Balanced Body Pilates Practice Test

In this context, exercises are grouped by the primary action at the shoulder and the accompanying scapular movement. The pushing category centers on actions where the elbow extends and the arm moves forward, requiring the scapula to protract (move forward around the rib cage) to provide a stable base for the movement. This protraction engages the shoulder girdle during pushing actions and is the hallmark of this group, helping to stabilize the scapulothoracic joint while you push through the arms. The other categories focus on different primary actions—spinal work without a push component, a breathing-and-core sequence, or hip-spine bridging—so they don’t emphasize scapular protraction during pushing the way the pushing category does.