Training Your Thighs
Training your thighs provides essential support to your knees and helps to prevent injuries. It also firms and defines the muscles of the upper leg, which is an aesthetic goal for many women. Strengthening the muscles of the back of your thighs combined with good nutritional habits can reduce the appearance of cellulite. Strong thighs also help you enjoy many active recreational pursuits such as hiking, tennis, skiing, and skating. Be sure to do these exercises to prepare for outdoor fun on your honeymoon.
If big, puffy wedding dresses loaded with layers of crinoline aren't your style, a straight-cut or A-line dress might be more your speed. These styles are striking and elegant, but you need the right shape to carry them off — they don't hide lower-body flaws like big skirts do. With these exercises, you'll look svelte and stunning in your streamlined style.
Your quadriceps or quads are located in the front of your thighs. The quadriceps are actually four different muscles that work together. The quadriceps include the rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and vastus intermedius. You can see why people call them quads for short! The largest of your quads is the rectus femoris. The rectus femoris attaches at the hip joint as well as at the knee joint. The rectus femoris is part of your hip flexors because it lifts your upper leg when it contracts. Your quads allow you to extend your leg from the knee. One of the muscles in your quadricep group is also a hip flexor. Stretching your quads is important.
Your hamstrings are opposite to your quads. Your hamstring muscles are in the back of your thighs. The function of the hamstrings is to bend your knee and bring your heel toward your buttocks. Your hamstrings and glutes often work together to extend your leg behind you. Toned hamstrings and glutes improve your walking endurance for more energy every day.
If feeling confident in a bikini is a goal for your honeymoon, pay attention to training your lower body. By paying as much attention to your lower body as you do to your midsection, you'll be able to ditch the sarong and show off strong quads and hamstrings, along with a toned bottom!
The muscles in your outer thighs are called hip abductors. When you contract your abductors, your leg moves away from your body. Your abductors along with the tensor fasciae latae muscle stabilize your hip and knee joints. For example, when you ride a bicycle, your abductors help keep your knee in line with your foot. Strong inner and outer thigh muscles also protect your knees and hips when you move from side-to-side. If you're a skier or tennis player, these muscles are particularly important to prevent knee injuries.
Figures 10-9 and 10-10 The outer thigh leg lift strengthens and tones the muscles in your hip and outer thighs and conditions the knee stabilizers. It also firms and tones the hip area.
GET SET Lie on your side, placing your lower arm straight on your mat. Rest your head on your lower arm. Use your upper arm like a kickstand to support your body. Stack your hips perpendicular to the floor, pull in your abdominal muscles to support your lower back. Lengthen your top leg from the hip through the soles of your feet, with your leg parallel to the ground and your knees facing forward. (
ACTION Lift your top leg to hip height, keeping your pelvis stable. Avoid rolling forward or backward. (
WEDDING WORKOUT POINTERS Inhale to prepare, exhale to lift. Inhale, return to start. Keep your abdominals pulled inward, shoulders down and relaxed. Avoid arching or sagging through your back.
VARIATIONS
Point your toes. Flex your feet.
(HARDER) Flex your foot and rotate your leg internally with your heel toward the ceiling. Lift.
(HARDER) Add ankle weights on your ankle or place on your outer thighs above your knee joint, if you have knee problems.
(Bands or tubing) Tie your band in a circle or use a circular tube. Place around both thighs above the knee in side-lying position. Do movement as described.
Figures 10-11 and 10-12 The inner thigh lift strengthens and tones your inner thighs, adding firmness and definition to your upper leg.
GET SET Lie on your side, placing your lower arm straight on your mat. Rest your head on your lower arm. Use your upper arm like a kickstand to support your body. Stack your hips perpendicular to the floor, pull in your abdominal muscles to support your lower back. Bend the knee of your top leg and place your foot on the ground with the knee of your bottom leg facing forward. (
ACTION Lift your lower leg up as high as possible without changing your alignment. Lengthen your leg through the bottom of your foot. Avoid tilting forward or backward. (
WEDDING WORKOUT POINTERS Inhale to prepare, exhale as you lift lower leg. Inhale, return to start. Avoid arching your back and keep your shoulders down and back.
VARIATIONS
Instead of placing your top leg behind your lower leg, bend your knee and place in front of your body. You can rest your lower leg on a towel for support. Point your toes. Flex your feet.
(HARDER) Flex your foot and rotate your leg internally with your heel toward the ceiling. Lift.
(HARDER) Add ankle weights on your ankle or place them on your inner thighs above your knee joint, if you have knee problems.
(BANDS OR TUBING) Tie your band in a circle or use a circular tube. Keep top leg straight with knee of bottom leg slightly bent. Anchor under foot of top leg in side-lying position. Slip lower leg through loop. Perform movement as described.
You can hide your thighs under your dress, but there is still motivation for getting your legs toned. If you're having a garter toss, your legs will be the focus of the festivities for a few minutes. Get them in shape and you'll be excited and not skittish about it. You will also be ready to show them off on your honeymoon!
Figures 10-13 and 10-14 The leg curl strengthens and tones the back of your thighs (your hamstrings).
GET SET Kneel on all fours. Place elbows on floor under shoulders. Slide your shoulders down and back. Pull in your abdominal muscles to support your lower back. Avoid dropping your head. Extend right leg back with heel in line with buttocks. (
ACTION Lift right leg until your knee reaches hip height. Keep good alignment. Keep your hips and shoulders parallel to the ground. Bend your knee to raise heel toward buttocks. (
WEDDING WORKOUT POINTERS Inhale to prepare, exhale as you bend your knee. Inhale as you return to start. Keep abdominals contracted, shoulders down and back, and neck lengthened. Avoid arching your back.
VARIATIONS
(EASIER) Lie face down instead of on all fours. Place your forehead on the back of your hand. Avoid arching your back.
(HARDER) Add an ankle weight to the working leg.
(BANDS OR TUBING) Tie a band or tubing into a circle and place it around both feet at your instep. Do exercise as described.
Women often complain about the hips, buttocks, and thighs as their most problematic areas. Not surprising, since women's bodies are built to carry fat in these places. These areas might seem like a tall order, but time spent targeting them will be well worth it. You'll gain confidence in your muscular curves instead of feeling self-conscious.
