3 Thigh Exercises for Tighter Thighs
How would you like to sport great-looking legs?
Joyce Vedral can help you get a leg up on shapelier legs in just
nine weeks with these 3 thigh exercises for tighter thighs. Sure dieting helps
shrink flabby thighs, but there's nothing like a good workout to trim and tone
your trouble spots.
If healthy eating has been the focus of your weight
loss efforts, youve probably managed to drop a few pounds. But without boosting
your body's calorie-burning ability through regular exercise you will probably
run into one frustrating plateau after another.
To stay on track -- and
to tone while you trim -- simply launch and maintain an exercise program.
For best results choose a workout that boosts your metabolism and tightens
your trouble spots. Aerobic activities such as walking or jogging are great,
but it takes weight training to kick it up a notch!
Vedral vows that by
following the proper routine, you can become a lean, mean fat-burning machine
in no time.
But she also warns that before you get pumped for a fast
and furious workout you should take a deep breath and get ready for a change of
pace. Today Vedral introduces you to the concept of dynamic tension. She says
this slowed-down process applies constant pressure on the muscles throughout an
exercise.
"Moving slow is good for variety," the 58-year-old fitness
guru tells eDiets. "The body is used to moving fast. So when you slow down it
forces tension to remain on the muscle for an extended period of time. This
also causes the muscle fibers to become stronger.
"Do these exercises
every other day for nine weeks and you'll kick up your metabolism by
approximately 15 percent so that even in your sleep you're burning more fat
than you used to burn," she says. "Yes, it takes energy (calories) even to
breathe.
The exercises should be performed in this manner: Hold the
starting stretch for 7 seconds, then hold the returning movement for another 7
seconds. Do 10 repetitions of all three exercises. Rest for 15 seconds. Then
repeat entire set two more times, with 15-second rests between sets.
Start out using a 1-pound dumbbell. As you get stronger slowly work
your way up to 8-pound weights. If you're doing the exercises properly, you
won't be able to go much higher than that.
LUNGE
Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your body, arms straight down at your sides, feet a natural width apart. Keep your back straight and look directly ahead of you. Keep your knees aligned with your toe and your non-stepping leg straight. Bending at the knee, step forward with one foot until you can just about see your toes. Feel the stretch in your stepping leg front thigh muscle and the flex in your non-stepping leg front thigh muscle. In full control and using the muscles in your lunging leg (not your back leg) return to the start position and repeat the movement for the other leg. Repeat the alternative lunging movement until you have completed your set.
LEG CURL
Lie facedown in a prone position on a mat or rug with your legs extended straight out and a dumbbell securely wedged between your feet. Extend your arms out on the floor over your head. Bending your legs at the knees, raise them until they are perpendicular to the floor. Keep a firm grip on the dumbbell and flex your back thigh muscles as you go. In full control, return to the start position and repeat the movement until you have completed your set.
WIDE LEG SEMI-SQUAT
Hold a dumbbell in the center of your body, palms facing your body, and stand with your feet wide apart (about three to five inches wider than shoulder width). Your toes should be pointed outward. Your arms are straight down in front of you. Keep your back straight and look straight ahead. Feeling the stretch in your front thigh muscles as you go, descend to a bend in your knees of approximately 45 degrees. But dont go that low if you feel a strain in your knees. Flexing your front thigh muscles as you go and leading with your chest and chin, return to the start position. Give your front thigh muscles an extra "flex" and repeat the movement until you have completed your set.
