Pilates
Reformer Hug a Tree
Reformer Hug a Tree is a seated Pilates exercise that brings your rounded arms together against spring resistance. It trains your chest and front shoulders while you keep your trunk steady.
- Beginner
- Isolation
- Low injury risk
- Rest 1 min
How to do it
- Sit on the carriage facing the footbar, with your legs comfortably crossed.
- Hold one strap in each hand with the ropes running behind you.
- Open your arms out to the sides, slightly below shoulder height, with your elbows gently bent.
- Sweep your hands toward each other in front of your chest, as though hugging a wide tree.
- Slowly reopen your arms to the starting position.
Form cues
- Stack your ribs over your pelvis.
- Keep your wrists straight.
- Exhale as your hands come together.
Common mistakes
- Changing the elbow bendKeep the same rounded arm shape throughout instead of straightening your elbows to push the straps.
- Shrugging toward your earsKeep your neck long with your shoulders relaxed away from your ears.
- Opening too farStop the return before your elbows travel behind your torso.
Safety
Excessive spring resistance or an uncontrolled return can pull your arms backward and strain your shoulders. Rocking on the moving carriage can also compromise your seated balance.
- Check that the straps are securely attached and the ropes are equal in length.
- Choose a spring setting you can control without rocking or sliding.
- End the set if you cannot slow the carriage's return.
- Let the carriage settle before releasing the straps.
If you have shoulder pain or cannot sit upright comfortably without support, choose a supported variation or seek advice from a physiotherapist first.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Pilates Reformer
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 8–12 reps
- Rest
- 1 min
Finish each set with a few controlled repetitions left in reserve.