7 Pilates Leg Exercises For Lean, Beautiful Legs

Little doubt about it: Pilates workout routines supply unimaginable advantages for the core. However in terms of the greatest leg workout routines, Pilates may present a serious increase, in response to Andrea Rogers, founding father of Xtend Barre and XB Pilates. Better of all, the follow makes use of compound strikes, so that you’ll really feel these Pilates “leg” workout routines working different areas of your physique, too.

Pilates will help enhance posture, raise your rear, and construct energy from head to toe, she says. “Even whenever you’re doing strikes which can be centered on the decrease physique, you’re constructing energy, mobility, and performance within the physique as an entire.”

Listed here are seven of her favourite Pilates leg workout routines. At residence, work your method by these strikes if you happen to’re contemplating giving the XB Pilates program a attempt.

Interact your core on this one, and it’ll make your legs hearth up extra, Rogers says.

• Lie in your left aspect along with your shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles in a single straight line. Relaxation your left forearm on the ground and use the energy of your arm to maintain your torso lifted off the ground. (If you happen to really feel unstable, bend the knee of your decrease leg barely, for extra of an anchor.)
• Interact your abs, then slowly raise your prime leg as you inhale (attempt to not go previous a 45-degree angle). Preserve your foot going through ahead so you don’t externally rotate as you raise it.
• Exhale as you decrease your leg.
• Repeat for 10 to fifteen reps, then swap sides, and carry out the identical variety of reps.

2. First Place Leg Lifts

This barre-inspired transfer works your adductor muscular tissues on the inside thighs, and this place additionally helps recruit your glutes and core, Rogers says.

• Stand along with your heels collectively, toes identified, and place your palms in your hips or on an elevated floor like a barre or excessive chair.
• Attain your proper leg straight out in entrance of you, nonetheless pointing your toes so that they’re evenly resting on the ground.
• Preserving your core tight and your left leg engaged, raise your proper leg up as excessive as doable, then decrease it slowly again right down to faucet your toes on the bottom.
• Repeat and do 10 to fifteen reps on either side.

3. Pilates Leg Kick

The Pilates leg kick creates energy in your again whereas participating your hamstrings, says Rogers. You’ll even be coaching your core to have interaction because it’s pressed in opposition to the mat.

• Lie in a susceptible place (belly-down) on a mat. Flip your head to at least one aspect and interlace your fingers behind your decrease again. Alternatively, you possibly can raise your torso up and relaxation your forearms on the mat, along with your palms immediately beneath your shoulders and your fists pressed collectively.
• Draw your bellybutton into your backbone, press your pelvis into the mat, and hold your legs and toes parallel.
• From this place, inhale as you level your toes and bend your knees to a 90-degree angle.
• Kick your heels towards your glutes 3 times, forcefully exhaling with every pulse. Inhale as you decrease your legs right down to the mat.
• Repeat for 10 to fifteen reps.

4. Standing Pulse

This can be a transfer present in each Pilates and barre lessons, and it will possibly assist with stability, says Rogers.

• Stand along with your toes and legs collectively along with your knees mushy and never locked out. You’ll be able to have a chair or barre in entrance of you for stability, along with your palms resting on it gently.
• Bend your knees as if you happen to’re about to take a seat in a chair, protecting your pelvis degree and your backbone impartial.
• Raise your heels and press into the balls of your toes.
• Preserving your heels lifted, pulse your physique down an inch and again up for 30 seconds.
• Relaxation, then repeat two to a few occasions.

5. Double Leg Lifts

Though double leg lifts are a big-time core burner, additionally they work your legs, says Rogers. Deal with participating your quads and hamstrings all through the motion.

• Lie in your again and prolong your legs as much as the ceiling along with your toes pointed and heels collectively. Place your palms behind your head and hold your elbows large. Interact your abs to press your decrease again into the ground. Raise your chest as much as deliver your shoulders off the ground.
• Inhale and decrease your legs down with management. Solely decrease your legs so far as you’re in a position to with out letting your decrease again raise off the ground, or your stomach popping up. Keep away from straining your neck; the curl of your higher physique ought to come extra out of your abs and never from jutting your head ahead.
• When you’ve reached your finish vary of movement, exhale and raise your legs again to beginning place with management. Repeat for all reps within the set. Begin with 10 to fifteen reps.

6. Single-Leg Circle

Transfer slowly by this sequence to actually concentrate on constructing leg energy, Rogers says.

• Lie flat in your again along with your arms prolonged lengthy by your sides.
• Draw your proper knee into your chest and provides it a stretch, then prolong your proper leg straight towards the ceiling along with your toes pointed. (If you happen to really feel an excessive amount of of a stretch, gently bend the knee.)
• Preserving your hips secure, your leg straight, and your again flat on the ground, drop your proper leg towards the left aspect of your physique. Sweep your proper leg down towards your left leg, out to the fitting aspect, after which again as much as the beginning place, as if you happen to’re drawing a circle within the air along with your toe.
• Full 8 reps after which reverse instructions.
• Repeat with the opposite leg, and full the identical variety of reps with the opposite leg.

7. Scissor Kicks



With scissor kicks, similar to the double leg lifts, take note of participating your leg muscular tissues relatively than asking your core to do all of the work, Rogers suggests.

• Lie in your again along with your arms by your sides.
• Raise each legs off the bottom a couple of inches and separate them right into a slight “V” form. Interact your core, and press your decrease again into the ground (hold urgent it down all through the train).
• Preserving your legs straight, deliver your legs collectively, crossing your proper leg over your left.
• Return to the “V” form and repeat on the opposite aspect, bringing your legs collectively and crossing your left leg over your proper.
• Proceed alternating till you’ve accomplished all reps. Begin with 10 to fifteen reps.

Loving these Pilates strikes and in search of extra? Try XB Pilates for sequences that can provide help to tone up with out bulking up, raise your booty, and sculpt an exquisite physique.