Hypermobility and Pilates: Why More Range Isn’t Always Better
If you’re hypermobile, you probably don’t need anyone to tell you that you’re flexible.
You might be the person whose knees naturally travel past straight, whose elbows hyperextend in a plank, or whose legs can drop into a huge range during feet in straps without much effort. And in a movement space where flexibility is often celebrated, it can be tempting to assume that more range means better movement.
It doesn’t always.
One of the biggest things Pilates has taught me, both as an instructor and as someone with a hypermobile body, is that just because I can access a range of motion doesn’t mean I need to use all of it.
Flexibility and control aren't the same thing
Range of motion is only one part of movement.
For hypermobile bodies, the bigger challenge is often learning how to create control throughout that range. Instead of asking, How far can I go? I like to ask:
Can I control how I get there… and how I get back?
Take leg circles in feet in straps. It can feel amazing to let the legs open wide or drop toward the carriage, especially if you naturally have a lot of hip mobility. But the goal isn't to create the biggest circle possible.
If your pelvis starts moving, your ribs flare, or you lose the muscular connection that was controlling the movement, you've probably gone beyond the range that's useful for that exercise.
A smaller circle with control can be far more challenging, and far more productive, than a giant circle powered mostly by flexibility.
What about "soft" knees and elbows?
You'll sometimes hear that cueing someone to keep a "soft bend" in their knees or elbows is outdated.
I don't think it's that simple.
For someone who naturally hyperextends, the sensation of a joint being "straight" can be very different from anatomical neutral. A cue like "soften your knees" doesn't necessarily mean staying in a permanently bent position. Sometimes it's simply a tool that helps someone stop hanging into the end range of the joint and find muscular support instead.
That cue completely changed the way I experienced movement.
As a flyer in cheerleading, locking my knees into their maximum range didn't make me feel more stable—it often did the opposite. Later, I noticed the same thing in exercises like planks when I would sink into my elbows instead of actively supporting the position.
The goal isn't to fear straightening your joints.
It's to develop the awareness and strength to choose your position rather than automatically falling into your end range.
Your end range isn't the enemy
This is an important distinction.
Being hypermobile doesn't mean you should never explore your full range of motion. End ranges aren't inherently bad, and hypermobility isn't something that needs to be "fixed."
What matters is context.
Are you actively controlling the position? Does it feel stable? Can you breathe there? Can you return from it with control? Does that range make sense for the exercise you're performing?
Those questions are much more useful than creating a universal rule that everyone should or shouldn't lock their joints.
Pilates can be an incredible place to practice control
One reason I love Pilates for hypermobile bodies is that it gives us an opportunity to slow movement down enough to actually notice what's happening.
The springs provide feedback. The equipment gives us reference points. And the exercises can be adjusted so the goal becomes less about achieving a shape and more about understanding how your body organizes itself to get there.
For my hypermobile clients, that might mean:
Making a range of motion smaller
Slowing down the eccentric portion of an exercise
Pausing before reaching end range
Focusing on joint position instead of flexibility
Using tactile feedback or props to improve awareness
Prioritizing stability before adding complexity
None of those things make the movement "less advanced."
Sometimes restraint is the challenge.
Just because you can doesn't mean you should
That's probably the phrase I use most when talking about hypermobility.
Your flexibility isn't a problem. It can be an incredible asset.
But your biggest range doesn't have to be your default range.
Pilates can become a space to explore the difference between accessing a position and owning a position, and for a hypermobile body, that distinction can change everything about how movement feels.
This Journal is educational and is not a substitute for individualized medical care. Pain, instability, recurrent injuries, or other symptoms should be evaluated by an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.