Ultimate Guide to the Best Leg Exercises

Keep those thighs strong and toned with these moves — they're the most effective exercises for targeting your lower half to make you feel confident in anything you wear, or nothing at all.

Leg Swings

A great warmup move, this also works the inner thighs.

• Stand with the feet together, arms out wide. Raise your right leg out to the side, balancing on your left foot.
• Swing the right leg in front of the left, and then swing it back out to the side.
• Complete three sets of 10 to 12 reps, and then repeat with the left leg.

Scissor Jacks

demonstrating how.

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, and extend your arms straight out to either side with palms facing down. This is the starting position.

Jump, and cross your right arm over your left and your right foot over your left. Jump back to the starting position, then cross with the opposite arm and foot. This counts as one rep.

Continue alternating sides and repeating this movement until you complete 25 reps. Be sure to keep up the pace and not allow too much time for recovery between jumps; this way you'll be sure to keep up your heart rate and engage your whole body.

Good Morning

This move looks simple enough, but you'll really feel it in your legs, butt, and core.

• Stand with your feet hip-width distance apart, and place your hands at the back of your head with your elbows opened wide.
• Pull your abs to your spine, and keep your back neutral while pressing your butt backward, hinging at the hips, until your back is almost parallel to the floor. Keep a slight bend in your knees as you bend forward.
• Return to standing, squeezing your glutes when you are upright. This completes one rep.
• Complete two sets of 10 to 12 reps.

Leg Balance Warrior 3

This exercise fires up your core by challenging your balance. As you move in and out of the pose, you will be working the back of your body too.

• Stand on your left foot with your right leg lifted to 90 degrees and your right knee bent.
• Reach your torso forward as you lengthen your right leg behind you. Reach your arms overhead for balance as your torso and leg come parallel to the floor. Keep your left knee slightly bent.
• Hold this position for a moment, and reach through your right heel to engage the back of the right leg.
• Moving with control, bring your right leg forward and return to standing upright. This completes one rep.
• Complete three sets of 10 on each side.

Standing Dirty Dog

Similar to the clam series, this move targets the outer thigh while testing your balance, too.

• Start standing with your feet hip-width distance apart, hands on the hips.
• With your core engaged and a solid standing right leg, lift your left leg out to the side, squeezing your waist and hip.
• Lower the left leg down, barely touching the ground with your left toes, then lift that leg again.
• Complete three sets of 10 on each side.

Lunge Skips

Work your legs and lift that booty with these this superpowered lunge variation. Move quickly, but make sure you're paying attention to proper form to keep your knees safe.

• Come into a lunge with your right leg back. Swing your right leg forward to hop up on your left foot, and land softly back in a lunge.
• Repeat for 30 seconds and then switch sides for an additional 30 seconds.

Alternating Reverse Lunge

ou're probably familiar with this basic yet effective strengthening move.

• Stand with feet together. Take a controlled lunge (or large step) backward with your left foot.
• Lower your hips so that your right thigh (front leg) becomes parallel to the floor and your right knee is positioned directly over your ankle. Keep your left knee bent at a 90-degree angle and pointing toward the floor. Your left heel should be lifted.
• Step the left foot in, and lunge back with the right foot.
• Continue alternating for 60 seconds.

Split Lunge Jumps

Great for shaping the legs and butt, jumping lunges can sometimes be intense on the knees. Hopping your feet together before switching sides decreases the impact on the knees.

• Stand with your feet together and your knees soft. Jump and come into a lunge with your left leg forward.
• Push off with both feet, jumping them together, then hop into a lunge with your right leg in front.
• Jump your feet back together to complete one rep.
• Complete three sets of 10 on each side.

Reverse Lunge and Press