"IRON LEGS EXERCISE" TRAINING

1/ Sculpt strong, toned legs and thighs with these exercises that work the muscle fibers you're probably neglecting.

Strong and sexy legs

If you think lower-body strength exercises will bulk you up, you haven't heard of squats, says Rina.

“Not only have EMG studies shown that basic exercises like squats, lunges, and calf raises work the leg muscles best, but women don’t tend to build big muscles due to a lack of testosterone,” says Rina, who created the Iron Legs workout with this science in mind.

But the real magic lies in its blend.

“This workout is greater than the sum of its parts because each move works different leg fibers that you're probably neglecting,” Rina says.

Do this routine three times a week, on non-consecutive days, resting for about 30 seconds between sets. (All you'll need is a chair, a 5-pound dumbbell, and a towel.)

Split Squat

Targets glutes, quads

• Stand with your back facing a chair (about 2 feet away), hands on your hips, and bend your left leg behind you to place the top of your foot on the seat of the chair.
• Squat down, bending your right leg 90 degrees with your knee over your ankle. Make it harder: After each full squat, do a half squat, bending only 45 degrees.
• Do 15-20 reps. Switch legs and repeat. Do 2-3 sets.

Sissy Squat

Targets quads, hamstrings and calves.

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, your right side next to a chair, your right hand holding the back of the seat.
• Stand on your tiptoes (heels off the floor) and bend your knees 90 degrees while leaning your torso back 45 degrees (so that your body forms a straight line from knees to shoulders, abs tight).
• Return to standing on your toes.
• Do 2 to 3 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions.

Pistol Squat

Targets glutes, quads

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, fists in front of your chest and elbows bent; raise your right foot forward a few inches off the floor, foot flexed.
• Squat down, bending your left knee to 90 degrees, as you lift your right leg to hip level in front of you. Make it easy: Let your right heel hover close to the floor.
• Do 15 to 20 repetitions, then switch sides and repeat.
• Do 2 to 3 sets.

Goblet Squat

Targets glutes, quads, inner thighs and hamstrings.

• Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes turned out, hold the handle of a single dumbbell vertically with both hands in front of your chest (like a goblet), elbows bent at your sides.
• Squat down with your knees bent to 90 degrees. Make it harder: Holding the weight in place, jump up slightly as you come out of the squat, landing with soft knees.
• Do 2 to 3 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions.

Three-way slot

Targets glutes, quads, inner thighs and hamstrings.

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands clasped in front of your chest. Lunge forward with your left leg (knees bent 90 degrees); return to the starting point.
• Bend your left leg to the left, toes facing forward, and bend your left knee to 90 degrees. Return to the starting point.
• Lunge backward with your left leg for 1 rep. Repeat with your right leg.
• Do 2 to 3 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions, alternating sides.

Hello

Targets abs, glutes and hamstrings.

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the ends of a single dumbbell in each hand; bend your elbows out to the sides to bring the weight under your chin.
• Keeping your legs straight and maintaining arm position, push your buttocks back while leaning forward at the hips until your back is almost parallel to the floor.
• Return to standing position.
• Do 2 to 3 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions.

One Leg Deadlift

Targets glutes, hamstrings

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing the front of your thighs.
• Hinge your hips 90 degrees, lifting your straight left leg behind you so that your body is parallel to the floor, from head to left heel, with your arms hanging down.
• Return to the starting point.
• Do 15 to 20 repetitions.
• Switch sides and repeat.
• Do 2 to 3 sets.

Hamstring Curls

Targets glutes, hamstrings

• Lie on the floor, face down, arms at your sides, legs straight and heels resting on a folded towel on the floor.
• Slowly pull your heels toward your buttocks, lifting your hips off the floor until your knees are bent 90 degrees and your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
• Slide your legs forward to return to the starting point.
• Do 2 to 3 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions.

Three-Step Calf Raise

Targets the calves

• Stand with the soles of your feet on the bottom step of a staircase, your heels hanging over the edge, your hands on your hips.
• Turn your toes inward. Raise your heels high, then lower them slightly below the level of the step. Do 15 to 20 repetitions.
• Next, turn your toes outward 45 degrees; repeat.
• With toes facing forward, stand on left leg only, bending right leg behind you; repeat lifts.
• Do 15 to 20 repetitions.
• Switch legs; repeat.
• Do 2 to 3 sets of series.

2/ 8 Lower Body Exercises Inspired by the Women's World Cup

Whether or not you intend to set foot on a football pitch.

