Best Leg Workouts for Women – Lean, Sexy Legs and Butt

Alright, ladies.  The holidays was over and you know what that means.  Turkey, gravy, fudge, cookies, hot chocolate…and it’s all going straight to the hips.  Fortunately it IS possible to eat the Butterball without becoming the Butterball…you just need an exercise routine that you can do in between batches of cookies.  And we’ve got one of the best leg workouts for women for you.  This quick routine will give your backside, hips and legs a good workout and it just takes a few minutes a day.

Standing Squats – It works great for your hips too.

Standing squats isolate the backside and the legs.  Stand with your legs about shoulder width apart.  Extend your arms straight out in front of you (this is for balance–otherwise you’ll go over backwards!) and squat down as far as possible. Use your leg muscles to raise yourself back to a standing position, and try not to bounce as you do it.  Do sets of 10 squats, keeping your motions smooth and even.

Step-and-back Lunges

Stand with feet together and arms held in front of you, elbows bent and palms together.  Kick your right leg back and to the side as far as possible, then return to standing and kick left leg back.  Try to get a rocking motion going, and don’t hesitate or stop between lunges.

Curtsy Lunges

This exercise begins with your feet in the same position as the step-and-back, however instead of kicking your leg back and to the side, you will cross your leg behind you, alternating legs and bending your knee until your leg is parallel to the ground.  Your torso should remain vertical–you should not be leaning forward as you do this, taking your body into a squat position each time and then returning to a standing position.  For this exercise, keep your hands on your hips rather than in front of you.

Side-to-side hops.

Keeping your hands on your hips, rock your body from side to side, bringing your feet together and bending your knees to a squat position as you do so.  Keep your spine straight, using a rhythmic, rocking motion to avoid straining your back and make sure that your knee does not extend past the end of your toe.  The goal here is not speed, but rather a steady rhythm that gives you a good workout.

Hooping Deadlift

The hopping deadlift begins with your body in a semi-squatting position.  Keep your knees about shoulder length apart and put your hands flat on the floor in front of you.  Use your hands to push your body upwards, jumping up and then returning to the squat position.  You do not have to jump hard, or high. 

The goal is to work your legs, and the upward motion will accomplish this.  You only need to jump a few inches off of the ground to get the maximum benefit from this exercise.  As you jump, extend your arms over your head, then return them to the ground when you return to the squatting position.

Conclusion 

This is one of the best leg workouts for ladies, and it is designed to strengthen your legs and backside.  Remember, ladies.  The goal is to look and feel your best.  That doesn’t mean that you have to look like a supermodel.  It means that you feel good when you look in the mirror, and your have the energy and strength to enjoy your life.

The exercises here will take you about six minutes if you do them as we have suggested.  You can do this workout just about anywhere, so it would be easy to work it in more than once a day if you wanted to.  Close your office door and put a sign on it asking not to be disturbed for 10 minutes.  Now you have the time, and the privacy, to get in a good workout.  And even a six minute mini-workout will boost your energy level, helping you to be more productive throughout the day.

If you are not currently using a workout plan, make sure you start slowly to avoid injury.  Try doing 10 of each exercise, adding a set each week, until you have worked yourself up to the full six minute workout.  And don’t be discouraged if you have to start slow.  You will be where you want to be in no time, feeling and looking like a million bucks!