Double Leg Stretch — Extended Low: A Complete Guide
Quick Intro
Double Leg Stretch — Extended Low is a mat Pilates exercise performed curled up with the knees drawn to the chest, circling the arms out to the sides while the legs extend to a lower angle, closer to 30 degrees than the standard 45, before both arms and legs pull back in together. Dropping the legs to that lower angle is what makes this harder than Double Leg Stretch.
Equipment Needed
No equipment is required. A Yoga Mat underneath is an optional way to cushion the shoulders and tailbone against the floor.
Why It Matters
A lower leg angle lengthens the lever the abdominals must control, asking for more sustained effort than the standard 45-degree extension, and timing the arm-and-leg pull-in against that longer lever takes coordinated strength. The abdominal muscles running down the front of the stomach (rectus abdominis) control the pace of both the lower and the lift, and a deep core muscle that wraps around the torso like a corset (transverse abdominis) keeps the lower back from arching at the deeper extension. The deep hip flexor (hip flexors, iliopsoas) manages the longer lever through the lower angle, a muscle along the side of the ribcage (serratus anterior) stabilizes the shoulder blades as the arms sweep overhead and a muscle at the back of the thigh (hamstrings, biceps femoris) lengthens as the legs extend low.
When to Do It
Double Leg Stretch — Extended Low works well in the supine abdominal portion of a Pilates mat session, usually placed once the standard 45-degree version feels controlled and stable. Two to three sessions a week is a reasonable pace for building this deeper extension.
Anyone with a current lower back issue should get individual guidance before adding this exercise, since a lower leg angle places added demand on the deep core to keep the spine from arching.
Getting Ready
A few rounds of the standard-angle version warm up the abdominals before the lower extension is attempted. A single slow extension, stopping partway toward the lower angle, previews the load the full set will ask for.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. The setup. Curl the head and shoulders up, knees drawn toward the chest.
2. The extension. Extend the arms overhead and the legs out to a lower angle, closer to 30 degrees than 45.
3. The sweep. Sweep the arms out wide and back around, tracing a circle toward the knees.
4. The return. Draw the knees and the circling arms back in together to close out the rep.
How Many, How Often
Double Leg Stretch — Extended Low is dosed by reps, with each full extend-circle-and-pull-in sequence counting as one.
| Level | Where you’re at | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | New to keeping the lower back down at a lower leg angle | 2 sets of 4 to 5 reps, raising the leg height slightly if needed |
| Intermediate | The lower back stays flat at a consistently lower angle | 2 to 3 sets of 5 to 6 reps |
| Advanced | Comfortable with the full low extension and a steady core | 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps |
The lower back staying pinned to the mat matters more here than how low the legs extend, since raising the leg height the moment the back starts to lift does more for the core than chasing a lower angle.
Modifications and Variations
Compared to Double Leg Stretch, the easier version, this one extends the legs to a lower angle, closer to 30 degrees than 45, which lengthens the lever the abdominals must control against gravity. Someone who finds the lower angle difficult to control can raise the leg height back toward the standard 45 degrees and lower it gradually as strength builds.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Letting the lower back lift at the deeper extension. Allowing the spine to arch off the mat as the legs reach their lowest point removes the deep core control this exercise is meant to build. Raising the leg height the moment the back starts to lift keeps the abdominals in charge.
Chasing a lower leg angle before the core can control it. Dropping the legs further than the current strength allows, just to match the target angle, trades core control for a lower-looking extension. The back’s position, not the leg angle, should set the limit.
Letting one half of the body move ahead of the other. Sending the arms out first and letting the legs catch up, or the other way around, breaks the simultaneous reach the exercise is meant to train. Matching the arms and legs to the same timing on every rep keeps the movement coordinated.
After Your Set
Drawing both knees to the chest and holding for a few slow breaths settles the lower back after a set spent controlling a longer lever. Extending one leg toward the ceiling and holding behind the thigh finishes stretching the hamstring that reached low on every rep.
Going Deeper
This exercise usually works well as a test of deep core strength under a longer lever, since dropping the legs closer to the floor demands considerably more control than the standard 45-degree version. The legs often get pushed lower than the core can control, just to reach the target angle. Letting the back’s position set the floor of the extension, even if that means a higher leg angle for now, builds strength faster than forcing a lower reach with an arching spine.
Someone new to this exercise generally manages an angle closer to the standard 45 degrees within a few sessions, then works toward the full low extension over three to four weeks.
How to Know You’re Improving
- A lower back that stays flat through the deepest part of the extension
- Arms and legs that extend and pull in together, on the same timing
- A leg angle that lowers gradually as core control improves
- An extension that stays controlled at the lower angle
A lower back that never lifts off the mat matters more than how low the legs reach.
Muscles Worked
- Rectus Abdominis (the abdominal muscles running down the front of the stomach, controlling the pace of both the lower and the lift)
- Transverse Abdominis (a deep core muscle that wraps around the torso like a corset, keeping the lower back from arching at the deeper extension)
- Iliopsoas (the deep hip flexor, managing the longer lever through the lower angle)
- Serratus Anterior (a muscle along the side of the ribcage, stabilizing the shoulder blades as the arms sweep overhead)
- Biceps Femoris (a muscle at the back of the thigh, lengthening as the legs reach their lowest extension)
FAQ
Why extend the legs lower than 45 degrees? Dropping the legs closer to the floor lengthens the lever the abdominals have to control, which raises the strength and endurance demand considerably beyond the standard 45-degree extension.
When is it time to try the full low extension? When the lower back stays flat through a full set at a moderately lower angle, with no arching anywhere in the extension, work the legs down toward 30 degrees.
Is some ab or hip flexor fatigue after this exercise normal? Yes, fatigue through the abdominals and hip flexors after several low-angle reps is expected. Sharp pain that stays confined to one spot in the lower back is a separate matter and deserves a doctor or physical therapist’s input before training continues.
Is a higher leg angle acceptable when the full low angle feels like too much? Yes, raising the leg height back toward the standard 45 degrees and lowering it gradually as strength builds is a reasonable way to work toward the full version.
How often should the extended low version be practiced? Two to three times a week, as part of the supine abdominal portion of a broader mat session, is enough repetition to build this deeper extension.
Related to Double Leg Stretch as the easier version with the legs at the standard angle.