Pilates guide
Pilates works your legs on the mat with leg circles, the side kick series and kicks lying face down, and on the reformer by pushing the carriage away with your feet and working with your feet in straps.
Small trials found stronger legs and better balance in people who weren't doing much, especially older adults, but reviews disagree on how much strength it adds. It won't make your legs bulky, and no move slims one part of them.
This guide covers the leg work in mat and reformer Pilates, what the studies found for strength, power and size, what works your inner and outer thighs, how Pilates compares with weights, and how to look after your knees. For a class to follow today, try our 25-minute Pilates leg workout.
On the mat: leg circles, the side kick series, the single-leg kick and the shoulder bridge. On the reformer: footwork on 4 springs at the start of a classical class, then leg circles and frogs with your feet in straps.
In older adults, one review found a moderate strength gain against no exercise, while a 2024 review of 24 trials found no clear gain. Small trials found stronger knees and hips after about 12 weeks.
Across 39 studies, Pilates improved balance in older adults compared with no exercise, though it didn't reduce the number of falls.
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Lean mass (muscle and other non-fat tissue) didn't change in pooled trials, and when people trained one leg, fat came off the arms and trunk, not that leg. Slimmer legs come from less body fat overall.
Squeezing a ball between your knees works the inner-thigh muscles at about their maximum, and deep squats grew them in a trial.
The quadriceps at the front of the thigh straighten the knee, the hamstrings at the back bend it and help straighten the hip, the adductors on the inside pull the leg in, and the calves point the foot. The "outer thigh" is mostly the side glutes and the tensor fasciae latae, plus fat.
The one-leg circle "works the abdominals and provides pelvic stabilization and mobilization of the hip joint", scissors works "your abdominal and hip muscles, while also improving flexibility in your abs, shoulders, and hips", and the single-leg kick strengthens "the back extensors, the hamstrings, and the glutes". The shoulder bridge and the side kick work the legs too, and the site adds the side-lying inner thigh lift and side leg circles from the side kick series.
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In one classical school's orders, footwork comes first: pushing the carriage away with your feet on 4 springs, 10 times in each foot position, as a warm-up and for foot flexibility and strength. Frogs and leg circles follow with the feet in straps on 2 springs, then running and the pelvic lift. Side splits, which "Strengthens inner thighs, legs and seat", and front splits come at intermediate level.
In 15 people pushing the reformer footbar, some straightened the hip and knee together and others bent the hip as the knee straightened, which changes which thigh muscles do the work. How much load the springs give is hard to judge: force worked out from the spring settings didn't match force measured at the footbar. On the Wunda chair, foot position changed how the front and back thigh muscles worked together.
In older adults, a review of 39 studies found a moderate strength gain against no exercise, at moderate certainty, and a review of 9 mat Pilates trials found a large gain in lower-limb strength. But a 2024 review of 24 trials (1,190 people) found no clear gain against no exercise, at low certainty, and no difference from other exercise. The first and last report strength in general, not the legs alone.
A research group in Brazil published several small trials of Pilates against static stretching in older women, with the same group sizes and ages, so they may share participants: together they count as one small trial of about 32 people, which found stronger knee muscles after 12 weeks. In 60 older women, Pilates and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching, a contract-and-relax method, gave similar knee strength gains in a month. Chair stands, stair climbing and hip and knee strength improved over 6 to 12 weeks in small studies without a control group, the sit-to-stand test got 2 seconds faster in a trial in 40 older women, and leg strength improved in 53 women in a study that wasn't randomised.
In adults with overweight or obesity, knee strength didn't change after 8 weeks of mat, equipment and 1 kg dumbbell Pilates, though chair and stair tests improved more than with walking. In 24 sedentary older women, leg strength didn't differ from a control group after 12 weeks.
In 15 young footballers, 15 sessions of mat Pilates over 5 weeks improved leg strength against usual training alone, and in 30 footballers, reformer Pilates beat mat Pilates for agility and single-leg hopping.
Vertical jump didn't change in pooled trials in women, jumps barely changed in 22 hip-hop dancers after 12 weeks of mat Pilates, and a core resistance machine beat Pilates for leg power in 34 older women. In the American College of Sports Medicine's 2026 overview of resistance training, power improved most with moderate loads lifted quickly.
Across 39 studies (1,770 older adults), Pilates improved balance against no exercise and did about as well as other exercise, but didn't reduce the number of falls or the fear of falling. An earlier review found a large effect on a measure of falls risk. In 44 adults aged 60 to 69 with the same total exercise time, aerobic training improved walking speed and balance more than Pilates. Balance gains from a 5-week course were still there a year later in 30 older adults.
We found no study that measured thigh muscle size after Pilates with a scan, and lean mass didn't change in pooled trials.
