Exercises for your butt, legs and thighs
THE perfect mini-skirt body boasts a gravity-defying physique complemented by nicely toned legs and jiggle-free thighs. And this kind of perfection, according to Gisel Harrow, personal trainer and fitness instructor at Hard End Fitness Factory on Ardenne Road, requires a combination of exercises.
Below she shares a few that can help you to yield great results.
Squats
Doing body weight, dumbbell or barbell squats can help to tighten and tone the butt.
How to do it: Squat down as if you were going to sit in a chair, keeping your weight over your heels. Then as you are returning to the start position, squeeze your glutes. Repeat this 15 to 20 times.
You are not quite through yet, though. As you continue, keep the weight in your heels, making sure your knees do not push forward past your toes.
Lunges
Lunges are exercises which target the quads, glutes and hamstrings.
How to do it: To execute the lunge you stand with your feet together and your hands on your hips. Now lunge (thrust your body) forward with your right leg, while keeping your back straight. While in mid-air, switch your legs and land with your left leg in a forward lunge.
Continue these lunges, alternating sides. Your front knee should be bent 90 degrees. Do 15 repetitions each side for three sets.
Glute bridges
This is the simple route to a perfect posterior.
How to do it: Lie on your back with your arms at your sides, your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Now lift your hips toward the ceiling and hold it there for one count, then lower to the original position. Squeeze your glutes and hamstrings at the top of the range of motion. Be careful not to overarch your spine. Do three sets of 20 repetitions.
The V-Position
This V-Position works the thighs, hips, and glutes.
How to do it: Using a firm chair for support, stand and hold the back of the chair with one hand. Now place your feet in a V position, keeping your toes about four inches apart while keeping your heels pressed together. Then bend both knees and lift the heels a few inches off the floor, then lower your hips until you feel your quads intensely working. Pulse up and down and do three sets of 10-15 repetitions.
