Exercise Routine

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PirateFel

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I've been a member at my gym for about 4 months now and while I do a lot of weight lifting as far as arms, I would like to know some good exercises to do for my legs to tone them up. I've been reading in these forums for awhile but just now decided to register and ask questions. I'm 22, female, 126 pounds, and between 5'3 and 5'4. I'm not overweight but would like to see more muscle definition in my legs. I do cardio 6 times a week for varying distances. If I do need to lose any more weight it's no more than ten pounds because I don't want to be too skinny. So if someone could tell me some exercises to make my legs look better that would be great. It's mostly an upper thigh problem. Thanks so much!
~Felicia
 
Oops sorry I almost forgot...

It's hard for me to find exercises I can do bc of knee injuries from cheerleading in high school so things like squats I can't do...thanks.
 
just found a site with a few tips on it here u go hope it kinda helps

Leg Exercises
Exercises that target the calves, thighs, hamstrings and buttocks. These exercises are also suitable for beginners and can be a added to for a more challenging workout. Click on the leg exercise links below to get a full description of the exercise. You may find the section on exercise equipment helpful if you keen on toning and strengthening your legs.

Squat
Lunges
Front Leg Raise
Side Leg Raise
Rear Leg Raise
Alternate Leg Raise
Leg Cross Over
Thigh Squeeze
Calf Raises

the site is
hope this helps
 
Add some sprints and stair running to your runs...sprinters have nice muscle definition in their legs. That will definitely help.

Can you do lunges with the bad knee? I like lunges for muscle definition and stiff-legged deadlifts.
 
Here's another site:

When you say "it's mostly an upper thigh" problem that makes me think that you have some extra fat in that area. Getting rid of that will take a decrease in body fat. To do that there are 5 tips for fat loss...

1) Eat 5-6 small meals throughout the day. Each meal should be 2-3 hours apart. Each meal should contain one protein and one carb. The first meal should be eaten within an hour after waking.


2) Drink a cup of water at each meal.


3) Rest properly. This means taking at least 48 hours between strength training the same muscles, and it also means getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Lastly, it means taking 1-2 days off from exercising per week.


4) Cardio. This should be done at different intensity levels and different session lengths. Consider doing a low intensity/long session, a high intensity/short session and a few medium intensity/medium length sessions.


5) Strength Training. Strength train each muscle 1-3 times per week. You should lift a proper weight and perform the proper amount of sets/reps for your strength training method. If you need more guidance or exercise ideas you can head over


All of the above things combined will result in fat loss. Also wanted to note that depending on your genetics... it may be impossible to completely get rid of all extra fat from the upper thigh area. But most likely, there is some improvement that can be had from following the above 5 tips.
 
you mean...no matter what I do, I might always have this problem? I'm not fat at all I've just always hated my legs, I do tend to store fat there but I wouldn't call myself overweight per se...maybe could just lose 5 to 10 pounds.

As far as the cardio, when you say a low intensity/long session how far and long do you mean, and how far for high intensity/short session and how far for the medium intensity/medium length sessions? Like length and speed or whatever?

No, I can't do lunges, it really hurts when I do, not in the "feel the burn" kind of hurt but the "I'm about to reinjure myself" hurt so I don't ever do them.

Thanks so much for the replies, I really appreciate it!
~Felicia
 
I don't like my legs either for the same reason but I get a lot of compliments from people because they're so muscular. I still don't like them but I've learned to live with them.

Don't do lunges then but include some speed work and stairs in your runs if you're able to run with your knee.

Also, clean up your diet and I'm 99% sure the fat will go away. If you're built like me though it'll take a really clean diet to keep the fat off the upper thigh area. How is your diet right now?
 
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