AMENDED CLAIMS

received by the International Bureau on 03 April 2020 (03.04.2020)

CLAIMS

What is claimed is:

1. A lower-body garment comprising: a torso portion having a waist opening; a first leg portion and a second leg portion extending from the torso portion, the first leg portion defining a first leg opening and the second leg portion defining a second leg opening; a first textile layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; a second textile layer positioned at least at a first area of the lower-body garment, the second textile layer having a third surface and a fourth surface opposite the third surface, where the third surface of the second textile layer is positioned adjacent to the second surface of the first textile layer at the first area of the lower-body garment; and a first elongate elastic member continuously extending from a first location adjacent to the first leg opening to a second location adjacent to the waist opening, the first elongate elastic member at least partially disposed between the first textile layer and the second textile layer at the first area of the lower-body garment, wherein the first elongate elastic member is disposed on an anterior side of the lower-body garment in a first zone, disposed on a posterior side of the lower-body garment in a third zone, and divides into a first branch and a second branch, wherein the first branch extends laterally around the first leg portion and the second branch extends medially around the first leg portion in a second zone.

2. The lower-body garment of claim 1, wherein the third zone is disposed between the first zone and the second zone.

3. The lower-body garment of any of claims 1-2, the first elongate elastic member further comprising a stirrup configured for receiving a foot of a wearer.

4. The lower-body garment of any of claims 1-3, the first elongate elastic member further comprising one or more adjusting components operably configured to modify a length of the first elongate elastic member.

5. The lower- body garment of any of claims 1-4, wherein at a second area of the lower-body garment, the lower-body garment comprises the first textile layer and not the second textile layer, and wherein the first elongate elastic member is disposed adjacent to the second surface of the first textile layer at the second area.

6. The lower-body garment of any of claims 1-5, wherein the first elongate elastic member further continuously extends from the second location adjacent to the waist opening, to a third location adjacent to the second leg opening.

7. The lower-body garment of any of claims 1-6, wherein the lower-body garment further comprises a second elongate elastic member, the second elongate elastic member continuously extending from a third location adjacent to the second leg opening to the second location adjacent to the waist opening.

8. The lower-body garment of any of claim 1-7, wherein the first elongate elastic member is coupled to the second elongate elastic member.

9. An elongate elastic member for assisting an athletic motion comprising: a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and an intervening length therebetween; and at least a first slit and a second slit, each of the first slit and the second slit disposed lengthwise parallel to a longitudinal axis of the elongate elastic member.

10. The elongate elastic member of claim 9, further comprising a third slit positioned adjacent to the second end, the third slit disposed lengthwise parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate elastic member.

11. The elongate elastic member of any of claims 9-10, further comprising a pair of apertures positioned adjacent to the second end, the pair of apertures configured to be coupled to a shoelace of a shoe of a wearer.

12. The elongate elastic member of any of claims 9-11, further comprising a stirrup extending from the second end, the stirrup configured to receive a foot of a wearer.

13. The elongate elastic member of any of claims 9-12, further comprising an adjusting component coupled to the elongate elastic member, the adjusting component configured to operably adjust a length of the elongate elastic member. 14. A lower-body garment comprising: a torso portion having a waist opening; a first leg portion and a second leg portion extending from the torso portion, the first leg portion defining a first leg opening and the second leg portion defining a second leg opening; a first area comprising: a first textile layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, and a second textile layer having a third surface and a fourth surface opposite the third surface, wherein the third surface of the second textile layer is positioned adjacent to the second surface of the first textile layer at the first area; a second area comprising the first textile layer and not the second textile layer; and an elongate elastic member continuously extending from a location adjacent to the first leg opening, to a location adjacent to the waist opening, to a location adjacent to the second leg opening, the elongate elastic member disposed between the first textile layer and the second textile layer at the first area, the elongate elastic member further disposed on the second surface of the first textile layer at the second area, wherein the elongate elastic member divides into a first branch and a second branch, and wherein the first branch is disposed in the first area on a lateral side of the lower-body garment and the second branch is disposed in the second area on a medial side of the lower-body garment.

15. The lower-body garment of claim 14, wherein the elongate elastic member further comprises a stirrup configured for receiving a foot of a wearer.

16. The lower-body garment of any of claims 14-15, wherein the second textile layer is integrally knit or woven with the first textile layer.

17. The lower-body garment of any of claims 14-16, wherein the second textile layer is a separate panel piece from the first textile layer, and wherein the first textile layer and the second textile layer are coupled together at one or more perimeter edges of the second textile layer.

18. The lower-body garment of any of claims 14-17, wherein the elongate elastic member further comprises a plurality of adjusting components operably configured to modify a length of the elongate elastic member.