12 Exercises For Toned Legs
A toned lower body with strengthened legs and thighs can help, if you are an outdoor person.
Strong and toned legs will improve your balance, enhance your speed, and give you the confidence needed to keep moving all day. Doing leg strengthening exercises is a great way to build your endurance and stamina. There are many exercises you can practice at home. Also, you can choose activities that you can practice at gyms.
Here’re the 12 Best Exercises For Toned Lower Body And Legs
- Dumbbell Squats
Target: Lower back, glutes, hamstrings, and quads
How To:
• Stand with your back straight, feet shoulder-width apart, and a 10-pound dumbbell in each hand
• Open your chest, roll your shoulders, flex your arms and raise the dumbbells right over your shoulders
• Push buttocks back and come down on a sitting stance
• Keep your knees in line with your toes
• Hold the position for a short while before getting back to the original position
• Do 2 sets of 15 reps
- Goblet Squats
Target: Lower back, glutes, hamstrings, and quads
How To:
• Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart
• Grab a 12-pound kettlebell held with both hands
• Push your hips back and come down in the sitting position
• Keep your knees in line with your toes
• Maintain the pose for a short while and then get back to the original position
• Do 2 sets of 15 reps
- Curtsy Lunge
Target: Adductors, quads, glutes, and hamstrings
How To:
• Stand straight with your feet closed and hands resting on your waist
• Roll your shoulders back and engage your core to start
• Lift your left leg and place it diagonally at the back
• Become stable and move the left leg more towards the right leg
• Maintain the lunge/curtsy position for a while
• Come to the original position and repeat it with the right leg
• Do 2 sets of 10 reps
- Wide Stance Barbell Squat
Target: Hip flexors, quads, adductors, hamstrings, and glutes
How To:
• Stand straight with your feet more than shoulder-width apart and a barbell in your hands
• Open your chest and place the barbell gently on your shoulders
• Roll your shoulders back and engage your core to start
• Squat down in a slow movement and get back to the starting position
• Do 3 sets of 8 reps
- Leg Press
Target: Calves, Glutes, hip flexors, hamstrings, and quads
How To:
• Access a leg press machine you are comfortable with
• Set the weight in the machine according to your strength
• Sit on the machine and be comfortable to start
• Push the leg rest until your legs are fully extended
• Come back slowly to the original position for the nest rep
• Set the weight again, if you find it too light or bulky
• Do 2 sets of 15 reps
- Lying Leg Curls
Target: Glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves
How To:
• Access a leg curl machine with side handles for support and padded cylindrical rolls for anchoring legs
• Lie on the chest on the health machine and anchor your legs comfortably in the rolls
• Hold the side handles to start the exercise
• Bring your lower legs up by flexing your knees
• Hold the position for a short while and go back slowly
• Do 3 sets of 12 reps
- Side Lying Leg Raises
Target: Glutes, adductors, and hip flexors
How To:
• Lie down to your right side with your right armed flexed to rest your head and your left hand on the floor to balance your body
• Raise your left leg towards the ceiling making a 60-degree angle
• Bring it down slowly and repeat it 9 times
• Change the side and repeat the exercise with the right leg
• Do 3 sets of 10 reps
- Sled Push
Target: Glutes, quads, calves, and hamstrings
How To:
• Stand before sled equipment with vertical bars
• Hold both the vertical bars firmly with your hands
• Stand straight with your hands fully stretched and feet shoulder-width apart
• Bend down to a comfortable position and push the equipment
• Do 3 sets of 15 steps to push the sled
- Sled Drag
Target: Glutes, hamstrings, calves, and quads
How To:
• Attach a resistance band to sled equipment
• Stand with the resistance band at your back
• Reach your hands to the band and hold it firmly
• Stretch your hands to the full and bend a little to start
• Drag the equipment with the force generated from the lower back
• Do 3 sets of 15 reps to drag the equipment
- Lateral Sled Drag
Target: Glutes, abductors, quads, and adductors
How To:
• Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and the sled equipment to your right side
• Hold the resistance band by extending your hands towards the equipment
• Come in a pulling pose by stretching the resistance band
• Start waling sideways with the machine following our footsteps
• Change side to left and repeat it with the left side
• Do 3 sets of 15 reps to drag the sled
- Mountain Climbers
Target: Hip flexors, quads, glutes, and hamstrings
How To:
• Come down in a Plank position with your legs, hips, back, and neck in a line
• Stretch your hands and legs to start
• Raise your right leg, flex it, and bring the right knee to your chest
• Take it back to the original position
• Repeat it with your left leg
• Try lifting legs quickly and increase the speed
• Do 3 sets of 20 reps
- Stepping Side Kicks
Target: Glutes, adductors, hamstrings, quads, and calves
How To:
• Access a kickboxing bag and stand 2-3 feet away from the bag
• Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and close your fist in the punching form
• Keep the bag on your right side
• Take a step to your left with your right leg
• Lift the left leg, flex the left knee, and bend slightly to the right side for balance
• Extend your left leg in a kicking position to the bag and put it down
• Do it 9 times before changing your side
• Repeat it with the right leg
• Do 4 sets of 10 reps
Disclaimer: The information provided in the blog is for educational purposes only and the readers are advised to take necessary training and precautions while doing leg strengthening exercises.
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