5 powerful exercises to tone your legs
What's the story
If you want to build strong and sculpted legs, lateral exercises are a must.
These movements focus on the often neglected muscles on the sides of your legs, improving stability and balance.
Adding lateral exercises to your regimen can boost your athletic performance and minimize injury risk.
Check out these five effective lateral exercises to get well-defined legs.
Drive 1
Side lunges for inner thighs
Side lunges are amazing for toning the inner thighs and increasing flexibility.
Standing with feet hip-width apart, step one foot to the side and bend that knee while the other one stays straight.
Push back to starting position and repeat on the other side.
The exercise strengthens your adductors, which are essential for stabilizing your hips while walking, running or performing other activities.
Drive 2
Lateral leg raises for hip abductors
Lateral leg raises target hip abductors, which are crucial for balance.
Lie on one side with stacked legs, and lift the top leg as high as possible without rotating your hips.
Slowly lower it back down.
This exercise not only sculpts outer thighs but also improves overall lower body stability.
Drive 3
Skaters for dynamic movement
Skaters mimic a skating motion, giving you a dynamic workout for multiple muscle groups, including glutes, quads, and calves.
Start by standing with feet shoulder-width apart; jump sideways, landing on one foot while bringing the other behind you like a curtsy lunge.
Alternate sides quickly to up the intensity.
Drive 4
Curtsy lunges for glute activation
Curtsy lunges activate your glutes excellently, while also working your inner thighs and calves.
Start by standing tall; step one foot diagonally behind you into a lunge position that resembles a curtsy bowing motion, before returning upright and switching sides continuously, keeping your form intact with each rep.
Drive 5
Lateral band walks for resistance training
Lateral band walks add a resistance training element, focusing primarily around the hips, enhancing both strength and endurance levels at the same time.
Place a resistance band just above the knees, stand with feet shoulder-width apart, and with slightly bent knees, take small steps sideways, keeping tension within the band the whole time.
Perform an equal number of repetitions in each direction to ensure balanced development across all involved muscle groups.