Top 10 Lower-Body Workouts For Women

Lower body workouts help address most of the problems that women face with age – increasing waistline, sagging muscles in thighs and buttock regions. These are effectively addressed by the exercises mentioned below.

10 Lower-Body Workouts For Women

1. Mountain Climbers

How to Do:

• Get onto plank position.
• Keeping core tight bend right knee and bring the foot forward towards the hips; left leg should be kept straight.
• Keep elbows straight and arms strong.
• Jump and bring the left foot in the front below and keep the right leg straight.
• Alternate the feet and repeat exercise.

Number of Repetitions: Alternate with each foot and repeat exercises 15 to 20 times.

How it Benefits: The exercise helps to burn fat and tones the lower body region such as abductors, glutes, hamstrings, calves, lower abs as well as the shoulders.

2. Side Lunge

How to Do:

• Stand with feet apart, more than shoulder width.
• Shift weight onto the left side.
• Bend the left knee and lower the body onto that side, keeping central equilibrium.
• Stretch out the other leg.
• Come back to center position and straighten up.
• Repeat the motion with the other side.

Number of Repetitions: Both sides can be done 10 times each in a set. Three sets would be a good target to set.

How it Benefits: You would be targeting the glutes, abductors, calves, and hamstrings. Burn the fat in these areas and tone as well.

3. Plié Squats

How to Do:

• Stand with feet apart, little wider than shoulder width.
• Turn toes out in the opposite direction.
• Hold a dumbbell in either hand.
• Lower the body as the knees are bent.
• Raise the body back to straightened position.

Number of Repetitions: The exercise can be done 15 times and in sets of three.

How it Benefits: This exercise targets the fat and muscles around the quads as well as calves, hamstrings, and glutes.

4. Squat Jump

How to Do:

• Stand with feet apart and tighten muscles.
• Squat down.
• Push your body off the ground and jump as you raise yourself.
• Squatting and then jumping needs to be repeated.

Number of Repetitions: Do the exercise 10 times and in sets of three to feel the effects.

How it Benefits: The exercise targets the fat around glutes, hamstrings, calves, abductors and helps to tone these muscles as well.

5. Box Jumps

How to Do:

• Stand in front of a plastic or wooden box that is set square on the ground; it must be at least one to two feet tall.
• Keep abs tight and jump with a force onto the box; land in a squat pose flat on both feet.
• Jump back on the ground; repeat motion ten times.
• If jumping with both feet on the box is difficult one can try to step onto the box and then step down.

Number of Repetitions: One can repeat the movement ten times and do three sets.

How it Benefits: It helps to strengthen the muscles around calves, hamstrings, quads, and glutes as well as burning the fat off these regions.

6. Full Squats

How to Do:

• Stand with feet apart, shoulder width, roll back shoulders and keep back straight.
• Keep core tight and lower the body by flexing knees; push out from the back till butt is near to the ground.
• Hold the position and then push back to standing position.
• Repeat exercise.

Variation: To see more effects hold hand weights on your hands or strap on some leg weights.

Number of Repetitions: Do the exercise 15 times.

How it Benefits: The exercise is beneficial for burning fat and tightening muscles around calves, hamstrings, quads, and glutes.

7. Bridge

How to Do:

• Lie down on a floor mat.
• Keep hands close to the sides of the body with palms down.
• Flex the legs while the feet remain on the ground.
• Engage the core and gaze at the knees; push up buttocks and towards the ceiling.
• Support body with upper back and feet.
• Hold the pose and then lower the buttocks.

Number of Repetitions: Do 10 repetitions and sets of three.

How it Benefits: The exercise helps to target adductors, quads, glutes, lower abs, hamstrings, shoulders, and calves.

8. Lying Side Leg Raises

How to Do:

• Lie down on one side.
• Keep the body straight and lift upper torso to balance the body on the forearm.
• Raise left leg that is resting on the other and hold for a few seconds.
• Pulse the leg upward and then bring it down.
• Repeat on the other side.

Number of Repetitions: The exercise can be done 20 times on each side and three sets in total.

How it Benefits: It helps to burn fat and tone muscles around hamstrings, calves, lower abs, quads, adductors, and abductors.

9. Glute Kickback

How to Do:

• Assume cat position on the ground.
• Keep the spine neutral and keep toes touching the floor.
• Support body on knees and palms.
• Lift the leg at the back and pulse upwards.
• Lower it to the ground and repeat with the other leg.

Number of Repetitions: 15 repetitions on each leg can be done in sets of three.

How it Benefits: The exercise helps to target the burning of fat and toning muscles in abductors, hamstrings, quads, and glutes and in lower abs.

10. Calf Raises

How to Do:

• Stand with feet slightly apart.
• Hold your spine erect and toes pointing forward.
• Lift heels off the floor and have your body weight onto the balls of the feet.
• Lower the heels but keep them slightly off the ground.
• Repeat motion for a minute.

Variation: The exercise can be worked upon by placing the toes pointing outwards and repeating the movements. Increase resistance by holding hand weights.

Number of Repetitions: Do ten repetitions and three sets.

How it Benefits: This exercise is a good way to warm up the legs, especially the feet and the calf muscles.

The above exercises, when combined with overall aerobic and other strength training exercises, will help a person get a whole body workout.

You Might Also Like:

• Armpit Fat Exercises: 5 Best Exercises to Reduce Armpit Fat Fast
• 18 Unknown Beauty Benefits of Almond Oil You Should Know
• 50 Incredible Benefits of Rosehip Seed Oil For Face, Skin, Hair and Health
• How to Get Rid of Oily Skin on Face at Home
• How To Use Clove Oil For Toothache Relief