Leg Workouts for Women – Strength and Toning

Leg Workouts for Women at the Gym are important as Legs hold the entire weight of the body. Having Strong and Toned Legs are not only appealing but they ensure good body movement. There are several benefits of a good leg workout routine which can be done on machines or with body weight. The Push Pull Legs Workout Routine is popular for Strong and Sexy Legs!

A healthy, strong lower body also allows you to move more easily throughout the day. It can also help you perform better in physical activities like jogging and cycling, as well as in team sports. You can shape your legs, hips, and buttocks by increasing lean muscle mass in these regions.

Leg Workouts – Toning Exercises

The top leg day workouts to add to your fitness routine are as follows –

Squats:

Squats are one of the best leg workouts. It also works to shape the buttocks, hips, and abs.

Squats are also good if you have back pain. They won’t strain the back because they’re done standing up and without any added weight.

Perform your squats while standing beside a wall, next to a chair, or on the edge of a table, with one hand on the item for balance or added support. Resist the impulse to tug or push away from it.

Squats are one of the most popular legs workout in the gym.

How to do Squats?

Video Courtesy – Fitness Coach – Instagram @livefitwithkrish 

Start your Squats by standing with feet hip-width apart. Pull your shoulders back and keep your back straight. Extend your right leg and arms in front of you. Slowly lower your hips back and bend the knees to squat toward the floor. Keep your heel grounded while doing squats.

How many times should you squat in a week?

Leg Workouts are good twice a week. So 3 sets of 10-12 reps of squats should be good if you are a beginner.

How Heavy Should You Squat?

For Women Beginners – 50% of Body Weight is good to start with. For men, this can go up to 65%.

Video Courtesy – Fitness Coach – Instagram @livefitwithkrish 

Can Women get Wider Hips with Squats?

Yes! Regular squatting is a sure shot way of building muscle and getting wider hips for women.

What are the Risks during Squats?

If you are squatting with heavy weight, you can get a back injury if your posture is not correct. You are also at a risk of straining your shoulders in this. It is always recommended to squat under the guidance of a Personal Fitness Trainer.

Lunges:

Lunges are also a great legs workout for women. They strengthen your thighs, buttocks, and abs. This technique requires the use of both legs at the same time, making it an excellent workout for powerful legs.

Video Courtesy – Fitness Coach – Instagram @livefitwithkrish 

Most people place too much emphasis on forwarding motion, which does not fully engage the glutes. Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart, then bring your right leg forward and bend both knees. Make sure you drop straight down, and if your left knee isn’t below your toes, you’ll need to step back farther to get the correct stance. Make certain you land on your heel. Rep with the second leg, doing 15 repetitions on each leg.

Lunges are one of the harder legs workout in the gym.

What are the 4 cues of Lunges?

• Maintaining Good Posture.
• Feet in line with your Hips.
• Knees Behind your Toes.
• Knee should be in line with your Second Toe.

Video Courtesy – Fitness Coach – Instagram @livefitwithkrish 

What are the 3 main advantages of Lunges?

• Increases Flexibility
• Enhances Stability
• Increases Strength

Which muscles are involved during lunges?

• Gluteus maximus
• Hamstrings
• Quadriceps,
• Gastrocnemius / Soleus (calves)

What are the different Variations in Lunges?

Video Courtesy – Fitness Coach – Instagram @livefitwithkrish 

Beneficial Lunge Variations –

• TRX Lunge.
• Walking Lunge.
• Lateral Lunge.
• Reverse Lunge.
• Reverse Lunge With Rotation.
• Pendulum Lunge.

Step Ups – Exciting Legs Workout:

Step-ups are lower-body and leg workouts that target the muscles in your legs. Step-ups are performed by standing in front of an elevated, knee-height surface, such as a bench. Place your right foot on top of the elevated surface and hoist your body up onto it with your right leg. Step down carefully with your left leg, and then repeat with your left foot.

These are one of the most popular legs workout for women.

Which Muscles are targeted in Step Ups?

• Quadriceps
• Hamstring
• Gluteal Muscle

Which Joints are involved in Step Ups?

• Hip Joint
• Knee Joint

Step Ups and its variations are one of the best exercises to develop speed and power. Hence, it is widely recommended for athletes, sportspersons and highly fit people to incorporate step ups in their leg workouts at the gym. It is also a great workout for weight loss.

Leg Presses – Challenging Legs Workout:

Leg presses are mostly done in a seated position. Your legs repeatedly press against weights on a machine, which can be increased or decreased according to your fitness level. This targets your quads, glutes, hamstrings, hips, and calves. The seated position during leg presses helps keep your upper body and torso still.

Video Courtesy – Fitness Coach – Instagram @livefitwithkrish 

Leg Presses are one of the toughest legs workout for women.

Should you Lock your Knees during Leg Press?

No. Knees should never be locked while doing leg press. This transfers all your weight from the muscle to the knee joint and can lead to serious injury.

Does Leg Presses help in Knee Pain?

Absolutely Yes! Leg Presses are one of the best leg workouts for strengthening knew muscles and getting rid of any pain.

KICKS – Popular Legs Workout:

Kicks are the finest technique to train a diverse range of muscles for a total-body exercise that tones the whole lower body. Stand with your legs slightly wider than shoulder-width apart; maintain your arms in front of you, elbows bent in a punching posture and knees slightly bent for perfect form.

