How To: Get skinny legs through Pilates exercise

In this demonstration, Erin Huggins shows Pilates exercises that can be used to firm and tone legs. Start laying on our left side with your arm above your head and your head resting on your arm. Your legs should be straight. Start by pointing your right kneecap (top leg) to the ceiling. Then lift it straight up to a 90 degree angle. Flex your foot at the top of the move and keep it flexed when you drop the leg. A variation of the move is to keep your foot pointed and bend your knee as you pull your leg up into the 90 degree position. Always flex the foot at the top and as you are dropping it. The second exercise points the kneecap forward and flexes the foot. In this position draw circles with your leg pretending that the heel is the pencil. The third exercise bends the left (bottom) leg back and points the top leg forward (almost like a hurdler position). Lift the right leg up and down to about a 45 degree angle. The final exercise is to put both legs back straight, stretch them out and point toes and use the inner and outer thigh muscles to push and pull the legs toward one another. Repeat the same moves on your right side to work your left leg.