Top 4 Moves for Toned Legs!

Dear Body Buds,

Today was leg day, so I thought I would snap some shots to show you four absolutely imperative exercises for toned legs.

While I was blessed with genetically long and athletic legs (thanks Mom and Dad--you rock!), I have worked hard for many years as a dancer and athlete to shape mine. I absolutely hate when fitness people tell you you'll get "legs like this in 2 weeks!" What a load of balogna! I can't tell you you'll get ripped and lean, cut legs that are tighter than the wall of China in no time. But I can tell you the consistent application of principles when training your legs will help put them in an environment to evolve over time.

"Rome wasn't built in a day."

Be patient with the slow changes your body makes. Use progress pictures to document the change so you can rejoice in every little bit of progress. Photos are 100 million kazillion times more important than the number on the scale or even measurements.

"Muscles are torn in the gym, fueled in the kitchen, and built in bed."

This is a saying that, in my mind, is a very simple way of explaining the incredible science of how the muscles in your body and entire physique changes. The goal of putting in time and effort at the gym is to break down and deplete your body. If you're going to go to that work, then by golly, you better be putting in the effort to fuel yourself afterward! Nutrition is everything, and that's why the Power Foods Lifestyle is helping so many people to change their bodies! So then, your body must rest in order for it to resynthesize all of those muscle proteins! Be sure you are getting adequate sleep.

Okay, okay . . . now that I have laid the foundation for helping you realize the reality of the body and how you will have to WORK at these exercises, I will now proceed to tell you what they are!

Pretzel Lunge/Curtsy Lunge

Focus on keeping your hips squared to the front while one leg stretches to reach behind you. Your front foot should be rotated outward about 30-40 degrees, and your knee MUST bend out over that same angle. Your weight should be evenly distributed. Push up through your front foot (heel) and focus on feeling it in the outside part of your thigh (vastus lateralis) and outside of your booty (gluteus medius). Check out my video for advanced Pretzel Lunges by clicking here.

Parallel Squat

Keeping your toes, ankles, knees, and hips all pointing forward, bend at the knees to drop down into a squat. Think about trying to make a bum imprint on the fake wall behind you, so shoot that booty back, while keeping your chest as upright as possible. Try not to let your knees cross the point over your toes, or you will feel this too much in your knees and/or quads. Push into the floor with your heels in order to rise and straighten up, paying attention to the feeling in your hamstrings and glutes. Check out my video for Parallell Squats with a Plate by clicking here.

Ballet Squat

Stand as wide as you can, then rotate out from the hips so your hips, knees, and feet are pointing outward about 30-45 degrees. Think of your pelvis like a bucket full of water. You neither want water to spill out the front nor the back. This will help you be in the right alignment as you perform your Ballet Squat. Make sure your knees are bending directly over your toes and your chest is pulled up. You will naturally want to push into the ground with the balls of your feet, but this will trigger your quads more than your glutes and hamstrings, so makes sure your are driving your heels into the ground in order to rise. Do not "bounce" at the bottom of each squat; instead, focus on pausing momentarily before rising with absolute control and same speed of movement at all points along the straightening path.

Split Squat/Lunge

Focus on keeping your hips, knees, ankles, and toes all pointing forward. Many people unknowingly rotate their back foot out slightly as it provides better stability, but this will train your muscles incorrectly and put adverse pressure on the knee as it throws your hips off. Distribute your weight evenly between both legs, and focus on your pelvis acting as the bucket I described in the Ballet Squat. Push up through your heel and keep you torso upright as you move. You can either do an isolated lunge which does not move, simply bends and straightens throughout the rep range before switching to the other side, or you can do a Walking Lunge as I show in this video.

I hope these exercises become a regular part of your routine, and that you focus on doing them correctly! If you need help programming your workouts, or need some instruction in form (in person in Holladay, Utah, or over FaceTime/Skype anywhere in the world), you may reach me at kristyjo@body-buddies.com.

Love your bud,

Kristy Jo

#exercisetips #legs