Supine Legs on Shoulders

Near end-range flexion. Earn it with the mobility work before attempting.

Lying on the back with the pelvis supported. The lowest-demand family — the surface carries body weight, so cost comes from hip range and the duration of held flexion rather than from load.

Difficulty 3 of 5

Muscle groups loaded

Hip flexors
Core
Adductors

Limiting capacity

Mobility limits this posture. Hip, adductor and thoracic range. Determines which positions are available and comfortable.

Train it · Open Hips Test your limiter

Intensity

What it costs, by role

Modelled intensity by role for Supine Legs on Shoulders
Role	METs	Band	Active-minute credit
Active role	5.2	Moderate	1×
Receiving role	4.3	Moderate	1×

Light is under 3.0 METs, moderate 3.0–5.9, vigorous 6.0 and above (CDC). A session averaging at or above the vigorous line has its minutes credited at 2× in the Active Minutes ledger.

Energy

Modelled kilocalories

Modelled energy cost for Supine Legs on Shoulders at 10, 20, 30 and 45 minutes for both reference bodies
Role · reference body	10 min	20 min	30 min	45 min
Active role · Male 82 kg	75	149	224	336
Active role · Female 68 kg	62	124	186	278
Receiving role · Male 82 kg	62	123	185	278
Receiving role · Female 68 kg	51	102	154	230

Estimates, not measurements

Every energy figure here is a modelled estimate, not a measurement. No study has measured cost position by position — the measured quantity is the session average (6.0 METs for men, 5.6 for women, Frappier 2013). These values distribute around that anchor by mechanical demand.

kcal = METs × 3.5 × bodyweight(kg) ÷ 200 × minutes (ACSM)

Values scale linearly with your own mass. If a position causes pain rather than effort, stop and see a clinician.

Mobility gate

Supine hip flexion to 110° with a flat lumbar spine.

Clear the gate before adding load or duration here. If range is the thing standing in the way, Open Hips is the block that builds it.

Prescribed preparation

01
Active straight-leg raise
Supine, one leg raised straight, lumbar flat. 3 x 10/side.
02
Dead bug
Lumbar flat, opposite arm and leg extend slowly. 3 x 8/side.
03
90/90 hip switch
Seated, rotate knees floor to floor under control. 3 x 8/side.
04
Eccentric release
Contract briefly, then lengthen over 6s. The half everyone skips. 3 x 10.
05
Zone 2 base
30–45 min conversational pace, 3–4x/week. The foundation under everything.

Cross-reference

Workouts that build this position · 17

Each of these loads the qualities this posture asks for. Equipment, modelled calories and the muscle groups worked are on every workout page.