In 21 footballers, squeezing a ball between the knees worked the main inner-thigh muscle at 118% of its maximal effort (84% with the ball between the ankles). In reformer side splits, lighter springs worked the inner thigh more. For size, full squats grew the inner-thigh muscles 6.2% against 2.7% for half squats, and squats grew them more than hip thrusts.
The outer thigh is mostly the side glutes. Side-lying leg lifts and standing side lifts against resistance work them hardest; our Pilates for glutes guide has the moves.
When 11 adults trained one leg for 12 weeks, fat came off the arms and trunk, not the trained leg, and a review of 13 studies (1,158 people) found no spot reduction. In 20 women who already did Pilates, thigh and waist size fell over 8 weeks along with body fat. Our thigh fat guide covers what reduces body fat.
Lean mass didn't change in pooled trials in women or in adults with overweight or obesity, and mat Pilates was no better than other exercise for body composition across 10 studies.
Exercise can't change where a muscle attaches, so it can't lengthen a muscle or your legs, and there's no such thing as a long, lean muscle versus a bulky one. A leaner look comes from less body fat.
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Squats, lunges, step-ups and leg presses with a load you keep increasing build leg muscle, and in beginners, bodyweight squats made harder step by step worked as well as barbell squats. Our guide to bigger legs has the plan.
We found no trial comparing Pilates with heavy leg training. In 18 women with obesity, a Pilates circuit and a weight circuit, each 3 times a week for 8 weeks, both reduced weight and body fat, with Pilates better for pelvic alignment and balance; it was a small, exploratory trial. In older women, strength in moving hip extension didn't differ between Pilates and a light resistance programme.
Our suggestion: Pilates for control, balance and single-leg strength, and loaded squats and lunges if you want more muscle.
Two or three sessions a week (our editorial starting point) fits the NHS advice to do muscle-strengthening activity on at least 2 days a week; adults over 65 should do activities that improve strength, balance and flexibility on at least 2 days.
The NHS strength exercises start with 5 slow sit-to-stands from a chair ("the slower the repetitions, the better"), 5 slow calf raises and 5 sideways leg lifts each side, building up over time. Our class below gives a dose for each Pilates move.
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From Pilates Anytime's description of the classical side kick, which adds: move the leg only as far forward or back as you can without moving your pelvis or crunching your lower back. With pain on the outside of the hip, see the move page's caution.
See the movement on the 3D figure: Side kick (Pilates side kick series)
Footwork without a reformer (squats and calf raises), the NHS sit-to-stand, leg circles, the side kick and an inner-thigh squeeze. The class below gives a starting dose for each.
3D demoBodyweight squatBeginner · No equipment
3D demoSlow calf raiseBeginner · A wall
3D demoSit to stand from a chairBeginner · A bench or box
3D demoSingle-leg circle (Pilates one leg circle)Beginner · No equipment
3D demoSide kick (Pilates side kick series)Beginner · No equipment
3D demoLying adductor ball squeezeBeginner · Other / check instructions
3D demoStraight-leg raiseBeginner · No equipmentAdd these as the first moves feel easy. Leave out the inner thigh lift with pain on the outside of the hip, and the Copenhagen plank during groin pain.
3D demoWall sitBeginner · A wall
3D demoSingle-leg stretch (Pilates one leg stretch)Intermediate · No equipment
3D demoSide-lying inner thigh lift (Pilates side kick series)Beginner · No equipment
3D demoSide-lying leg circles (Pilates side kick series)Beginner · No equipment
3D demoSingle-leg kick (Pilates one leg kick)Beginner · No equipment
3D demoReverse lungeIntermediate · No equipment
3D demoSplit squatIntermediate · No equipment
3D demoStanding band hip adductionBeginner · A band + An anchor point
3D demoCopenhagen plankAdvanced · A bench or box
3D demoSingle-leg standBeginner · A wallStretch to a mild pull, never pain, and stop for a sharp pain at the back of the thigh.
Start with the 25-minute Pilates leg class two or three times a week. The reformer-inspired class adds footwork stand-ins, and the dumbbell workout is the next step if you want more muscle.
A 25-minute Pilates class for your legs: reformer footwork without the machine, leg circles, the side kick series, inner-thigh squeezes and stretches.
25 minBeginner15 movesA wall, Other / check instructionsA 25-minute mat workout built on the order of a classical reformer class, with a mat or standing version of each reformer exercise. No machine needed.
25 minBeginner16 movesA wallA 30-minute mat Pilates workout for runners, adapted from one small trial's programme: the abdominal series, side kicks for the hips, planks and balance.
30 minIntermediate18 movesA wallA gentle leg strength routine with no jumping: sit-to-stands, step-ups, wall sits, bridges and calf raises.
20 minBeginner7 movesA bench or box, A stepLegs and glutes with dumbbells: goblet squats, Romanian deadlifts, step-ups, split squats and calf raises.
