Mind & Body
Weight Training: Abs, Legs & Butt
Firm up from the waist down.
Whether you’re a man or a woman, a student or a senior, strengthening your abs,
legs, and butt can improve balance, posture, and coordination, not to mention make
you look fantastic. This guide will show you how to:
Exercising Your Abs
The Abdominal Muscles
The abdominal muscles (or abs for short) are the muscles
that make up the front of the torso. The abs consist of three
major muscle groups:
• Rectus abdominis: Begins just below the sternum and
extends below the belly button. A well defined rectus
abdominis is often termed a six-pack or washboard
stomach.
• Obliques: Made up of the external and internal
obliques, this muscle group stretches down along the
sides of your torso.
• Transversus abdominis: A sheath of muscle behind
the rectus abdominis and the obliques, the transversus
abdominis surrounds, protects, and supports your
internal organs. To ensure that you work your
transversus abdominis, exhale and draw your navel
to your spine during each exercise. This is called the
drawing-in maneuver.
rectus
abdominus
external
oblique transversus
abdominus
internal
oblique
Benefits of Strengthening Your Abs
Strengthening your abs will help improve your:
• Health: Strong abs promote good posture and
protect your lower back, and can reduce back pain.
Strengthening your transversus abdominis also helps
protect your vital internal organs.
• Performance: The abs are involved in countless
movements, from running to jumping to standing.
• Use proper form to make abs and lower body training safer and more effective
• Stretch your abs, legs, and butt to limit injury and improve flexibility
• Perform more than 30 exercises for the major muscles of your lower body
Strong abs help make everyday motions easier and help
improve athletic performance.
• Appearance: Tight abs are considered attractive on
both men and women.
Myths About Strengthening Your Abs
There are a number of common misconceptions about exer-
cising your abs that you should know about before starting
any ab workout regimen.
• Abs gadgets will give you the best workout: You
can work your abs just as effectively with exercises
that use no equipment at all. Certain tools, though,
such as a stability ball, can be helpful if used correctly.
• To get results, you must do hundreds of crunches:
The quality, not the quantity, of abs exercises is what
counts. If you’re doing hundreds of crunches without
getting tired, you may be using bad form, and thus
relying on momentum rather than targeting the right
muscles. The goal is to do an exercise until you reach
the point of muscle fatigue, when you physically
cannot perform another repetition.
• Doing abs exercises will result in ripped abs: Abs
exercises will define and strengthen your abs muscles,
but exercise alone won’t melt away the body fat on
your torso. If you want a lean midsection, you’ll need to
combine abs workouts with strength training, regular
cardio sessions, and healthy eating habits.
Abs Exercises: Form and Safety
Ab exercises can cause injury to your neck and back if
performed incorrectly. To avoid injury, always follow these
general guidelines:
• Don’t pull on your head: Rather than haul yourself
up off the mat by intertwining your fingers behind your
head and pulling, rest your fingertips lightly behind your
ears and use your abs to lift yourself up. Maintain the
distance of a fist between your chin and chest.
• Keep your head in line with your spine: Avoid
bringing your head too far forward. To do so, keep your
eyes on the ceiling—don’t look at your knees.
• Don’t release your lower back: When doing ab
exercises that involve lying on your back, keep your
lower back stable. Don’t arch or hyperextend your
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lower back. If you feel your lower back start to lift,
exhale and draw your belly button to your spine in
order to stabilize the lower back.
• Don’t lift your torso too high: When doing ab
exercises that involve lying on your back, don’t lift your
torso more than 45° off the floor or mat. Lifting higher
will not work your abs and may lead to back injury.
• Don’t hunch your shoulders: Rounding your
shoulders forward as you crunch reduces the
effectiveness of the exercise. Focus on hinging at
the waist, with your torso stable and your shoulders
pushed down and spread wide.
• Don’t let your abs push out: You’ll get better results
if you keep your abs tight throughout the exercise by
performing the drawing-in maneuver.
Stretching Your Abs
Stretching before and after your workout helps reduce mus-
cle soreness and the risk of injury.
Stretches Before Your Abs Workout
Standing Stretch
1. Place your feet hip-width apart.
2. Tighten your abs and stand up
straight.
3. Reach your right hand up, then
stretch it leftward. Inhale and
exhale.
4. Hold the pose for a few
moments, feeling the stretch on
the right side of your torso.
5. Switch sides and repeat the
stretch.
Stretches After Your Abs Workout
Side Stretch
1. Lie on your back. Bend your
knees.
2. With your knees together, rotate your hips and lower
your legs to one side. Keep your shoulders pressed
against the mat while you rotate your hips and spine.
 www.quamut.com Weight Training: Abs, Legs, & Butt