You can still kick butt with these lower-body exercises inspired by the Women's World Cup. The results?

Roborunner

Adding a resistance band to mountain stairs strengthens your lower body, making your next 5K a breeze.

Targets abs, obliques, glutes and hamstrings.

• Loop the center of the band around a stable pole like a couch leg. Start by getting on the floor in a plank position, facing the pole with your feet placed in stirrup-like handles.
• Alternately bring the right and left knee towards the chest, without the toes of the bent leg touching the floor.
• Repeat for 1 minute and rest for 20 seconds.
• Do 3 sets.

Warrior Deadlift

Tighten your glutes (soccer players need powerful butts to sprint, change direction, and jump), lengthen your hamstrings, and improve your balance with this exercise.

Targets glutes and hamstrings

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, your arms at your sides, a dumbbell in each hand; place your right foot slightly behind you, toes on the mat.
• Standing on your left leg with your knee slightly bent, hinge forward from your hips, lifting your right leg behind you until your body is parallel to the floor, arms hanging down.
• Hold for one count, then return to the start by tapping your right foot down.
• Continue for 30 seconds; switch legs and repeat.

Ruby slippers

This leg strengthening exercise will take your legs to new heights whether or not you're kicking a soccer ball.

Targets buttocks, legs, inner thighs and outer thighs.

• Place a rolled up garden hose (or rolled up towel) on the ground and straddle it with your hands on your hips.
• Get into a squat position, then jump as high as you can and tap your heels together in mid-air.
• Land with soft knees in the starting position.
• Repeat the exercise for 1 minute.

Simplify your fitness session: jump without tapping your heels together or do the movement without the hose.

Toe Tap 360

This ultimate soccer drill will get your heart rate up and get you closer to your record.

Targets buttocks and legs

• Place a medicine ball on the floor in front of you.
• Alternately tap the toes of your left and right feet on the ball, walking around it as quickly as possible until you have made a complete circle.
• Continue for 1 minute (or 30 taps), changing direction with each rotation.

Bent somersault

By repeating this move, you'll develop explosive strength (and super-lean legs). Get ready to see your sprint speed skyrocket.

Targets abs, glutes and legs

• Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointed outward. Lower into a deep plié squat, hands clasped in front of your chest.
• Jump as high as you can, hitting your heels together in mid-air.
• Land with soft knees in a plie squat position.
• Repeat the exercise for 45 seconds.

Outer and Inner Thigh Kick Stretch

Have you ever seen a professional football player with saddlebags? Yeah, neither have we. This exercise uses the momentum of your own body weight to target those hard-to-reach outer thighs.

Targets outer and inner thighs

• Stand holding the back of a chair. Push your shoulder blades back and down.
• Rise onto the sole of your left foot and lift your right leg.
• Keeping your abs pulled in, bring your right leg across your body, in front of your left leg.
• Now, rotate it to the right, keeping your toes flexed and your toes turned out. Use the momentum to swing your leg while working your left glute.
• Do 10 reps. Make sure to keep both hips facing forward.
• Return to the right leg and repeat the exercise for 10 more reps, again making sure your hips are facing forward.
• Flex your foot, using the momentum to swing your left leg and engage your right glute.
• Take a break, then do a second set.

Low Squat Sprint

This exercise helps strengthen your lower legs, which are prone to muscle strains in soccer players.

Targets glutes, quads and calves

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, elbows bent at your sides, palms facing forward.
• Get into a squat position and, rising up onto your tiptoes, sprint on the spot.
• Continue for 30 seconds as fast as possible.

Pencil Squat

The path to goal glory starts here! Build your inner thighs with this high-energy squat exercise, which will give you the muscular power to perform quick, multi-directional movements, like seamlessly weaving through opponents while dribbling down the court. Or, you know, the confidence to wear bikini bottoms 24/7.

Targets shoulders, abs, glutes, inner thighs and calves.

• Standing, feet together, arms extended above the head.
• Place your feet shoulder-width apart and squat down, touching the floor with your fingertips between your feet.
• Jump back to the starting position, bringing your feet together and pressing your arms overhead.

3/ Do as many repetitions as you can for 30 seconds.

6 Dancer-Approved Leg Exercises to Get Long, Lean Legs

Looking to add some grace and poise to your lower body routine?

Ballet Positions 101

For those of you new to dance (don't worry, we are too!), here's a rundown of the basic ballet positions. They form the foundation of these leg exercises, so feel free to try them out and nail them!

First position:

• Stand with your legs touching, your toes pointing to the sides and your arms slightly bent in front of you.

