Where You From? You Sexy Thang....Sexy Thang You

This week I am going to introduce some lower body workouts. [Friends do not let friends forget leg days!] You do not want to be super fit and then don some shorts and find that those chicken legs are still there. Plus working on your legs help tone your booty and its always a bonus to have a nice, perky and toned behind.

[Leg Workouts]
The four muscle groups in the thigh region we are going to focus on today are the anterior thigh muscles, posterior thigh muscles, adductor muscles (medial thigh muscle-inside thigh), and abductor muscles (lateral thigh muscle-outside thigh). This will help create a nice toned muscle group all around.

Please select the video below. She shows some awesome workouts that you can do in the privacy of your home, during lunch, at the mall, or at the gym.

First Workout: Jump Squats

I know we've covered squats already but squats are a great workout for the lower body. You have gravity and your natural weight to help build and tone muscle and you can even make it harder by adding 5, 7, or 10 pound weights in each hand. Remember, the last couple repetitions should cause you to feel a burn. If you do not feel a burn, the workout is only slightly working your muscles. Add some weight to increase the productivity of your muscles. Do 3 sets of 10-15 or until the last couple create a burn in your thighs. Side Note: Great cardio workout too! Keep your heart rate pumping by jumping into the squat and back into standing position quickly. Increase reps and sets to get a good cardio workout in.

Important Notes:

• Do not let your knees extend past your toes
• Keep your back straight and head aligned with your spine
• Act as if you are sitting in a chair when you bend
• When you jump back up, don't forget to squeeze your booty
• Let your legs form a 90 degree angle at your knees to complete a solid repetition
• Do not let your knees bow inward

Second Workout: Balancing Stick Pose
The second workout is using the yoga pose "balancing stick". This is a great workout that targets your thighs and butt. Do not be worried about your balance and you do not have to use a weight if you do not want to. If you feel that your balance is not good enough, feel free to place a chair in arms reach and help it stabilize you. However, do not allow your weight to rest on the chair. This will defeat the purpose of the workout and you might as well not do it. Allow the chair to lightly balance you but allow your weight to still remain on the standing leg. Do 3 sets of 5-8, holding 3-5 seconds each time. Increase weight to increase difficulty. Repeat on other leg.

Important Notes:

• Keep your standing leg slightly bent. This will fire the muscles in the standing leg more than if it were straight up and down.
• Keep your toe to head aligned as you balance forward.
• You do not have to go all the way horizontal if you can't. Challenge yourself to go a little further forward each time you do this.

Third Workout: What I Like To Call The Urinating Dog. Terrible isn't it? haha

This is such a dumb looking workout. It feels silly to do but it targets your butt SO WELL! And after a few reps you will definitely feel the burn. Great booty mover. Do 3 sets of 7-10. Repeat on other leg.

Important Notes:

• Try not to shift your to the other side too much. A little is understandable but do not let your body lean. Tighten your core to keep you stable. This will allow you to use your butt and abductor muscles to lift your leg rather than your body.
• Keep the movement slow and controlled. Your butt and abductor muscles should be lifting your leg for you.
• Do not arch your back when you bring your foot up behind you. Control the movement up and as high as you can make it WITHOUT arching your back.
• Back should be straight from head to tailbone. Keep your eyes forward toward the ground.

Fourth Workout: Straight Leg Crossovers

This is another nice booty workout. Important notes are the same above. Do 3 sets of 7-10. Repeat on other leg.

Fifth Workout: Leg Raise

I remember my mom doing these and me mimicking her! It targets your abductor and adductor muscles (the outer and inner thigh). For this workout, you will be doing two different sets: lead with heel and lead with toe. Do 3 sets of each, 5-8 reps. Repeat on other leg.

Important Notes:

• To make it more difficult, keep your bottom leg straight with your body rather than bent.

[Cardio]

This week's cardio will be the same: running?! WHAT?! Again?! But a little different. Go to a basketball court and stand under the hoop at one end. Here are the variations for your run:

1. Walk the length of the court to the other side.
2. Jog to half court, walk the rest of the way.
3. Sprint to the other side.

Repeat Steps 2 and 3, 3-4 times. Then walk the length of the court twice for cool down.