Thin thighs and sexy calves ? long sculpted legs will never go out of fashion. Lucky for us that the Pilates method offers all the tools and techniques to elongate and tone your legs for the best possible version of ourselves.

The Pilates method, similar to dance training, incorporates specific concepts of ?how? to do the movements in order to maximize the desired effect. It is a science and an art.

Given that the application of the scientific and artistic concepts are crucial to achieving our outcomes, here are four major ways in which the Pilates Method works that is perfect for developing the long, lean legs you want.

1. You work from your ?centre?

2. You work the small muscles

3. You work on specialized apparatus

4. You work with specific repertoire

Firstly, the Pilates method focus on working from your centre means that you will be strengthening your abdominals and torso muscles. This will become your mantra ? everything must be powered by the control of the torso. When all your torso muscles are strong and balanced your posture will be improved and you will be able to unload any constant heaviness into the legs that a poor posture and weak centre allow.

Imagine when your torso muscles aren?t as active as they should be, your legs have a dead weight to support and move around. Once you get the torso strong and supporting itself as much as possible, the legs aren?t under such constant load bearing. This also lets the hip joint free up and be mobile and allow the muscles of the legs to move more freely and effectively.

Then for the small muscles. These are so important in the team work of the muscle groups but can become weak and under utilized when the larger muscles dominate. We want to find the muscles that rotate the thighs, that stabilize and pull up the knee joints, that work your feet, that fine tune the hips to thighs and glute attachments. When the small muscles are re-activated to play their very important roles, the larger muscles can de-bulk and lengthen.

In conjunction with the way the Pilates method works the body, the repertoire and apparatus are unparalleled for lengthening and sculpting the legs. In all the Pilates repertoire the legs are an active integrated part of how the movement is performed, and should be worked on with precision and control. However, on top of the integration of focus on the legs in all the work, there are endless specific legwork exercises that target the fine tuning of muscle patterning and conditioning for all areas of the legs.

In the studio the apparatus is a true gift. The gravity free spring resistance of the Reformer for leg and footwork, leg strapwork, knee stretches (much more active than they sound!..); not to mention lying, sitting, kneeling, standing ? the exercises just on the Reformer that will condition and sculpt legs is electrifying.

Then there is the Trapeze Table with spring resistance, straps, poles, hanging trapeze ?

and the Wunda Chair with i unforgiving simplicity that sends you off with an all over shaking happy body. ?

and of course the Barrels, that support the torso in so many positions and allow the legs to be sculpted, stretched, strengthened in so many ways.

Joseph Pilates was a true genius of the body and the legacy of his work offers all of us smart, healthy women endless joy for hundreds of years to come!