Best Exercises to Tone your Legs
When it comes to getting into shape there are a few problem areas that many of us suffer with; belly fat, love-handles and flabby thighs to name a few. For some of us, our biggest problem area is our legs. Finding the right exercise that will tone and sculpt our legs can be difficult. While exercise and aerobic activity are beneficial for your health in many aspects, there are only a few specific exercises that will pin-point the muscles in your legs. If you are looking to target and improve the muscle tone in your legs, below are five exercises that may help you get the slim and firm legs you have been dreaming of!
Yoga
In addition to the plethora of health benefits that yoga offers to your health, it may be one of the very best exercises to tone and tighten your legs. There are a key few postures that are especially beneficial for tightening the muscles of your legs. One posture is w arrior one, which involves breathing deeply into a lunge position helps to tone the front thigh muscle while simultaneously stretching the back leg. When you repeat on both sides you create a counterbalance of building your muscles while creating a slimming effect at the same time.
How to do it: Begin in downward-facing dog. Press hands firmly into the ground. Step your right foot forward between your legs and begin to lift your torso and arms up. Once your hips are square, come forward into a lunge position bending your front legg at a 90 degree angle. You are down far enough if you can just see your big toe peeking out between the inside of your front knee. Stay here for five breaths, and repeat on the other side.
Squats
Squats may be one of the oldest but most effective exercises to tighten and tone legs. Squats are also one of the most effective fat-burning exercises and promote mobility and balance in the body. Although squats are primarily known to tighten up the leg muscles, they actually support building muscle throughout the entire body. If you want to achieve lean and strong legs, try the following exercise.
Chair squat
You will need a to use a chair as a prop. Stand with your feet hips width distant apart in front of the chair. Keep your back straight and bend at the knees until your bum almost hits the chair behind you and pause. Hold for five seconds and return to standing. Do 3 times for 10-15 reps.
Leg lifts
Leg lifts target the upper thigh muscles also known as the quadriceps. Leg lifts are a simple exercise to pin-point and tighten the quads and can be practiced anywhere. All you need is chair and a little bit of space for leg extension.
How to do it
Stand facing the chair and raise your right leg with your knee facing up and place the heel of your foot on the end of the chair. Keep your standing leg bent and raise your right leg off the chair until you feel your right quad flex and tense. Hold for 2 seconds and lower back onto the chair. Do 3 sets of 10-15 reps and then repeat on left leg.
Stairs
If you want to make your butt and legs look great, then look no further than your stairs. Stair climbing is one of the best exercises to firm up and tighten legs. Stair climbing also blasts off calories rapidly and efficiently. Depending on your weight, an average 145 pound person will burn up to 225 calories per 30 minutes escalating stairs. If you have access to stairs in your home, or an outside park, take advantage of it by doing at least 30 minutes of moderate stair-climbing two or three times a week.
Cycling
If you are recovering from a recent injury and are still looking for an exercise to tone your legs then cycling is it. Cycling is a powerful aerobic activity that burns fat, and builds muscle but has a very low impact on your knees and legs. It will sculpt your legs, tone your butt and increase your metabolism. If you don´t have access to your own bike, then head to the gym, a powerful spin class can provide the same leg-sculpting benefits!
