New Fit Beginning

fitnessloveaffair:

Get Your Best Legs

First know that you can’t reduce fat in just one place. Your body takes a little bit of fat from everywhere, more or less in some places due to your genetics. Doing a ton of leg exercises isn’t necessarily going to make all that fat disappear, at least not by itself. We do these exercises to shape and tone the muscles so your legs have a great shape. If you aren’t eating healthy and doing cardio those sexy muscles are going to be hidden no matter how many squats you do. Gaining muscle helps, it increases the metabolism thus burning more calories, but you have to work the rest of your body and have a clean diet too.

Try to do one video or pick five exercises and do 3 sets of 8-12 reps (or until you feel the burn) about 3-4 days a week. Do cardio 3-5 days a week too, it can be running, biking, swimming, Zumba, kickboxing, whatever gets your heart pounding and sweat dripping. You can combine strength workouts and cardio into the same day if you want. Make sure to eat protein after your workouts, it helps build muscle!

These are, in my opinion, the best thigh and leg exercises and videos. I’ve included links to instructions for most of the exercises and a variety that you can do at home or at the gym. If you workout at home try to get some 8-10 lbs dumbbells, or get a backpack/duffel bag and fill it with heavy books to challenge yourself.

If you have access to a gym try these machines & equipment:

• the leg/hamstring curl machine
• the leg press machine
• the leg abductor/adductor machines
• squats with a barbell and/or dumbbells
• barbell deadlifts 
• lunges with dumbbells
• bulgarian split squat

If you don’t have access to a gym try these exercises at home:

• wall squats
• jump squats
• bridge/hip lifts (try them with your feet on a chair/bed)
• hip lifts on a balance ball (you’ll get an almost instant burn!)
• leg lifts
• inner thigh lifts
• the fire hydrant
• sumo squats
• suicides

These are my favorite leg videos:

• Inner Thigh Insanity
• Slimmer Inner Thighs
• Legs & Thighs Workout
• Itty Bitty Bikini
• Long Lean Legs Workout
• POP Kicks Kickboxing
• Bikini Beach Bum
• Tone It Up Legs & Core

(via prettyfitbody)

150lbsto120lbs:

This exercise targets: glutes, hamstrings and lower back

For this exercise, you will need: an exercise mat and a stepper or something elevated 

Lie on your back with your knees in a straight angle. Place your feet on a stepper. Keep your feet and knees together. Your arms are by your sides with the palms facing down. 

Push through your heels and lift your butt off the floor. During this exercise your knees, hips and shoulders should form a straight line. Pause in that position for a second while keeping your back straight and glutes tight. During the entire exercise, push your knees toward each other. Return to the starting position. 

Tips: 

When raising your hips off the floor, keep your glutes tight and make sure your knees, hips, and shoulders form a straight line. 

Make sure you do not hyper-extend your back. 

You can perform this exercise without a stepper. If you are doing this, lift your toes off the ground when you raise your hips. 

Place a towel between your knees to ensure you are pushing your knees toward each other. 

Advanced: Place a dumbbell between your knees. 

Exhale as you lift your hips off the floor and inhale as you return to the starting position. 

Beginners: 10 repetitions 

Intermediate level: 15 repetitions 

Advanced level: 20 repetitions 

(via gettinghealthynfit)

silkandsugar:

Tips from the boss.

(via gettinghealthynfit)