Corkscrew — Arms Lifted: A Complete Guide
Quick Intro
Corkscrew — Arms Lifted is a mat Pilates exercise performed lying on the back with the legs together and extended to the ceiling, circling both legs through the full oval sweep of Corkscrew while the arms reach straight up toward the ceiling, with no press into the mat for stability. Removing the support the arms normally provide is what makes this harder than the standard version.
Equipment Needed
No equipment is required. A Yoga Mat underneath is an optional way to soften the mat where the lower back and shoulders make contact.
Why It Matters
Circling both legs without the arms anchored to the mat demands control in several planes, and resisting the swinging weight of the legs with the arms lifted takes a balance the standard version doesn’t ask for. The waist muscles along the side of the torso (obliques) resist the rotating legs without any help from the arms, and a deep core muscle that wraps around the torso like a corset (transverse abdominis) keeps the ribs from lifting as the legs swing. The deep hip flexor (hip flexors, iliopsoas) carries the legs around the oval, the inner thigh muscles (adductors) keep the legs sealed together throughout and the lower back muscles (erector spinae) manage the small controlled pelvic lift without the arms to help stabilize.
When to Do It
Corkscrew — Arms Lifted works well in the supine abdominal portion of a Pilates mat session, usually placed once the standard arms-down version feels controlled and stable. Two to three sessions a week is a reasonable pace for building this unsupported circle.
Anyone with a current lower back issue should get individual guidance before adding this exercise, since removing the arms’ base of support places added demand on the deep core to control the spine.
Getting Ready
A few rounds of the standard arms-down version warm up the obliques and confirm the circle feels controlled before the arms are lifted. A single small circle with the arms raised, well within a comfortable range, previews the balance the full set will need.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. The setup. Lie on the back, legs together and extended to the ceiling, arms reaching straight up.
2. The descent. Lower both legs together toward one side, keeping the arms lifted and still.
3. The sweep. Continue the circle through the bottom and up the other side, letting the pelvis lift only slightly.
4. The reverse. Complete the circle back to the starting position, then repeat in the opposite direction.
How Many, How Often
Corkscrew — Arms Lifted is dosed by reps, with each full circle counting as one.
| Level | Where you’re at | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | New to circling without the arms pressed down | 2 sets of 2 reps per direction, with a smaller circle |
| Intermediate | The ribs stay down through a fuller circle | 2 to 3 sets of 2 to 3 reps per direction |
| Advanced | Comfortable with a full circle and lifted arms throughout | 3 sets of 3 to 4 reps per direction |
The ribs staying down without the arms’ help matters more here than how wide the circle traces, since ribs that lift the moment the arms come up are the clearest sign the legs have gone further than the core can control unsupported.
Modifications and Variations
Compared to Corkscrew, the easier version, this one lifts the arms off the mat and reaches them toward the ceiling, which removes the extra base of support the arms normally provide against the rotating legs. Someone building toward this version can also work through Corkscrew — Small Circles, which keeps the arms down but shrinks the circle, before combining a smaller circle with lifted arms as a stepping stone to the full challenge here.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Letting the ribs lift the moment the arms come up. Allowing the ribcage to rise off the mat as soon as the arms lose their pressed-down anchor undoes the deep core control this version is meant to test. Slowing the circle down the instant the ribs start lifting protects the quality of the movement.
Swinging the arms for balance. Using small arm movements to help counterbalance the circling legs defeats the purpose of removing the arms’ support in the first place. The arms should stay reaching straight up, quiet and still, throughout the circle.
Making the circle as wide as the standard version right away. Attempting the same circle size used with the arms pressed down, before the unsupported version has been tested at a smaller size, risks losing control of the ribs and lower back. A smaller circle that stays controlled is worth more than a full-sized one that isn’t.
After Your Set
Hugging both knees into the chest and rocking gently from side to side releases the lower back after a set built around resisting the legs without arm support. A standing or seated hamstring stretch on each leg eases out the muscles that worked through the unsupported range.
Going Deeper
This exercise usually works well as a test of deep core control without an assist, since resisting the swinging weight of both legs while the arms stay lifted removes the stability that pressed-down arms provide. The circle often gets attempted at full size before the ribs can stay down without the arms’ help. Keeping the circle smaller until the ribs stay down throughout, even if that looks less impressive, builds control faster than chasing a bigger circle with lifted ribs.
Someone new to this exercise generally manages a small circle with the arms lifted within a few sessions, then works toward a fuller circle with the ribs staying controlled over three to four weeks.
How to Know You’re Improving
- Ribs that stay pinned to the mat even without the arms’ support
- Arms that stay still and reaching upward
- A circle size that grows while the ribs stay controlled
- A pelvis that lifts only slightly, the same as the standard version
Ribs that never lift once the arms come up matter more than how wide the circle eventually gets.
Muscles Worked
- Obliques (the waist muscles along the side of the torso, resisting the rotating legs without any help from the arms)
- Transverse Abdominis (a deep core muscle that wraps around the torso like a corset, keeping the ribs from lifting as the legs swing)
- Iliopsoas (the deep hip flexor, carrying the legs around the oval without help from the arms)
- Adductors (the inner thigh muscles, keeping the legs sealed together throughout)
- Erector Spinae (the lower back muscles, managing the small controlled pelvic lift without the arms to help stabilize)
FAQ
Why lift the arms off the mat? Reaching the arms toward the ceiling removes the extra base of support the arms normally provide against the rotating legs, which asks for more coordination and balance than the standard version.
Is Corkscrew — Small Circles needed before this version? Being comfortable circling with the arms pressed down, at whatever circle size feels controlled, is a reasonable foundation before removing the arms’ support.
Is some oblique or lower back fatigue after this exercise normal? Yes, fatigue through the obliques and lower back after several unsupported circles is expected. Sharp pain that settles into one fixed spot in the lower back is a separate signal, worth bringing to a doctor or physical therapist if it lingers.
Is a smaller circle acceptable if the full range feels like too much without arm support? Yes, keeping the circle small while the arms stay lifted is a reasonable way to build toward a fuller, unsupported range.
How often should the arms-lifted Corkscrew be practiced? Two to three times a week, as part of the supine abdominal portion of a broader mat session, is enough repetition to build this unsupported circle.
Related to Corkscrew as the easier version with the arms pressed into the mat.