Pilates
Spine Corrector Corkscrew
Spine Corrector Corkscrew is a Pilates exercise in which you circle your raised legs with your pelvis supported on a curved barrel. It trains abdominal control as your legs move around your center.
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Moderate injury risk
- Rest 45 sec
How to do it
- Lie on your back with your pelvis supported on the padded curve and your head and shoulders resting on a mat.
- Hold the sides of the spine corrector within comfortable reach.
- Raise your legs together above your hips with your knees slightly bent.
- Move your legs a short distance to your right.
- Sweep your legs downward through a small arc toward your left.
- Complete the circle by returning your legs above your hips.
- Reverse the direction for the next repetition.
Form cues
- Keep your ribs from flaring.
- Match the circle size both ways.
- Breathe steadily through the circle.
Common mistakes
- Arching your lower backMake the bottom of the circle shallower so you can maintain abdominal control.
- Swinging through the circleUse a slow, even pace that lets you pause anywhere along the path.
- Rocking from shoulder to shoulderNarrow the sideways arc until pressure stays even across both shoulders.
Safety
Large circles or fatigue can pull your lower back into an uncomfortable arch. Sliding off the curved support can strain your back or neck.
- Place the spine corrector on a nonslip surface with clear space around it.
- Check that the padding and apparatus are secure before mounting.
- Keep this version free of hip lifts or rollovers onto your neck.
- End the set if your grip slips or your pelvis starts sliding.
If you have back or neck pain, choose a modified mat version or ask a physiotherapist whether the elevated position is appropriate.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Pilates Spine Corrector
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 4–8 reps
- Rest
- 45 sec
Count one complete circle as one rep, alternating directions.