12. Short box, round back. Seated on the box, feet under the strap, hinging and curling back a few degrees and returning. The cue: go only as far back as you can keep the ribs knitted — range grows weekly.
Before your first class: groove the patterns on the mat
Every exercise above has a direct mat equivalent — bridging for pelvic curl, quadruped rocking for knee stretches, band footwork for leg press mechanics, side-sitting side bends for mermaid. Beginners who spend 4-6 weeks building these patterns before their first studio class consistently report the same thing: while the rest of the intro class is learning where the straps go, they’re actually training. Given studio classes run $30-45 each, arriving prepared is the single best value decision in reformer Pilates. That’s precisely what the Reformer Ready mat prep program was built for — and if you’d rather skip the studio entirely, the Reformer-Style at Home protocol recreates the spring-resistance work with a band and sliders.