Bikini season is here. The the welcoming of warmer air and those itsy bitsy bikini's have changed my workouts up a bit. Whether is is purposeful or not, I have found a great many exercises focusing on my legs... Training for a run could be helping this as well.
Since legs are becoming my fav body part to work, I have become quite attune to what exercises work my legs and which do not. These six exercises are some of my top leg workers for getting the heart rate going and my muscles building.
The best types of exercises are those that work two parts of the body at once, or increase your heart rate. These exercises are a mix of cardio, plyometrics, and resistance training, no wonder they get the job done! You can add a few of these to an existing workout, or complete them all for a major leg make-over! For a total leg workout, complete two minutes of alternating between 30 seconds of knee-ups and 30 seconds of kick-backs. Then, complete each exercise for two minutes followed by 30 seconds of knee-ups and 30 seconds of kick-backs. The entire exercise should take fifteen minutes.
Lizard Plank
Get into plank position with arms straight out and hands directly under the elbows. Your body should be straight, be sure your bum does not sink down or rise up during the exercise. Lift the right leg off the ground and bend it in so your right leg is touching your right side. Hold, then return to starting. Complete one minute per side. Lizard planks are great for the lower and oblique abs along with inner thighs, outer thighs, and bum.
Extended Leg Bridge Pose
Lay on your back with legs bent and feet flat on the floor. Tuck the shoulders under and lift the torso off the ground so only your feet, shoulder, neck, and head are touching the floor. While keeping the hips even, lift the right leg straight into the air and flex the right foot. Begin lowering and raising your pelvis so you are almost touching the ground. Continue this for one minute, then switch to the left leg.
For an intermediate workout, try holding this position instead of lowering the pelvis and raising it back up.
Three Way Squats
Squats are great for the bum, inner thighs, and outer thighs. These squats bring the burn to the next level. Complete each squat for one minute.
Original Squat: Stand straight up with legs shoulder width apart, feet out straight in front of you, and arms bent in front of you. Slowly bend the legs until your knees are at a 90 degree angle, making sure they do not move forward at all. Hold, then return to starting. Complete as many as possible in one minute.
Plie Squat: Stand straight up with feet shoulder width apart and turned to the side so you are in second position. Bend arms out in front of you (intermediate) or hold straight out to the side (advanced). Slowly bend knees until they are at a 90 degree angle, then rise back up. Be sure that your shoulders do not raise and your bum does not stick out. Complete as many as possible in one minute.
Resistance Band Squat: The goal of this squat is to give as much resistance when lifting up as possible. Use an eight pound or higher resistance band. Stand in regular squat position and place the band evenly under the feet. Hold the ends of the resistance band in each hand and bring hands in to your chest, interlocking them as much as possible. Complete a regular squat, making sure to take extra time rising back up.
Chair Kicks
Oh how I love these. Chair kicks are great for working the upper, outer thigh and the gluteus medius and minimus muscles. Stand with the back (advanced) or seat (intermediate) of a chair facing you. Kick the right, then the left leg over the chair, making sure that the torso and legs stay as straight as possible and hands remain bent at your sides. Continue kicking legs back and forth over the chair for two minutes straight. You will so feel this in the morning!
Fire Hydrant Kick
This exercise gets it's name because you will look a bit like a dog at a fire hydrant... Get on all fours with knees directly under hips and hands under the shoulders. Make sure to keep a straight back during this entire exercise, no sagging here! While keeping the knee bent, lift the right leg off the ground so your thigh is parallel to the floor and the bottom of your foot is looking up towards the ceiling. Rotate the leg outward and bring it up towards your shoulder. Hold, then bring the leg back to the first elevated position so your thigh is parallel to the floor. Continue for one minute without bringing the leg back down to the floor, then complete for the alternate side. Try to keep your torso as still as possible and arms straight during this whole exercise.
