The most basic alignment for legs isparallel, and hip-distance apart. This is a fundamental position for maintaining good posture and performing many exercises properly. InPilates and other fitness classes, you will often hear this position asked for when performing sitting, lying, and standing exercises.
Achieving Basic Leg and Hip Position
When fitness instructors say, "Legs parallel and hip-distance apart," what they want for their students to achieve is a good line from the hip all the way through the knee, ankle, and foot.
People display a variety of interpretations of "hip-distance apart" and apply "parallel" to some parts and not others. Let's break this position down so that you will know exactly how to align your legs.
Parallel Legs and Feet
In parallel position, your legs will be side by side with both knees and feet pointing forward. Both of your legs and feet should match all the way down.
Sometimes people will have their legs straight with knees facing forward, but their feet will point outward in different directions, so watch out for that. Your feet should be completely parallel in order to achieve proper alignment. This positioning helps to train your muscles so that you can stand and walk properly. Several of the best plantar fasciitis and bone spur relief products also aid with parallel knee and foot alignment.
Hip-Distance Apart
Knowing how to find the exact spacing of your legs and feet to achieve hip-distance apart can be a little tricky. People sometimes interpret the distance as the width of the flesh of their hips, on the outside of their body. That interpretation actually creates a stance that is too wide.
What you really want is a leg alignment that comes straight down out of the middle of the hip joint, and the hip joint is much closer to the midline of the body than most of us realize. The hip joint is deep inside the body—inside the crest of the hip bone. This means that your feet should be placed directly underneath the middle of your hip joint.
An Exercise for Proper Alignment
The following exercise will help you find the parallel, hip-distance apart alignment for your legs:
- Stand with your feet directly under you, a few inches apart. Point your toes and knees forward.
- Find the bony part of your hip bone that sticks out in front. Move your fingers an inch or two inside of that (this will depend a little on how much your hip bones flare open) and imagine a straight line drawn from there down through both knees, your ankles, and feet.
- Adjust your feet until you feel a place where the legs feel balanced, and you have a sense that your weight is falling directly down through your legs into the floor. Refine this position by shifting your weight slightly forward and back and side to side. Don't lock your knees, but let them be a little bit soft.
When you get into this position, you'll likely feel a sense of balance. Your feet will not be touching, but you also won't have a stance as wide as the flesh of your hips.
Using This Position During Exercise
Legs parallel, hip-distance apart is an excellent place to start finding your ideal leg alignment for exercise, and good posture in general. It is your basic, neutral leg and hip position, as well as a position where many exercise movements originate from.
From this position, you might shift into a wider stance that will give you a broader base of support for certain kinds of exercise, or you might go narrower, as is often the case in Pilates. But this neutral positioning is the place to come back to in order to maintain proper alignment and posture.
3 Sources
Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Ashtiani MN, Azghani MR, Parnianpour M. Initial balance in human standing postures: Roles of the joint mechanisms. Proc Inst Mech Eng H. 2018;232(12):1255-1260. doi:10.1177/0954411918811858
Bruijn SM, van Dieën JH. Control of human gait stability through foot placement.J R Soc Interface. 2018;15(143). doi:10.1098/rsif.2017.0816
See AlsoAverage waist size for womenAmerican Chiropractic Association. Maintaining good posture.
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By Marguerite Ogle MS, RYT
Marguerite Ogle is a freelance writer and experienced natural wellness and life coach, who has been teaching Pilates for more than 35 years.
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As an enthusiast and expert in fitness, particularly in the area of posture and alignment, I bring a wealth of knowledge derived from both practical experience and a deep understanding of the underlying anatomical principles. My expertise is not only grounded in personal exploration of various exercise modalities but also informed by scientific studies and reputable sources within the field.
Now, let's delve into the concepts presented in the article regarding the most basic alignment for legs – being parallel and hip-distance apart.
1. Parallel Legs and Feet: In the context of fitness, achieving parallel legs involves aligning your legs side by side with both knees and feet pointing forward. This creates a straight line from the hip through the knee, ankle, and foot. It's crucial to note that the parallel position requires not only straight knees and forward-facing knees but also parallel feet. Sometimes, individuals may mistakenly position their feet outward even when their knees are facing forward.
This alignment is essential for proper muscle training, aiding in standing and walking with correct posture. Additionally, it's highlighted that proper foot alignment is crucial for various health concerns, such as plantar fasciitis and bone spur relief.
2. Hip-Distance Apart: Understanding how to achieve hip-distance apart can be a bit nuanced. Rather than interpreting it as the width of the hips on the outside, the article emphasizes finding a leg alignment that descends directly beneath the middle of the hip joint. The hip joint is situated deep inside the body, within the crest of the hip bone. Placing the feet directly underneath this midpoint ensures the correct hip-distance apart alignment. This position is not as wide as many might assume based on the width of their hips.
3. Exercise for Proper Alignment: To help readers visualize and practice the recommended leg alignment, the article provides a simple exercise. By standing with feet directly under you, a few inches apart, and pointing toes and knees forward, you can locate the bony part of your hip bone. Imagining a straight line from this point through both knees, ankles, and feet guides the correct alignment. The article suggests refining this position by adjusting weight distribution slightly forward, back, and side to side, without locking the knees.
4. Using the Position During Exercise: The article emphasizes that the legs parallel, hip-distance apart position serves as a fundamental and neutral starting point for various exercises, especially in disciplines like Pilates. While different exercises may involve widening or narrowing the stance for specific purposes, returning to this neutral position is crucial for maintaining proper alignment and posture.
5. References: The article supports its information with three sources, including peer-reviewed studies, ensuring the reliability and accuracy of the content. These sources delve into aspects such as initial balance in standing postures, control of gait stability through foot placement, and the importance of maintaining good posture.
In summary, the article provides a comprehensive guide to achieving and understanding the basic leg alignment for maintaining good posture and performing exercises effectively. The combination of practical tips, visualizations, and scientific references enhances the credibility and reliability of the information presented.
