The legs are one of the largest muscle groups in the body and they're also some of the hardest to tone. The reality is, if you want to have toned legs, then leg day is crucial! That being said, there's no need to get bored with your leg workouts. This routine will give you a great burn in just 20 minutes - so check it out!
Squats
Squats are a great exercise to tone your legs. They work the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves. To do them properly:
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart in front of a chair or bench that is about knee height.
- Bend at the hips and knees to lower down into a squat position; keep your back flat (no rounding!) and chest up as you descend until your thighs are parallel to the floor or lower if comfortable.(If you can't go this low without feeling pain in your knees, skip this exercise.)
- Pause for two seconds at the bottom of the movement then stand back up by pushing through heels until upright again.* Repeat 12 times for one set.* Perform three sets total
Calf Raises
Stand on a step or bench, with your heels at its edge. Raise your heels up to your buttocks, then lower them down again. Repeat 10 times. If you're not comfortable with this exercise, try bringing your feet closer to the edge of the step--you'll still get a great workout!
Stand with feet hip-width apart, arms at sides, and squat down as far as possible while keeping your back straight. Straighten your legs and return to the standing position; repeat 10 times.*
Step-Ups
Step-ups are a great way to tone your legs, especially if you're new to exercise. They also help strengthen the muscles in your hips, thighs, and calves. To do step-ups:
- Stand facing a box or bench that's about knee height. Make sure you have good balance by placing one foot on top of it for support; don't hold on to anything else for support!
- Step up onto the box with one leg first (make sure not just one side of your body is doing all the work), then lower yourself down slowly until both feet are flat on the floor again before switching legs over and repeating this motion 12 times per set.*
SuperSets
A SuperSet is a combination of two exercises that targets the same muscle group. You'll do one exercise for a set number of repetitions, then immediately switch to another exercise for another set number of reps. The goal is to increase your heart rate and burn more calories during each workout without losing focus on form or safety.
For example: If you're doing biceps curls with dumbbells, do 10 curls, then immediately switch to 15 triceps extensions (straight-arm pushups). Repeat this cycle until you've completed 3 sets total--30 total repetitions per muscle group!
Single-Leg Dumbbell Deadlifts
- Stand on one leg, holding a dumbbell in each hand with arms extended at your sides. Keep your back straight and abs tight, then bend forward at the waist until you feel a stretch in the hamstrings of both legs (not just the standing leg). Do not round or hunch over during this movement!
- When you've reached a full range of motion, return back up by contracting those glutes and pushing through both heels to raise yourself up again while keeping your knees soft--don't lock them out! Repeat for 10 repetitions per side before switching sides. Do 3 sets total per workout session for best results; rest 60 seconds between sets if needed so that all reps are performed with proper form and intensity
This is a great workout for toned legs
You can do this workout anywhere, and it only takes about 20 minutes to complete. You should do this workout three times a week, ideally in the morning or evening before work or school if you have time during those hours.
If you are new to working out and starting out with weights, here are some tips: use lighter weights until you feel comfortable with them; focus on proper form when lifting weights; don't lift too heavy too soon! If using bands instead of dumbbells/barbells make sure that they are long enough so that they don't slide off your lap while doing exercises such as squats (you may need 2 sets). And finally remember to stretch before beginning any exercise routine!
Conclusion
These are some great leg workouts that can be done at home or in the gym. They will help tone your legs and give them shape while also building strength in other areas of your body such as your core and lower back muscles. The most important thing to remember when doing these exercises is to keep proper form so that you don't hurt yourself!
