How to Tone and Strengthen Your Legs

You don’t need an expensive gym membership or a personal trainer named Hans to help tone and strengthen your legs. With a few simple exercises, you can do it right in the comfort of your own home. The first step is to build strength and tone through regular exercise, like walking and swimming. Both of these exercises will help you build strength and endurance and improve your overall fitness level. Using a stair climbing machine, or even just climbing flights of stairs will also tone and strengthen your legs.

Riding a bicycle is another good exercise. If you do have a gym membership, see if they offer spin classes, which make riding a stationary bicycle a lot more enjoyable. However, when you’re riding a bicycle, be sure to keep your abs tightened and pulled in to protect your back and keep the focus on your legs.

To work your calf muscles, try calf raises. For this exercise, you’ll need something on which you stand that’s just a few inches high – such as a piece of wood, or an exercise step. You may want to do this exercise close to a counter or piece of furniture so that you can hold yourself up for support. Place the balls of both feet on your object, then slowly left yourself up so that your weight is on the balls of your feet. Now, slowly lower yourself so that your heels are lower than the balls of your feet. This exercise uses the weight of your body for resistance, so if you’re heavy or out of shape, start slowly to build your strength and muscle tone.

However, if you’re very overweight and can’t do standing calf raises, there is a seated variation you can perform. Sit forward in your chair and raise your feet so that they’re in the same position they’d be in if you were standing on the balls of you feet. Then, roll your feet back down and slightly extend your leg, putting your heel on the ground and flexing your foot. Do this exercise, alternating your feet, to help develop strength and tone in your calf muscles before moving on to the standing version.

You can also exercise your thigh muscles with home exercises. Stand up straight with your feet about shoulder width apart. Bending at your hips and knees, sit back as if you were going to sit down into a chair. Then, slowly straighten up. Try to make sure that your knees don’t come any farther forward than the arches of your feet, as this can cause undue damage to the knees. You should feel this exercise in your thighs and hamstrings.

To tone your inner thighs, the butterfly is a classic exercise. Begin by sitting on the floor, then bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor. Now let your knees fall apart and open, and bring the soles of your feet together. Place your hands on the inside of your knees, and using your hands to provide gentle resistance, try to bring your knees back together again by contracting the muscles of your inner thighs. Relax your legs and repeat. When practiced regularly over time, this exercise will help to cut down the flabby inner thighs that many people hate.