Leg exercises to increase fitness

The kind of leg exercises you do will  depend on what you are trying to achieve. Do you want monster thighs or heart-shaped calves? Are you attempting to build strength, increase running endurance or improve flexibility and balance? Are you a weight-lifter, a jogger or a ballerina? 

It may be that you want to do some or all of these.  For example improving balance will often result from building strength.  Having toned, in shape leg muscles helps keep joints stable and improves appearance. 

Don’t forget that before beginning any exercise make you do a good warm up and include some stretching. 

Exercise bikes 

One of the best exercises for toning and strengthening leg muscles is riding an exercise bike.  You can of curse go out on an ordinary bicycle but the exercise is less controllable and involves a lot of other muscle groups.  Plus you have to watch out for traffic 

A 15-minute ride will help tone the calves, hamstrings and quads, improve joint flexibility and can also reduce cellulite and fat. It’s also a great cardiovascular activity so you get two for the price of one when you ride. 

Knee Exercises 

If you want something a little less strenuous, say you only want to help strengthen the knee, here are two choices. 

This one is great if you suffer from conditions such as chondromalacia patella. That’s a roughening of the cartilage below the knee cap. This can be caused by the bones not sitting properly in the ‘V’ of the knee joint. 

Sit in a chair, back straight but not tensed. Your leg should be bent at 90 degrees, the thigh parallel to the ground, the lower leg vertical. Tense the thigh, hold for 5 seconds then release. Switch legs and repeat. Do 10 reps for each leg. Easy, huh! 

Be sure to breathe normally (if you can!!) during the exercise. 

This second exercise does a little more to increase power and strength in the muscles that in charge of bending at the knee. 

Sit up straight and breathe normally, then cross your legs at the ankle. Push forward with the rear leg and back with the front leg. (This sounds a little tricky but it’s not hard when you think about it) 

Swap legs by reversing the direction of the cross. If the left leg was in front, move it back. Do 10 repetitions in each position. 

Calf Burns 

Now it’s going to get a little bit tougher.  

Depending on your balance and the surface you’re standing on, you may need to do this on a mat or carpet, or on a wooden floor. Avoid using a cement or metal floor. 

Stand up straight, heels together, toes slightly apart. Make sure you are well-balanced. 

Lift the heels, balancing on the balls of your feet. Imagine a string attached to the center of your head pulling you up. Hold for 5 seconds, then lower slowly. Do 10 repetitions. Increase the length of time you’re on the balls of the feet as your strength and balance builds. 

You can vary the repetitions by bending slightly at the knee while you still have the heels raised. This will bring the thighs and buttocks into play. Straighten up, then lower the heels. Repeat 10 times once again. 

Among the many health benefits of strong, flexible legs there is one that is especially important for more elderly people. Often the elderly suffer falls that result in broken hips.  These can cause a huge amount ofp ain and discomfort.   A life-long practice of keeping the legs strong and healthy will help prevent this later in life.