10 Exercises that can help you burn leg fat

Having healthy and strong legs is extremely important, not only for showing a beautiful figure, but also for brain and body health in general. Exercising the legs favors mental well-being as the years go by, maintaining the strength of intellectual abilities and sanity – after all, a study from Kings College, London, correlates leg health with the protection of brain structures.

O awesome.club brings a series of leg exercises to help you get rid of fat and strengthen your muscles, in addition to preserving your mental capacity over the years.

The wall squat is the simplest method to exercise your legs. And the best part is, you’ll only need… one wall. The technique strengthens the quadriceps muscles, burns fat and even increases your endurance. By the nature of the exercise, you will need to hold the position for a long period of time. Try to progressively increase the time you remain squatting.

Stand with your back to the wall, as if you were going to sit on a chair. Keep your feet firmly on the ground, in line with your hips. Squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Maintain a 90° angle between hip and knee for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat 5 times.

Tip: Keep your arms relaxed at your sides or stretched out in front of you for better balance. Putting your hands on your thighs won’t help.

The Chair Pose, or Utkatasana, is a position that favors the entire body, especially the hips, legs, thighs, and arms. Including this pose in your workout routine will do wonders for both your upper and lower body.

Start with your spine straight, arms outstretched at your sides. Lower the body. Bend your knees and squat as if you were going to sit in a chair, keeping your feet firmly on the ground and leaning forward. Raise your arms following the angle of your chest, holding the position for 30 seconds to a minute. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat 5 times — or 3 times if you’re not used to it.

Tip: keep your focus on your breath for better balance. Exhale when bending your body and inhale when returning to the starting position.

The free squat is probably the best-known exercise for strengthening your thighs and hips. You don’t need any equipment to practice it and the movement can be performed even in rehabilitation activities.

Stand with your spine straight and feet in line with your hips. Imagine sitting in a chair, squatting down while bringing your arms in front of you. Keep your abs tight as you squat and don’t let your upper body lean too far forward. Return to the starting position, keeping your toes firmly on the floor. Do 1 to 3 sets of 10 reps each — 8 reps if starting out. Don’t forget to rest between each set.

Tip: You need to be able to see your toes while squatting. If not, adjust your position.

Jump squats are even more efficient than free squats, helping to tone your hips and glutes in no time. The only things that change are the jump you add to the squat and the position of your arms.

Here, you need to start in a squat position, legs apart, feet in line with your hips. When in the squat position, push up and jump as high as you can, arms raised toward the ceiling. Land in a crouch, with your upper body slightly bent forward, and your arms positioned behind your head, with your hands behind your neck. This position will favor the impulse for the jump. Do 2 or 3 sets of 10 jump squats, rest after each set and repeat. If you’re not used to it, start with 5 squats, observing at least two sets.

Tip: Try to pay attention when landing. The movement needs to be done as smoothly as possible to avoid knee injuries.

Abduction exercises represent another way to have strong, toned legs. They are even useful for treating knee and hip pain as an integral part of physical therapy sessions.

Lie on your side on a mat, with your body straight. Both feet should be as if you were standing on tiptoe.

Use your lower arm to support your head. Keep your other hand on the floor in front of your body, helping to maintain balance.

Keep your legs straight, and lift the leg that is on top as much as possible. Then lower it slowly.

Do 2 or 3 sets of 10 lifts with each leg — or 8 lifts if you’re not used to this exercise.

Tip: Wear ankle boots or elastic bands (Thera-Band) on your feet to add additional resistance and increase the intensity of the exercise.

Adduction exercises are similar to abduction exercises, only this time, the position of the legs changes, shifting the focus of the movement to the leg that is on the ground. Hips, inner thighs and lower muscles generally benefit from these exercises.

Lie on your side, in exactly the same way as in the abduction exercise, with your legs parallel to the mat. Keep your lower arm as a support for your upper body. The top one needs to be in front of the body, with the hand on the mat to help with balance. This time, cross your top leg in front of your bottom leg. Slowly lift your bottom leg up towards the ceiling. Lower the leg. Do 2 or 3 sets of 10 reps — 8 if you’re just starting out. Then repeat with the other side.

Tip: You can use anklets or elastic bands to increase resistance.

Scissors is an easy and effective exercise to work your hip flexors and, of course, your abdominal muscles. It can be practiced by both beginners and those at more advanced levels.

Lie on your back, with your legs extended and arms resting at your sides.

Keep your upper body on the mat as you lift your legs to an angle of approximately 45°.

Spread your legs and cross one over the other, repeatedly.

Start with 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions. Rest and repeat.

Tip: If you have trouble keeping your legs straight during the exercise, try to start with your knees bent. As your resistance builds, keep your legs straight as much as possible.

Forward lunge is another popular and easy exercise to do. In addition to strengthening glutes and legs, it acts on balance and stability. If practiced regularly and correctly, it still favors the health of the spine.

Start with your body straight, feet in line with your hips. Step forward by making a lunge, bending your body and bringing the knee of your back leg almost to the floor. Keep your core tight as you lower your knee. Using your front leg, push your body up, returning to the starting position. Start with a set of 8 to 12 repetitions — or 6 if you find it difficult. Repeat with the other side.

Tip: You can hold dumbbells with both arms, giving the exercise more intensity.

The curved feed is a variation of the forward feed. It perfectly works the glutes and legs, also working on body stability and posture.

Start with your spine straight, legs parallel to each other and in line with your hips. Your hands can be together, in front of your body. Step back and to the side while lowering your body and bending your knees — note that the movement is a little different than lunging forward. Return to the starting position using your front leg to push your body forward. Switch sides and repeat. Start with a set of 12 to 15 repetitions — or 10 if you’re just starting out. The ideal is 3 sets.

Tip: You can hold a dumbbell with both hands, keeping them in front of your body at chest height to work your balance.

The lateral lunge is yet another variation on the previous exercises and is useful for toning the legs, losing fat, and stretching the hamstrings and other thigh muscles.

Stand with your legs apart, feet hip-width apart and parallel to each other. Take a big step sideways, mimicking a squat with your arms extended in front of you or bent at chest height. Keep the other leg straight and extended, with your toes firmly on the floor. Use the bent leg to push up and return to the starting position. Do 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side.

Tip: Increase the intensity of the exercise by adding a jump to the lateral lunge. Instead of lifting your body and switching legs, try jumping to the opposite side of the extended leg.

Having a strong and healthy body is essential to live with mobility and free from the risk of physical and mental problems. Do you usually practice any physical activity? What’s your favorite? Comment!