“Never skip a leg day” Or “Don’t have chicken legs” You must have heard these statements frequently from your instructors or gym buddies. And to some extent, they are quite right because toned legs look super sexy.
So Why You Should Do Leg Exercises?
The answer is quite simple because of numerous factors. Out of those, the main reasons are increased strength, enhanced muscle definition, better athleticism and improved muscle endurance. “Great legs can’t be bought—they have to be earned,” says competitor Danielle Beausoleil.
Working out your legs is quintessential in order to build up your lower body muscles and give proportionate definition to your whole body. The anatomy of your lower body is quite complex. You must’ve thought that only knees and thighs constitute the lower body. But, that’s not the case.
There are Three Main Muscle groups of Legs which help you make the Slightest Movement:
(i) Quadriceps: The front muscle of your thigh is the largest one. It not only helps in maintaining balance and speed but is also useful in providing power to your legs.
(ii) Hamstrings: The back muscle of your thigh adds definition to your bottom. It holds your upper leg together and is also responsible for hip and knee movement.
(iii) Calves: The calf is the back portion of the lower leg which supports in plantar flexing the foot at the ankle joint and flexing the leg at the knee joint.
10 Best Leg Workouts for Women
In order to build stronger leg muscles, women can perform these exercises for optimal results coupled with good nutrition.
[ Read: Best Exercises to Tone Your Legs ]
1. Squats
It’s one of the free exercises which can increase leg, back and core strength. Squats help in boosting your anabolic metabolism as well, which helps in eliminating fat at a rapid pace. Its most effective movements help in building large leg muscles like quadriceps and hamstrings.
How to Do This:
- Stand with your feet wider, hip-width apart. Keep your back straight throughout the exercise.
- Bend down your knees and lower your bottom toward the floor. Sink as deep as you can and draw yourself up to your former position. Don’t get tipped backwards or forward.
- Be sure to lift with your legs. This counts as one rep.
Recommended Reps: 20 Reps in 3 sets are recommended.
[ Read: Exercises To Tone Your Butt ]
2. Lunges
It’s quite obvious that carved core, beefed-up back, and pumped-up arms will accentuate your muscular personality. But, your chicken legs will take that away from you. Adding Lunges into your workout regime will not only give you toned up glutes but will also make you a better athlete.
How to Do This:
- Start in a standing position, with your back straight, core tight, and feet hip-width apart.
- Take your left leg forward and bend your right leg and lower your torso toward the floor.
- Sink as low as you can but keep your left leg firm.
- Hold briefly, then raise yourself up, stepping back with your left leg to the starting position.
- Repeat with your right leg. This counts as one rep.
Recommended Reps: 3 sets of 20 reps.
[ Read: Best Arm Exercises For Women ]
3. Supine Bridge
It’s a great exercise which activates the glutes to aid the relocation of power from the lower body to the upper body. This is an easy-to-do exercise which requires no fancy equipment.
How to Do This:
- Lie on your back with knees bent and arms by your sides.
- Tighten your abs and raise your hips up by contracting your
- Stretch it until an imaginary straight line between your knees, hips, and shoulders is formed.
Recommended Reps: Do it for 5 times for 1 minute straight.
[ Read: Best Shoulder Exercises for Women ]
4. Standing Calf Raise
Calves are a most underrated part of the lower body but have numerous benefits if worked upon properly. They play an integral role in stabilizing the ankle under loads and even rehabilitates Achilles tendon.
How to Do This:
- Stand on the edge of the step.
- Keep your abdominals pulled in, the balls of your feet planted firmly on the step, and your heels hanging over the edge.
- Raise your heels a few inches above the edge of the step and hold the position for few moments, and then lower down back to the starting position. You may feel the stretch in your calf muscles.
Recommended Reps: 3 sets of 50 reps.
[ Read: Best Workouts To Reduce Back Fat ]
5. Wall Sit
It’s as simple as the name sounds but works out your entire body. With strengthening your quadriceps, it also tones up your entire body.
How to Do This:
- Lean against the wall with your shoulders wide apart and your feet shoulder- width apart. This will your starting position.
- Put some pressure on your core and put your feet forward. Go down as you do so, keep leaning against the wall.
- Slowly slide down the wall with your back pressed against it until your legs are bent at 90-degree angle.
- Hold this position for 40 seconds and get back to your starting
Recommended Reps: 4 sets of 10 reps.
[ Read: Best Exercises to Tone Your Thighs ]
6. Single Leg Bridge
It’s an essential exercise to build up your glutes, hamstrings, and core at the same time.
How to Do This:
- Lie on your back on the floor and lay your hands by your side for stability, as you bend one leg and lift the other to the ceiling.
- Lift your pelvis up, keeping your body in a stiff bridge position.
- Slowly lower your body.
Recommended Reps: 3 sets of 15 reps on each side.
[ Read: Best Exercises to Tone Your Arms ]
7. Sumo Squat
Putting stress on every major muscle group of your lower body is Sumo squat all about. This exercise emphasizes the muscles of the inner thigh, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves.
How to Do This:
- Stand with your feet wide toes pointing out.
- Bend your knees, lowering your hips deeply, so your thighs are parallel with the floor.
- Then rise back up, straightening the legs completely and squeezing the glutes at the top of the movement.
Recommended Reps: As many as possible in 40 seconds.
[ Read: Best Exercises to Tone Your Inner Thighs ]
8. Side Lunges
The movements of this exercise involve the muscle groups of both inner and outer thigh. By moving in a side-to-side motion, you recruit your thigh muscles and also work on your balance and stability.
How to Do This:
- Stand with your feet parallel facing forward and hip-width apart.
- Stiffen your torso by contracting your core and abdominal muscles (“bracing”).
- Shift your body weight to one leg bending the knee until it reaches a 90-degree angle and the other leg is straight.
- Glutes are pressing back behind you. Return to center and switch sides.
[ Read: Exercises to Beat Bra Bulge ]
9. Curtsy Lunge
This lunge exercise has a slight variation, which put stress on your butt muscle. This helps to stabilize your hip which results in improved posture.
How to Do This:
- Start from standing, and step your left leg behind you and to the right so your thighs cross, bending both knees as if you were Ensure your front knee is aligned with your front ankle.
- Return to standing, and switch sides to complete one rep.
Recommended Reps: 3 sets for 12 to 15 reps.
[ Read: Best Exercise to Lose Weight Easily ]
10. Single-Leg Deadlift
Adding the single-leg deadlift into your training will improve your balance and stability on each leg. As it is a compound exercise and puts pressure on core muscles. Its also called as non-surgical butt lifts.
How You Perform This Complete Reps:
- Hold a kettlebell/dumbell in one hand hanging to the side.
- Stand on one leg, on the same side that you hold the kettlebell.
- Keeping that knee slightly bent, perform a stiff-legged deadlift by bending at the hip, stretching your free leg behind you for balance.
- Continue lowering the kettlebell/dumbell until you are parallel to the ground, and then return to the upright position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Building strong legs are the foundation of bodybuilding. You need to put extra efforts into doing leg exercises as lower body determines your sexual and mental health as well. Practice these exercises once a week and you will be amazed with the results.
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