Whenever we flip through magazines, our eyes are invariably drawn towards those lean, slim legs of the models. How all of us dream that we were also blessed with such legs. While some of us are actually lucky to have lean slim legs, others have to work out to make the best of what they have been endowed with.
However, getting those bottle-shaped legs is not difficult. Here is a set of exercises, which if performed consistently, are bound to give you those slim legs that you always dreamt of:
1) Squats
- Stand with your feet shoulder-length apart.
- Bend your knees, pushing your hips out as if you are sitting in a chair.
- Inhale as you sit, tightly pulling in your abs.
- Use your hands to balance yourself.
- Rise and exhale forcefully out of the mouth.
- This is one squat. Complete a set of 15 squats.
2) Plie Squats
- Stand with legs wider than the shoulders, toes pointing at a 45 degree angle and hands on the waist.
- Bend low in a deep squat while inhaling.
- Squeeze in your ab muscles and hold the squat for 3 seconds.
- Release while exhaling forcefully out of the mouth.
- Complete a set of 15 plie squats.
3) Extended Side Squats
- Stand with legs wider than the shoulders and toes pointing forward.
- Extend the left leg out as you squat on your right leg.
- Inhale and hold for 3 seconds.
- Release the squat by bringing in the left leg.
- Repeat 10 squats each for both the legs.
4) Side Plank
- Lie down on your side with your legs resting on top of each other and your elbow supporting your upper body.
- Raise your hips from the floor to do a side plank.
- Inhale and tighten your ab muscles, hold the plank for 10 seconds.
- Exhale forcefully as you lower the hips.
- Do 5 planks of 10 seconds each. Increase the hold time as you advance.
5) Side Leg Raise
- Lie on your side with your elbow supporting your head and legs resting on each other.
- Raise the leg on top to form a 45 degree angle.
- Drop the leg to just above the resting position. Do not let it touch the lower leg.
- Repeat 20 raises for both the legs.
6) Hip Extension and Raise
- Take a position on all fours, with elbows under the shoulders and knees under your hips. Keep the back straight.
- Extend the left leg outwards towards the back wall.
- Now bend from the knee so that the toes point towards the ceiling.
- Pulse the knee up and down 25 times.
- Repeat for the other leg.
7) Prone Hamstring Curl
- Lie on your stomach with your head resting on your hands.
- Extend both the legs outward towards the back.
- Bend from the knee so that the toes point at the ceiling.
- Flex your toes so that they point at the back wall.
- Extend the legs again without touching the floor.
- Repeat 20 curls.
Remember that you need to incorporate these exercises into your daily exercise routine. Even if you are attempting only these exercises, ensure that you warm up before doing these and do a full body stretch after to ease any stiffness and pain in the muscles.
Image sources: shape.com, Jessica Smith, Wikimedia Commons, U.S. Air Force, and Pixabay