Double Leg Kick — Hands on Lower Back: A Complete Guide
Quick Intro
Double Leg Kick — Hands on Lower Back is a mat Pilates exercise performed lying face down, kicking both heels toward the glutes three times before lifting the chest with the hands resting on the lower back. Removing the shoulder-and-arm reach is what makes this the easier way into Double Leg Kick.
Equipment Needed
No equipment is required. A Yoga Mat underneath is an optional way to cushion the hips and chest against a hard floor.
Why It Matters
Even without the arm reach the kicks and lift demand back flexibility, and timing the kicks against the chest lift takes coordinated control. A muscle at the back of the thigh (hamstrings, biceps femoris) drives the heel-to-glute kicks, and the lower back muscles (erector spinae) power the chest lift and extension. The largest glute muscle (gluteus maximus) helps anchor the legs in place, and the main chest muscle (pectoralis major) stabilizes the shoulders through the lift. The rear of the shoulder (deltoid, posterior) keeps the hands lightly connected to the back, and the muscles between the shoulder blades (rhomboids) support the shoulders without the added pull of the full reach.
When to Do It
Double Leg Kick — Hands on Lower Back works well in the prone portion of a Pilates mat session, usually placed as the entry point before the hands clasp and pull away. Two to three sessions a week is a reasonable pace for building this simpler pattern.
Anyone with a current lower back issue should get individual guidance before adding this exercise, since the kicking and lifting pattern places ongoing demand on the lumbar spine.
Getting Ready
A few rounds of a simpler back extension, hands resting on the lower back the whole time, warm up the spinal extensors before the kicking pattern is added. A few slow, deliberate heel-to-glute taps preview the kick the full set will use.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. The setup. Lie face down with the head turned to one side and the hands resting lightly on the lower back.
2. The kicks. Tap both heels toward the glutes three times, one right after the other.
3. The lift. Straighten the legs and lift the chest as the kicks finish, keeping the hands in gentle contact with the back.
4. The lower. Lower the chest with control and turn the head to the other side before the next rep.
How Many, How Often
Double Leg Kick — Hands on Lower Back is dosed by reps, with each set of three kicks plus one chest lift counting as one.
| Level | Where you’re at | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | New to lifting the chest with control | 2 sets of 5 to 6 reps, with a smaller lift |
| Intermediate | The chest lifts with a steady, controlled pace | 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps |
| Advanced | Comfortable with a fuller lift and a steady rhythm | 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps |
The hands staying lightly connected to the back matters more here than how high the chest lifts, since pressing hard into the back to help push the chest up trades back-extensor work for arm assistance.
Modifications and Variations
The step up from this version clasps the hands and reaches them back.
Compared to Double Leg Kick, this version rests the hands lightly on the lower back, which reduces the shoulder and upper-back extension demand of the full reach while keeping the kick and chest-lift pattern. Once the chest lift and kicks feel controlled with the hands resting still, clasping them behind the back for the full reach is the natural next step.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Pressing the hands hard into the back to help lift the chest. Using the hands as a lever to push the chest higher shifts work away from the back extensors the exercise is meant to train. The hands should give feedback, not force.
Letting the kicks turn into a loose, uncontrolled flick. Bouncing the heels toward the glutes without intent behind each tap reduces the hamstring work the three taps are meant to provide. A deliberate tap, even a quick one, keeps the hamstrings involved.
Turning the head the same direction on every rep. Skipping the side switch leaves one side of the neck working harder than the other over time. Rotating the head to a different side with each rep keeps the demand even.
After Your Set
Sitting back into a child’s-pose-style stretch, hips toward the heels and arms resting forward, releases the lower back after a set built around repeated extension. A slow neck rotation in each direction finishes easing out any tension from the alternating head turns.
Going Deeper
This exercise usually works well as a way to build the back-extensor strength the full-reach version needs, without the added shoulder stretch of clasped, pulled-away hands testing that strength before it exists. The hands tend to start pressing into the back to assist the lift once the back extensors start to fatigue. Keeping the hands’ contact light throughout, even if that means a smaller lift, builds strength faster than letting the arms take over.
Someone new to this exercise generally manages a smaller chest lift within a few sessions, then works toward a fuller lift with hands still resting lightly over two to three weeks.
How to Know You’re Improving
- Hands that stay light on the back
- Kicks that stay deliberate, never a loose bounce
- A head direction that alternates consistently each rep
- A chest lift that grows while the hands stay passive
Hands that never press hard to assist matter more than how high the chest lifts.
Muscles Worked
- Biceps Femoris (a muscle at the back of the thigh, driving the three heel-to-glute taps)
- Erector Spinae (the lower back muscles, powering the chest lift and extension)
- Gluteus Maximus (the largest glute muscle, helping anchor the legs in place)
- Pectoralis Major (the main chest muscle, stabilizing the shoulders through the lift)
- Posterior Deltoid (the rear of the shoulder, keeping the hands lightly connected to the back)
- Rhomboids (the muscles between the shoulder blades, supporting the shoulders without the added pull of the full reach)
FAQ
Why does this version rest the hands on the back? Resting the hands lightly on the lower back removes the shoulder and thoracic stretch of the full reach, which lets the kicking and chest-lift pattern be learned before that added flexibility demand is introduced.
When is it time to clasp the hands and reach? When the chest lifts at a steady, controlled pace and the hands stay light on the back, start clasping the hands and reaching them away as in the full Double Leg Kick.
Is some lower back or glute fatigue after this exercise normal? Yes, fatigue through the lower back and glutes after several reps is expected. Sharp pain that stays fixed in the lumbar spine is a separate signal, best brought to a doctor or physical therapist if it lingers.
Does the head need to turn a different way on each rep? Yes, switching the head direction each rep keeps both sides of the neck working evenly, so no single side carries all the turning.
How often should the hands-on-back version be practiced? Two to three times a week, as part of the prone portion of a broader mat session, is enough repetition to build this simpler pattern.
Related to Double Leg Kick as the harder version with the clasped-hand reach.