Single Straight Leg Stretch
- Beginner
- Pilates
- Home
The single straight leg stretch has you lying on your back with shoulders lifted, holding one straight leg with both hands while the other hovers off the floor. Pulling the raised leg toward you with a double pulse stretches the hamstrings while the quads and abs hold the other leg steady. Beginners use it at home or in a circuit, for reps as a warmup, main set, finisher or cooldown.
- Muscles
- Abs, Quads, Hamstrings
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Logged as
- Reps
How to
- Lie on your back, shoulders lifted, one leg extended up.
- Hold the raised leg with both hands, other leg hovering.
- Pull the top leg gently toward you with a double pulse.
- Switch legs in a smooth scissor rhythm.
Form cues
- Exhale on each pulse as you pull the leg.
- Keep your hovering leg still at a low angle.
- Feel the pull along the back of your raised thigh.
Common mistakes
- Your hovering leg drops toward the floor. Hold the lower leg still at a steady height.
- Your shoulders drop back onto the mat. Keep your shoulders lifted throughout the stretch.
- Your hips rock with each pull. Keep your hips still and pull from your arms.
Wellboy is a wellness and fitness app, not a healthcare service, and it does not provide medical advice. Talk to a doctor or another healthcare professional before starting a new exercise or diet routine if you have a medical condition, an injury, are pregnant, or have symptoms.
Log it in Wellboy
Build workouts with this movement, log your sets and watch your progress.
App StoreGoogle PlayComing soon