The double leg stretch is a Pilates mat exercise where you lie on your back with head lifted, simultaneously extending both arms overhead and both legs forward, then circling them back to a tucked position. It builds core endurance, control, and coordination through dynamic limb movement.
Muscle Group
Abs, Core
Equipment Required
Bodyweight
Type
Flexibility
Equipment
Band
Difficulty
Intermediate
Key Benefits
- Builds core endurance and control
- Develops limb coordination with stable trunk
- Trains the core to resist arching under load
- Foundational Pilates mat exercise
- No equipment needed
- Builds dynamic ab strength
How to perform
- Lie on your back. Curl your head and shoulders up. Hug your knees to your chest.
- Brace your core. Press your lower back into the floor.
- Inhale and simultaneously extend your arms overhead and your legs straight out at a 45-degree angle from the floor.
- Hold the extended position briefly. Keep your shoulders curled up off the floor.
- Exhale and circle your arms around to the sides, returning your hands to your knees as you bend your knees back to your chest.
- Continue for 5 to 10 reps with smooth, coordinated motion.
- Keep your lower back pressed into the floor. If it lifts, raise the leg angle higher.
- Move with control — this is about quality, not speed.
FRONT VIEW
BACK VIEW
Abs
Primary
Shoulder
Primary
Hip Flexors
Primary
Quadriceps
Primary