3. Hold for a count of ten while breathing normally. Reverse Crunch 4. With your abs contracted and your torso against the
4. Return to the starting position. Repeat on the other mat, bring your right shoulder toward your left knee.
side. 5. Then switch: bend your right knee, extend your left leg,
and bring your left shoulder toward your right knee.
Cobra 6. Continue to switch back and forth at a steady rate.
7. Focus your energy on your abs; don’t make the
exercise about your shoulders or legs.
8. Keep the movement small, and don’t let your torso rock
back and forth.

Low Plank

1. Lie on your stomach with your arms bent. Place your
palms down along your sides.
2. Push your upper body off the mat.
3. Keep your elbows directly beneath your shoulders and
your legs on the mat. Don’t elevate your shoulders
toward your ears.
4. Hold for a count of ten while breathing normally.
Abs Exercises
The following exercises are organized according to the ma-
jor muscle group they work—rectus abdominis or obliques.
You can safely work out your abs 4–5 times per week; if
you add weighted exercise to your ab routine, cut your ab
workouts to 3 times a week.
Rectus Abdominis Exercises
Crunch
1. Lie on your back with your thighs perpendicular to the
floor and your knees bent at a 90° angle. If it’s more
comfortable, cross one ankle over the other.
2. Rest your fingertips flat against the floor.
3. Use your lower abs to roll your pelvis back and lift your
hips an inch or two off the floor until your knees are
directly over your chest.
4. Keep your head against the floor and your belly button
drawn in.
5. Return to the original position. Repeat.
To make the reverse crunch more difficult, attach ankle
weights to your ankles.
Dumbbell Crunch
1. Lie on your stomach with your arms bent and placed
along your sides, your hands facing forward, and your
feet together.
2. Push yourself up onto your elbows. Keep your hands
apart, with your thumbs pointing toward the ceiling.
3. Make your body form a straight line. Be careful not to
stick your butt in the air, sag toward the mat, or hunch
your shoulders. Keep your head in line with your spine
rather than letting it drop down.
4. Hold the position while continuing to breathe.
To make the low plank easier, clasp your hands together. To
make it more difficult, cross one ankle over the other and
switch the crossover halfway through your set.

High Plank

1. Lie on your
back with
your knees
bent and your 1. Lie on your back with your legs straight on the floor.
feet on the 2. Hold a dumbbell so it hangs down between your hands.
floor. Rest Then straighten your arms.
your fingertips on the back of your head. 3. Lift your head, shoulders, and upper torso off the mat 1. Lie on your stomach.
2. Crunch up toward your knees. Lift your head, by contracting your abs. Do not move your legs. 2. Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width
shoulders, and upper torso off the mat. Don’t crunch 4. Lower yourself back to the mat. Repeat. apart and push yourself up onto them.
up more than 45° off the floor. 3. Make your body form a straight line. Don’t stick your
3. As you crunch, keep your eyes on the ceiling, your Bicycle butt in the air, let it sag toward the mat, or hunch your
belly button drawn in, your upper back flat, and your shoulders. Keep your head in line with your spine.
shoulders lowered. 4. Hold the position while continuing to breathe.
4. At the top of the movement, tighten your abs a bit.
5. Lower yourself back to the mat. Repeat. As with the low plank, cross one ankle over the other to
make the exercise more difficult.

1. Lie on your back.

2. Rest your fingertips on the back of your head.
3. Bend your left knee. Extend your right leg and lift it 45°
off the floor.
You can add extra difficulty to a crunch by performing a
weighted crunch, in which you hold a weight plate across
your chest or behind your head.

