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    1. Health and Fitness

    Top Tips For Toned Legs

    Get fit with Mark Anthony's podcast workout, and follow his tips for toned legs here

    By Marie Claire
    Published 23 June 2010 In Features

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    Top Tips For Toned Legs - Fitness - Lifestyle - Health - Marie Claire
    Top Tips For Toned Legs - Fitness - Lifestyle - Health - Marie Claire
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    Get fit with Mark Anthony's podcast workout, and follow his tips for toned legs here

    For ultra-toned legs, squats are your best friend.

    To start, keep them simple:

    Squats with weights

    Take two light dumbells and hold them firmly in a straight line from your shoulder. Bend your knees and, keeping your back nice and straight, squat down. Try to perform these movements under control, drawing your naval to your spine at all times.

    Squats with weights

    Squats with weights

    Top Tips For Toned Legs - Fitness - Lifestyle - Health - Marie Claire

    Take two light dumbells and hold them firmly in a straight line from your shoulder. Bend your knees and, keeping your back nice and straight, squat down. Try to perform these movements under control, drawing your naval to your spine at all times.

    Squats with weights

    Squats with weights

    Top Tips For Toned Legs - Fitness - Lifestyle - Health - Marie Claire

    As you push up back to your start position, try to squeeze your front thighs and glutes. Make sure your knees never travel past toe point, and try to perform the exercise without rushing the amount of repetitions. We suggest 3 sets of 15 squats.

    Sumo squats

    Sumo squats

    Top Tips For Toned Legs - Fitness - Lifestyle - Health - Marie Claire

    Next, move on to 'Sumo Squats'.

    These only require one weight, held in-between your legs, which are now placed slightly further apart.

    While doing sumo squats, try to focus on on contracting your inner thigh muscles, keeping the movement steady and pulsing

    Marie Claire Newsletter

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    Sumo squats

    Sumo squats

    Top Tips For Toned Legs - Fitness - Lifestyle - Health - Marie Claire

    As with regular squats, keep a straight back, and always remember to breathe in on the downwards movement and out as you push upward. Try 3 sets of 15 reps to begin with.
     

    Alternate lunges

    Alternate lunges

    Top Tips For Toned Legs - Fitness - Lifestyle - Health - Marie Claire

    Now it's time to take it up a notch, with alternate lunges.

    Start with your two feet shoulder distance apart, then step forwards with alternate legs. When doing lunges, make sure you go down until your rear knee nearly touches the mat. And remember, no pain, no gain!
     

     

    Alternate lunges

    Alternate lunges

    Top Tips For Toned Legs - Fitness - Lifestyle - Health - Marie Claire

    Alternate lunges are all about movement. Try to keep the body moving at a comfortable pace during the exercise, without swinging or rushing them.

    Alternate Lunges

    Alternate Lunges

    Top Tips For Toned Legs - Fitness - Lifestyle - Health - Marie Claire

    For lovely legs, it's important  to do the exercises in exact order. It's been designed to tone your muscles to the max, so no slacking! Start with 3 sets of 10 lunges.


    Pulsing lunges

    Pulsing lunges

    Top Tips For Toned Legs - Fitness - Lifestyle - Health - Marie Claire

    Return to your start position, after finishing all 3 sets of your alternate lunges, for quick-fire side lunges. Keep your back straight, and set out left, back to centre, then right.

    If you're doing these pulsing lunges correctly, you'll feel a tightening in your front thigh. When that starts to happen, don’t stop! Make doubly sure you carry on with the repetitions.

    Lateral bounce

    Lateral bounce

    Top Tips For Toned Legs - Fitness - Lifestyle - Health - Marie Claire

    To finish up, the lateral bounce involves you jumping from foot to foot, kicking your alternative heel up behind you as you go.

    Make sure when you land performing this movement, that you do so safely and softly, always keeping your knees bent. Don’t underestimate this exercise - it's a tough one! For the best results, get motivated and follow your toning exercises with an aerobic work-out - you'll have toned, sculpted, lovely legs in no time! 

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

    Mark Anthony

    Mark Anthony

    Mark Anthony - Top Tips For Toned Legs

    Personal trailer to the stars, Mark Anthony is known for his up to-the-minute podcast work-outs, offering a tailored training plan, all for the half the cost of one month's gym membership. His 6-Week London Body Plan is a video podcast offering one-to-one training sessions. It's suitable for all fitness levels, and includes six 45-minute workouts. Sounds good? Click here for more info.

    Marie Claire
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