How many reps of the double leg stretch should you do when you are new to the exercise?

Six to eight full reps, coordinating the arm reach with the leg extension each time, is a solid starting set. Progress by extending the legs lower and the arms further back as the low back stays anchored, not by adding many more repetitions at a shorter range.

How do you make the double leg stretch easier or harder?

To make it easier, keep the knees bent at a higher angle and the arms reaching only overhead rather than fully back. To make it harder, extend the legs lower and hold the fully reached position for an extra beat before circling the arms back.

What is the double leg stretch for, and when should you hold off on it?

It progresses the stomach series by moving all four limbs away from center, training the abs as a strong anti-extension brace. It is a poor choice if the single leg stretch still causes the low back to lift off the mat, since that means the anti-extension control this move demands is not there yet.

Intermediate

Double Leg Stretch

Double Leg Stretch progresses the stomach series by moving all four limbs away from center at once. As the arms sweep overhead and the legs extend, the abdominals must fight to keep the spine from arching, making it a strong anti-extension drill. Maintaining the curl through the full reach is the whole point.

Equipment: Body Weight
Body part: Abs
Type: Pilates, Strength
Browse by muscle: Upper Rectus Abdominals, Lower Rectus Abdominals
Browse by movement: Core Brace

How to do it

1
Lie supine, hug both knees to the chest, and curl the head and shoulders off the mat.
2
Inhale and reach the arms back by the ears while the legs extend long to a controllable angle.
3
Keep the lower back anchored and the chest lifted as the body forms one long line of tension.
4
Exhale, circle the arms out and around, and draw the knees back into the chest.
5
Reconnect the hands to the shins in the tucked position to complete one rep.
6
Repeat with control, matching the breath to the reach and the return.

Tips

Extend the legs higher if the lower back lifts, and lower them only as you gain control.
Reach the arms and legs as one coordinated stretch rather than two separate motions.
Keep the ribs drawn down so the reach does not turn into a back arch.

Variations

Common mistakes

The arms and legs reach out on separate counts instead of together, breaking the one long line of tension the stretch is meant to create.
The circle of the arms on the way back gets small and close to the body instead of a full sweep, cutting short the shoulder mobility part of the move.
The head and shoulders sink back down toward the mat during the reach, losing the curl the rest of the exercise builds on.
Rushing the exhale to match a fast return of the knees skips the controlled pace the whole circle-and-draw depends on.
The hands grab and yank the shins at the finish instead of landing lightly, adding a jerk right at the end of each rep.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the double leg stretch should you do when you are new to the exercise?: Six to eight full reps, coordinating the arm reach with the leg extension each time, is a solid starting set. Progress by extending the legs lower and the arms further back as the low back stays anchored, not by adding many more repetitions at a shorter range.
How do you make the double leg stretch easier or harder?: To make it easier, keep the knees bent at a higher angle and the arms reaching only overhead rather than fully back. To make it harder, extend the legs lower and hold the fully reached position for an extra beat before circling the arms back.
What is the double leg stretch for, and when should you hold off on it?: It progresses the stomach series by moving all four limbs away from center, training the abs as a strong anti-extension brace. It is a poor choice if the single leg stretch still causes the low back to lift off the mat, since that means the anti-extension control this move demands is not there yet.

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