One of the most common questions I get from clients is: Should I point my feet or should I flex them during Pilates exercises? The answer depends on the movement, the intention behind it, and how it influences muscle engagement and blood flow. Understanding when and why to use each foot position can help enhance your practice and your clients’ experience.
Pointing the Feet in Pilates: Length, Energy, and Control
Pointing the feet, or plantar flexion, creates a continuous line of energy from the legs through to the toes. This action activates the gastrocnemius and soleus (calf muscles) while also encouraging extension through the entire lower limb. It also helps lengthen the tibialis anterior, the muscle running along the front of the shin, contrary to some misconceptions that it contracts when pointing. This elongation improves flexibility and can reduce unnecessary tension in the lower leg.
In exercises such as the Hundred, Teaser, and Side Leg Kicks, pointing the toes helps maintain extension and connection through the posterior chain. It encourages the legs to lengthen from the hips rather than gripping through the hip flexors, creating a more fluid movement pattern.
Blood Flow and Circulation Benefits
When you point your feet, you naturally encourage venous return, meaning blood moves more efficiently from the lower extremities back toward the heart. This can be particularly beneficial in exercises where the legs are elevated, helping to improve circulation.
Flexing the Feet: Strength, Stability, and Activation
Flexing the feet, or dorsiflexion, engages the tibialis anterior while stretching the calves and hamstrings. This position is often used to encourage better alignment and more active engagement of the posterior chain, making it an essential tool for exercises where maintaining a long, strong leg line is key.
For example, in Single Leg Stretch and Double Leg Stretch, flexing the feet can help create a sense of resistance and deeper activation in the legs, ensuring that the muscles are engaged through their full range. Similarly, in Roll Up and Spine Stretch Forward, a flexed foot provides a grounding sensation, helping to stabilise the movement and promote spinal articulation.
Blood Flow and Circulation Benefits
Dorsiflexion has been linked to improving circulation by activating the muscle pump effect, where contracting and relaxing the muscles helps push blood through the veins. This effect is especially useful in weight-bearing exercises and movements that encourage deep fascial stretching.
What the Research Says
Studies suggest that foot positioning significantly affects muscle recruitment and movement efficiency. A study in the Journal of Sports Sciences found that dorsiflexion increases tibialis anterior activation, while plantar flexion enhances gastrocnemius and hamstring recruitment. This means that using a mix of both positions strategically can lead to more balanced muscular engagement and overall strength development.
Additionally, research on blood circulation in the lower extremities highlights that alternating between dorsiflexion and plantar flexion during exercise can improve venous return and prevent blood pooling, which is particularly beneficial for individuals with circulation issues or those recovering from injury.
How to Apply This in Your Practice
Rather than rigidly sticking to one position, encourage your clients to explore both pointing and flexing their feet to understand how each affects their body and movement quality. Some general guidelines include:
✔ Point your feet when the goal is length, fluidity, and control (e.g. Hundred, Teaser, Side Leg Kicks).
✔ Flex your feet when the goal is strength, stability, and alignment (e.g. Roll Up, Spine Stretch Forward, Shoulder Bridge leg lower).
✔ Experiment with both in different movements to identify what feels best for each individual.
At the end of the day, Pilates is about working with your body, not against it. While certain exercises traditionally favour one foot position over another, the key is to find what enhances your own movement efficiency, muscle activation, and blood circulation.
If you’re ever unsure, try switching it up, you may find that flexing or pointing your feet in a movement changes your whole experience of the exercise! And remember, Pilates isn’t about arbitrary rules, it’s about making the body stronger, more functional, and more connected.
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