Any good exercises for toning up?

what are some good lower body exercises?

i need to tone up the a$$, thighs, and especially my calves! i have no calf muscles at all so i REALLY need exercises for them - FH teases me that i have cankles! he says im the tiniest girl he knows and i have skinny cankles

im just excited b/c im finally able to go back to the gym!! i always do about 30-45 mins of cardio but i need some exercises for toning - i got my shower approaching, then the wedding, and then the HM so i got to get a move on things!

any exercises that you swear by?

Squats! I swear by them...they lift and tone your butt and legs and use your core as well...

Walking lunges are great also! Calf raises are terrific too!

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Posted by Future Mulligan

what are some good lower body exercises?

i need to tone up the a$$, thighs, and especially my calves! i have no calf muscles at all so i REALLY need exercises for them - FH teases me that i have cankles! he says im the tiniest girl he knows and i have skinny cankles

im just excited b/c im finally able to go back to the gym!! i always do about 30-45 mins of cardio but i need some exercises for toning - i got my shower approaching, then the wedding, and then the HM so i got to get a move on things!

any exercises that you swear by?

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for your legs, one of the best exercises are ballet moves. One of my pilates tapes, the legs section is all mostly ballet moves. I also read an article about this in one of the fitness magazines and can be the best thing for you. One real simple move you can do that helps your calf muscles is to just stand up straight and then slowly lift yourself on the balls of your feet and stay like that for about 20-30 seconds then come back down with feet flat and then back up and do this for a bit. Its one of the ballet moves used in pilates, and its one that basically just targets your calf muscles and will be very effective

i am in the same position definitely need some more toning. my legs and calves need some help and maybe my arms....lol

for my legs i do squats with the ball...i use the ball against a wall and i put my back up against it and do squats (with weights)

um...i also use a weight and am on all 4's with the weight in the back of my knee (holding it with my thigh muscles) and you push your leg upwards (the weight gives resistence)

i also do lunges across the room with a medicine ball twisting the ball side to side when i lunge.

um....for calves i am trying now to do those low squats and then you jump up ...so your squatting all the way down almost with your butt on the floor and then you jump up with your hands over you head but don't jump like all the way up just a couple inches off the ground

thats all i really do for now. i need knew ideas

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Posted by Espo22

the pilates workout i have with alot of ballet and lots of pilates moves too obviously is called the method pilates target specifics with jennifer kries. The leg workouts are not that easy and really pushes you.

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how is pilates? is it hard? i never tried it before - is that tape more advanced? i think i might order a pilates tape and test it out!

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Posted by cbcf

i am in the same position definitely need some more toning. my legs and calves need some help and maybe my arms....lol

for my legs i do squats with the ball...i use the ball against a wall and i put my back up against it and do squats (with weights)

um...i also use a weight and am on all 4's with the weight in the back of my knee (holding it with my thigh muscles) and you push your leg upwards (the weight gives resistence)

i also do lunges across the room with a medicine ball twisting the ball side to side when i lunge.

um....for calves i am trying now to do those low squats and then you jump up ...so your squatting all the way down almost with your butt on the floor and then you jump up with your hands over you head but don't jump like all the way up just a couple inches off the ground

thats all i really do for now. i need knew ideas

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i was doing a good routine of squats and lunges but then after my back thingy i had to stop - i was starting to see results in my thighs and now after 1 month of stopping i feel like my legs look worse than they did before i started! so i know squats and lunges are a must and they def work....

FH told me to do those heel raises for my calves - so i will keep doing them - that part of my leg is pathetic and needs the most wor - especially b/c i want my legs to look nice in my reception dress! all that shows are my lower legs so they got to look toned up!

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Posted by Future Mulligan

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Posted by Espo22

the pilates workout i have with alot of ballet and lots of pilates moves too obviously is called the method pilates target specifics with jennifer kries. The leg workouts are not that easy and really pushes you.

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how is pilates? is it hard? i never tried it before - is that tape more advanced? i think i might order a pilates tape and test it out!

