Shapelier Legs: 10 Best Exercises

If you picked A, B or C, you're on the right track. But if you selected D, you've got the formula for great-looking legs. There isn't a woman around who wouldn't trade a box of Twinkies for a set of sexy legs. Unfortunately, most women realize that it takes more than sacrificing your favorite sweet treat to achieve long, lean legs -- although that is a good first step!

According to eDiets chief fitness pro Raphael Calzadilla, there are plenty of dos and don'ts when it comes to improving the appearance of your legs: DO improve your eating habits... DO follow a cardio program... DO strength train, but DON?T go by the assumption that you can spot reduce. There?s no such thing as spot reduction, says the former Mr. Connecticut.

"Many women think they can spot reduce," Raphael notes. "They want to get their legs and hips slimmer. They think there are some magical exercises that can do that. Leg exercises strengthen the muscles and tighten them. But unless total body fat is reduced, combined with a cardio program, it?s not going to work."

Raphael says proper nutrition is key. Your nutrition plan must have you eating frequent, healthy meals and snacks to control blood sugar levels, but it must also place you in a slight "calorie deficit" (fewer calories than needed to maintain your weight). Of course, building more muscle will help burn even more calories. For every pound of muscle, you burn 30 to 50 more calories a day. The more calories you burn working out, the more you?ll need to eat in order to sustain weight.

Aerobic activity is also crucial for burning additional calories. You?ll burn fat and become leaner. For beginners, Raphael recommends doing aerobic activity 20-30 minutes a day at least three days a week. You should aim for 65 percent of your target heart rate zone while exercising.

As you progress, you should work up to four to five days of cardio for 30 to 45 minutes. Most aerobic classes last an hour. Raphael says unless you?re working on building endurance or training for a marathon, you shouldn?t do more than 60 minutes of cardio. If you?re doing 45 minutes of cardio, you should work out about five days a week.

While cardio works wonders in burning fat, it?s the muscle-building exercises that really hold the power to achieving results. Generally, you should do three days a week of a full body workout. Perform about two to three sets per muscle group of 10 to 12 reps at a brisk pace.

If you?re still unsure on how to get started, eDiets offers a fitness program tailored precisely to your wants, needs and goals and your trainer is none other than Bob Greene, the man who helped Oprah Winfrey get in the best shape of her life. Bob Greene?s Get With The Program! Basic Training fitness solution can be performed at home or at the gym. It's a gradual 12-week plan comprised of three types of exercises: functional, cardiovascular and strength/muscular.

Raphael stresses that it?s important to keep your regimen varied for optimum results.

Your legs, like any muscle group, will adapt to the same routine over time," Raphael explains. "When the body becomes efficient at a movement, the muscles and central nervous systems get used to it. You can do the same exercises, but you have to change some parameter of it. Increase intensity, add volume or increase weight. Something has to change.

"Studies show your body will adapt to the same routine in four to six weeks. By changing your routine, it confuses the body. The body recruits more muscle fibers and has to work harder for a period of time so it can adapt again. In that time, you?re tearing down more muscle fibers and the muscle heals during rest and actually gets tighter and firmer."

In this eDiets exclusive, Raphael shares the 10 best leg exercises that are offered by the eDiets 3-D virtual trainer. ( Click here to learn more.)

1. Chair Squat (good for beginners)

Starting Position:

• Perform this exercise with the aid of a sturdy chair.
• Stand in front of the chair with your back toward the chair and feet shoulder-width apart.
• Keep your head up as a natural extension of your spine.
• The goal of this exercise is to help beginners learn the squat.
• This movement will also help in gaining proficiency when getting in and out of a chair.

Movement:

• Begin to sit in the chair, lowering your body until your legs are at a 90-degree angle.
• Contracting your quadriceps, slowly return to the starting position, stopping just short of the legs being fully extended. Keep a slight bend in the knees.

Key Points:

• Inhale while sitting in the chair.
• Exhale while raising yourself from the chair.
• As you get stronger, you will want to add resistance, such as dumbbells in your hands.

2. Dumbbell Squat (entire leg and butt)

Starting Position:

• Stand up straight with feet shoulder-width apart.
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand with arms hanging down at your sides and palms facing one another.
• Maintain a neutral spine and a slight bend in the knees throughout the exercise.

Movement:

• Lower your body by bending from your hips and knees, stopping when your thighs are parallel with the floor.
• Contracting the quadriceps muscles, slowly return to the starting position.

Key Points:

• Exhale while returning to the starting position.
• Inhale while lowering your body.
• Do not let your knees ride over your toes (you should be able to see your feet at all times).
• It helps to find a marker on the wall to keep your eye on as you lift and lower, otherwise your head may tend to fall forward and your body will follow.
• Think about sitting back in a chair as you are lowering down.
• Push off with your heels as you return to the starting position.
• You may want to try this exercise without weights until you master the movement. It is a very effective exercise that involves most of the muscle groups of the lower body, but if done improperly can lead to injuries.

3. Dumbbell Lunge (works quadriceps -- front of leg -- and butt)

Starting Position:

• Stand straight with your feet together.
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms down at your sides.

Movement:

• Step forward with the right leg and lower the left leg until the knee almost touches the floor.
• Contracting the quadriceps muscles, push off your right foot slowly returning to the starting position.
• Alternate the motion with the left leg to complete the set.

