Single Leg Kicks
The fear around performing back extension exercises such as Single Leg Kicks is real.
The pain from compressing the lower back joints is real. If you struggle with doing or teaching this exercise, here is the step-by-step solution for the pain-free experience.
I remember my early Pilates days. Back extension exercises were hard to perform until I learned and understood in my body how to keep my pelvis aligned with my spine 😊
Whether you are performing exercises lying on your back or on your stomach, the same rules apply:
Support your lower back by activating your lower abs.
However, in a prone position (on your stomach) you must be extra careful to not to compress your lower back joints.
Learning how to organize the pelvis first changes the experience of many back extension exercises — not just this one.
You may not notice when your pelvis and lower back move out of alignment during Single Leg Kicks, but repeating this misalignment for months or years can eventually lead to discomfort or strain.
In my signature course, "What Pilates Is: The Essential Skills," I teach you how to recognize when this happens and develop the muscular strength and control that you need to control it.
Pelvis Stability During Single Leg Kicks Is More Than "Good Technique."
You all know that correct form exists at the root of every Pilates exercise—or that it definitely should.
Otherwise you can quickly turn an exercise like Single Leg Kicks into a really bad experience by allowing the low back joints to compress….
Stabilize the pelvis to stabilize the lower back while kicking and you will get rid of that nagging hip flexors tightness too.
If you are an athlete, or just have tight hip flexors, this one is for you.
All the Pilates exercises where you are lying on your stomach with your upper back lifted and have one or both of your legs lifting will improve your hip mobility.
How?
It is a perfect setting for elongating and stretching your hip flexors.
And remember: press the tip of the pubic bone towards the mat to activate your abdominals—and even the glutes. Only then can the hip flexors be properly addressed.
If you feel Single Leg Kicks in your lower back, stop.
The problem isn’t the kick.
It’s the pelvis.
When the lumbar spine is overarched, the lower back takes the strain.
Instead:
Drop the tip of the pubic bone toward the mat.
Engage the lower abdominals.
Reduce the arch.
Now when you bend your knee to kick, the pelvis stays stable.
The abs and glutes protect the spine.
Extension work should strengthen the back — not irritate it.
Recognizing why this happens, and knowing how to stabilize the pelvis helps you keep the lower back decompressed while bending the knee. I teach this skill in my signature course,
What Pilates Is: The Essential Skills.