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its readers and should not be used as a basis for making medical, investment, legal or other important
decisions. Though Quamut makes efforts to create accurate guides, editorial and research mistakes can
occur. Quamut cannot, therefore, guarantee the accuracy of its guides. We disclaim all warranties, including
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warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, and must advise you to use our guides at Copyright © 2007 Quamut
your own risk. Quamut and its employees are not liable for loss of any nature resulting from the use of or
All rights reserved.
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Photo Credits: Page 1: Wide Group/Iconica/Getty Images (photo 1), Vincent & Jennifer Keane/Lucence Photographic (photo 2); Pages 2-6: Vincent & Jennifer Keane/Lucence Photographic (all
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 www.quamut.com Weight Training: Abs, Legs, & Butt

Ball Crunch Moving Low Side Plank

1. Lie on your side with one arm directly under your

1. Lie on your back on a Swiss ball (a large, inflatable
exercise ball) with your feet on the floor.
2. Rest your fingertips on the back of your head.
3. Crunch up, lifting your head and shoulders off the ball.
4. At the top of the movement, try to tighten your abs a
little more.
5. Return to the starting position.
6. Repeat.
Ball Pike
6. Return to the starting position. Keep repeating the
movement on the same side.
7. When you’ve completed your set, switch sides: crunch
up, bringing your right shoulder toward your left knee.
Side Crunch
shoulder, fingers pointing forward. Rest your other arm
on your side.
2. Stack one foot on top of the other.
3. Tighten your abs and lift yourself up so that you’re
resting on your lower arm and foot. Make your body
into a straight line.
4. Hold the pose for a count of three and then lower down
until you almost touch the mat. Repeat.
5. After you’ve completed the set, switch sides.

Abs Workout Routines

The following tables provide beginner, intermediate, and
advanced ab workouts. If you can do one routine without
difficulty, either increase reps and/or sets or jump to the
next routine level. (For more on constructing weight training
routines, see the Quamut guide to Weight Training Basics,
available in Barnes & Noble bookstores and online at www.
quamut.com.)

