« Upper body yoga strength exercises | Main | Walk Yourself Fit? Yes You Can »
Best Leg Strengtheners
By Christina | April 14, 2009
My legs are one of the first things people notice about me and it is normally because they look strong. Strong legs are a means to get around and make daily living easier. You need to have strong legs if not just for aesthetics then for functionality.
The muscles in your legs are the first to respond to training. The following are just three of the exercises that I think you really need to incorporate into your training for increased stamina and strength.
Cardio workouts are a great way to condition the legs while burning fat and calories at the same time but cardio will not define or shape your legs. You need strength training.
Lunges, in my opinion, are the best exercise you can do because they work all the muscles in the legs with one move – quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and calves. To perform a proper lunge, stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Take a big step forward with your right foot, lower your body straight down until your back leg forms a right angle at the knee. Reverse the movement slowly using your leg muscles and repeat the movement for 3 sets of 30 repetitions on each side.
As a modification for knee discomfort, take smaller step forward and drop down as far as is comfortable. While lunges are a great leg exercise, they can be challenging for people with injured knees.
Calf raises are another fantastic exercise because they can be done anywhere – we do them on stairs at one boot camp workout. Calves respond quickly to overload and training and get in shape very quickly. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder width apart. Place your hands on the hips or onto a steady object such a rail or chair for balance. Raise your body onto your toes and hold for a few seconds. Lower back slowly. Repeat this exercise for 3 sets of 40 heel raises.
Plies are great for toning and strengthening the inner and outer thighs and put less stress on joints then standard squats. Stand with your feet slightly more than shoulder width apart. Take a small step out with each foot and turn your feet outward. Lower your body slowly down about six inches and raise it back up slowly.
