Exercise #1430

Double Leg Stretch

1 min - Exercise

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Description

Muscle Focus: Abdominals.

Objective: Strengthen abdominals and stabilization of Powerhouse.

Start Position: Curl your head and shoulders off the Mat, bring both knees into your chest, and place one hand on each shin.

Movement: Inhale as you reach yours arms and legs out in opposite directions on a diagonal. Keep arms shoulder distance apart and legs together with neck and shoulders lifted off the Mat throughout the exercise. Circle the arms around as you exhale, drawing the knees into your chest and catching onto your shins to return to start position.

Precautions: The shoulders stay lifted off the Mat throughout the exercise, and the back and pelvis stay flat and stable into the Mat. Keep the arms level with each other and shoulder-width as they extend out.

What You'll Need: Mat

About This Video

Intermediate

Deliberate Pace

Jan 01, 2011

Pilates Conservatory®

Technique

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Transcript

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We're taking a look at the Double Leg Stretch right now. The purpose of this exercise, once again, is abdominal strength and stabilizing that upper body flexed position. So your setup first, is lying nice and stretched out on the mat. Taking a breath in through your nose, getting into the shape, I want you to lift your head and your shoulders up. And pull your knees into your chest.

Hands on your shins and you can pull in. So two actions are going to happen at the same time here. Your legs will extend in front of you, your arms behind you. And the arms should be shoulder width apart and level, height wise. So one arm not being higher than the other.

Alright. That's an inhale. So you really stretch as you exhale, circle your arms around, hold your shins and squeeze. Stomach strength. Let's go again.

Slowly stretch, and exhale slowly squeeze. And Kristi's doing an excellent job of maintaining that forward flex position. Pelvis is stable, but she's getting the end range, those stretches. You may not get that right away, but eventually, you want to be really working to get that full extension. Maybe two or three more, Kristi.

Squeeze. Inhale long. Arms are staying level and shoulder width apart. And last one. Squeeze all the air out.

And you can lay your head back and rest. And we just finished the Double Leg Stretch.