How to Do Knee Folds in Pilates Menu Verywell Fit Nutrition Weight Management Nutrition Facts Nutrition Basics Diets Meal Plans Meal Delivery Services View All News Fitness and Nutrition What to Buy How We Test Products Fitness Gear Nutrition Products Tools Recipe Nutrition Calculator Weight Loss Calorie Goal BMI Calculator Body Fat Percentage Calculator Calories Burned by Activity Daily Calories Burned Pace Calculator About Us Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Search Pilates Beginners How to Do Knee Folds in Pilates Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes By Marguerite Ogle MS, RYT Marguerite Ogle MS, RYT Marguerite Ogle is a freelance writer and experienced natural wellness and life coach, who has been teaching Pilates for more than 35 years. Learn about our editorial process Updated on January 10, 2021 Reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by nutrition and exercise professionals. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Kristin McGee, CPT Reviewed by Kristin McGee, CPT Kristin McGee is a certified personal trainer and currently teaches yoga and meditation for Peloton. She is also certified in Pilates and by the National Association of Sports Medicine. Learn about our Review Board Print Verywell / Ben Goldstein Targets: Core and movement awareness Level: Beginner Knee folds is a fundamental Pilates mat exercise. Many other Pilates exercises—and efficient movement patterns in general—build upon the movement principles that knee folds teach. Pelvic stability, moving from the core, maintaining length, and moving without excess tension are some of the basics that you practice by doing knee folds. Pilates imprinting is an excellent place to start a workout. Moving from imprinting to knee folds is a good progression. Benefits Learning to allow a deep fold at the hip joint, without disturbing the position of the pelvis, is essential for healthy everyday movement patterns like walking, stair climbing, and bending. Use knee folds as an opportunity to experiment with how much muscle tension you really need for the moves you make. For example, in this exercise, there is no need for tension in the neck or shoulders. Many Pilates mat exercises such as single leg stretch, double leg stretch, and the more advanced, bicycle, build on the movement principles taught by knee folds. Knee folds are often one of the Pilates exercises used to help relieve back pain. Step-by-Step Instructions Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Mentally scan your body. As you do so, let go of unnecessary tension and check your alignment Alignment check: Your neck is long and relaxed. Your shoulders are dropped and your chest is open. Your arms are by your sides. Your ribcage is released onto the floor. Your spine and pelvis are in neutral position—not tucked and not arched. Your legs are parallel, about hip distance apart. Your feet are in line with your legs, toes pointing straight forward. Breathe deeply. Allow the breath to expand the ribs evenly, and to travel down your spine and into your pelvis. Engage your abdominal and pelvic floor muscles. They should feel active, and your belly will pull in and up as you engage. However, this is not an overly strong move and it does not change the position of the pelvis. On an inhale, feel that you are using your abdominal muscles to lift one leg off the floor. Your thigh muscles will be part of this move, but the abdominals are more important. As you use your abs, keep your torso long. Feel a deepening of the crease at the hip joint. It is important not to let the hip come up with the leg. Raise your leg to tabletop position. Exhale and return your foot to the floor. As you do so, be sure to use abdominal control. Don't let the thigh take over. Repeat the knee folds 3 times on one side, then switch to the other leg. Common Mistakes Avoid these errors so you get the most out of this movement. Pressing Into Stable Leg If you are lifting your right leg, be sure not to press any weight into your left foot. You might visualize that there is an egg under that foot that you don't want to break. Raising Hips Both hips remain on the ground at all times, with the pelvis aligned. Keep your hips anchored to the mat. Modifications and Variations You can do this exercise in different ways to match your needs and level of practice. Need a Modification Only raise your leg as far as you can while maintaining good form. It may take some practice to reach tabletop position. Up for a Challenge You can progress to doing this exercise with a foam roller under your spine from neck to pelvis. This provides an additional stability challenge. Or, you can place small physio ball under your sacrum for for work on your pelvic floor and transverse abs. Safety and Precautions If you have a recent or chronic hip injury, talk to your doctor or physical therapist to determine whether this exercise is appropriate. If you are pregnant, you may wish to avoid this exercise in the second and third trimesters. Stop this exercise if you feel any acute pain. Try It Out Incorporate this move and similar ones into one of these popular workouts: Pilates exercises for balancing hip flexors and abs Pilates for back pain Pilates warmup exercises How to Do the Clam in Pilates By Marguerite Ogle MS, RYT Marguerite Ogle is a freelance writer and experienced natural wellness and life coach, who has been teaching Pilates for more than 35 years. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? 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