232 Pilates Digest


Why the Pilates V?

More than heels together, toes apart:
the purpose behind a foundational position


I wanted to dive a bit deeper into the Pilates V, because I want my clients to understand why this position is useful and why I so often ask them to find it.

Chances are you’ve heard the cue, ‘heels together, toes apart.’ This small turnout, known as the Pilates V, or Pilates stance is one of the most recognizable shapes in the method. It is a foundational position in Pilates and you see it frequently across the apparatus in the Hundred, Teaser and many other exercises.

Clients already know how to find the shape: legs long and together with the heels connected and the toes slightly apart. The rotation comes from the hip joints rather than being forced through the feet and knees. The V is intentionally small like a slice of pie. Unlike ballet, the goal isn’t to achieve an impressive turnout. It’s to create useful organization through the legs.

But why do we do the Pilates V? Bringing the legs toward the midline recruits the inner thighs, while the slight hip external rotation engages muscles around the hips and glutes.

Together, that muscular organization creates stability through the pelvis and support for the spine. Let me repeat: this position supports the spine. And in Pilates, attention to the spine is essential. As teachers, part of our responsibility is to bring this kind of support to the surface whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Outside of the studio, I highly recommend experimenting with the stance. While doing something mundane around the house, such as washing dishes, or waiting in line at the grocery store, try standing with the heels together and the legs slightly turned out from the hips.

Notice what happens through the rest of the body. You may find that your hips become more square and your torso lifts more naturally, rather than having to force yourself into better posture. This is where I find the Pilates V particularly useful: a subtle shift in how the legs are organized while standing can influence the body all the way up through the spine. Perhaps try it now.

I have been seeing the V position everywhere. While skipping channels, I recently caught a Royal Palace performance in which the musicians playing tribute to Dolly Parton stood remarkably upright and lifted while playing ‘9 to 5’ on their horns. I noticed their feet: heels together, toes turned out. Their upper bodies appeared effortlessly lifted, and it was easy to see how the position helped support that upper body lift while they played.

The Pilates V isn’t necessarily the best starting position for every body, however. I often skip it during Reformer footwork at first. I like to begin my clients with an inflatable ball between the knees and arches on the footbar to establish alignment and proprioception without asking for external rotation for the first exercise of the day.

For someone with sensitive ankles or knees, introducing the V too soon during reformer footwork can create unnecessary pressure under a heavy spring load before the feet and lower legs have had a chance to warm up. As the body warms and I see how the legs are organizing, I may introduce Pilates V. That is perhaps what I find most useful about the position: It is a tool, not a rule.

The Pilates V may be a visual trademark of the method, but its value isn’t in making the shape perfectly. The value is in understanding how the position supports the body and knowing when that request makes sense.

-Diana Muchmore, Sept 8, 2026

232 Digest is a weekly journal on movement, Pilates, and intelligent exercise written from the studio floor at 232 Pilates in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.