6 Exercises for Fighting Flabby Legs
Do you have flabby legs? Legs are one of a woman’s physically attractive qualities, that we all want to keep in perfect condition. But because of continual hormone changes, poor diets, and being sedentary, it’s normal for them to lose their firmness over time.
This is a common problem especially after the age of 30, although being overweight and having bad habits could cause this to happen at earlier ages. This doesn’t necessarily represent a health problem, but people that do have flabby legs can lose self-esteem and the confidence to comfortably wear certain types of clothing. Therefore, people often look for ways to combat and minimize this problem.
One of the most effective methods is to continually do physical exercise. When you move your muscles and activate your circulation, you increase firmness in the legs, keeping them in shape. Below, we are going to share with you the 6 best ways to start getting firm, strong legs. Go ahead and try them!
Exercises to fight flabby legs
One of the keys to combat flabby legs is maintaining a healthy and balanced weight. In this sense, you should know that physical exercise is one of the best ways to keep off those extra pounds. As demonstrated by a post from Michigan State University, exercising helps to:
- Increase energy and reduce fatigue.
- Improve the quality of sleep.
- Improve mood and self-esteem.
- Increase muscle strength and endurance.
- Increase metabolism and help maintain weight.
Likewise, this publication details that strength and muscular endurance training are essential to increase muscle mass and effectively lose body fat.
So if any flabbiness comes from being overweight, it might be necessary to design a workout with these characteristics. To do this, you should seek advice from a professional trainer.
In any case, if you want to start enjoying the benefits of exercise to fight flabby legs, you can choose some of the exercises below. Of course, make sure to do them every day to see changes.
1. Fight flabby legs with squats
Classic squats continue to be number one on the list of best exercises for strengthening and toning the legs and glutes. As a publication in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine explains, they work the entire lower body area and are useful for burning calories. Similarly, they help increase muscle mass.
How to do them
- Stand with your back straight, separate your feet about 8 inches apart, and squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
- Slowly return to your starting position. Do 3 sets of 20 reps.
- If you like, you can make them harder by adding weights or increasing the number of reps.
We think you may also like to read this article: 7 Exercises to Firm your Buttocks at Home
2. Lunges
Lunges are grea t for increasing flexibility and firmness in the quadriceps and glutes. This exercise is more demanding than the previous exercise, and over time it will help tone flabby legs.
How to do them
- Stand with your feet hip-distance apart. Then take a breath in, and move one foot forward.
- The back foot should be balanced on the ball of the foot, while bending your knee in the same direction of your body.
- Keep your back straight, and make sure your front knee doesn’t bend more than 90 degrees, or move past your toe.
- Lower your body until the front leg thigh is parallel to the ground.
- Return to your starting position, squeezing the muscles in your legs, without bending your torso.
- Do 3 sets of 20 reps.
3. Sumo squats
Sumo squats are a variant of classic squats and they’re great for strengthening the external part of the glutes and hips. Focus on working the inside of each leg, focusing on the abductors and hamstrings.
How to do them
- Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart. Move your weight forward onto your toes, looking forward.
- Squat without bending your torso or curving your back.
- Lower while bending your legs, keeping your core tight.
- Make sure that your knees don’t go past your toes, then return to starting position.
- Do 3 sets of 20 reps.
4. Leg lifts
Leg lift exercises are useful for working the quadriceps and abs. There are a lot of variations you can do, but below we are going to suggest some very simple ones.
How to do them
- Lay down on an exercise mat, with your arms reaching resting on the ground to your sides.
- Raise your legs, making a 90-degree angle with your body.
- Hold your legs in the lifted position for five seconds, then carefully lower them.
- Do 20 reps.
5. Bridge to combat flabby legs
Bridge, or pelvis lifts, are a great activity to work the legs, glutes and abs. They are a great exercise for toning muscles and relaxing tension in the lower back.
How to do it
- Lay down face up on an exercise mat, with your legs slightly separated and your knees bent.
- Lift your pelvis to the ceiling, using your forearms, which are resting on the floor.
- Hold the position for a few seconds, then carefully lower. Do not rest your glutes on the floor.
- Repeat 15 times.
Like this article? You may also like to read: Yoga for Back Pain
6. Heel lifts
Heel lifts are great for strengthening the calves and reducing flabbiness. It’s a simple exercise you can do to finish your routine.
How to do them
- Stand on the tips of your toes, and then return to a normal standing position.
- Repeat this movement 20 times, then stretch.
Always supplement exercise with a good diet
So get motivated to do this short routine every day and slowly, you’ll see toned, stronger legs. But do know that this is a slow process and it will only work with continued practice.
Also, remember to complement exercise with a good diet, which should include all nutrients according to your needs. In addition, make sure you’re drinking enough fluids and staying away from bad habits.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Kubo K, Ikebukuro T, Yata H. Effects of squat training with different depths on lower limb muscle volumes. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2019 Sep;119(9):1933-1942.
- Marchetti PH, Guiselini MA, da Silva JJ, Tucker R, Behm DG, Brown LE. Balance and Lower Limb Muscle Activation between In-Line and Traditional Lunge Exercises. J Hum Kinet. 2018 Jun 13;62:15-22.
- Mackey ER, Riemann BL. Biomechanical Differences Between the Bulgarian Split-Squat and Back Squat. Int J Exerc Sci. 2021 Apr 1;14(1):533-543.
- Slater, L. V., & Hart, J. M. Muscle activation patterns during different squat techniques. Journal of strength and conditioning research. 2017; 31(3): 667-676.
