Standing Pelvic Tilt
Standing Pelvic Tilt pairs pure bodyweight leverage with control through the whole range — simple enough to learn in one session.
How to do Standing Pelvic Tilt
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
- Place your hands on your hips or let them hang by your sides.
- Engage your core muscles and tilt your pelvis forward, pushing your lower back towards the wall behind you.
- Hold the position for a few seconds, then release and return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Standing Pelvic Tilt Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
3 sets of 6-8 hard reps with 2 minutes of rest. Add reps first, then slow the lowering phase.
Hypertrophy
3 sets of 10-15 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Change leverage or elevation before you add load.
Endurance
2-3 sets of 20-25 reps with 45 seconds of rest. Hold the end position for a beat once reps come easily.
Common Standing Pelvic Tilt Mistakes
Rushing reps so gravity does most of the work
Take two to three counts on the lowering phase of every rep.
Letting a nearby joint take over as the set gets hard
Stop the set as soon as the working joint stops leading the movement.
Training every set to failure this early
Leave two or three reps in the tank and add sets instead.
Easier and Harder Than Standing Pelvic Tilt
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Standing Pelvic Tilt — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Standing Pelvic Tilt?
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Place your hands on your hips or let them hang by your sides. Engage your core muscles and tilt your pelvis forward, pushing your lower back towards the wall behind you. Use your bodyweight only and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Standing Pelvic Tilt work?
The Standing Pelvic Tilt primarily targets the spine. It is classified as a back exercise and is performed with your bodyweight only.
How many sets and reps of the Standing Pelvic Tilt should I do?
For muscle growth: 3 sets of 10-15 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Change leverage or elevation before you add load. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Standing Pelvic Tilt good for beginners?
Yes. The Standing Pelvic Tilt is a beginner-level movement, so it is a reasonable place to start. Keep the load light enough that you can control every rep and stop 2-3 reps short of failure while you learn the pattern.
What can I do instead of the Standing Pelvic Tilt?
Try the Exercise Ball Back Extension With Knees Off Ground, Lever Back Extension or the Band Straight Leg Deadlift. Each trains the spine with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
