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Fitness Friday's How to Get Sexy Summer Legs is brought to you by Girl-Woman-Beauty-Brains' ACE, ACSM, Personal Trainer/Fitness Specialist.

Ok, Ladies. These are some of my faves for the summer. We all have been working hard since the onset of bikini season, but these leg and butt exercises can help revamp dull and boring routines.

You will notice that I chose a lot of one leg exercises. Besides focusing on muscle balance, which protects you against injury, it is also aesthetically pleasing to have lower body symmetry.

So let's get started.



Lateral Step with tubing

Setup:

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• Velcro circle tubing around each ankle.
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• Chest is lifted. Shoulders back.
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• Bend the knees and press the hips back.

Movement:

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• With both toes remaining forward and knees bent take a large step out.
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• Pick up the trail leg as feet come together.
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• Repeat.
  
  

Pliĕ Squat

Setup:

• Begin in a wide stance with toes out at a comfortable angle. Your knees will need to stay aligned with your toes, so don't go out too far.
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• To add weight you can hold dumbbells on the upper thighs, a single dumbbell in front or a barbell on the shoulders or behind the head.

Movement:

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• Bend the knees and lower down into a squat, keeping knees in line with toes, abs contracted and back straight.
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• Only go down as low as you can without compromising your flexibility or your balance.
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• Press up and in through the heels to help target the adductor (inner thigh) muscles.

One Leg Calf Raises

Setup:

• Can be performed with or without weight.
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• Find a flat surface that allows the heels to go below it.

Movement:

• In a linear motion press through the ball of the foot.
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• Slowly lower the heel for a stretch before performing the next extension.

One Leg Squat

Setup:

• Can be performed with or without weight.
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• Can use Smith Machine (in picture) or table/bench for balance.
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• On one leg while the other is in front of the body with the knee bent.
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• Never lock out the knee at the top of the movement.
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• Pull your belly button in towards your spine.
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• Chest lifted. Shoulders back.

Movement:

• Sit the hips back while pressing the glutes back.
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• Bent the knee to 90 degrees. Knee should be behind the toes from a side view.
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• Press up through your heel as your squeeze your glute on the way up.
  

Stability Ball Hamstring Curls

Setup:

• Place heels in the center of the ball.
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• Feet about 6 inches apart.
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• Hands by your side for balance.

Movement:

• Lift hips up to form a straight line with knees and ankles.
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• Dig heels into the ball as you roll ball towards your body.
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• Finish movement on your toes with hips lifted.

One Leg Extension

Setup up:

• Ankle pad should hit between the top of your foot and shin.
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• Knee should be in line with pivot point on machine.
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• Pull the back support up until your tall through your torso.

Movement:

• Press the foot towards the ceiling.
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• At the top of the movement your foot is perpendicular to the floor.
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• Slowly lower the weight.

One Leg Deadlift

Setup:

• Stand on one foot with slight bend in the knee.
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• Grip the straight bar slightly wider than hips.
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• Retract and depress the shoulder blades.
  

Movement:

• Slow hinge foward at the hips. Maintain a head forward position and flat back. Knee bend does NOT increase has the motion at the hip does.
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• Go down until you feel a slight stretch through the hamstrings.
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• Press your heel into the floor and squeeze through the booty (technical term) on the way up.
  
  

Alternating Forward/Reverse Lunge

Setup:

• Place the feet hip width apart with the toes pointing straight ahead.
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• Hold a dumbbell in each hand and allow the arms to hang naturally at the sides.

Movement:

• Step forward with one leg. Slowly flex the knees to a maximum depth of 90 degrees of flexion.
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• Allow the heel of the rear foot to lift, so that the ball of the foot is in contact with the floor.
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• Pause at the end of the movement. Then press the front leg and step backward into a reverse lunge on the floor.
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• Press off the floor with the back leg and return to the starting position.
  
  

Jamie Temple, ACE, ACSM
Personal Trainer/Fitness Specialist



Have a great weekend!