Top 10 Best Leg Exercises

Our legs frequently get a workout- they have to hold up our bodyweight whenever we stand or walk! Athletes know that this isn’t enough, additional leg workouts are necessary to increase speed and endurance. But working out your legs has plenty of benefits beyond improved agility and beach appeal. Leg workouts are great for burning calories are strengthening bones- and, therefore, are crucial to a healthy lifestyle! Health Fitness Revolution presents the best leg exercises anyone can do.

• Squat Jump
  Squat until your feet are at a 90 degree with the floor. Place your hand out in front of you and jump. Let your knees to bend 45 degrees when you land and hold the position for a full second, then jump again.
• Side Lunge
  Stand with your feet spread wide apart. Keep your right leg straight and push your hips away and to the left. Bend your left knee down into a lunge, keeping your thigh parallel to the floor. Pause for 2 seconds, and then return to the starting position. Make sure your feet stay planted on the floor.
• Single-Leg Hip Raise
  Lie faceup, arms out to your sides at 45-degree angles, left foot flat on the floor with that knee bent, and your right leg straight. Raise your right leg until it’s in line with your left thigh. Then squeeze your glutes and push your hips up—your lower back will elevate. Pause, and return to the starting position.
• Alternating Drop Lunge
  Stand up tall with your hands on your hips and feet planted shoulder-width apart. Cross your right leg behind your left, and bend both knees, lowering your body until your left thigh is nearly parallel to the floor. Return to original position and repeat for the other side.
• Single Leg LungeStand with all of your weight on your right foot, bending the knee and moving hips back. Lower them until your thigh is even with the floor.  Hold your arms out in front of you to steady yourself and press through.
• Plank with Leg RaiseThis one is the best of both worlds, combining a classic ab toning move (link to best 10 ab exercises) and a leg workout. Get into a push-up position, but rest your weight on your forearms instead of your hands. When your body is in a straight line, bring and hold your bellybutton into your stomach. Engage glutes and life your right leg above your hip. Return your right leg to center and lift your right leg.
• Wall SitThe wall can set your legs on fire! Lean up against it and lower into a sitting position, keeping your back firmly against the wall. When your knees are at a 90 degree angle, push back. Hold for as long as you can.
• Single Leg Deadlift
  Stand straight with your feet together. Lift the right leg slightly, and lower the arms and torso while raising the right leg behind the body. Keep the left knee slightly bent and reach the arms as close to the floor as possible. Raise the torso while lowering the right leg. Switch legs.
• Step-Up
  This activity requires an elevated surface, such as a bench or box, and  it can be done with or without dumbbells. Simply start on the ground and raise one leg up on to the top of the elevated platform and then move the other up. Step back down in the same fashion.
• Calf Raise
  From a standing position, slowly rise up on the toes, keeping the knees straight and heels off the floor. Hold briefly, then come back down. Use a machine at the gym to add resistance.

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