As the mercury rises right on into summer, the need to wear shorts to stay cool–and look cute!–will likely rise, too. However, if you think your legs aren’t hot enough to show off this season, it’s time to get those stems in shape. Along with a healthy, fat-burning meal plan, try these lower body exercises on for size to lose the long pants all summer long.
- Cross Body Mountain Climber: Get more bang for your buck with this lower body exercise that also helps to strengthen your core.
To Do: Starting in a plank position, with your body straight from head to heels, pick up your right foot and slowly bring your right knee toward your left shoulder. Return to start and then repeat on the other side. - Butt Blaster: A curvier back side will help give those summer shorts more shape. This exercise will tone your tush while also strengthening your legs.
To Do: Starting on all fours with your knees below your hips, rest your upper body weight on your forearms, so that your elbow are below your shoulders. Wrap the middle of a resistance band around the sole of your left foot and hold the ends in each hand. Kick your leg out straight behind you and hold for a count of 3. Slowly return to the starting position. - Side Leg Swings: The side of your legs can be tricky to target, but this exercise well send those saddlebags packing.
To Do: Standing in front of a sturdy object and holding with both hands, swing your left leg out to the left as high as you can. Then swing it across the front of your body to the right side. This is one rep.
Add a kettlebell to change up your squat. - Ball Bridges: Pick up the intensity of your standard bridge pose with an exercise ball to get your lower body burning.
To Do: Using a large exercise ball, lie on the floor with your heels on top of the ball and your knees bent at 90-degree angles. Keep your feet flexed as you press your heels into the ball and raise your pelvis off the ground making a straight line from your knees to your chest. Lower to the starting position. - Banded Side Lunges: Lunges are one way to get great gams, but to kick up the total toning, add a resistance band.
To Do: Place a resistance band around your ankles. Step out to your right side and squat into a side lunge, with your knee not extending over your toes. Step back together and repeat on the left side. - Kettlebell Squats: No leg workout is complete without a squat targeting multiple muscles all in one move.
To Do: Stand with your legs about shoulder-width distance apart and hold a kettlebell in both hands between your legs. Lower your butt back and down as if sitting down into a chair. Aim to bring your butt below parallel. Squeeze your glute muscles and thrust your hips forward as you stand back up to the starting positions.
Sample Lower Body HIIT Circuit
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is an efficient workout that will help you tone and tighten muscles while also make the most of calorie burning. And the good news is that it takes a lot less time than standard cardio! Complete three rounds of the following set of exercises, doing each for 45 seconds and taking a 15 second rest in between. Take a one-minute rest in between rounds.
45 seconds: Cross Body Mountain Climbers
15 seconds: Rest
45 seconds: Butt Blaster
15 seconds: Rest
45 seconds: Side Leg Swings
15 seconds: Rest
45 seconds: Ball Bridges
15 seconds: Rest
45 seconds: Banded Side Lunges
15 seconds: Rest
45 seconds: Kettlebell Squats
1 minute: Rest
Carrie Anton is a freelance writer focusing on health, fitness, and sports. She's been published in Self, Women's Health, Oxygen, and Maximum Fitness.
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