Leg exercises can strengthen your leg muscles for surf season or tone your legs for wearing short summer skirts. To get strong and shapely legs, you’ll have to exercise your calves, hamstrings, quadriceps and thighs. The good news is to exercise your legs and get the results you want, you don’t need fancy equipment. You simply need the time, dedication and determination.
Step 1
Work your calves. Skipping and jumping rope are great for exercising the calves. Calf muscles are the group of muscles in the back of your leg, running from just below your knee to just above your ankle. Skipping and jumping are great for exercising the calf muscles because both require you to stay on your toes. Whenever you put your weight on your toes, your calf muscles are also being worked.
Step 2
Work your hamstrings. Your hamstrings are the group of muscles in the back of your thighs. These muscles help you bend your knees.To exercise your hamstrings, lie flat on the floor with your arms by your side. Bend your left leg so your left foot is flat on the floor. Extend your right leg toward the ceiling. Using your left foot, push your butt off of the floor and raise your hips to the ceiling. Lower yourself back down, switch legs and repeat.
Step 3
Work your quads. Your quadriceps are the muscles in front of your thighs. Exercise these muscles by doing walking lunges. To do a walking lunge, stand up straight, take a step out with your left foot and lower into the lunge position by dropping your right knee close to the floor. To prevent injury, keep your knee positioned farther away from you than your toe. Stand and repeat the exercise by stepping forward with the other foot.
Step 4
Work your thigh muscles. To exercise your thighs, lie on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Place the left heel of your foot on your right thigh. Wrap your arms around your left thigh and pull it as close to your chest as you can. Hold this pose for 10 seconds, then switch legs and repeat.
Warnings
- If you feel pain during any leg exercise, stop and rest.
