how to get legs toned? (gym membership, glute, build, workout)

[fresnochick]

Thank you, you have all given me some good advice, i kinda new most of this already, i think i was looking for that magical shortcut.........but, i'm gonna have to work at it......darn.

My boyfriend is a big exercise maniac and has said pretty much the same things you have all said, i just didn't want to believe him.

[Ohiogirl81]

Walk. Walk. And walk some more.

And buy a good sports bra.

[MtnBikeNV]

Cycling had a HUGE affect on my legs. I'm quite proud of them these days. LOL

[pitt_transplant]

Well I like things simple too...What worked for me was weightloss.
Then when maintaining for awhile I used my stationary bike with magnetic resistance.
You want to get a bike that has some sort of resistance to aid in helping the way your legs look. I ordered mine from walmart for 100 bucks. I think its the only piece of exercise crap that I used/use making it worth it. I have mine by the TV. So instead of just sitting there couch potato-ed out..I ride. Cuts on the TV time snacking too.

[Leana76]

Get toned legs:

1. Lots of walking (walk at least 1-2 hours a day. Believe me, your legs will look great in a month).

2. Squats/Lunges (with 2-5 lbs light weights. Do about 20 a day).

3. Take the stairs (forget the elevator and start using the stairs for now on).

4. Step Aerobics (get an aerobics DVD that uses the aerobics step things).

[TwiloMike]

Originally Posted by Leana76

Get toned legs:

1. Lots of walking (walk at least 1-2 hours a day. Believe me, your legs will look great in a month).

2. Squats/Lunges (with 2-5 lbs light weights. Do about 20 a day).

3. Take the stairs (forget the elevator and start using the stairs for now on).

4. Step Aerobics (get an aerobics DVD that uses the aerobics step things).

I take issue with #2. Squats and Lunges are great, but the light weights are useless. Weights should be heavy, to the tune of being able to do no more than 12 repetitions in a set of squats, and 12 repetitions with each leg in Lunges. 2-5lb weights are entirely insignificant to legs- legs are the biggest muscles we have and that kind of weight will do nothing for them.

[Leana76]

True, but I like them no more than 5 lbs. because I don't want to look like those bodybuilder women (they look like men, for goodness sakes!!)...NO WAY!!! too much bulk. Just enough to be toned and feminine looking.

[LaoTzuMindFu]

Unless you eat 5000-7000 clean calories per day AND take growth hormones AND are one of the .005% of the population with genetic makeup to be a "bodybuilder" type THERE IS NO WAY you would look anything like those bodybuilder women.

Some of the most toned feminine looking women I know are avid weight lifters who visit the gym 6 days of the week. Resistance training is definitely needed to tone.

[fisher33]

you could swim some too. do some kicking exercises w/ a body board and you can kick your way to nice looking legs.

[TwiloMike]

Originally Posted by Leana76

True, but I like them no more than 5 lbs. because I don't want to look like those bodybuilder women (they look like men, for goodness sakes!!)...NO WAY!!! too much bulk. Just enough to be toned and feminine looking.

Do you have any idea how insanely difficult it is for women to look like that? What you wrote above is the equivalent of refusing to read anything beyond "The Little Engine That Could" for fear you'll become a literary genius. You know, if you ever notice you're becoming too bulky you can stop training. Right? You won't turn huge overnight... or even in a year. Even if you try. Those women are genetic lottery winners to be able to achieve such change.

It is incredibly difficult for women to gain muscle, especially as women age. The bodybuilder women overeat in a huge way, train super intensely, and often supplement in ways you can't even fathom to look the way they do. You won't achieve even a quarter of their intensity level, their eating habits, or their supplementation if you train with all you're capable of giving... and I highly doubt that you have the genetic base to even look like Madonna through your best efforts.

I'm not trying to put you down, I'm trying to relate to you how absolutely unreasonable your fear is of becoming bulky. You won't, so don't be afraid to train heavy.