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Pilates on the Mat

Double Straight Leg Stretch

Starting Position

Begin to lie on your back with your hands behind your head and your legs extended and lifted directly over your hips, perpendicular to the floor (heels are touching).
Flex your toes toward you, turn your feet out slightly (in pilates stance position), and curl the chin and upper body up off the mat, looking between your thighs. The tips of the shoulder blades touch the mat.

Workout

Inhale while lowering slowly your legs toward the floor at a 45 degree angle (don't arch your back).
Exhale while lifting slowly the legs back up.
Try to keep both legs straight.
Begin with few repetitions, and work up to 10 repetitions.

Tips

Modifications for this exercise include leaving the head down, bending the knees slightly, and increasing or decreasing the range of motion of the legs' movement.

The lower the legs, the harder the abdominals have to work to maintain alignment.
If you choose to increase difficulty, you must be able to use your abdominals to keep your lower back from popping up off the mat.

Try to get a nice smooth and slow rhythm going with the breath and the movement of the legs.

Benefits

Works the abdominal muscles.

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