How to shape your legs

First and foremost – you need to move! Best if done 4 times a week.
Here you have tools and techniques that will bring you closer to your target:

1. Before running or cardio do a strengthening workout. During the strengthening your body will start burning glycogen, and during cardio / running – fat tissue. The best exercises are: lunges, side leg raising, leg swings (with a chair), squats.
2. Exercises on lower body do with dumbbells (I like it a lot). For example, do 10-15 front lunges. The weight of the dumbbells should be adjusted to your fitness level. Rest for 30 seconds. Repeat 4 times. This exercises stimulates the circulatory system, which causes increased calorie burning in this way.
3. Do plyometric exercises . For example, long jump, jump squats, knee up jumps, box jumps. Those exercises must be performed thoroughly and technically correct, adjust them to your fitness level as well. Intense jumps develop type 2 muscle fibers and help to burn fat tissue. Such training increases legs’ power and strengthens muscles, improves fitness and sculpts the body – especially legs. 15 reps, rest for 20 secs., repeat 3-4 times.
4. Don’t forget about proper hydration. Contrary to the popular belief, drinking a lot of water doesn’t help to burn fat, yet it helps to remove water and toxins from the organism. If you are dehydrated even to a slight extent, your body will keep water subcutaneously. It’s best when you drink 3 litres of water every day. You may also drink green tea or black coffee, but do not forget about drinking water.
5. Nordic Walking. It helps to reduce fat tissue well and get slender legs. Nordic Walking will be more effective if it is long and it is worth intensifying it by increasing its pace. Such “walking” can also be done on a treadmill at a slope angle – RECOMMENDED! It kills cellulite.
6. Run up the stairs every second step and slowly go down. 15-second sprint up. Align your breath. Repeat 3 times.

Photo 1 and 2 by Iza Grzybowska

7. I recommend a stair stepper! It’s a good practice for all leg muscles.
8. Jumping rope – be sure the technique is correct. It’s a perfect cardio training, good to sculpt calves.
9. Do stretching exercises! Before and after working out. Stretching is extremely important!
10. Go jogging! Medium and long distances. If you run at an easy pace with moderate intensity, you will not develop your muscles too much. Only sprinters have strong legs muscles.

If you have problems with your knees, or you are overweight, be careful with some of the above suggestions. Jumps or running might not be for you. Try Nordic Walking instead.

Watch yourself, do not torment yourself. Do you think your legs really need to be focused on so much? We are all different and that’s beautiful!