Fitness Friday – 7 Moves for Sexy Sculpted Legs

I love beautiful sculpted legs!

Legs that are strong with gorgeous definition.

I find muscle to be super sexy and feminine.

Whether in shorts, a fabulous dress or comfy leggings, our legs get a lot of attention and deserve our tender loving care. The following exercises are simple and can be done by any one, any where, any time.  You don’t need any special equipment to get beautiful results and believe me you if you commit to doing these on a regular basis, three times a week, you will see beautiful results!

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Most of these exercises are done with hands and knees on the floor and should not put any stress at all on your knees, making a great choice for anyone who suffers from knee injury. You can place a soft matt or towel under your knees to minimize pressure.

As with all exercises keep core engaged for stability.

I like to create a BURST workout with these, engaging in each exercise for 45 seconds then resting for 15 seconds before moving on to the next exercise. One cycle will take 11 minutes and two cycles make a perfect 22 minute workout.

You can also use a more traditional approach and do two or three sets of each exercise, repeating each one for 20 to 50 counts depending on your personal preference.

Don’t forget to warm up for three to five minutes before starting and cool down with nice gentle, deep stretches.

Bent Knee Leg Lift / Scorpion – (Right + Left)

This is one of my all time favorite exercise to sculpt a gorgeous leg and lift the buttocks.  If you are pressed for time and can only squeeze in a few minutes or exercise I strongly recommend you include this one.

Start on all fours, head neutral, core engaged. Bend your right leg to a 90 degree angle, thigh parallel to the floor, squeezing glutes, hamstring and quad. Maintain the squeeze as you lift the leg 1 to 2 inches higher. This is more like a pulse than a leg swing. Keep puling for the duration of the set. Return to starting position and repeat with the other leg.

Make sure to keep hips square to the floor.  Imagine a string pulling from your butt to the ceiling and lift from the buttocks

Straight Leg Rear Leg Lift – (Right + Left)

This exercise is more than a pulse and uses a very small movement.  You should focus on your glute as you squeeze your muscle as tights as you can.

Start on all fours, head neutral, core engaged. Extend your right leg straight behind you, keeping foot neutral, squeezing muscles as you do. Leg should be parallel to the floor.

Squeezing your glutes, lift and lower leg about an inch from starting position, in little pulses. Repeat with other leg.

Side Knee Raises (Right + Left)

Start on all fours, head neutral, core engaged. Bend your right leg to a 90 degree angle as you left leg to the side. Leg should be parallel to the floor. Lower and Lift for desired amount of time then switch to other leg.

Side Leg Extension (Right + Left)

This is a variation on the Side Knee Raises and a will target your inner thigh.

Start on all fours, head neutral, core engaged. Bend your right leg to a 90 degree angle as you left leg to the side. Keeping leg parallel to the floor, extend foot to the side. Leg should be straight. Bend knee, keeping leg parallel to the floor then lower to starting position.  Repeat for desired amount of time then switch to other leg

Hip Raises

Lie supine on the floor (on your back) knees bent to a 90 degree, hands by your side.

Squeezing your glutes, hamstrings and quads, raise hips to the ceiling, keeping core engaged the whole time. Lower and raise hips a few inches, maintaining the squeeze.

If you’d like to crank up the heat with this one, raise one leg then other straight to the ceiling as you squeeze and raise up

Maintaining the squeeze as you pulse is the key to beautiful results with this exercise. If you can not hold the squeeze while you lower and raise your hips, hold the squeeze at the top  for the desired amount of time, then release as you lower hips back to the floor. 

Sumo Squats

The Sumo Squat is one of my favorite exercises for working the upper inner thigh, the key to a beautifully sculpted leg.

Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, feet angled at about 45 degrees. Keeping back straight and core engaged, sit back into a squat, shooting buttocks behind you, pushing thighs open as you do so. You may want to gently place your hands on the inside of your leg, just behind the knee. Stand back up and repeat.

Properly executed, this exercise should not put any strain on your knees or back. Make sure to keep your core engaged to remain stable. Do not let your knees angle forward. They should be in line with your ankles. The key to the success of this exercise is to shoot your buttocks straight back while simultaneously pushing out with your thighs. You should feel a gentle pull in the upper inner thigh as you squat.

Calf Raises (Right + Left)

No leg workout is complete without at least one exercise that focuses on our calves! These are simple and super effective but I cannot say they are my favorites… Yep, they burn 🙂

Stand with feet about 6 inches apart. Bend one leg back.  Raise onto your tippy toes and lower back to starting. Repeat for desired time then switch to other leg as fast as you can without resting.

For the best workout stand on a step toes on the edge, holding on to a railing for balance if needed.  Rise up onto your toes and as you lower allow your heel to go below the edge of the stair.

The beach is a fabulous place to give your legs a nice workout! Whether you’re enjoying a leisurely walk on the sand, jogging at the water’s edge or playing a game of beach volley ball, your legs are getting toned and sculpted in a beautiful way so enjoy!!

Make sure to consult with your physician before starting a new exercise routine or doing any exercise you are not familiar with. If unsure about proper form, consult a personal trainer.