Many people wonder what it takes to tone your lower body, and this is a good question to consider. Sure, you want a good overall body workout because that’s important; but there are some great exercises that can help you to get that lower body you have always dreamed of. You are going to have to work for it because the lower body requires a lot of concentrated effort.
If, however, you are willing to put in the work and concentrate on this common problem area, then you can get that toned and sculpted look, too. Let’s review how to get to where you want to be in terms of a toned lower body.
The Right Mindset to Tone Your Lower Body
When you think about how to tone your lower body, remember that it all starts with the types of exercises that are going to have an impact on that part of the body. Plyometrics, involving a lot of high intensity jumping activities, are one particular workout that will help. These are the types of moves that will have you using the full range of a given muscle. Moreover, it will require you to use those muscles intensely, sometimes as quickly as you possibly can.
Think of jumping squats, which really concentrate on the lower body but take it up a notch with some high intensity cardio movements. You also want to be sure that running or walking, elliptical and even kickboxing are on your rotation. Variety within cardio without forgetting strength training is a great way to keep the lower body working and to achieve the results you want.
Variety is Key
Some other great ways to tone your lower body include strength training exercises that will help to shape it and burn the fat away. Think about movements such as dead lifts, squats and a variety of lunges. Walking lunges, side lunges and back and front lunges are all part of an effective regimen to get you strong, toned legs and lower body.
You always want to add weight for extra resistance, as that will really help you to get deep into the muscle to tone and sculpt. Not only will you find that this helps to burn away the fat that may lie there, but it will also help you to define muscle in this area as well.
A Note About Fat Burning Exercises
While all those workouts are great, it is still important to remember that when you take on activities to burn fat, unlike toning muscles, you cannot specifically direct where it will take place. Indeed, there are many exercises that will specifically help you with fat burning. Cardio is particularly effective, but when you build muscle, your body will naturally burn more fat even while inactive. That said, your body will burn fat at its own rate and from various sources throughout.
Just because you work your legs, it doesn’t mean that this will be the source of the fat burned as energy for those movements. This helps to explain why crunches may help you to tone and strengthen your abs, but it doesn’t mean that you’ll burn fat around your middle by doing them. Still, if your goal is not just to tone your lower body but also to burn excess fat away, do focus on fat burning workouts.
If you choose options that will also tone your lower body, all the better. Eventually, your body will burn the fat away where you want it to, even if it uses body fat from various places, not just the one you’re aiming to burn.
Tone Your Lower Body for Strength, Balance and Health
When you consider how to tone your lower body, you want to try different types of movements in varying intensities. You will find that leg lifts, kicks, jumping jacks and some Pilates movements, such as scissors, can help dramatically.
It’s all about variety as well as working the lower body from different angles. Focus on these movements and make them part of your regimen frequently. Over time, you will really start to see the results of your efforts. Moreover, you’ll be able to feel them, too. You’ll feel how much stronger you are, how much easier it is to complete various movements, and that you feel healthier overall. If you can keep up with this routine and help to support it with an overall healthy lifestyle, you will get the most out of your workouts and enjoy the work you put into it.
