Pilates Do’s and Don’ts: Mila Lazar’s Proven Form Tips

Pilates Do’s and Don’ts can decide whether a move builds strength or strains the wrong spot. Peloton instructor Mila Lazar shared three of them in an Instagram post that pairs a side leg lift, a bird dog and a chest lift with one mistake to avoid and one cue to follow.

Her guidance is short and specific. These Pilates Do’s and Don’ts also fit how members now use Pilates alongside Strength, Stretching and Yoga classes.

Who Is Mila Lazar at Peloton

Mila Lazar is a Peloton Cycling and Pilates instructor and a professional dancer who has traveled the world pursuing her passion for movement. She teaches in German from Peloton Studios London. She joined Peloton alongside fellow German-speaking coaches Benny Adami and Charlotte Weidenbach, as covered in our two-year Peloversary look back.

Mila was also the first German instructor to bring Pilates to the platform. Mila’s Pilates schedule has included themed releases, such as a 20-minute Pilates class in the Anastacia Artist Series.

The Role of Pilates at Peloton Now

Pilates has grown from a quiet corner of the library into a visible part of the platform. Early classes were short, equipment-free and filed inside the Strength filter. Our International Pilates Day overview traces how the roster has since expanded, with Johanna Ricouz and Greta Dopp both adding Pilates to their schedules.

The programming has deepened as well. Ash Pryor’s Advanced Beginner Pilates program arrived on August 21, 2026. Read our Ash Pryor program review for a class-by-class look. Anna Greenberg also introduced Peloton Prenatal Pilates, the platform’s first dedicated Pilates series for expecting members. In April, we named the full collection a Peloton Pilates Hidden Gem.

With that many classes to choose from, clear form guidance carries real weight. Pilates rewards control over range, and clear Pilates Do’s and Don’ts help members protect that control.

Mila Lazar’s Pilates Do’s and Don’ts in Three Moves

Mila’s post shows each move in two versions, one to avoid and one to follow.

Side Leg Lift

Don’t: Roll the hips backward to lift the leg higher.
Do: Stack the hips and lift within a range you can control.

The advice lines up with a Pilates instructor quoted by Fit&Well, who recommends working in a range where the shoulders and hips stay stacked and the chest stays lifted. That same piece notes the move strengthens the outer hip muscles and teaches the legs to work from the core.

Bird Dog

Don’t: Twist the hips and lift the leg too high.
Do: Keep the pelvis level and reach long through the opposite arm and leg.

Healthline’s bird dog guide gives the same instruction: keep the hips level and avoid rotating the pelvis. ACE Fitness adds that you should never exceed your body’s capacity to control movement in the low back.

Chest Lift

Don’t: Pull your head forward with your hands.
Do: Support your head, exhale and curl your upper spine using your abdominals.

An excerpt from Human Kinetics’ Pilates text explains that pulling on the neck with the hands creates pressure on the neck and overuses the neck flexors. Letting the abdominals lead keeps the effort where the move intends it.

The Common Thread Across All Three Do’s and Don’ts

Each Don’t in Mila’s post is a way of chasing height or reach at the cost of alignment. Each Do swaps that for a smaller, steadier version led by the center of the body. Members rotating through Pilates classes can use these Pilates Do’s and Don’ts as a quick self-check before the next set.

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