3 Must-Try Moves For Killer Legs
The key to having great-looking legs is balance training. Taking a balance challenge on a regular basis forces all the muscles of your legs (including the stabilizing muscles of the inner and outer thighs) to work overtime to maintain your equilibrium. Typical resistance training sessions strengthen specific parts of your legs, and the finishing touch is balance training.
For years, I’ve practiced living life on one foot, and you might have noticed on Facebook that I love showing off my good balance anytime I find an interesting location, be it a rock in a stream or a perch on a hike 🙂
Balance training is a key element to any elite athlete’s training regimen. Whether you are a tennis player, skier, or gardener, it’s a vital tool for any outdoor activity. But balance is just as important for the weekend warrior as it is for the weekday worker. And while it may not involve the same calorie burn of higher-intensity cardio exercises, balance training does make us better movers, which improves our ability to run, bike, walk, hike, and lift weights more effectively (not to mention those sexy legs!).
Our brains create a system of balance using the input from our eyes, inner ears, and skin/join receptors – and as we age, that system begins to slow. You may have heard me say in the past that “strength training is the fountain of youth.” Well, think of balance training as the faucet that lets all that vital, strong, and youthful energy pour out. In short: You gotta do it.
Here are 3 easy balancing moves to tone your inner and outer thighs in your quest for leaner, sexier legs:
Floor Touches:
Stand on your right leg with your left leg bent slightly and your foot just a few inches off the ground. You can hold onto a bench or chair with your left arm if necessary. Reach forward with your right arm while bending your right knee, and pushing back with your left leg. Keep your abs tight and don’t round your back. Bend from your hips, not your waist. Touch the ground with your right hand. Return to start. Repeat 12 times and switch sides.
Lateral Hops:
Stand upright with your feet together, but most of your weight on your right leg. Clasp your hands behind your buttocks. Push off with your right leg and hop sideways onto your left leg. Maintain your balance and bring your bent right leg to rest next to your left calf. Don’t let your right foot hit the ground. Hold for a moment, and then ump back to your right leg. This time keep your left leg off the ground and pulled in to your calf. Continue to hop slowly for about 2 minutes.
Standing Pose
Stand tall with a chair a couple feet in front of you. Bend forward at your hips and extend your left leg straight back as far as possible. At the same time reach forward with both of your arms, and grip the back of the chair for balance. Keep your right heel and toes firmly planted, and try to form a straight line from your fingertips down to the toes of your left leg. Concentrate and hold this position for up to a minute if you can. Switch sides. As you improve you may be able to get rid of the chair and hold your pose for longer.
Say goodbye to inner thigh jiggle with the Ultimate Lower Body Lift Kit!
The Ultimate Lower Body Lift Kit Includes:
Ankle Cuff Resistance Band:
Strap on this comfortable ankle cuff resistance band and get moving with me! Adding resistance to your workout helps lift and tighten your buns and thighs and restores your overall strength and balance. Adding strength training increases your calorie burn and helps you lose weight in time for summer!
Ultimate Lower Body Lift DVD:
The 30-minute Ultimate Lower Body Lift DVD is split up into two 15-minute segments, Tight Thighs and Bottom Up, which incorporates strength training techniques with the ankle cuff resistance band to make over your lower body in two weeks!
