How to Get Great Legs

Women dream of having long, shapely legs. While fashion tricks can help lengthen the look of your legs, you have to work to get the great legs of swimsuit models. Whether you own a pair of fat legs or thin legs, both benefit from the right kind of exercise.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Burn calories through cardio workouts if heavy legs are a problem. Certain cardio workouts also tone leg muscles. For example, running acts on quads, hamstrings and calves. Biking is a great quad exercise.
   
   
2. Think weight training. While you should start leg exercises without weights, many people benefit from adding weight later. For example, use dumbbells with lunges. As squats get easier, try with a dumbbell in each hand or a barbell over your shoulders.
   
3. Squat your way to great looking legs. This great little exercise works it from your glutes to your calves. Just put your hands in front of you at shoulder height and stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Lower your body, with your back straight, until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
   
4. Lunge into great legs. Step forward with one leg, keeping knees aligned with hips and ankles. Bend the forward knee to lower your body towards the floor until you feel the stretch. Switch to the other leg.
   
5. Give calf muscles their own workout with calf raises. While the squat and lunge work the calves, they mainly target the larger leg muscles in the upper legs. You’ll feel the effects of calf raises when you rest the balls of your feet on a step or platform. Allow your heels to hang off while you go up and down on your toes.
   
6. Go for repetitions. Start with two sets of 12 to 15 reps for the exercises in Steps 3, 4 and 5. When it’s gets easy, add another set or weights. Experts recommend waiting a day between workouts.
   
   
7. Eat a healthy diet. You knew this would be part of the equation. A healthy diet allows you to burn calories while the exercises build muscle. Together, the combination gives you great looking legs.
   

Tips & Warnings

• Most leg exercises benefit from tightening your abdominal muscles. Imagine pressing your belly button toward your back.