Roll-up

• This exercise assists people who are having difficulty doing the mat version of the roll-up correctly. The springs help the abdominals maintain good form and facilitate the recruitment of the correct muscles in the correct sequence.
  
  Exhale. Lie supine with the legs straight. Hold the tower bar with the hands shoulder-width apart, placing the body far enough back that there is tension in the springs. Inhale. Lift the head and shoulder girdle into spinal flexion. Exhale. Slowly roll up, maintaining the C curve in the trunk. Inhale and pause at the point where the shoulders are above the hip joints. Still exhaling, roll back down through each vertebra to the starting position.
  
  

Teaser

• This exercise is performed in various forms on the mat, reformer, barrel, cadillac and of course the tower. Because of its versatility, the tower is often used to prepare students for teaser on other Pilates apparatus. The springs of the tower supplement the abdominals, diminishing the chance of lumbar strain in this very demanding exercise. The push-through bar of the tower also assists in all variations of the teaser, from basic to advanced.
  
  Exhale. Lie supine, holding the push-through bar. Position the shoulders directly below the hands. Keep the legs straight at a 45-degree angle to the mat. Inhale. Roll up from the head through the spine. Transition from spinal flexion to spinal extension, creating a V position with the body, the arms overhead in a straight diagonal line to the trunk. Exhale. Roll down through the spine to the starting position, keeping the legs still.
  
  

Push-Through Sitting Forward

• Push-through sitting forward nicely demonstrates the transition of the trunk from spinal flexion to spinal extension and vice versa. Along with the trunk work is the added benefit of a hamstring stretch, which is maximized by efficient spinal extension.
  
  Inhale. Sit upright, facing the push-through bar and press the feet against the poles.
  Hold the bar with the arms straight and shoulder-width apart. Exhale. Round the trunk and then press the push-through bar down and through, leaning the body forward over the legs. Inhale. Flatten the back on a diagonal, extending the spine. Exhale. Draw the trunk back into spinal flexion. Control the push-through bar while bringing it through and up, maintaining the flexion of the trunk. Inhale and extend the spine to the starting upright sitting position.
  
  

Kneeling Chest Expansion

• This exercise not only develops arm and shoulder strength, flexibility and control, but also demands core strength and good posture and alignment. When performing this exercise, engage the stabilizers of the trunk and focus on the intricate, controlled movement of the shoulders.
  
  Inhale. Kneel approximately two feet from the bar, facing the tower. Hold the bar with the palms facing back and slight tension in the springs. Exhale. Extend the shoulders, pressing the arms back while maintaining the upright alignment of the body. Inhale. Slowly return the arms to the starting position, keeping tension in the springs.