Double Leg Stretch | Illustrated Exercise Guide

Primary muscles: Abs
Secondary muscles: Core, hip flexors, quads
Equipment: No equipment

DOUBLE LEG STRETCH INSTRUCTIONS

1. Lie on the mat with your legs bent, feet off the floor and grab both knees.
2. Lift the shoulders off the floor, extend your arms toward the ears and simultaneously extend both legs to a 45-degree angle off the floor.
3. Then bend the knees and hug the chins toward your chest.
4. Extend your arms and legs and repeat until the set is complete.

PROPER FORM AND BREATHING PATTERN

Keep your lower back pressed against the floor, engage the core and back muscles, relax your head and neck and keep your shoulders away from the ears. Inhale deeply as you extend your arms and legs, and exhale as you hug the chins toward the chest.

EXERCISE BENEFITS

The double leg stretch is a great exercise for working the core and improve your abdominal strength and endurance. This pilates move also helps to build strength in your torso and improves flexibility, coordination, and stability.

DEMONSTRATION

SETS AND REPS

Repeat the exercise for 30 seconds to 1 minute or do 6 to 12 repetitions. For a quick series of pilates ab exercises, pair the double leg stretch with the pilates hundred, the roll over, and the single leg stretch.

CALORIES BURNED

To calculate the number of calories burned doing the pilates double leg stretch, enter your weight and the duration of the exercise:

RELATED CORE EXERCISES

Try these other core exercises to tighten, sculpt and strengthen your abs, obliques, lats and lower back:
Open leg rocker
Pilates hundred
Roll over
Rolling like a ball