To develop your legs, you will need to train the quadriceps, hamstrings and calf muscles. One of the fastest ways to lose unwanted fat and weight is to increase metabolism by gaining leg muscles. These muscles help burn more calories and the result looks just great!
Exercises: Perform these workouts at least twice a week. Added with consistent cardio and a healthy diet-chart, the difference will show in just a few weeks.
Wide squats: This exercise concentrates on the inner thigh muscles.
Stand with your feet a little wider than your shoulders and bend till your knees are at a 45 degree angle. Tighten your thighs and hold for five seconds. Then stand up and go back to the former position again. Keep your back straight for good posture.
Reps: 15-25 times in 2-3 sets.
Walking lunges: This works best on your quadriceps, hamstrings and thighs.
Start by standing upright, then lunge forward with one leg, but don’t let your knee go further than your toes. When you get to the bottom of the lunge, use the back leg to get back to the standing position. For beginners, it is best to do it without weights, but once you get the hang of it, it can be done with weights to produce better results.
Leg press: The seated leg press exercise builds up the front thighs. Adjust the seat so that your legs are bent at a 90 degree angle. Position the seat in such a fashion that you do not feel strain on your lower back. Position your feet shoulder wide on the platform. As you press the weight with your legs, be sure that you do not lock your knees. Lower your body down as far as you can without putting any stress on your lower back. Keep the knees aligned with your feet. On some machines, you will press the platform away from your body, however on some models, the platform remains stationary and your seat will slide backwards. In either case your form remains the same.
Sun salutation (surya namaskar): This yoga exercise and each move in this sequence, from your first forward bend through your last downward bend, use the large muscles in the thighs. On a mat, stand tall with your feet together and your arms by your sides. Be sure to distribute your weight evenly through the soles of your feet. To begin, take a deep breath and lift your chin slightly as you raise your arms over your head. Now, with your arms straight and your palms facing each other, reach towards the ceiling with your fingertips. This forms a mountain pose. From this position, sweep your arms down to the sides, exhaling as you swan dive forward into the forward bend. Bend at your hips until your palms or fingertips touch the floor on either side of your feet. Keep your fingers aligned with your toes and bend your knees if your back or hamstrings are tight.
From the forward bend, move into a flat back, inhaling as you raise your torso to waist height, thus keeping your back flat. Bring your gaze forward, reaching with your tailbone away from the top of your head. Keep your head aligned with your spine and your navel pulled in. Bend your knees and place your palms flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart. Jump or walk both feet backwards and lift your hips, coming into a downward-facing dog. Spread your fingers and make sure your feet are parallel and hip-width apart. Reach with your tailbone towards the ceiling. Hold this position for a moment, breathing as you move deeper into the pose.
To reverse this series, jump or walk your feet forward into the flat-back pose. Drop your head, straighten your legs and bring your fingers outside either foot, moving into the forward bend. Lastly, sweep your arms overhead as you return to the mountain pose.
Remember to warm up before and cool down after exercises by incorporating basic stretches of the muscles used.
