Double Leg Kick — Slow Extension: A Complete Guide
Quick Intro
Double Leg Kick — Slow Extension is a mat Pilates exercise performed lying face down, kicking both heels toward the glutes three times before slowly extending the clasped hands away from the back over a full four-count reach, rather than a quick pull, while the legs straighten fully behind the body. Stretching the extension out to four full counts is what makes this harder than Double Leg Kick.
Equipment Needed
No equipment is required. A Yoga Mat underneath is an optional way to take the edge off a hard floor beneath the hips and chest.
Why It Matters
Sustaining the extended reach for a full four-count asks the back extensors and rear shoulder muscles to hold tension far longer than a quick pull away from the back would. A muscle at the back of the thigh (hamstrings, biceps femoris) drives the heel-to-glute kicks, and the lower back muscles (erector spinae) hold the sustained extension through the slow count. The largest glute muscle (gluteus maximus) helps anchor the legs in place, and the main chest muscle (pectoralis major) opens gradually as the clasped hands pull away. The rear of the shoulder (deltoid, posterior) sustains the reach through the full four counts, and the muscles between the shoulder blades (rhomboids) hold the arms drawn back and up throughout.
When to Do It
Double Leg Kick — Slow Extension works well in the prone portion of a Pilates mat session, usually placed once the standard tempo version feels comfortable and controlled. Two to three sessions a week is a reasonable pace for building this sustained reach.
Anyone with a current lower back or shoulder issue should get individual guidance before adding this exercise, since sustaining an extended reach for a full count adds ongoing demand to both.
Getting Ready
A few rounds of the regular-tempo version warm up the back extensors and rear shoulders before the slower extension is added. A single slow reach, counted out loud, previews the pace the full set will ask for.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. The setup. Lie face down, hands clasped behind the back, chest lifted slightly.
2. The kicks. Kick both heels toward the glutes three times in quick succession.
3. The slow extension. Extend the clasped hands away from the back over a full four-count, legs straightening fully behind.
4. The return. Bring the hands and legs back to the starting position with control before the next rep begins.
How Many, How Often
Double Leg Kick — Slow Extension is dosed by reps, with each set of three kicks plus one slow extension counting as one.
| Level | Where you’re at | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | New to holding the reach through a slow count | 2 sets of 4 to 5 reps, counting to only two or three |
| Intermediate | The reach holds steady through a full four-count | 2 to 3 sets of 5 to 6 reps |
| Advanced | Comfortable sustaining the reach with a lifted chest | 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps |
The four-count staying even from start to finish matters more here than how far the arms reach, since rushing the back half of the count to finish the rep trades sustained tension for a faster-looking extension.
Modifications and Variations
Compared to Double Leg Kick, the easier version, this one stretches the arm-and-leg extension out to a full four-count reach, which asks more endurance and flexibility of the back extensors and rear shoulders. Someone who finds the full count difficult to sustain can start with a two-count reach and build the timing up gradually from there.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Rushing the back half of the four-count. Slowing down for the first two counts and then speeding through the rest to finish the rep skips the sustained tension this exercise is built around. An even pace through all four counts is what makes the rep count.
Letting the chest drop as the extension continues. Allowing the lifted chest to sink partway through the slow reach shifts the work away from the back extensors that are supposed to hold the position. Keeping the chest lifted at the same height throughout the count protects the value of the extension.
Pulling the arms away too forcefully to reach further. Yanking the clasped hands back to gain a bigger stretch trades back-extensor work for momentum. A slow, even pull keeps the muscles between the shoulder blades doing the work they’re meant to.
After Your Set
Resting back with the hips toward the heels and the arms stretched forward on the mat unwinds the spine after a set spent holding an extended reach. A gentle cross-body shoulder stretch on each arm finishes releasing the rear shoulders that sustained the slow four-count.
Going Deeper
This exercise usually works well as a test of back-extensor endurance, since holding the extended reach for a full four-count asks the muscles between the shoulder blades and the lower back to work far longer per rep than the standard tempo demands. The chest tends to drop during the slower counts as those muscles fatigue. Keeping the chest lifted at a consistent height through the whole count, even if that means fewer total reps, builds endurance faster than rushing through a faster-feeling set.
Someone new to this exercise generally manages a shorter two-count reach within a few sessions, then works toward the full four-count extension over two to three weeks.
How to Know You’re Improving
- A four-count reach that stays even in pace from start to finish
- A chest that stays lifted at the same height through the whole extension
- Clasped hands that pull back with control
- A reach that extends further while the four-count timing stays steady
A chest that never drops through the slow count matters more than how far the arms reach.
Muscles Worked
- Biceps Femoris (a muscle at the back of the thigh, driving the three heel-to-glute kicks)
- Erector Spinae (the lower back muscles, holding the sustained extension through the slow count)
- Gluteus Maximus (the largest glute muscle, helping anchor the legs in place)
- Pectoralis Major (the main chest muscle, opening gradually as the clasped hands pull away)
- Posterior Deltoid (the rear of the shoulder, sustaining the reach through the full four counts)
- Rhomboids (the muscles between the shoulder blades, holding the arms drawn back and up throughout)
FAQ
Why slow the extension down to a full four-count? Stretching the reach out over four counts sustains the tension on the back extensors and rear shoulders far longer than a quick pull would, which is what makes this version more demanding than the standard tempo.
Is it normal for the back to tire sooner here than in the regular version? Yes, extra fatigue through the back extensors after a slow four-count is common, since they’re working under tension for considerably longer per rep. Keeping the chest lifted evenly through the count, even at a lower height, protects the value of the slower pace.
Is some upper back or shoulder fatigue after this exercise normal? Yes, fatigue through the muscles between the shoulder blades and the rear shoulders after a full set is expected. A pain that stays sharp and confined to one spot in the lower back is different and worth a doctor or physical therapist’s input.
Is a shorter count acceptable if the full four-count feels like too much? Yes, starting with a two-count reach and building toward the full four counts over several sessions is a reasonable way to work up to this version.
How often should the slow extension 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 sustained reach.
Related to Double Leg Kick as the easier version with a quicker extension.