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i LOOOVE pilates, out of all other exercises ive ever done, ive seen the best results from this. Really tones you up but also your body starts looking differently right away, you get nice long lean muscles. Some of it can be a little hard, but the good thing is most pilate exercises they will do certain moves but say if you are just starting to do it a different way and for more advanced they show you another way. For example the instructor in the video will have 2 girls behind her and one will show the beginner move and you would follow her and the other will do the advanced move. It also is great for flexibility. When i first started doing it there were some things that were hard and the instructor would say that after you do that move for a little bit you will see how much flexible you will be and its so true, after a few weeks you can do alot more. Also the spinal rolls are great for your back and that helps with becoming more flexible.

It can be a little bit harder this particular tape but it was the first pilates workout i tried and i was fine. Its an hour long, its 4 sections, first 15 mins you do abs, then arms, hips and legs. Like i said you can do the beginner moves they show you.


Also, stick with the heel exercises, thats the one i described in the first post. Its the one exercise that really targets your calf muscles and will make a difference

I sware by running for total body toning.

But for legs I do ALOT of squats. Three different kinds (closed leg, normal and wide leg). Also I do alot of other machines. (However I do want to note that I still see some cellulite on the back of my legs and butt...ughhh its inevitable!)

For calves I dont do much and need advice for that area too!

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Posted by MikeandJess

this is a great thread nicole, if anyone has any tips for toning biceps and triceps (but focusing more on triceps) i will be forever in your debt.

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I have seen amazing definition in my arms, by taking a free weight class at the gym 2x/week, coupled with cardio.
Tricep kickbacks, dips off of a bench, pushups, and bicep curls and hammer curls relentlessly. The class is all hi reps, so I am talking about 200 bicep curls. It really really has worked. I would post a pic if I can find one for you.

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Posted by jnlax29

here is a pic.

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wow your arms look awesome arms are my trouble area. I have to always work them out in order for them to look good, its sad bc i know what i have to do just that after the wedding i havent wanted to do any of it but i really need to get back to working out alot

the dips are amazing, can be hard if you havent worked out in a while but you can really feel it working.

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Posted by MikeandJess

this is a great thread nicole, if anyone has any tips for toning biceps and triceps (but focusing more on triceps) i will be forever in your debt.

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free weights!!!! I try to avoid the machines..

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Posted by jnlax29

here is a pic.

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wow, which gym is this? I'm inspired.

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Posted by Bride 2 Be

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Posted by MikeandJess

this is a great thread nicole, if anyone has any tips for toning biceps and triceps (but focusing more on triceps) i will be forever in your debt.

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free weights!!!! I try to avoid the machines..

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yea I have some free weights but my dog peed on them so I've been avoiding them

Okay here is my deal. I was always a skinny minnie but never toned (less than 110 lbs)

After the wedding I gained 15 lbs I started the 30 day shred two weeks ago and for the first time in my whole life i actually have muscle definition in my arms ( from the pushups and the light weight exercises ) and my calves are SICK!! i CRIED the first day because of the calf exercises that she does and it took me ten minutes to go down the stairs the next day in my parking garage - i had to let these old people go past me bc iwas going so slow

so YAY for definition and it is a 25 minute work out that i have been doing 5x a week ( i lost 6 lbs ) but you are supposed to do it every day

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Posted by ant n tilde

Okay here is my deal. I was always a skinny minnie but never toned (less than 110 lbs)

After the wedding I gained 15 lbs I started the 30 day shred two weeks ago and for the first time in my whole life i actually have muscle definition in my arms ( from the pushups and the light weight exercises ) and my calves are SICK!! i CRIED the first day because of the calf exercises that she does and it took me ten minutes to go down the stairs the next day in my parking garage - i had to let these old people go past me bc iwas going so slow

so YAY for definition and it is a 25 minute work out that i have been doing 5x a week ( i lost 6 lbs ) but you are supposed to do it every day

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ive been wanting to try out the 30 day shred workout...i am gonna test it out on exercise on demand, i saw that they have it. If i do this and pilates a couple times a week i hope i lose weight soon. I have to fit into a bm dress for helens wedding