Exercise guide
Standing Pelvic Tilt
- Beginner
- Compound
- Timed hold
- Waist
The Standing Pelvic Tilt is a foundational core exercise that improves pelvic control and spinal alignment by strengthening the deep abdominals and glutes. It is highly effective for correcting anterior pelvic tilt and developing the mind-muscle connection required for heavy compound lifts.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a slight, soft bend in your knees.
- Place your hands on your hip bones (pelvic crests) to better feel the movement.
- Maintain a tall posture with your shoulders relaxed and chest open.
How to do it
- Exhale and contract your lower abdominals to tuck your tailbone under, pulling your pubic bone toward your navel.
- Squeeze your glutes at the end of the range of motion to maximize the posterior tilt and flatten your lower back.
- Inhale and slowly release the contraction, allowing your pelvis to return to a neutral or slightly arched position.
- Move with a slow, controlled tempo, focusing on the quality of the contraction rather than speed.
Form checklist
- Keep your upper body and ribcage completely still; the movement should only occur at the hips.
- Ensure your knees remain soft and do not lock out during the tilt.
- Avoid shrugging your shoulders or using your upper body to 'cheat' the rotation.
- Focus on pulling the belly button inward to engage the transverse abdominis.
Pro tips
- Imagine your pelvis is a bucket of water; the goal of the posterior tilt is to 'spill' the water out of the back of the bucket.
- Press your big toes into the floor to help stabilize the lower body and increase glute activation during the tuck.
Make it harder
- Perform the tilt while standing on one leg to significantly increase the demand on your obliques and hip stabilizers.
- Add a 5-second isometric hold at the peak of the posterior tilt to increase time under tension for the deep core.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the standing pelvic tilt work?
- The standing pelvic tilt primarily targets the abs and obliques, and also works the erector spinae as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the standing pelvic tilt?
- The standing pelvic tilt requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the standing pelvic tilt good for beginners?
- Yes. The standing pelvic tilt is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.