Key Points:

• Inhale while stepping forward.
• Exhale while returning to the starting position.
• The step should be big enough that your left leg is nearly straight. Do not let your knee touch the floor.
• Make sure your head is up and your back is straight.
• Your chest should be lifted and your front leg should form a 90-degree angle at the bottom of the movement.
• Your right knee should not pass your right foot. You should be able to see your toes at all times.
• If you have one leg that is more dominant than the other, start out with the less dominant leg first.
• Discontinue this exercise if you feel any discomfort in your knees.

4. Barbell Wide Squat (with feet in plie position/toes outward -- works inside of leg better than any exercise)

Starting Position:

• Begin by standing tall with feet wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Place a barbell across your shoulders. Be sure it is not resting on your neck.
• Maintain a neutral spine and a slight bend in the knees.

Movement:




• Concentrating on the quadriceps muscles, begin to lower your body by bending from your hips and knees.
• Stop when your thighs are parallel with the floor.
• Slowly return to the starting position, stopping just short of your knees fully extending.



Key Points:




• Exhale while returning to the starting position.
• Inhale as you lower down.
• Do not let your knees ride over your toes (you should be able to see your feet at all times).
• It helps to find a marker on the wall to keep your eye on as you lift and lower, otherwise your head may tend to fall forward and your body will follow.
• Think about sitting back in a chair as you are lowering down.
• Push off with your heels as you return to the starting position.
• Perform this movement in a slow and controlled fashion without using momentum.
• You may want to try this exercise without weights until you master the movement. It is a very effective exercise that involves most of the muscle groups of the lower body, but if done improperly can lead to injuries.



5. Machine Seated Leg Curl (works hamstrings -- back of legs)




Starting Position:




• Adjust yourself in the machine according to the instructions, making sure your knee joint is properly aligned.

Movement:



• Contracting the hamstrings muscles, drive the heels toward the buttocks, stopping when your knees are at approximately 90 degrees.
• Slowly return to the starting position, stopping just short of the weight stack touching.



Key Points:




• Exhale while lifting the weight.
• Inhale while returning to the starting position.
• The upright position offers convenience and comfort.
• Make sure your knees are not hyperextended at the starting position.
• Some machines have range-limiting devices that can be useful for anyone with knee discomfort.



6. Machine Prone Leg Curl (works back of leg also)




Starting Position:




• Adjust yourself in the machine as per the instructions.



Movement:




• Contracting the hamstrings muscles, draw your heels up toward your butt, stopping when your knees are at a 90-degree angle.
• Slowly return to the starting position, stopping just short of the weight stack touching.



Key Points:




• Exhale while lifting the weight.
• Inhale while returning to the starting position.
• Keep your lower back relaxed and your hips on the pad throughout the exercise.



7. Fitness Band Reverse Lunge (seldom used but very effective leg exercise)




Starting Position:




• Stand with one leg slightly in front of the other with the fitness band under the front foot.
• Hold a handle in each hand with the elbows bent so your hands are slightly above your shoulders.
• Your palms should be facing each other.



Movement:




• Step backward with the rear leg bending the front knee to form a 90-degree angle.
• Contracting the quadriceps muscles, slowly return to the starting position.
• After completing the set, switch legs and repeat the motion.



Key Points:




• Inhale while stepping back.
• Exhale while returning to the starting position.
• Make sure to avoid touching the floor with the rear knee.
• The slower you perform the movement, the more challenging the exercise becomes.
• You may want to try this one without the band first to learn to balance during the movement.



8. Ankle Weight Lying Adduction (works inside of leg)




Starting Position:




• Place an ankle weight on your right ankle.
• Lie on a mat on your right hip. Bring your left leg over the right leg so your foot is on the floor in front of your right knee.
• Prop your upper body on your right forearm and place your left arm on your left leg for balance.



Movement:




• Contracting the inner thigh (adductor) muscles, raise the right leg toward the ceiling.
• Slowly return to the starting position, stopping just short of your right leg touching the floor.
• After completing the set on the right side, repeat on the left side.



Key Points:




• Exhale while lifting the weight.
• Inhale while returning to the starting position.
• This is not a very large range of motion.
• If you have one leg that is more dominant than the other, start out with the less dominant leg first.



9. Ankle Weight Supine Leg Lift (good for those with injuries that don't allow them to bend their knees)




Starting Position:




• Place an ankle weight on your left ankle.
• Sit on a mat and lean back so your upper body is resting on your forearms.
• Bend the right leg so that the knee forms a 45-degree angle with your left leg out straight in front of you with a slight bend in the knee.
• Your head and neck should be relaxed.



Movement:




• Contracting the quadriceps muscles, raise the left leg until it is parallel with the upper right leg.
• Slowly return to the starting position.
• After completing the set on the left side, repeat on the right side.



Key Points:




• Exhale while lifting the weight.
• Inhale while returning to the starting position.
• If you have one leg that is more dominant than the other, start out with the less dominant leg first.



10. Fitness Band Standing Leg Abduction (works outside of leg)




Starting Position:




• Attach a fitness band to a door at ankle height.
• Attach the fitness band to your left ankle.
• Stand with your left side facing the door with your weight on the right leg and your right hand on a chair or table balancing your body.
• Place your left hand on your hip.
• Maintain a slight bend in the knees throughout the exercise.



Movement:




• Contracting the inner thigh muscles, move the left leg past the right leg, stopping when you feel a contraction on the inner thigh.
• Slowly return to the starting position.
• After the set, perform the movement with the other leg.



Key Points:




• Exhale while moving the leg across the body.
• Inhale while returning to the starting position.