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent. Beginner Abs Routine
2. Keeping your torso straight and your knees as close
together as possible, swing your legs to the left. Rest Exercise Reps/Time Sets
your bottom leg on the mat. Crunch 10–12 2–3
3. Crunch up, bringing your head, shoulders, and upper
torso off the mat. Move straight up (as if you’re doing a Reverse
10–12 2–3
crunch
basic crunch) rather than turning toward your legs.
4. Return to the starting position. Low plank 20–30 seconds 2–3
1. Rest your stomach on a Swiss ball. Walk yourself 5. Repeat until you’ve completed the set.
Bicycle 5–6 2–3
forward so that your knees are on the ball and your 6. Swing your legs to the right and then do another set.
hands are on the floor beneath your shoulders. Your Oblique 2–3 per
10–12 per side
body should form a straight line parallel to the floor. Side Plank crunch side
2. Tighten your abs and try to fold over at your hips.
Continue folding until your ankles are against the ball Intermediate Abs Routine
and you are in a pike position.
3. Return to the starting position. Repeat. Exercise Reps/Time Sets
Ball crunch 12–15 2–3
Captain’s Chair (Leg Lift)
1. Stand up on the chair and Dumbbell
12–15 2–3
crunch
grasp the hand grips.
2. Contract your abs and lift Side plank 30–60 seconds per side 2 per side
your knees, keeping your
High plank 30–60 seconds 2 per side
back flat against the pad.
3. Hold the position. Side crunch 12–15 per side 2 per side
4. Return to the starting 1. Lie on one side, with your bottom hand directly under
position. Repeat. your shoulder and your front foot just in front of your Advanced Abs Routine
back foot.
Oblique Exercises 2. Push yourself up so that you’re resting on your hand Exercise Reps/Time Sets
Oblique Crunch and foot. Bicycle 20–30 2–3
1. Lie on your back with your knees bent. 3. Bring your top arm up toward the ceiling. Your body
Ball pike 20–30 2–3
2. Extend your right arm along the floor so that it’s at a should form a “T” shape.
90° angle to your torso. 4. Keep your abs contracted and don’t let your bottom hip Captain’s
20–30 2–3
3. Rest the fingertips of your left hand on the back of your sag toward the floor. chair
head. 5. Hold the position for as long as you can. High plank 60–90 seconds 2–3
4. Crunch up at an angle, bringing your left shoulder Moving low 2–3 per
toward your right knee. To make the side plank easier, rest your hand on your hip 20–30 per side
side plank side
5. Keep the movement small. Focus on working your abs rather than raise it in the air. To make it more difficult, stack
rather than moving your shoulders and elbow. one foot on top of the other.
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Exercising Your Legs and Butt
The Leg and Butt Muscles
The legs and butt include several major muscle groups.
• Glutes: The muscles of your butt, including the gluteus
maximus and, underneath and beneath it, the gluteus
medius and gluteus minimus
• Quadriceps (quads): The muscles that make up the
front of your thigh, including the rectus femoris, vastus
medialis, vastus lateralis (outer thigh), and vastus
intermedius (beneath the rectus femoris)
• Hamstrings: The muscles on the back of your thigh
• Calves: The muscles on the back of your lower leg,
including the gastrocnemius and soleus
rectus femoris
vastus lateralis
vastus medialis
gluteus medius
gluteus maximus
vastus lateralis
gastrocnemius
Benefits of Strengthening Your Lower Body
Strengthening your legs and butt will help improve your:
• Health: Strong legs help protect you from knee, hip,
and ankle injuries. In addition, strengthening the large
muscles of your legs speeds your metabolism and
helps you burn calories.
• Performance: Working your legs and butt improves
your ability to perform basic everyday tasks as well as
your balance, coordination, and athleticism.
• Appearance: Strong, shapely legs and a firm butt are
considered attractive on both men and women.
Weight Training: Abs, Legs, & Butt
Hamstring Stretch
Myths About Strengthening Your Legs 1. Lie on your back.
and Butt 2. Bend your right
There are a number of common misconceptions about exer- leg slightly and
cising your legs and butt that you should know about before raise it off the
starting any leg and butt workout regimen. floor.
3. Wrap your hands
• Doing leg and butt exercises will get rid of cellulite, around your hamstring. Keeping your back and butt on
saddlebags, and hip flab: Leg and butt exercises can the floor, pull your leg toward your body until you feel
tone and firm the muscles of your lower body but won’t a stretch.
work magic on their own. To get the best results, you 4. Hold the position for 30–60 seconds while continuing
have to combine your leg and butt workout with overall to breathe.
strength training, aerobic exercise, and healthy eating 5. Switch legs and repeat.
habits.
• People interested only in strong upper bodies Calf Stretch
don’t need to worry about leg and butt exercises: 1. Extend your arms and
A strong lower body will give you the support you need place both hands flat
to build biceps, lats, shoulders, and so on. against a wall.
2. Place one foot forward so
your feet are in line but
Leg and Butt Exercises: about 2–3 feet apart.
Form and Safety 3. Bend your front leg. Keep
your back leg straight,
To maximize your progress and limit the risk of injury, always with your back heel
follow these safety guidelines: pressed to the floor.
4. Keeping your back heel
• Don’t slump forward or arch your back: While doing pressed to the floor, push
exercises that involve standing, make sure to stack your hips forward slightly.
your head and shoulders over your hips. Think of your 5. Hold the position for 30–60 seconds while continuing
spine as a healthy “S” curve and avoid slumping your to breathe.
shoulders or arching your back. 6. Switch legs and repeat.
• Don’t hunch your shoulders: Don’t let your shoulders
elevate toward your ears.
• Tighten your abs: Exhale while you lift the weight and Leg and Butt Exercises
draw your belly button in toward your spine. This will The following exercises are organized according to the
work your abdominals and protect your lower back. major muscle group they work. You should work out your
• Don’t lock your joints: Don’t let your elbows or knees legs and butt 2–3 times per week, allowing at least one day
tense into a fully locked position. of rest between each workout. If you prefer, you can break
• Don’t use momentum: Force yourself to make your up the routines to focus on specific muscle groups within
muscles do all the work. Don’t swing your limbs and the legs: quads and glutes one day, hamstrings and calves
allow momentum to carry the weight up and down. another, and so on. Some of the following exercises call for
dumbbells or barbells; if you’re a beginner, you may want to
Stretching Your Legs and Butt do those exercises without weights at first. The effort of lift-
Stretching your legs and butt before and after exercising ing your own body weight is a great workout in itself.
helps reduce muscle soreness.
Combo Exercises: Legs and Butt
Butt/Glute Stretch Squat
1. Lie on your back.
2. Wrap your arms
around your bent
legs, hugging your
thighs in toward
your chest.
3. Bring your head up to meet your knees.
4. Hold the position for a few moments while continuing
to breathe.
Quad Stretch
1. Starting in a standing
position, bend one knee so
your foot comes up behind
your butt. Grasp that ankle 1. Place the barbell on your shoulders behind your head.
firmly with the hand on the 2. Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart
same side. and your toes pointing forward.
2. To keep your balance, focus 3. Squat down as if you’re going to sit in a chair. Don’t let
your eyes firmly on a spot your knees buckle outwards. Try to continue until your
on the wall, or rest your free thighs are parallel to the floor.
hand on a stationary object 4. As you squat, rest your weight on your heels, rather
for support. than your toes: look straight ahead, keep your chest
3. Pull your ankle upward toward your butt until you feel a lifted, and don’t let your knees go beyond your toes.
stretch. Don’t let your knee open out to the side. 5. Return to the original position.
4. Hold the position for 30–60 seconds while continuing
to breathe. If you’re a beginner, start out without using a barbell. In-
5. Switch legs and repeat. stead, let your arms hang at your sides.
 www.quamut.com Weight Training: Abs, Legs, & Butt

