WeightWatchers.com

workouts
women: Legs
By Martha Lourey Bird | MSpSC, BSpSC (ExSc), DipRT

You may not be able to change how long your legs are, but you can certainly change how they look. To make the most of what you've got, start using your legs as much as possible by riding a bike, stair climbing, in-line skating, jogging and walking, walking, walking!

In addition, the following exercises are specifically designed for your legs. It's important for you to do all of them. They'll give you a balanced leg workout that will help improve, strengthen and tone.

To begin, follow the order below doing 12 to 20 of each exercise. Rotate until you've done three sets.

Instructions

1.	step-ups Using a step or something similar, step up, alternating your leading leg every 30 seconds (e.g., step up for 30 seconds leading with the right leg, then change sides and step up for 30 seconds leading with the left). Keep your back straight and make sure your whole foot is on top of the step each time you step up. When you step down again, keep close to the step and use your arms as shown.


2.	half-squats Begin by standing up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes facing forward. To help maintain balance, keep your head up and eyes fixed on an object in front of you. Bend your knees and push your bottom away from you as you squat down, keeping your heels pressed to the floor. To help perform the squat correctly, pretend you’re going to sit down into an imaginary chair (don't go any further than the imaginary seat). If you wish, you can also hold a weighted bar across your shoulders to make the squat even harder. Straighten your knees again and stand upright to return to the starting position.

3.	alternating lunges To begin, take a big step forward with one leg so your feet are parallel, yet far away from each other. As shown, bend both knees as you lunge down towards the floor, keeping your back knee just above the ground each time you go down. Straighten your legs after each lunge to return to the start. Either alternate legs each time or complete as many as you can with one leg forward before switching legs.