Everybody wants endless, beautifully sculpted legs that can rock everything from a short skirt to a perfectly tailored pair of pants. Unfortunately, most of us don’t know the right exercises (and form) to follow and end up with unsatisfactory results or even injury. No more! We teamed up with Nike to shortlist some of the best workouts for shapely legs with just a few minutes of exercise a day. What’s more? You can do these in the comfort of your home without any complicated, heavy-duty equipment! All you need is the Nike+ Training Club app (NTC) to become a better you. Yes, really! Let’s get started…
1. Beach Legs In A Jiffy
To start off, open the “Get Focused” section of the NTC app and pick Lakey Peterson’s Beach Legs workout. This 15-minute workout focuses on squats and lunges and is very effective for your hamstrings and glutes. All you need are a foam roller and a step.
Lateral squats
- Stand with both feet wider than shoulder width apart and shift your weight to your left side while you bend the left knee and drop your hips back.
- Keep your back straight while you shift your weight and keep your right leg straight.
- Squat to the left side till your left thigh is parallel to the floor then push yourself back to your standing position. Repeat until time to switch sides – 30 seconds on each side.
Foam roller leg curls
- Lie on your back with your heels on a foam roller and your knees bent and hands, palms by your side facing downwards, on the floor.
- Now, using your glutes and hamstring muscles, lift yourself off the floor, keeping your shoulders and hands firmly pressed to the floor.
- Stretch one leg straight (from bent knee position) while lifting it off the foam roller at a 45 degree angle. Curl the other leg towards your butt. Return to position #1 and repeat. Switch sides after 30 secs.
Squat to lateral step up
- You will need a step for this exercise. Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart and sideways from the step.
- Squat down. Then step up on the box with the inside leg (say, right) first. Once in standing position, lift the outside knee to waist height to meet your right elbow.
- Step down with your left foot first and then come back to the original position. Switch sides after 30 seconds.
2. Easy Steps To Sculpted Legs
Sculpted legs aren’t as unattainable as they sound. Want never-ending, perfectly-sculpted legs? All you need is to follow the exercises listed under Leg Sculptor (Get Focused section) on the Nike Training Club app. This 15-minute workout includes squats, jumps and lunges and is great for your hamstrings, glutes and calves.
Side lunge
- Stand with your feet close together, with arms by your side and weights in each arm.
- Take a big step out and lunge to the side, bending the stepping leg while the standing leg remains straight.
- Step back to start position and repeat on the other side.
Squats
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with weights in both hands. Keep your arms by your sides.
- Squat down so your thighs are parallel to the floor. Keep the weight in your heels, chest up and back flat.
- Squeeze your butt as you come up. Lower your back into your squat and repeat.
Ski jumps
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, with arms in front of you. Drop low in the hips, raise your right foot and bring it behind the left leg.
- Take a wide jump to the right. Land with the right leg in front of the left leg crossed behind it.
- Repeat, jumping back and forth.
3. Lean Legs Like A Supermodel
Endless legs that boast tone and definition are not the stuff of dreams anymore. A little bit of determination, a whole lot of positive attitude and just 15-minutes a day can get you those legs. All you need to do is to select the Leaner Legs workout from the Get Focused section of the NTC app. This segment brings you face-to-face with deadlifts, jumps, chops and lunges to tone them up and make them leaner like never before.
Drop squat jumps
- Stand with your feet together like you are about to sit.
- Jump your feet out as you drop into a squat.
- Jump back to start position and repeat as quickly as you can with control.
Single leg deadlift
- Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart and with weights in both hands (keep your hands by your side).
- Bend at the waist to bring your chest parallel to the floor, raising one leg out behind you.
- Get back to original position and repeat with the other leg. Switch legs after 30 seconds.
Jump wood chops
- Stand with your feet and hands (with free weight in tow) together in front of you. Keeping the arms straight, lower the arms and jump feet apart to squat down, driving the weight down through your heels.
- Jump feet together as you stand up and raise arms above your head.
- Jump back to squat position and lower arms between your legs and repeat.
And it’s that easy. Just 15 minutes spent every day can give you the legs you’ve always wanted. All you need is to focus to be #betterforit. What are you waiting for? Get on the NTC app for detailed video guides, timings and a host of other features!
*This is a sponsored post for Nike