The Pilates stance is a small V position of the legs and feet: heels together, toes turned out a few inches apart, with the rotation coming from the hips rather than the knees or feet. It is sometimes called Pilates V or Pilates first position. To find it, stand or lie with your legs together, keep your heels touching, and let your toes open to about the width of a fist. Rotate the whole leg outward from the hip socket, then gently draw the backs of your inner thighs together and engage your glutes lightly. Keep your knees soft and tracking over your toes. The stance appears throughout classical Pilates, in exercises such as the hundred, the roll over, the single leg stretch and standing work, because it helps connect the inner thighs, glutes and deep hip muscles to the core. Keep the turnout small and never force it.
Health note: This article is general information, not medical advice. Check with a doctor or physical therapist before starting Pilates if you have hip, knee, ankle or back problems, have had hip surgery, are pregnant or are recovering from injury. Some hip conditions and post-surgical guidelines limit outward rotation. Ideally, learn exercises from a qualified instructor.
What the Pilates stance does
The Pilates stance is more than a foot position. By rotating the legs slightly outward from the hips and drawing the inner thighs together, you engage the deep hip rotators, the glutes and the adductors, the muscles along the inner thighs. These muscles connect to the pelvis and work with the deep abdominals and pelvic floor to create a stable base. Joseph Pilates used this position widely in his original exercises, and many classical instructors see it as a way to link the legs to the powerhouse, the term Pilates practitioners use for the core. Contemporary approaches often use parallel legs as well, so you will see both depending on the class and teacher.
Step by step
| Step | Key point |
|---|---|
| Heels | Heels together |
| Toes | Toes turned out slightly, about a fist apart |
| Rotation | Rotate from the hips, not the knees |
| Engage | Squeeze the backs of the inner thighs together |
| Align | Knees soft and tracking over toes |
How to find the Pilates stance
- Stand tall with your feet together and parallel, weight balanced between heels and the balls of the feet.
- Keep your heels touching and pivot your toes outward so they are about a fist width apart, forming a small V.
- Check the source of the rotation: the whole leg should turn outward from the hip joint, so your kneecaps point in the same direction as your toes.
- Gently draw the backs of your upper inner thighs toward each other, as if zipping them together.
- Lightly engage the glutes without clenching or tucking the pelvis.
- Keep your knees soft, not locked or hyperextended.
- Maintain neutral pelvis and a tall spine, with the abdominals gently drawn in.
- Hold the position for a few breaths, then relax and repeat to learn the feeling.
Rotation starts at the hip
The most important detail of the Pilates stance is where the turnout comes from. The hip is a ball-and-socket joint designed to rotate; the knee is mostly a hinge and does not like being twisted under load. If you turn the feet out without turning the thighs, the knees end up twisting, which can strain them over time. A good check is to look down: your kneecaps should face the same direction as your second toes. If the knees face forward while the feet turn out, reduce the V until they line up.
How much turnout to use
The Pilates stance uses a small amount of turnout, much less than ballet first position. A fist-width gap between the toes is a common guideline, but the right amount depends on your hip anatomy. Some people naturally have more outward rotation, some less. The goal is to find a position where you can rotate from the hips and engage the inner thighs comfortably, not to achieve a particular angle. Forcing more turnout than your hips allow tends to shift the strain to the knees, ankles or lower back.
The muscles behind the stance
Several muscle groups work together to create and hold the Pilates stance. The deep hip rotators, a group of small muscles behind the hip joint, turn the thighs outward. The glutes, especially the lower fibers of the gluteus maximus, assist with that rotation and help stabilize the pelvis. The adductors along the inner thighs draw the legs toward each other, creating the connection instructors often describe as wrapping the thighs together. When these muscles engage lightly alongside the deep abdominals, the pelvis tends to feel more supported, which is one reason the stance is used for so many exercises where the legs are lifted or moving.
Using the stance in exercises
Lying on your back: In exercises like the hundred, the legs are lifted in Pilates stance, with the heels together and the inner thighs connected. This helps keep the legs stable and the lower back supported.
Standing: Many classical standing exercises and the end of a mat class begin in Pilates stance, which encourages a tall, lifted posture.
On the reformer: Footwork on the reformer often includes a Pilates V position on the footbar, with the heels together and toes apart, to work the legs with the rotators engaged.
Pilates stance versus parallel
Parallel legs, with the feet hip-width apart and toes pointing straight ahead, are used in many contemporary Pilates classes and in exercises such as bridging and standing squats. Parallel positions often feel more natural for everyday movement and can be gentler on some hips and knees. The Pilates stance adds inner thigh and rotator engagement. Neither is better in every case. Many instructors use both, choosing whichever suits the exercise and the client. If the stance causes discomfort, parallel is a perfectly good alternative.
How to practice
- Stand in front of a mirror and check that the kneecaps align with the toes.
- Place a small ball or folded towel between the upper inner thighs to feel them connect.
- Practice rising onto the balls of the feet in Pilates stance, keeping the heels together, for a balance and calf challenge.
- Try it lying down with the legs extended on the mat, rotating from the hips.
- Hold for a few breaths several times a day to build familiarity.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Turning out from the knees or feet instead of the hips.
- Using too wide a V and forcing the turnout.
- Locking or hyperextending the knees.
- Clenching the glutes so hard that the pelvis tucks.
- Rolling the feet in so the arches collapse.
- Losing core engagement while focusing on the legs.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the Pilates stance used so often?
It engages the inner thighs, glutes and deep hip rotators, which many teachers see as a way to connect the legs to the core and create a stable base.
Is the Pilates stance the same as ballet first position?
No. Ballet first position uses much greater turnout. The Pilates stance is a small V, with the toes only a few inches apart.
What if the Pilates stance hurts my knees?
Reduce the turnout, make sure the rotation comes from the hips and keep the knees soft. If discomfort continues, use parallel legs and consult a professional.
