Having a tight calf and toned legs can be one of your best body accessories and can cause self-consciousness about showing off your legs. You must work the larger muscles in your body including the maximums, mediums and minimums, quadriceps and hamstring if you want to achieve this desired physique. Your full body workout routine will help you tighten up and slim down your thighs and calves.
1. Squats for the legs
The squat is often referred as the best lower body exercise. You can start by using your body weight for resistance and as you get stronger, use a set of dumbbells or a barbell.
How to do this exercise
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and a barbell if you’re using one, positioned across the back of your shoulders. Then bend both of your legs at the same time and lower your body towards the ground. Hold this position for seconds and then push with both legs to return to the starting position then Repeat.
2. Lunges
This exercise can be performed using a barbell just like the squat listed above and you also use the dumbbells or your body weight as resistance.
How to do this exercise
Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and take a step forward in an exaggerated step, while maintaining your shoulders directly over your hips. Bend both knees at the same time until your rear knee is nearly touching the floor and your front thigh is parallel to the ground. Repeat using both your right and left legs in the front and rear position for an equal number of repetitions.
3. Skipping
Your calf is constantly engaged when you use the jump rope. This helps to build the muscles, providing a good cardiovascular workout and makes you quicker on your feet as well. When you do this exercise regularly, you’ll see no reason to use weight equipment to tone your calves’ muscles
How to do this exercise
Stand on one leg near a wall for balance with the other leg bent behind you. Take care that the ankle, knee and hip of the leg you’re working are in vertical position to protect the joints.
• Repeat with the other foot.
• If you need to, hold something heavy with one hand and place the other hand on the wall to help balance you.
• It is important to work each leg equally to avoid one calf becoming thicker than the other.
Conclusion
Get involve in total body strength training workouts two days per week to increase the lean muscles all over your body. You should also include exercises to target each major muscle group. Do exercises such as a dumbbell, push-ups for chest and stability ball crunches for abs, triceps overhead press, barbell curls for your biceps, squats for legs and lateral raises for shoulders.
Image courtesy of: womenshealthmag.com.
