How to get toned legs

“Do we always get bigger legs with a leg workout?” This is one of the questions I get often from many people. My answer is “yes” and “no.”.

When I started strength training, I focused on compound movements; multi-joint movements. That was a good approach, but I did back squats with 65lbs barbell for 12 reps 3 sets 4 times a week for almost 4 months. As a result, my quadriceps grew, and I could obviously see my legs were bigger or wider. I am not saying bigger legs are bad, but that was just not my ideal legs. Depending on what muscle you focus on, the shape of your legs will differ. For example, if you focus on your quadriceps (front leg), especially with a heavy load, the muscle of the quadriceps grows to the sides (your legs will look wider from the front). That is what happened to me.

My answer is also “no,” because you can definitely shred your legs with leg strength training. The more muscle you gain, the more calories your body burns per day because your metabolism goes up. Furthermore, the more muscle you grow, the more calories your body burns. Therefore, I recommend working out big muscle groups such as your legs, glutes, and back. If you want to get slim and toned legs, focusing on your inner thighs is a great approach! In addition, you can do with a light load instead of a heavy load.

Let me introduce you “6 exercises to get toned legs”

Curtsy lunge

Curtsy lunge

1. Stand with your legs in shoulder width.
2. Take a step backward with one leg and cross the other leg as you bend the front leg knee in a controlled movement. Drive your hip down until the rear foot knee is touching or almost touching the floor and your front thigh is almost parallel to the floor. Keep your back straight and keep your balance.
3. Raise your body back as majority of your weight is on your front leg heel. Pull the leg back to the original position.

Reverse lunge

1. Stand with legs in hip-width apart.
2. Take a step backward with one leg as you bend the front leg knee in a controlled movement. Drive your hip down until the rear foot knee is touching or almost touching the floor and your front thigh is almost parallel to the floor. Keep your back straight and keep your balance.
3. Raise your body back as majority of your weight is on you front leg heel. Pull the leg back to the original position.

Tips: Make sure not to kick the floor back to the original position but pull the leg back with your supported leg strength instead. Avoid bouncing your body to perform this exercise.

Note: This exercise challenges your balance and cannot handle heavy loads like squat. Quadriceps work harder with shorter lunge and glutes work harder with longer lunge. By leaning your torso forward, you can engage your glutes muscle more.

Sumo squat

1. Stand with your feet outward and your legs wider than your hips.
2. Lower your body by moving back your hips and bending your knees outward aligning with your knees in a controlled movement as if sitting on a chair. You can squat down until your thighs are almost parallel to the floor.
3. Push back against the floor by extending your legs, knees and hips with a controlled movement.

Bulgarian split squat (hamstrings focused)

1. Stand with one leg on the floor and the other leg on the bench/chair. Depending the position of your leg on the floor, you can focus on either quadriceps or hamstrings and glutes more.
2. Put your leg further from the bench/chair and then put the other leg on the bench/chair. Then squat down

Tips: Your knees do not pass your toes. Lean forward to activate your glutes.

Inner thighs raise/circle/hold

1. Lie down on your side, use your arms to lift and support your upper body. Lengthen one leg and put the other leg over your lengthened leg. Raise the lengthened bottom leg.
2. Raise bottom leg for 12 repetitions for total. After each 4 rep, hold the leg up for 20 seconds.
3. After completing 12 rep, raise your leg and make 6 circles one direction and another 6 circles the other direction.  

Copenhagen plank

1. Lie on your side, put one leg on top on a bench/chair.  
2. lift a whole body with your arm (elbow) and perform a plank. When you are lifting your body, lift the other leg and hold it
3. Keep it for 30 seconds each side

If it is too hard for you to perform Copenhagen plank with straight legs, you can bend your knees and perform a plank.

Again, everyone has a different goal. Everyone has a different preference how she/he looks and how she/he feels. Programming your workout based on your goal is a challenge but it is also an art and beauty in fitness journey.