Second position:

• Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart, toes pointing to the sides and arms raised in line with your shoulders.

Third position:

• Stand with one leg slightly in front of the other, toes pointing to the sides. One arm should be raised in line with your shoulder and the other slightly bent in front of you.

Fourth position:

• Stand with one leg in front of the other, toes pointing out to the sides. (Your front foot should completely hide the other.) Raise one arm above your head and bend the other slightly in front of you.

Fifth position:

• Stand with one leg in front of the other, toes pointing out to the sides. (Again, your front foot should completely hide the other.) Raise both arms high above your head.

Stand on one leg and bend the other so that your pointed toe touches your knee. Bend your arms slightly in front of you.

Ballerina Balance Transfers

Your stabilizer muscles are put to work in this move as you shift your weight from side to side while leaning, forcing you to engage your core. Do this move with others or alone as a warm-up.

Targets calves, quads and glutes.

1. Start with your legs apart in second position. Bring both knees up, squeeze your glutes and lift your heels to engage your calf muscles.

2. Raise and extend your arms to open fifth position.

3. Lower one heel and transfer your weight to the side, bending the supporting leg and straightening the other leg.
4. Bend from the waist, rounding your arms into a straight position above your head.
5. Come back to the center and repeat on the other side. Do the movements in quick succession. Do two sets of 16 in each direction.

Make the fitness session harder: Slow down the second set and lift the extended leg 15 cm off the ground each time. Aim for control - no floating of the supporting leg.

Plié Pulses

You will feel some serious burns with this classical dance position.

Targets quads, glutes and calves.

1. Start with your legs apart in second position. Without leaning forward, bend your knees and lift one heel off the floor.

2. Push into this position keeping your knees open and your middle toes aligned. Do two sets of 16 on each side with a quad stretch in between each set.

Make it harder: Add a third and fourth set, lowering your hips lower to the floor to pulse into a deeper plié. Keep your spine straight and your knees over your toes.

Bow, Pull-Up

Contract your glutes as you lift your arms.

Targets quads, hamstrings and glutes.

1. Stand with one leg behind you in fourth position, with your back heel lifted off the floor.

2. Bend both knees, bringing the body onto the front thigh and sweeping the arms out and down into first position.

3. Pull both legs up, bringing the arms overhead in fifth position. Repeat 16 times on each leg.

Make the workout harder: Lift your back leg off the floor as you pull up and touch your toes high on the back of your supporting leg at the top, opening the knee into the withdrawn position.

Tense to the second

They look simple, but remember to keep your toes pointed and your knees straight when doing them. You'll get a better stretch in each leg this way.

Targets calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes and adductors.

1. Start in first position with your heels apart, keeping your toes in a "ten to two o'clock" alignment and squeezing your glutes.

2. Open your arms to second position and slide one leg out to the side, extending the leg and pointing the toes.

3. Bring the leg back to first position, keeping both kneecaps raised and holding the arms in second position. Do two sets of 16 on each leg.

Reverse Plies

Get ready to sculpt your upper thighs.

Targets the rotator muscles

1. Lie on your back and raise your legs to a 90 degree angle, bend your feet and rotate your legs to first position.

2. Place your hands on your waist and bend both legs, keeping your core engaged and your knees rotated outward in a diamond position.

3. Straighten your legs completely, pushing your heels toward the ceiling and bringing your legs together. Do 4 sets of 8.

Make the workout harder: Raise your arms overhead in fifth gear, keeping them an inch off the floor throughout the exercise.

Beat Stretch Exchanges

We love a move that also hits the abs. Squeeze them when you do these moves to work your core.

Targets hamstrings and abs

1. Lie on your back, suck in your stomach and raise your legs to a 90-degree angle, pointing your toes.

2. Place your arms in fifth position above your head, shoulders down.

3. Lower one leg, hovering it above the ground for 8 counts, aiming to bring your top leg close to your nose, fully extended. Do two sets of eight exchanges.

Make the workout harder: Walk your hands down either side of your outer thighs and lift your shoulders and upper back off the floor throughout the sequence.

If you liked this article and it helped you master the concept of a firm and shapely buttocks. Let me know in the comments if you were already aware of these concepts and what is your experience on the subject.

If you want to find other Fitness and Wellness articles, take a look at the leg exercises and fitness shop sections of the blog, you will find plenty of workouts and exercises to do at home. And if you want to know more about sports nutrition (food supplements) to build muscle or lose fat, do not hesitate to consult the fitness accessories collection .

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