Pilates instruction affects stability and muscle recruitment during the long stretch exercise.

Purpose: To examine pelvic stability with and without instruction regarding the voluntary recruitment of the 'powerhouse' muscles during a long stretch exercise on the Pilates Reformer.

Scope: Evaluation of the muscle activity and pelvic stability during a Pilates exercise of 12 physically active volunteers. Volunteers performed five repetitions of the long stretch in sets of two, one with and one without instruction regarding the voluntary recruitment of the powerhouse muscles.