March Matness 2016: #doublelegkick

The Pilates Double Leg Kick is kind of like the One Leg Kick and Swan put together!  Just like in the One Leg Kick you are trying to stabilize your body and specifically your hips as you do 3 snap-kicks toward your buttocks.  Then lift into your swan with hands either clasped behind you or stretched long beside you.  When we look at the progression of the Pilates Mat exercises we can see how this exercise takes movements and concepts we’ve done previously and adds in coordination of those movements to make it a bit more challenging.

Here’s the basics of the exercise:

• Set up for the exercise by laying on your chest with your head turned to one side.  Overlap the palms and slide them up your back letting your elbows drape toward the floor.
• Stabilize your body by drawing your abdominals up and in and gently pressing your thighs and hips into the mat. (this should be some work!)
• On an exhale, do three controlled snap-kicks toward your buttocks maintaining your hips stable
• On your inhale you can either reach your arms beside your body or possibly grasp your hands together as you articulate away from the mat into a swan position.  If it feels OK on your low back you can lift the feet away from the floor (Otherwise you can just leave your feet on the mat)
• Exhale as you go to the 3 snap-kicks stabilizing your upper body to the mat
• Joseph Pilates suggests repeating 5 times in Return to Life.