Plie Squat Deadlift Swim Kick

1. Lie on your stomach with your arms bent at your sides

so your hands are near your head.
2. Lift your legs a few inches off the floor. Contract your
abs so they don’t touch the mat.
3. Kick your legs rapidly up and down, as if swimming, for
30–90 seconds while continuing to breathe.

1. Grasp a dumbbell with both hands, holding it between
your legs.
2. Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart
and your toes facing outward.
3. Squat down as far as you can without letting your butt
tilt back. As you squat, keep your torso upright rather
than lean forward. Keep your knees over your toes
rather than let them cave in toward the floor.
4. Return to the starting position. Repeat.
Glutes Exercises
Kneeling Butt Lift
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Bending at the knees, grasp the barbell with your palms
facing the floor. Your hands should be spaced slightly
wider than your legs.
3. Stand up, pressing your hips forward and keeping your
back flat.
4. Lower the bar to the floor.
5. Return to the starting position. Repeat.

If you’re a beginner, try plie squats without dumbbells at Straight Leg Raise 1. Balance on your hands and knees, with your hands
first. Then proceed to using weights. under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
2. Keeping your foot flexed and your knee at a 90° angle,
Lunge lift your leg in the air until your thigh is parallel to the
1. Hold a dumbbell floor.
in each hand 3. Keeping the lifted leg at a 90° angle, bring it down until
with your palms it almost touches the mat.
facing your sides 4. Perform all repetitions on the first leg before switching
and your feet to the other leg.
hip-width apart.
2. With your Seated Leg Curl
right leg, step
forward.
3. Bend both knees 1. Stand roughly a foot away from a chair.
and descend 2. Lean forward, resting your forearms on the chair.
until your right 3. With your right leg slightly bent, raise your left leg
thigh parallels behind you, lifting it at a right angle to the floor. Keep
the floor. Keep your left leg straight and move it in line with your spine,
your left thigh rather than letting it angle inward or outward.
perpendicular to the floor, keep your torso upright, and 4. Keep your abs contracted and your torso straight.
make sure your front knee doesn’t go past your toe. 5. Hold the leg steady at the top of the movement, then
4. Return to the starting position. return the leg to the ground. 1. Sit down in the machine so that the backs of your
5. Switch legs and repeat. 6. Complete a full set before switching to the other leg. ankles are against the pad. Grasp the handles.
2. Bring your legs toward the floor until your knees are
If you’re a beginner, try lunges without dumbbells at first. Bridge and Leg Lift bent at a 90° angle.
Then proceed to using weights. 3. As you move your legs, keep your back pressed against
the pad and your abs contracted.
Ball Lunge 4. Straighten your legs slowly, returning to the original
position. Repeat.

Inner and Outer Thigh Exercises

Side Leg Lift

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Lift a medicine

ball (heavy exercise ball) up in front of you.
2. Stride forward with your right leg, keeping your left leg
stationary and straight.
3. As you move forward, straighten your arms parallel to
the floor, extending the medicine ball away from you.
4. Push back to the starting position, bending your
elbows slightly and bringing the ball back to its original
position.
5. Repeat, this time with the left leg.
1. Lie on your back with your feet hip-width apart and
your knees bent.
2. Lift your butt off the floor, contracting your abs, until
only your upper back remains on the floor.
3. Staying in the bridge, lift your left leg so that your
thighs are parallel.
4. Lower your left leg to the floor.
5. Repeat steps 3–4, keeping your torso still.
6. Complete a set before switching to the right leg.
1. Lie on your left side with your feet stacked. Extend your
left arm along the mat and rest your head on it. Put
your right hand on the mat in front of you.
2. Flexing your foot, lift your right leg to hip height. Keep
your leg straight throughout the movement. Try to
move only your leg—keep your torso motionless.
3. Lower your leg.
4. Repeat steps 2–3.
5. Switch sides and repeat.
 www.quamut.com Weight Training: Abs, Legs, & Butt

