Double Leg Stretch — Legs at 90: A Complete Guide
Quick Intro
Double Leg Stretch — Legs at 90 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 only to a 90-degree tabletop angle rather than reaching low toward the floor, before both arms and legs pull back in together. Keeping the legs at that shorter tabletop angle throughout is what makes this the easier way into Double Leg Stretch.
Equipment Needed
No equipment is required. A Yoga Mat underneath is an optional way to soften the floor beneath the shoulders and tailbone.
Why It Matters
Even a shorter tabletop extension asks the shoulders to circle through a full range while the abdominals hold the curled-up position, and bringing the arms and legs back in at the same moment takes coordinated control. The abdominal muscles running down the front of the stomach (rectus abdominis) hold the curled-up position throughout, and a deep core muscle that wraps around the torso like a corset (transverse abdominis) keeps the lower back from arching even at the shorter leg angle. The deep hip flexor (hip flexors, iliopsoas) controls the legs as they hold the tabletop position, a muscle along the side of the ribcage (serratus anterior) stabilizes the shoulder blades as the arms sweep out and back and a muscle at the back of the thigh (hamstrings, biceps femoris) stays lightly engaged even through the shorter leg extension.
When to Do It
Double Leg Stretch — Legs at 90 works well in the supine abdominal portion of a Pilates mat session, usually placed as the entry point before the legs are lowered to the full low extension. Two to three sessions a week is a reasonable pace for building this shorter-lever pattern.
Anyone with a current lower back issue should get individual guidance before adding this exercise, since even a shorter leg angle asks the lower back to resist a pull toward arching.
Getting Ready
A few rounds of simply curling up and holding the tabletop position confirm the starting shape feels stable before the arm circle is added. A slow, single arm circle with the legs held still previews the timing the full coordinated movement will need.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. The setup. Curl up, knees drawn to the chest, hands resting lightly on the shins.
2. The extension. Extend the arms overhead and the legs out to a 90-degree tabletop angle at the same time.
3. The circle. Circle the arms out to the sides and back around toward the knees.
4. The pull-in. Pull the knees back to the chest and the arms back around to complete the rep.
How Many, How Often
Double Leg Stretch — Legs at 90 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 the tabletop angle | 2 sets of 6 to 8 reps, with a smaller arm circle |
| Intermediate | The lower back stays flat through a full-sized circle | 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps |
| Advanced | Comfortable with a full circle and a steady curled-up hold | 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps |
The lower back staying flat on the mat matters more here than how wide the arm circle sweeps, since a bigger circle that lifts the spine off the floor trades core control for a bigger-looking movement.
Modifications and Variations
The step up from this version lowers the legs.
Compared to Double Leg Stretch, this version keeps the legs at a 90-degree tabletop angle, never lowering them toward the floor, which shortens the lever the abdominals have to control and reduces the overall load. Once the lower back can stay flat through a full set at this shorter angle, lowering the legs gradually toward Double Leg Stretch’s full low extension is the natural next step.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Letting the lower back lift even at the shorter leg angle. Allowing the spine to arch off the mat during the extension, even with the legs held relatively high, removes the deep core control this exercise is meant to build. Keeping the lower back pinned down, even if the legs come up slightly higher to allow it, keeps the abdominals in control of the movement.
Rushing through the extension with no pause at the peak. Snapping the arms and legs out and immediately pulling them back skips the brief moment that lets the tabletop position be controlled. A clear pause at full extension, even a short one, makes the rep count more.
Letting the arms and legs move on different timing. Extending one half of the body noticeably before the other breaks the simultaneous movement this exercise depends on. Both the arms and legs should extend outward and pull back in together, on the same count.
After Your Set
Hugging both knees into the chest and holding for a few slow breaths releases the lower back after a set built around repeated extensions. Stretching the hamstrings by extending one leg toward the ceiling, holding the back of the thigh, finishes easing out the muscles that stayed lightly engaged throughout.
Going Deeper
This exercise usually works well as a way to build the coordinated timing Double Leg Stretch needs, without the added load of a fully extended pair of legs testing that timing before it exists. The lower back tends to creep up off the mat as the arm circle gets more ambitious. Keeping the circle smaller until the lower back stays flat, even if that means less visible range, builds control faster than chasing a fuller-looking circle.
Someone new to this exercise generally manages a smaller arm circle with a stable tabletop hold within a few sessions, then works toward a fuller circle over two to three weeks.
How to Know You’re Improving
- A lower back that stays flat on the mat through the whole extension
- Arms and legs that extend and pull in on the same timing
- A pause at full extension that gets clearer
- An arm circle that grows wider while the lower back stays controlled
A lower back that never lifts off the mat matters more than how wide the arm circle gets.
Muscles Worked
- Rectus Abdominis (the abdominal muscles running down the front of the stomach, holding the curled-up position throughout)
- Transverse Abdominis (a deep core muscle that wraps around the torso like a corset, keeping the lower back from arching even at the shorter leg angle)
- Iliopsoas (the deep hip flexor, controlling the legs as they hold the tabletop position)
- Serratus Anterior (a muscle along the side of the ribcage, stabilizing the shoulder blades as the arms sweep out and back)
- Biceps Femoris (a muscle at the back of the thigh, staying lightly engaged even through the shorter leg extension)
FAQ
Why keep the legs at 90 degrees instead of lowering them? Holding the legs at a tabletop angle shortens the lever the abdominals have to control, which lowers the overall load and makes the coordinated arm-and-leg timing easier to learn before the full low extension is added.
When is it time to lower the legs further? When the lower back stays flat through a full set at 90 degrees, with no hint of arching anywhere in the circle, start lowering the legs gradually toward the full Double Leg Stretch.
Is some ab or hip flexor fatigue after this exercise normal? Yes, fatigue through the abdominals and hip flexors after several reps is expected. A pain that stays sharp and stays put in one spot on the lower back is a separate issue, best brought to a doctor or physical therapist.
Is staying at this leg angle for a while acceptable? Yes, staying at 90 degrees while the coordinated timing and lower-back control solidify is more valuable than lowering the legs before that control is in place.
How often should the 90-degree 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 shorter-lever pattern.
Related to Double Leg Stretch as the harder, full-range version to move to once the lower back stays flat through the tabletop angle.