4 Great Exercises For Leaner Legs

You could blame it all on snacking, inactivity or simply on the genes, but the fact that ‘building bulk on the legs is unacceptable’ cannot be denied. While it is true that it is not really nice to judge people by their sizes, piling on weight in and around the upper and lower legs (thighs, calves and ankles) can directly get in the way of proper gait. It may also come in the way of pulling off those skinny pants or beach shorts that have been waiting way too long in your wardrobe to be adorned with pride.

So, if you wish to get your legs in shape within a few good weeks and shrink your thighs by a couple of inches while adding muscles to your calves, try these simple yet super effective exercises that will not take more than 15 minutes of your time to show results…

Squat Jumps – This exercise is just as simple as it sounds. For this you have to stand with your legs at shoulder width; squat till your bottom dips an inch below your knee level (not more than that though); then jump at a comfortable height while straightening yourself back to starting posture. Repeat the cycle without halting at the starting position for about 8 jumps and perform 2 to 3 sets as is comfortable to begin with.

Squat with gym ball – Stand with your back facing a wall and legs at shoulder width. Rest a gym ball at the arch of your lower back and support with the wall. Now, roll your back down till your bottom goes an inch below your knees and roll back up again. Repeat 8 to 12 times and perform about 2 to 3 sets in the beginning.

Leg rotation lying down – Lie down on your exercise mat with hands by your side. Lift your left leg up with toes pointing out to the ceiling. Now rotate the leg like you are drawing an invisible circle on the ceiling and make the circle as big as possible. Repeat 8 times clockwise and anticlockwise before switching on to the right leg. Perform 2 sets and increase with your increasing fitness.

Lunges (with / without weights) – Lunges are perhaps the best exercises for great legs. There are many different types of lunges each of which result in shapely and strong legs. In the simplest lunge exercise you will have to stand with your legs shoulder width apart. Then, you will have to pull your left leg back and bend down on your right knees ensuring that the knee does not cross the toe and get back to starting position. Perform 8 times before switching over to the other leg. While doing lunges, try to perform the 8 counts continuously without stopping.

You can choose to do 2 or more of these exercises making sure that squats and lunges feature at all costs in your leaner-legs routine. At the same time, try to include some form of racquet sport in your weekend schedule. Also ensure walking and stair climbing whether in the house or in the office to give your legs the everyday activity it needs.