Inner Thigh Lift Quad Exercises Standing Calf Raise

Leg Press 1. Stand on one leg with your heel
1. Place your feet hanging over the edge of the
shoulder-width step and the ball of your foot
apart with your on the step. Cross your other
toes pointing out foot behind the heel of the foot
slightly. you’re standing on.
2. Release the brake 2. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand.
(to one or both of Let your hands hang down with
your sides) and your palms facing in.
lower your knees 3. Press up onto your tiptoes,
1. Lie on your left side. Extend your left arm along the to 90° but no keeping your knee straight and
mat, bend your arm, and rest your head in your hand. further. without bouncing.
2. Bend your right knee and place your right foot flat on 3. Pause, then return 4. Return slowly to the original position, letting your heels
the floor in front of your body. to the starting sink below the level of the step.
3. Flex your foot and lift your left leg up as far as you can. position. Repeat. 5. Finish one set with one leg, then switch sides and do a
4. Keep your left leg straight throughout the movement. full set with the other leg.
Try to move only your leg—keep your torso motionless. Leg Extension
5. Lower your leg. Repeat. To make standing calf raises easier, use both legs at once
6. After doing a full set, repeat the motion, this time with instead of one leg at a time.
your toe pointed.
7. Switch sides and repeat.
Lower Body Workout Routines
Outer Thigh Lift The tables below provide beginner, intermediate, and
1. Stand close to a chair or advanced lower body workouts. If you can do one routine
table, resting your hand without difficulty, either increase reps and/or sets or jump
lightly on it to balance to the next routine level. (For more on constructing weight
yourself. training routines, see the Quamut guide to Weight Training
2. Lift your right leg up and Basics, available in Barnes & Noble bookstores and online at
out at a slight angle. www.quamut.com.)
3. As you move, keep your 1. Position yourself so your back is against the pad and
right hip pressed down and your shins are against the lower pads. Grasp the Beginner Lower Body Routine
in line with your left hip. handles firmly.
4. Lower your right leg, but 2. Extend your legs, keeping your back against the pad. Exercise Reps/Time Sets
don’t let it touch the floor. 3. Return to the starting position. Squat 6–8 2–3
Repeat.
Straight leg raise 10–12 per leg 2–3 per leg
5. Complete a set, then switch legs and repeat. Hamstrings Exercises
Lying Leg Curl Swim kick 20–30 seconds 2–3
Thigh Adductor Reverse leg extension 8–10 2–3
Thigh adductor 8–10 2–3
Thigh abductor 8–10 2–3
Leg extension 8–10 2–3
Sitting calf raise 8–10 2–3

Intermediate Lower Body Routine

1. Lie face down with your calves under the pad and your Exercise Reps/Time Sets
knees below the pad. Grasp the handles firmly. Squat 10–15 2–3
2. Bring your heels toward your butt, keeping your abs
45–60 seconds
tightened and your pelvis pressed against the pad. Kneeling butt lift 2–3 per leg
per leg
1. Position yourself with your back against the pad. Put 3. Return to the starting position. Repeat.
your inner thighs against the pads. Leg press 10–15 2–3
2. Press against the pads to bring your thighs together. Calves Bridge and leg lift 12–15 per leg 2–3
3. As you move your legs, keep your back against the pad. Seated Calf Raise Inner thigh lift 12–15 per leg 2 per leg
4. Return to the starting position.
Outer thigh lift 12–15 per leg 2 per leg
Thigh Abductor Leg curl 10–12 per leg 2–3 per leg
Standing calf raise 10–20 2–3

Advanced Lower Body Routine

Exercise Reps/Time Sets

Squat 8–15 2–3
Plie squat 8–15 2–3

1. Sit with your heels hanging over the edge and the balls Ball lunge 8–15 per leg 2–3 per leg
of your feet on the step. Deadlift 8–15 2–3
2. Press your heels up, leaving your toes on the step.
Leg curl 8–12 per leg 2–3 per leg
1. Position yourself with your back against the pad of the 3. Return to the original position, letting your heels sink
machine. Put your outer thighs against the pads. below the level of the step. Side leg lift 12–15 per leg 2–3 per leg
2. Press against the pads to spread your thighs apart. Standing calf raise
10–20 per leg 2–3 per leg
3. As you move your legs, keep your back against the pad. (on one leg)
4. Return to the starting position.