exercise6

Exercise Tips
Exercises to tighten and tone your muscles

HIPS, THIGHS AND BUTT

3 EXERCISES FOR FRONT OF THIGHS

1. Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart, toes pointed forward.

• Rest your hand on your hips and point your elbows out.
• Look straight ahead then step forward with your right foot as far as you can possibly stretch.
• As you do so, bend your left knee.
• Continue to lunge until your left knee almost touches the floor.
• Slowly return to the starting position.
• Repeat with opposite leg.

2. Stand with your feet apart.

• Tighten your butt and pull your stomach in.
• Keep your head raised and look straight ahead.
• Stretch your hands straight out in front of you, then, keeping your knees directly over your feet, slowly lower yourself into a squatting position by bending your legs at the knees until your thighs are parallel with the floor.
• Don’t let your butt go lower than your bent knees.

3. Hold on to the back of a chair.

• Take one foot off the floor
• Bend your knee back and hold on to your foot.
• Take the foot up towards your butt and pull knee back.
• Hold for a count of 10. Repeat with other leg.

BUTT, plus OUTSIDE, INSIDE and BACK OF THIGHS

1. Lie flat on your stomach with your legs extended and your hands folded in front of you
   with your forehead resting on your hands. Keep your leg extended and your knee slightly
   bent, raise one leg slowly until you feel tightness in your butt muscles. Lower leg slowly
   to the floor and repeat. Repeat with other leg.
2. Lie on your back with your feet about a hip-width apart. Raise your buttocks off the
   floor. Keeping your buttocks pushed up, bring your knees together for one count, then
   part them for one count. Repeat for a total of eight counts.
3. Lie on your back with your feet a hip-width apart. Raise your buttocks off the floor
   and squeeze your butt muscles tight. Holding this position, raise your right hip, then
   your left hip. Repeat this swivel movement for 8 counts.
4. Get down on all fours with your back flat. Keep your head up and your stomach held in.
   Lift your right leg out to the side, keeping it bent. Lift as high as possible so that it
   is parallel to the floor. Lift and lower for 8 counts. Repeat on other side.
5. On all fours, bend your head towards floor, bring your right knee into your chest and
   round your back as you do so. Swing your right leg back and up, lowering your back and
   raising your head as you do so. Bring your knee back to your chest, then repeat for a
   count of 8. Repeat with other leg.
6. Bring your right leg in, grab the ankle and turn your leg out. Hold for a count of 10.
   Repeat with opposite leg.
7. Lie on your back with right knee bent and your foot flat on the floor your hands at
   your sides. Cross your left leg over your right with your ankle resting just about the
   knee. Raise your pelvis to the ceiling, squeezing the muscles in your butt as you lift.
   Return to starting position. Repeat. Then repeat with other leg.
8. Lie on your left side, leaning on your elbow. Keep your legs straight in line with your
   torso. Point your toes and lift your right leg as high as you can. Keep your legs in line
   during this exercise and keep your knees facing forward. Lower your right to just above
   your left, then raise again and repeat movement. Repeat with other leg.
9. Lie on your left side, bend your left leg behind you on the floor and stretch your
   right leg straight up, flexing the foot. Bring the right leg down in front of you, keeping
   it straight with the foot flexed. Return it to the upright position. Repeat for 8 counts.
   Repeat with other leg.

10.Lie on your back flat on the floor. Place your hands flat on the floor under your butt
and raise your legs straight up. Keep your butt on the floor. Slowly spread your legs apart
and then slowly close legs and return to the starting position.

After-exercise stretching
To avoid bulky muscles, always stretch the area you have exercised, afterwards.

Example
Sit on the floor with legs apart and stretched out in front of you.
Reach upwards with both arms.
Then reach forwards and try to clasp your right ankle.
As you do so, push your upper body towards the floor.
Hold the position for a count of 20.
Repeat with left ankle.