by Clarissa Hartley

Transform the look of your legs and enhance your all-round image with this concise yet effective 10-minute Pilates workout. Perfect posture and the right exercises can give an impression of longer, trimmer legs, and shapelier hips and thighs. Forget about bulking up, these exercises employ your body weight alone to firm and shape your muscles. Consistently performed, they work on both the smaller and larger muscle groups and have a beneficial effect on your buttocks and outer hips. The key? ‘Lengthen and lift’ rather than simply ‘lift’. Ready to feel the difference?

The 10-Minute Leg-Sculpting Pilates Workout

This fitness regimen is designed to tone your buttocks, outer hips and engage your inner thighs with each clench, lift, and pull:

Ensure you warm up before starting and cool down once you’re finished for the best results.

1. The Scooter – 15 reps each side

Benefits: Enhances leg, hip and buttock strength, boosts balance and core strength, and tones thighs.

Follow these steps and tips for optimal results:

• Stand feet-hip-width apart, knees bent, back straight, abs pulled in.
• Transfer your weight to right leg, lightly resting the left toe on the ground.
• Inhale and get ready. Exhale and extend your left leg straight behind you. Inhale again and return to start.
• Keep the knee of your standing leg stable as you perform the exercise.

2. Plié Squat – 15 reps

Benefits: Lifts and shapes your rear while working your inner thighs.

• Stand with feet apart, toes pointed out, hands on hips. Maintain a straight back throughout.
• Inhale and bend your knees over your toes. Exhale and squeeze your glutes as you return to standing.
• For added challenge, lift your heels up and down 10 times in the squat position.

3. Side Leg Lift – Three sets of 10 reps on each side

Benefit: Strengthens and defines your outer hips and derrière.

• Lie on your right side, rest your head on your outstretched arm, bend the bottom leg, and slightly raise the top leg.
• Exhale to lift the top leg, keeping your foot parallel to the floor. Inhale to lower it. Repeat 10 times.
• Perform the exercise again but with the top leg turned inwards and your toes pointing to the floor. Then repeat with your leg turned outward and your toes pointing to the ceiling.

4. Side Leg Circle – 10 reps in each direction on both sides

Benefits: Strengthens and sculpts your outer hips and bottom

• Remain on your right side. Instead of lifting the top leg, extend it and circle it 10 times in each direction.

5. Side Kick – 12 reps on each side

Benefits: Enhances and sculpts your outer hips and bottom

• Remain on your right side. Lift your top leg off the floor, inhale and flex your foot as you sweep it forward. Exhale and point your toe as you sweep it backwards as though you’re moving it along a low coffee table’s surface.
• Complete the exercise series on your left side as well.

Perform these exercises in sequence for the full impact of this Pilates workout for your legs and hips. Embracing Pilates as part of your regular fitness routine can truly transform your physical self-image over time.

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