Leg Pull Back: A Complete Guide
Quick Intro
Leg Pull Back is a mat Pilates exercise performed sitting with the legs extended and the hands planted behind the hips, pressing up into a reverse plank with the hips lifted high, then kicking one leg upward on an exhale before lowering it back down. The torso staying in one rigid, unmoving line while a single leg kicks is what separates this from a simple hip lift.
Equipment Needed
No equipment is required. A Yoga Mat underneath is an optional comfort choice for cushioning the hands and heels against a hard floor.
Why It Matters
Kicking a straight leg high needs hamstring range, while holding the reverse plank steady through the kick takes sustained strength, a stable base and timing. The largest glute muscle (gluteus maximus) and a muscle at the back of the thigh (hamstrings, biceps femoris) hold the hips high on the supporting side, and the back of the upper arm (triceps brachii) supports the body’s weight through the planted hands. The lower back muscles (erector spinae) keep the spine in one straight line, and the main chest muscle (pectoralis major) helps stabilize the shoulders under the reverse-plank load.
When to Do It
Leg Pull Back works well in the plank-based portion of a Pilates mat session, usually placed once a standard plank hold already feels stable. Two to three sessions a week is a reasonable pace for building this reverse-plank control.
Anyone with a current wrist, shoulder or lower back issue should get individual guidance before adding this exercise, since supporting the full body weight on the hands in a reverse plank places demand on all three.
Getting Ready
Holding the reverse-plank setup for a few breaths without kicking yet confirms the hips can stay lifted and square before any leg movement is added. A few small, controlled kicks partway up preview the range the full exercise reaches for.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. The setup. Sit with legs extended, hands planted behind the hips with fingers pointing toward the feet.
2. The press. Press into the hands to lift the hips high into a reverse plank, body forming one straight line.
3. The kick. Exhale and kick one leg straight up, reaching for a position beyond vertical while the hips stay level and square.
4. The lower. Lower the leg back down with control and repeat before switching to the other side.
How Many, How Often
Leg Pull Back is dosed by reps, with each kick-and-lower counting as one.
| Level | Where you’re at | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | New to holding the reverse plank while kicking | 2 sets of 4 to 5 kicks per side, keeping the kick lower |
| Intermediate | The hips stay level and square through the kick | 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 8 kicks per side |
| Advanced | Comfortable with a full kick and a rock-steady plank | 3 sets of 8 to 10 kicks per side |
Hips that stay high and square throughout every kick matter more here than how far the leg travels, since sagging hips are the clearest sign the glutes and shoulders have stopped supporting the position.
Modifications and Variations
As an easier version, Leg Pull Back — Hold sustains the reverse-plank position without adding the leg kick, letting the shoulders and glutes build the strength the full version depends on.
As a harder version, Leg Pull Back — Toe Touch Forward adds a forward toe touch to each kick, asking the hip flexor and hamstring to work through an even longer range while the plank stays held.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Letting the hips sag or drop during the kick. Allowing the hips to lower even slightly as the leg lifts turns the exercise into a hip flexibility drill instead of a full-body control challenge. The hips need to stay as high and level through the kick as they were before it started.
Rushing the kick without controlling the lower. Snapping the leg up quickly and letting it drop back down skips the sustained control this exercise depends on. Both the kick and the lower should move with the same deliberate pace.
Letting the shoulders round forward under the load. Allowing the chest to collapse and the shoulders to hunch as fatigue sets in shifts weight away from the arms in a way that destabilizes the whole position. Keeping the chest open and the shoulder blades drawn down protects the base the kick works from.
After Your Set
Sitting back into a stretch with the hips toward the heels and the arms extended forward releases the shoulders and wrists after a set built around supporting weight through the hands. A standing or seated hamstring stretch on the kicking leg eases the back of the leg, which is stretched on every kick.
Going Deeper
This exercise usually works well as a full-body control challenge, since holding a reverse plank steady while one leg kicks high asks the shoulders, glutes and hamstrings to work at the same time. It’s tempting to let the hips dip slightly to make the kick feel higher and easier. Keeping the hips level, even if that means a smaller kick at first, builds strength faster than chasing height with sagging hips.
Someone comfortable with a standard plank hold typically manages the reverse-plank kick within a few sessions, then works toward a fuller kick with steady hips over two to three weeks.
How to Know You’re Improving
- Hips that stay level and high throughout every kick, not just before it starts
- A kick and lower that both move with the same controlled pace
- Shoulders that stay open under fatigue
- A kick height that grows while the reverse plank stays steady
Hips that never sag through the kick matter more than how high the leg travels.
Muscles Worked
- Gluteus Maximus (the largest glute muscle, holding the hips high in the reverse plank)
- Biceps Femoris (a muscle at the back of the thigh, helping the glutes keep the hips lifted)
- Triceps Brachii (the back of the upper arm, supporting the body’s weight through the planted hands)
- Erector Spinae (the lower back muscles, keeping the spine in one straight line)
- Pectoralis Major (the main chest muscle, stabilizing the shoulders under the reverse-plank load)
FAQ
Why does this exercise demand so much from the shoulders if it’s a leg kick? The kicking leg only works as hard as the reverse plank underneath it stays stable. Every kick tests the shoulders and glutes as much as the kicking leg, which makes this a full-body exercise.
Is a little shake in the hips normal during the harder reps? Yes, some shake through the hips and shoulders as fatigue builds late in a set is a normal sign of effort. A hip that visibly drops, not one that merely trembles, is the signal to end the set.
Is some shoulder or glute fatigue after this exercise normal? Yes, fatigue through the shoulders, triceps and glutes after several kicks per side is expected. Sharp pain anywhere in the wrists or lower back is a different matter, one worth easing off for and mentioning to a doctor or physical therapist if it continues.
Is a lower kick acceptable if the full range feels like too much? Yes, a lower kick height is a reasonable way to build the reverse-plank strength before reaching for a full range, though Leg Pull Back — Hold is the place to start if holding the position still feels demanding.
How often should Leg Pull Back be practiced? Two to three times a week, once a standard plank already feels stable, is enough repetition to build the strength this reverse-plank kick depends on.
Related to Leg Pull Back — Hold as the easier version that holds the reverse plank without kicking and Leg Pull Back — Toe Touch Forward as the harder version that adds a forward toe touch to each kick.