The saw is a seated Pilates exercise that combines a spine twist with a forward stretch. To do it, sit tall with your legs extended slightly wider than your hips and your arms reaching out to the sides. Inhale and rotate your upper body toward one leg, then exhale as you round forward and reach your opposite hand past the outside of that foot, as if sawing off your little toe, while your back arm reaches long behind you. Many instructors add three small pulses on the exhale. Inhale to roll up tall, return to center, and repeat to the other side for three to five repetitions each way. The saw stretches the hamstrings, back and obliques, and trains rotation and flexion to work together while the hips stay anchored.
Health note: This article is general information, not medical advice. Check with a doctor or physical therapist before starting Pilates if you have back, neck or joint problems, are pregnant or are recovering from injury. The saw combines spinal rotation with forward flexion, a pairing that people with some disc problems or osteoporosis are often advised to modify or avoid. Ideally, learn exercises from a qualified instructor.
What the saw trains
The saw brings together two movements that Pilates often teaches separately. The rotation comes from the spine twist, and the forward rounding comes from the spine stretch forward. Combining them asks the obliques to hold the twist while the deep abdominals scoop in and the spine flexes over the leg. At the same time, the hamstrings and lower back receive a strong stretch, and the back arm reaching behind you opens the chest and front of the shoulder. Because the hips have to stay grounded throughout, the exercise also teaches pelvic stability, which carries over to many other seated and standing movements.
Step by step
| Step | Key point |
|---|---|
| Set | Sit tall, legs wider than hips, feet flexed, arms out to the sides |
| Rotate | Inhale and twist toward one leg, hips still |
| Reach | Exhale, round forward, opposite hand reaches past the little toe |
| Pulse | Three small reaches while exhaling (optional) |
| Return | Inhale to roll up tall and return to center |
| Repeat | 3 to 5 reps each side, alternating |
How to do the saw
- Sit on your mat with legs extended straight and a little wider than hip-width apart, feet flexed so the toes point up.
- Extend your arms out to the sides at shoulder height, palms facing down.
- Sit up tall on both sit bones, drawing the navel in and lifting through the crown of your head.
- Inhale and rotate your rib cage and arms toward your right leg, keeping the hips square.
- Exhale and round your spine forward over the right leg, reaching your left hand toward the outside of your right little toe.
- Reach your right arm long behind you, palm turning down or up, so the arms form a long diagonal line.
- Pulse the front hand forward in three small reaches as you continue to exhale, if you are using the classical version.
- Inhale to roll up through the spine to a tall seated position, still rotated.
- Return to center and repeat to the left side.
The two parts: twist, then round
The saw works best when you treat it as two clear phases. First, twist while sitting tall, exactly as you would in the spine twist, keeping length in the spine. Only once you have rotated do you round forward over the leg. If you round first and then twist, or do both at once while slumping, the stretch moves into the lower back and the obliques lose their job. On the way back, roll up one vertebra at a time before untwisting. Keeping the phases distinct makes the exercise safer and far more effective.
Keeping the hips anchored
As you reach forward, the hip on the side of the back arm tends to lift off the mat. Try to keep both sit bones pressing down evenly for the whole movement. A good check is the feet: if one foot slides forward or back, the pelvis has shifted. The reach should come from rotating and flexing the spine, not from hiking the hip or leaning the whole body sideways. It helps to think of the back arm reaching away as a counterweight that keeps you rooted.
Arm position and the back reach
The back arm is easy to forget, but it balances the movement and opens the front of the shoulder. Keep it long and reaching behind you, roughly at shoulder height or slightly lower, rather than letting it drop to the mat or bend at the elbow. The front hand reaches along the outside of the leg toward the little toe, with the shoulder blade sliding down the back rather than hunching toward the ear. Let your head follow the curve of your spine so your neck stays in line, looking toward the knee rather than lifting the chin.
Breathing and rhythm
The classical breath pattern is to inhale as you sit tall and twist, exhale fully as you round forward and pulse, then inhale again to roll up. The long exhale helps the abdominals draw in and supports a deeper forward stretch. Some instructors cue a percussive exhale for each pulse, while others prefer one long, steady breath out. Whichever you use, keep breathing and move with control rather than bouncing into the stretch.
Modifications
- Bend the knees slightly if tight hamstrings make it hard to sit upright.
- Sit on a folded mat or cushion to tip the pelvis forward and ease the lower back.
- Skip the pulses and hold a gentle reach instead.
- Reduce the range of both the twist and the forward round.
- Bring the legs closer together if the wide position strains the inner thighs.
- Practice the spine twist and spine stretch forward separately until each feels comfortable.
Where it fits in a Pilates session
In the classical mat order, the saw follows the spine stretch forward, the open leg rocker and the corkscrew, and comes before the swan. It is usually taught as a beginner to intermediate exercise. Since it contains both rotation and flexion, it is often introduced once students are comfortable with the spine twist and the spine stretch forward. Following it with a back extension exercise such as the swan helps balance the forward rounding.
How to progress
Progress in the saw comes mostly from better form rather than a bigger stretch. First aim to keep both hips down through every repetition. Then work on sitting taller at the start, rolling up more smoothly and keeping the back arm long. Over time, as hamstring flexibility improves, you may be able to straighten the legs fully and reach farther past the little toe without the hips lifting. Always let the stretch develop gradually rather than forcing it with momentum.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Lifting the opposite hip off the mat as you reach.
- Rounding before twisting, which blurs the two phases.
- Dropping the back arm or letting it bend.
- Hunching the shoulders toward the ears.
- Bouncing aggressively into the stretch.
- Collapsing into the lower back instead of lifting and curling.
- Holding the breath during the reach.
Frequently asked questions
What does the saw exercise work in Pilates?
It works the obliques and abdominals while stretching the hamstrings, lower back and the front of the shoulder, and it trains controlled rotation and flexion together.
What is the difference between the saw and the spine twist?
The spine twist is a pure rotation with a tall spine. The saw adds a forward round and reach over the leg after the twist.
What if I cannot reach my foot?
That is common. Bend your knees, sit on a cushion, or reach only as far as you can while keeping both hips grounded.
