The neck pull is an advanced Pilates mat exercise, a more challenging version of the roll up done with your hands behind your head. Despite the name, you should never pull on your neck; the abdominals do the work. To do it, lie on your back with your legs extended about hip-width apart, feet flexed, and hands clasped or stacked behind your head with elbows wide. Exhale as you curl your head and shoulders up and roll through the spine to sitting, then round forward over your legs. Inhale as you stack your spine to sit tall, then hinge back slightly with a long spine and exhale as you roll down one vertebra at a time. Three to five slow repetitions is typical. If you cannot roll up without yanking your head, return to the regular roll up until your core is stronger.
Health note: This article is general information, not medical advice. Check with a doctor or physical therapist before starting Pilates if you have back or neck problems, osteoporosis, are pregnant or postpartum, or are recovering from injury. The neck pull involves loaded spinal flexion, which many people are advised to limit or avoid with certain disc or bone conditions. Ideally, learn advanced exercises from a qualified instructor.
What the neck pull trains
The neck pull is essentially a roll up with a longer lever and less help. With the arms behind the head, you lose the momentum that reaching forward provides, so the abdominals have to work harder to curl the spine off the mat. The exercise builds deep abdominal strength, spinal articulation and control on the way down, which is often the harder half. The forward round stretches the hamstrings and back, and the hinge back from a tall seated position asks the back extensors and abdominals to work together. Because it demands so much control, it is usually taught once the roll up feels solid.
Step by step
| Step | Key point |
|---|---|
| Set | Lie on your back, legs hip-width, feet flexed, hands behind the head |
| Roll up | Exhale and curl up through the spine |
| Stretch | Round forward over the legs |
| Stack | Inhale and roll up to sit tall |
| Hinge | Lean back slightly with a long, straight spine |
| Roll down | Exhale and roll down one vertebra at a time |
| Repeat | 3 to 5 reps |
How to do the neck pull
- Lie on your back with your legs extended on the mat, about hip-width apart, and your feet flexed.
- Place your hands behind your head, fingers clasped or stacked at the base of the skull, elbows wide and in your peripheral vision.
- Inhale to prepare, drawing the abdominals in and pressing the backs of the legs lightly into the mat.
- Exhale and nod your chin, curling the head, neck and shoulders off the mat.
- Continue rolling up through the spine, one section at a time, until you are sitting.
- Round forward over your legs, keeping the elbows wide and the abdominals scooped.
- Inhale and roll up through the spine to sit tall, stacking the vertebrae from the base.
- Hinge back slightly from the hips with a long, straight spine, keeping the elbows wide.
- Exhale and tuck the pelvis to begin rolling down, placing one vertebra at a time on the mat until your head returns.
- Repeat for three to five slow repetitions.
Why you should not pull on your neck
The hands behind the head are there to support its weight and to lengthen the arms out of the way, not to lift. Pulling on the head strains the neck and lets the abdominals off the hook. Keep the elbows wide rather than closing them around your face, which is a sign you are yanking. Imagine your hands as a gentle cradle, and let the curl start from your abdominals drawing in. If you feel tension build in your neck, lower the head, reset and try again with a smaller movement, or switch to a version with the arms forward.
Controlling the roll down
Many people find rolling down harder than rolling up. The key is to tuck the pelvis first, as though pressing the lower back toward the mat, and then lower one vertebra at a time. If you drop back suddenly, the abdominals are not yet strong enough to control that range. Slow down, keep the elbows wide, and go only as far as you can with control before rolling back up. With practice, the descent becomes smooth and even.
Breathing and pacing
A common pattern is to exhale to roll up and round forward, inhale to stack tall and hinge back, and exhale to roll down. Some instructors add extra breaths during longer phases. Take your time: the neck pull is best done slowly, with each repetition taking several seconds in each direction. Holding the breath tends to create tension in the neck and shoulders, so keep the breath flowing.
Modifications and regressions
- Practice the roll up with arms reaching forward before attempting the neck pull.
- Bend the knees to make rolling up easier and ease hamstring tension.
- Anchor the feet under a strap, a heavy object or a partner’s hands while learning.
- Hold a towel behind your head or cross the arms over the chest for less leverage.
- Do a partial roll down and back up rather than the full movement.
- Skip the hinge back until the roll down feels controlled.
Where it fits in a Pilates session
In the classical mat order, the neck pull comes after the double leg kick and before the scissors and bicycle. It is considered an intermediate to advanced exercise. Moving from prone back extension exercises into the neck pull gives the spine a chance to flex after extending. Because it is demanding, most instructors introduce it only once students can perform the roll up smoothly without momentum.
How to progress
Begin with the roll up, first with bent knees and then with straight legs. Once you can roll up and down smoothly with the arms forward, try the neck pull with the feet anchored. From there, work toward rolling up without anchoring the feet, then add the hinge back with a straight spine. Each step should feel steady and controlled before you move on. Progress often takes weeks or months, and that is normal for this exercise.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Pulling on the head with the hands.
- Closing the elbows toward the face.
- Using momentum or jerking up off the mat.
- Letting the legs lift as you roll up.
- Dropping back instead of rolling down vertebra by vertebra.
- Rounding during the hinge, which should be done with a long spine.
- Holding the breath.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called the neck pull if you should not pull on your neck?
The name refers to the hand position behind the head. The movement itself comes from the abdominals, and the hands only support the head.
What is the difference between the neck pull and the roll up?
The roll up is done with arms reaching forward, which provides some leverage. The neck pull keeps the hands behind the head and adds a hinge back, making it more demanding.
What if my legs lift when I roll up?
This often happens when the abdominals are not yet strong enough or hamstrings are tight. Bend the knees, anchor the feet, or practice the roll up first.
