This is how much and how long you need to work out to get toned legs

Don’t we all get so awestruck when we see our favourite Bollywood lasses flaunt those toned legs? Whether it’s Shilpa Shetty or Katrina Kaif, they look gorgeous in those short dresses, and you can’t help but want to be as fit as them. Your legs are made up of the largest and strongest muscles in the body. Not only are they important for doing intense exercises, but they also help to prevent injuries. That’s the biggest reason why you must build lean muscle on the leg to maintain optimum weight, and lose any weight if that’s what is on your mind. 

First of all, let’s give you some good news. You can see small results in even two to four weeks, after you begin a leg workout. You will have better stamina, and your legs will look a little more defined. But all in all, depending on your fitness levels, it does take three to four months for any remarkable difference.

So, are you all set to know your training plan? Because we can’t wait to share it with you!  

Here’s how you can begin

Before you begin any exercise program, remember nothing is more important than consistency. Because if you leave it mid-way or do not perform the workout regularly, then you’re not going to see any difference. As we mentioned, your legs are made up of the largest muscle groups including the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps and calves. Now, these exercises try and ensure that all these muscles are worked out, so that you build stamina. What’s also important to note is that try to increase the intensity of the workout with time, and not in one go.

Every week, complete two leg-strengthening workouts. One must focus on the glutes and hamstrings, while the other on quadriceps and calves. These workouts must be scheduled three days apart in your plan. At the same time, try and get your dose of aerobic exercise for at least 150 to 300 minutes per week to shed unwanted fat. 

When you exercise your glutes and hamstrings, try and perform moves like straight-leg deadlift, weighted bridge, leg curl and walking lunge. On the other hand, for toned quadriceps and calves, you could go for a barbell squat, leg press, bench step-up, standing calf raise or seated calf raise. 

Even when you do cardio, make sure you choose workouts like hiking, step climbing or even running, so that you can achieve your goals much faster. 

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Here’s what you should focus on month-on-month

The first month is when you should start to focus on conditioning and trying to build endurance in your muscles. Try and do two sets of 12-15 repetitions of each exercise, during the first two weeks of training. Then increase to three sets in the remaining two weeks. Make sure you are getting 30 minutes of aerobic exercise at least five days a week. 

The second month is all about increasing muscle mass, by increasing the intensity and decreasing the repetitions. Research suggests that you must select a weight at which muscle failure happens between six and 12 repetitions. Do three sets, resting 60 to 90 seconds in between. Increase the weight when you are able to complete more than 12 repetitions with relative ease. Also, during this month, increase the duration of your aerobic exercise by 10 to 15 minutes. 

The last or third month is going to focus on improving muscle strength. Again, increase the weight and perform two to six repetitions of each exercise, and do three to four sets. Do aerobic exercise five days a week. Here, we urge you to bring in interval training. Perform 20 to 30 minutes of sprint intervals, in which you sprint for 30-60 seconds, and then for the next 30-60 seconds you decrease your intensity to recover. 

So ladies, make sure to follow this plan and you’ll see results soon!