Thigh Exercises for 2 Steps
To Thinner Thighs From
eDiets - The online diet, fitness, and healthy living resource
When it comes to frustrating trouble spots,
the thighs rank right up there with the belly and butt.
However, you can get a leg up on thinner
thighs with the help of fitness expert Joyce Vedral. This time around, Joyce is
sidestepping the lunges and squats and urging you to perform a pair of
just-as-effective exercises that are sure to whittle your thighs down to
size!
Joyce says boredom is one of the main
reasons people stray from a regular workout. The repetition grows tiresome and
interest wanes. Before that happens to you and your willpower, our ageless
fitness pro wants you to slip into her hot new exercises for thighs.
Although lunges and squats are considered
two of the most effective exercises when it comes to working the legs, they can
be murder for people with weak knees or knee problems, Joyce says. And, if you
don’t know how to execute the moves properly, you’re running the risk
of injury.
“When you lunge, you’re putting
tremendous stress on the knee joints,” Joyce tells eDiets. “Some
people have knee problems and others develop them over time. If you do lunges,
this may aggravate the problem or lead to further injury, especially if you
aren’t using proper form. Squats aren’t as hard on the knees, but if
you have knee trouble, you may want to consider substituting other
exercises.”
Joyce speaks from experience. Over the past
few years, the 59-year-old fitness queen has been hampered by achy knees. After
consulting with a physical therapist, she stumbled upon other exercises that
were just as efficient in maintaining muscle strength without putting added
pressure on the joints.
According to Joyce, the lying leg lift and
the frog leg lift have helped keep her legs in tip-top shape.
Regardless of which exercises you add to
your strength-training repertoire, you’re unlikely to see results if you
don’t follow a proper diet. Joyce is quick to point out that without
getting rid of that layer of fat on top of the muscle, you won’t see the
fruits of your labor.
“It doesn’t matter how hard you
work if you’re overweight," she tells eDiets. "You won’t see results
because you’ll still have fat covering those developing mini-muscles. But,
if you follow a balanced eating plan and you start losing those extra pounds,
you should start to feel stronger in three weeks... within four weeks,
you’ll start to see results.”
Today's thigh-zapping routine should be
performed as a "superset." You’ll do 15 reps of each exercise (for the
lying lift, you should do 15 reps for each leg) with no rest in between. After
completing both exercises, rest 15 seconds and repeat the entire set two more
times.
 The Lying Leg Lift
Start Position: Lie flat on the floor with
your left leg bent, the sole of your foot flat on the floor and your arms
straight at your sides. Your right leg is straight out in front of you (with or
without an ankle weight).
Movement: Flexing your working thigh muscle
as you go and keeping your knees locked, raise your leg until it goes past your
other knee. Give your thigh an extra hard flex and return to start position.
Repeat the movement until you have done 15 repetitions. Then, perform 15 reps
for your other leg. Once you have worked both legs, move on to the frog leg
lift without rest.
 Frog
Leg Lift
Start Position: Lie flat on your back with
your arms extended and parallel to your sides. Bend at the knees and let the
sides of the shoes touch, so that your knees are about 20 inches apart.
Movement: Flexing your inner thighs as you
go, extend your legs upward until your knees are locked and your legs are
completely together. Repeat the movement until you’ve completed 15
repetitions. Rest 15 seconds and go back to the lying leg lift.
For additional exercise combinations and
more info on shaping your entire body, visit
www.joycevedral.com.
EDITOR'S NOTE: When it comes to
exercise, there are many viewpoints and beliefs.
eDiets has its very own fitness
program. However, from time to time, we highlight programs and exercises
developed by Joyce Vedral and other well-known fitness pros. It is possible you
will see contradictions from one story to another. |