Begin with 20 forward kicks while keeping your toes pointing. Then do 20 backward kicks, keeping your heel facing the ceiling with each kick. Begin with 20 kicks to the right side, sticking out your toes, while leaning slightly to the side. Repeat on the opposite side.

Different kicks have different chamber positions. In front kick, bring your leg straight up and keep your knee bent. For a side kick, lift your leg to the opposite shoulder from your kicking leg keeping your knee bent. In a Roundhouse kick, turn your body to the side and lift your leg forward, along with keeping your knee bent.

Kicks are one of the most enjoyable legs workout in the gym.

What Muscles do Kicks Target?

• Quadraceps
• Glutes
• Front Hip Flexors
• Lower Abs

How many Types of Kicks are there?

• Lead or Side Kick
• Hook Kick
• Rear or Turning Kick
• Front Kick
• Push Kick
• Axe Kick
• Butt Kick

Glute Bridge:

This exercise may appear simple at first appearance, but after a few repetitions, you will feel a burn in your hamstrings.

Lie on your back on a yoga mat, knees bent, and feet flat on the floor hip-distance apart. Extend your arms in front of your chest toward the ceiling. Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips off the mat. Pause for a second before lowering your hips to the mat. Lift your toes off the floor and press on your heels to make this action more difficult.

This legs workout is also great for people who are unable to squat due to knee pain. Glute Bridges are one of the best legs workout for women.

What Muscles does Glute Bridge work?

• Hamstrings
• Lower Back
• Abs
• Glutes (Gluteus Maximus, Medius and Minimus)

Do Glute Bridges make your Butt bigger?

Yes! Glute Bridges are an excellent workout routine to make your butt bigger.

Does Glute Bridges help burn Belly Fat?

Yes. Glute Bridges, if done regularly, are beneficial in strengthening ab muscles, this helping in reducing belly fat. It also helps in stretching chest, spine, neck and hips.

How long should you hold a Glute Bridge?

Glute Bridges should be held for approximately 10 seconds.

Deadlifts:

The compound exercise works both your legs and lower back muscles at the same time.

Video Courtesy – Fitness Coach – Instagram @livefitwithkrish 

Deadlifts are performed by standing with your feet hip-distance apart and holding a dumbbell in each hand with a pronated grip. Hinge your hips forward, using your core, back, and glutes, to descend the weights down your legs until your torso is parallel to the floor. Maintain a tiny bend in your knees, Straighten your legs to return to the starting position.

Deadlifts are one of the most difficult legs workout in the gym.

What are the key factors to be kept in mind during a Deadlift?

• Feet
• Grip
• Posture
• Pull
• Negative

Is Deadlift Push or Pull Exercise?

Deadlift is a Pull Exercise as we are exerting force towards our body.

Who is the ‘Father of Deadlifts’?

German Strength Pioneer ‘Hermann Goerner’ who performed at the Pagel’s Circus invented Deadlifts between 1910 – 1930.

Why do we feel dizzy after Deadlifts?

We tend to feel dizzy after deadlifts due to hyperventilation – where we inhale and exhale too quickly. If you feel faintish or light headed while doing a deadlift, it is advisable to focus on your breathing.

Frog Jumps:

Get rid of your Apron Belly by doing 100 Frog Jumps a Day! Frog Jumps are an excellent workout for burning fat, developing speed and increasing muscle power. It is an incredible exercise for the heart as well. Since it is a tough exercise, it burns more calories and helps in losing stubborn weight.

Frog Jumps are plyometric exercises that involves a squat and jumping high in the air – just like a frog!

Video Courtesy – Fitness Coach – Instagram @livefitwithkrish 

Frog Jumps are one of the best lower body workouts as the target the trio muscles of – hamstrings, glutes and Quads. It helps build cardio fitness and muscle endurance.

Calf Raise:

The calf raise is a bodyweight exercise that targets the muscular groups in your lower legs. Calf raises are performed by standing with your feet hip-width apart. As you stand on your tiptoes, lift your body by pressing into the fronts of your feet and working your calf muscles. Return to your starting position and resume the movement sequence.

Calf Raises are one of the easiest legs workout for women.

Are Calf Raises Effective?

Calf Raises help in building Calf Strength and Endurance. They improve ankle stability and overall balance. They also stretch the plantar muscles of the foot.

Why are they called ‘Calf’ Muscles?

Calf is originating from a Greek word – Gaster meaning belly or the stomach and Kneme meaning Leg. Hence, it is a combination of the two words meaning ‘belly of the leg’.

What are the 3 main Calf muscles?

• Gastrocnemius
• Soleus
• Plantaris

Advantages of Lower Body Workout –

There are numerous compelling reasons to incorporate a leg day into your weekly training plan.

1. Leg Workouts can help you burn more calories –

Lower-body movements, when performed in fast succession, raise your heart rate and provide an excellent aerobic workout.

2. Leg Day Workouts are Simple –

Many lower-body workouts focus on bodyweight movements that do not require any equipment. Many weighted workouts may be adapted to use whatever equipment you have at home.

3. Lower Body Workout Routine is great for fitness –

Lower-body strength is critical for achieving a variety of fitness objectives and enhancing overall sports performance. Regular lower-body exercise will increase your coordination, stability, strength, weight loss and speed.