
PILATESOLOGY ENCYCLOPEDIA
Press Up Back
LEVEL
Intermediate
SETUP
2 Springs Top
REPETITIONS
3 – 5x each
GOALS & BENEFITS
- Shoulder girdle exercise, builds upper body strength
- Opens & lengthens chest & upper back
- Builds length in spine & overall control
TIPS & CUES
- Heels on pedal lifted; body leans backward; hands on top of poles
- Ideal version of Arm Springs on Cadillac is prerequisite for this exercise
- If student can’t get shoulders back, don’t do this work on tricep dips instead
- Cues: bend elbows & roll tops of shoulders all the way back; only go down so far as you can keep shoulders on your back; deepen your low abs and lift your spine tall