35 minIntermediate10 movesA wall, A dumbbellA 25-minute Pilates class for sore knees and knee arthritis: lying and side-lying leg work, shallow squats and balance, with no kneeling at all.
25 minBeginner15 movesA bench or box, Something with weightThe seniors' plan adds walking and balance; the beginner Pilates plan suits you if Pilates is new.
A free 4-week, 3-day Pilates plan for complete beginners. Two mat days and one wall day, with clear rules for when to move each exercise to its harder version.
3 training days25 minBeginner3 days a weekA 12-week exercise plan for over-65s: strength and balance three times a week, short balance sessions and daily walks, based on falls-prevention trials.
3 training days40 minBeginnerIn the US, call 911 in an emergency, and use your doctor's urgent line or urgent care for NHS 111.
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Get help from NHS 111 if it's very painful or getting worse, there's a lot of swelling or bruising, you can't put weight on it or walk more than a few steps, it feels very stiff, or it isn't getting better with self-care. The NHS advises avoiding strenuous exercise for up to 8 weeks while it heals.
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Knee pain doesn't improve within a few weeks. In many areas you can refer yourself to NHS musculoskeletal (MSK) services, such as physiotherapy.
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Pilates Anytime says those with knee problems should avoid the kneeling side kick. Pad or skip kneeling, keep deep knee bends small while a knee is sore, and after a knee replacement don't kneel on the new knee until your doctor says you can, as the move pages advise. After a hip replacement, follow your team's precautions: the inner thigh lift crosses the top leg over, like crossing your legs. Our Pilates for knee pain guide has the detail.
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If you worry a lot about one part of your body or check mirrors often, the NHS suggests seeing a GP (body dysmorphic disorder), and the same if you worry about your weight and shape while eating very little or exercising too much. Beat's eating disorders helpline is 0808 801 0677.
Tell the teacher about knee, hip or groin problems before a class. The NHS advises getting advice first if you have a health problem, an injury or any symptoms, and stopping straight away if you feel pain or become unwell.
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Training one leg took fat off the arms and trunk, not that leg, and a review of 13 studies found no spot reduction. The shape of your thighs depends on body fat, muscle and your build.
Exercise can't change where muscles attach or how long your bones are.
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Lean mass didn't change in pooled trials. Muscle grows with load you keep increasing, and most Pilates is light.
They work the inner-thigh muscles hard, a ball squeeze at about their maximum, but they don't take fat off that spot.
Yes: on the mat through leg circles, the side kick series, the single-leg kick and the shoulder bridge, and on the reformer through footwork, leg circles with your feet in straps and the splits.
No. Lean mass didn't change in pooled trials, and most Pilates is light. If you want bigger legs, squats and lunges with a load you keep increasing are the way.
Exercise can't slim one part of you: when people trained one leg, fat came off the arms and trunk, not that leg. "Long, lean" legs come from less body fat overall, and no exercise lengthens a muscle.
Probably, if you're starting from little: small trials in older women found stronger knees and hips after about 12 weeks. But reviews disagree, and one found no clear gain in older adults, and one trial in adults with overweight found no change in knee strength.
Squeezing a ball, cushion or ring between your knees works the inner-thigh muscles at about their maximum, and the side-lying inner thigh lift works them too. They won't burn fat from your inner thighs. Ease off if you have groin pain.
The outer thigh is mostly the side glute muscles plus fat. The side kick series and standing side lifts strengthen those muscles, while fat comes off your whole body, not one spot.
The reformer adds spring resistance to footwork and the splits, though how much is hard to judge. In footballers, reformer Pilates improved agility and hopping more than mat Pilates, and neither has been tested for leg muscle growth.
We found no trial comparing Pilates with heavy leg training. In one small trial, a Pilates circuit and a weight circuit changed body fat by about the same amount, and for leg size, loaded squats grew the thighs. Many people do both.
Yes, in older adults: across 39 studies it improved balance compared with no exercise, though it didn't reduce the number of falls. Balance gains from a short course were still there a year later in one study.
It can be, with changes for sore knees, and small trials found stronger knee muscles after 12 weeks. Get advice from NHS 111 if your knee locks, gives way, swells badly or can't take your weight. Our Pilates for knee pain guide has a class with no kneeling.
Trials found stronger legs and easier standing up from a chair within 6 to 12 weeks of 2 or 3 classes a week. Keep going to keep the gains.
Not really: jump height didn't change in pooled trials or in dancers. For power, strength training with moderate loads lifted quickly works better.
Exercise education, not a personal prescription, and clinical review of these guides is pending. If you are pregnant, have a health condition or have had recent surgery, check with a doctor, midwife or physiotherapist before starting, and stop for sharp or increasing pain. Health disclaimer.
