With all those gorgeous dresses you’ll be wearing this holiday season, you’ll need the perfect pins to secure your sense of wellbeing. While this may seem like some sort of wellness pipe-dream, fitness trainer and qualified exercise scientist Damien Kelly asserts that you can get the amazing, defined legs you want with just a little hard work, and his kick-ass lean-limb workout!
1. Step it up: Kelly instructs, ‘Place your right foot on a bench or chair that is approximately knee height. Push down through your right heel and stand up on the bench. Without stopping, continue to move the left leg forward until the knee is at hip height and at a right angle (in a running style). Balance for a moment before slowly lowering your left foot to the ground, touching down lightly with only your toes, and then spring straight back up for your next rep. Focus on maintaining your posture throughout the exercise and fix your gaze on the horizon in front of you. Do all the reps on one leg, then swap over.’ You should aim for 15 to 30 reps per leg. For a variation, try using higher steps, alternating legs and/or holding a weight in one hand.
2. Take the lunge: ‘Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and take a long stride forward, keeping the same width between your feet,’ says Kelly. ‘Raise your back heel off the ground. Keep your torso upright. Drop your back knee directly down to a point just off the ground, keeping the majority of the weight through your front heel. Raise your knee and repeat without stopping at the top of the movement. Keep your gaze forward throughout the exercise. You should feel this exercise in the glute (buttocks) in your front leg and the upper thigh in the back leg.’ You should aim for 10 to 20 reps per leg and, for more of a challenge, try stepping forward, stepping back, walking, jumping or holding weights.
3. Crane and simple: Kelly advises, ‘Stand on your left leg, maintaining good posture. Bend forward at the hips, keeping long through your spine, reach your right hand down and touch your left big toe. Kick your right leg out to the back. Keep your left knee slightly bent and your gaze fixed on a point in front of you. Pause for a second and then slowly rise back to upright. Keeping your right foot off the ground, go straight into your next rep. Do all the reps on the left leg before starting on your right.’ On each leg, you should be aiming for eight to 15 reps. For those of you who want a bit more out of the Crane workout, alternate your legs, hold a weight in your reaching hand, or stand on a step so your hand goes below your foot.
4. Hamstring curls: For this one, you’ll need a Swiss ball, and manage about 10 to 20 reps. Kelly details, ‘Lie on your back, with your heels on a Swiss ball, your legs straight and your arms out to the sides. Lift your pelvis until your body is straight from heels to shoulders. Now slowly roll the ball towards your backside, onto the soles of your feet, and pause. Keep your pelvis high. Slowly return your legs to almost straight and repeat. Start with three sets of eight reps and gradually work up to 15. To increase the intensity, gradually bring your arms closer to your body, and eventually try with your arms across your chest for the ultimate hamstring workout.’ To mix it up, try the arms-by-your-sides, arms-in-the-air and one-legged variations.