Total Gym Pilates: Part 2



Total Gym Pilates: Strength Meets Flow

Part 2: Toe Bar Technique

Maria Sollon, MS, CSCS, PES

Every Pilates practice has its signature tools and on the Total Gym, the Toe Bar is where strength, length, and control meet. It channels the essence of classical footwork into integrated, full-body patterns that challenge stability, mobility, and precision all at once.

The Power of the Toe Bar

Pilates is rooted in creating long, strong, and balanced muscles. When the Toe Bar comes into play on your Total Gym, each movement gains new dimension. Footwork, spinal articulation, hip mobility, and flowing stretches are amplified by gravity and the glideboard, transforming simple mechanics into deeper, more connected work.

✨ Missed Part 1? Click here to see how the Total Gym mimics a reformer and to learn six foundational movements that set the stage for your Pilates practice.

About the Series

Strength Meets Flow is a five-part Pilates series blending classical precision with Total Gym functionality. Each blog highlights foundational Pilates principles and pairs traditional movements with the incline, glideboard, and gravity to deliver a reformer-style practice at home.

Part 2 shifts the spotlight to the Toe Bar, where foundational Pilates footwork evolves into dynamic, full-body conditioning. These movements strengthen the lower body, mobilize the spine, and integrate core control, all while implementing the signature flow that defines Pilates.

Toe Bar Workout: 5 Pilates Moves on your Total Gym

Strengthen, lengthen, and flow. This five-move sequence uses the toe bar along with the glideboard to challenge your core, hips, and spine for a full-body Pilates experience. 

Whether you’re just discovering this Pilates series or following along from the beginning, this workout stands on its own as a complete session, but it also layers beautifully into the Strength Meets Flow progression.

Set Up

  • Incline: Low–Medium (lower will challenge the core more)
  • Accessory: Foot Bar (or Squat Stand if you don’t have the Foot Bar)
  • Key: Glideboard (GB)

Directions:

  • Prioritize precision, control, and deep core activation in every movement.
  • Move slowly and intentionally; Pilates is quality over quantity.
  • Incorporae the Foundation Exercises of Part 1 to keep your Pilates Practice growing strong.
  • Apply the Pilates Principles:
    1. Alignment: Keep the spine long and supported.
    2. Breath: Inhale to prepare, exhale to move.
    3. Core Control: Engage your powerhouse to stabilize and protect the spine.

The Toe Bar Sequence

  1. Seated Roll-Downs +Rotation (5 reps)
    • Sit tall at the bottom of the GB with arms extended, legs long, and feet on the toe bar rails. Slowly articulate the spine down, one vertebra at a time, then roll back up with control. Allow the GB to move your spine as it assists and resists the motion.
    • Focus: Spinal mobility and abdominal control
  1. Footwork with Core Engagement (10 reps per foot position)
  • Lie supine on the GB, feet placed on the toe bar or squat stand. Extend the legs to press the GB up the rails, then resist the return. Change foot positions (parallel, turnout, wide stance) for variety.
  • Focus: Alignment, breath, and lower-body elongation
  1. Single Leg Kicks (5 each direction)
  • Lie supine on the glideboard with toes resting on the toe bar. Maintain a neutral or gently imprinted spine as you extend one leg straight over the bar. Press back with the supporting leg while kicking the extended leg toward the head. Alternate, sending the straight leg first over the bar, then under the bar as the other leg performs a single-leg press. Move with steady control, keeping the pelvis stable and the core engaged.
    • Focus: Hip mobility and pelvic stability
  1. Down Stretch (6–8 reps)
  • Kneel at the bottom of the GB, hands on the toe bar. Open the GB into a kneeling plank, keeping the spine long from head to knees. Maintain the plank while the arms move the GB.
  • Focus: Core and shoulder strength with spinal length
  1. Mermaid (5 reps each side)
  • Sit sideways on the GB, one hand on the toe bar. With the arm straight, open the GB as you side bend over the bar. Close the GB and lean toward the tower to stretch the opposite side.
  • Focus: Postural alignment and back-body activation

Mind-Body Takeaway

The toe bar bridges classical Pilates footwork with modern functionality. By training with precision and control, you’ll not only strengthen your lower body, but also create seamless integration through the hips, spine, and core.

Up Next: Part 3 | Core Integration
Next, we’ll return to the center with three Pilates-inspired movements using the cables. Expect reformer-style flow that challenges alignment, control, and strength from the inside out.

Best,

Maria

@GROOVYSWEAT  

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Maria Sollon

Maria Sollon Scally MS, CSCS holds a Master’s Degree in Performance Enhancement/Injury Prevention and Kinesiology. She has obtained numerous certifications in various areas of fitness and is a national conference presenter. Maria specializes in Pilates, Performance Coaching, and Corrective Exercise Techniques and Kettlebells. She is the creator of the Plyo Pilates Method and has developed a series of amazing workout DVDs. She is a Master Trainer for Total Gym, Resist-a-Ball, Body Blade, Peak Pilates, Kettle Bell Concepts and is a freelance writer for Fitness accredited magazines, newsletters, and fitness blog sites. Maria demonstrates her knowledge each day and uses her dynamic creativity throughout her specialized line of work. http://www.groovysweat.com http://www.groovysweatstore.com (purchasable workout videos) http://www.youtube.com/groovysweat (workout clips)

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