How to get the legs you desire (muscular, skinny, fit).

By Douglas Bennett
on June 6, 2016

Getting great shaped muscular, skinny and fit legs isn’t just a 7 minute workout. That’s why it’s called a workout. Emphasize “Work”. Yes, it takes work to get the legs that you always desire. However, if you put exercises together in a certain way the time it takes to get great looking legs will take less time. Hence, that’s what makes the difference between an average trainer and a top trainer.

Although this article isn’t your personal guide to getting the legs you desire, it will give you tips on how to make your leg workouts more effective at the gym or home.

This leads us to a question, “What do you want you legs to look like?”

Muscular? Fit? Skinny?

Here’s a quick glimpse ( not all) of the top exercises (muscular, skinny and fit legs) you should perform for each (not necessarily all at once but an example as you’d need your own personal training plan to get best results):

NOTE: your diet and genetics both play a key part in the outcome. Hence, if your legs are made up genetically of more fast twitch muscle fibers then you’ll respond quicker to weight training and tend to look more muscular.

Muscular legs:

Squat (barbell or dumbbell): 4-6 sets x 6-15 reps. sumo squat, front or parallel
Leg Press: 4-6 sets x 6-20 reps feet parallel, feet wide with toes out, feet together with toes out and high up on platform.
Back leg Curls: 4-8 sets x 8-15 reps * 8 sets for advanced as our hamstrings are not used as much as quads.
Sprints: 4-8 x 25 yards, 4-6 x 50 yards, 2-6 x 100 yards 300’s x 2-4x with 30-60 sec rest
Hill sprints 10-25 x 20 yards
Lunges (walking or alternate pushing off toes)
Bike (hills and higher gears)
Plyometrics with or without weight (medicine ball etc.)
Skating
Heavy Sled Runs

Fit Leg Exercises

Squats mix between high reps 15-20 and low reps
Leg Extensions (all three ways, see video above) immediately followed by jump rope high intensity 1 minute or jumping jack if can’t perform jump rope.
Walking Lunges with or without dumbbells walk 20 feet x 8 active rest with jump rope
Running short and long runs (3-12 miles), terrain and hill running included.
Sprints mixed with short runs in same workout 8 x 25 yards x 1 mile run x 2-3
Jump Rope or Jumping jacks 2-8 x 1-3 minutes
Sissy Squats ( holding secure post with arms out straight, toes parallel and leaning back up on the balls of your feet the entire time in a squat position, see picture) 3-5 sets x 25-100 reps
Star Jumps (much better and safer then burpees)
Sled Runs light weight
Plyometrics
Kick boxing

Skinny Leg Exercises:

Short and Long Distance Running (5-12 miles) 4-6 days week
Lunges with no weights (walking 20-30 feet x 2-5x)
Barre’ Exercises, Power Yoga, Pilates (pulsing etc.)
Jump Rope ( high knee running) 3-5 x 1-3 minutes
Ladder Exercises (high knee running) 2-4 x 2-3 minutes
Back Leg Curls using a fitness ball 3-5 x 20 reps
Leg press with feet out wide with very light weight for the inner thighs, pulsing 3-5 sets x 25 reps
Squats with bar (25-45lb) or body weight 2-3 x 20-30 reps

Below is the star jump: best to do immediately after performing a short sprint or heavy leg exercises like a squat. Perform 20-50 reps depending on fitness level. Tuck into downhill ski position and jump high off the ground and throw legs and arms out into position as seen in pic 2 and go back into tuck position before reaching the ground. Repeat

Below is a sissy squat. Best done immediately after heavy weight training on the legs or a leg extension exercise. If at home, perform and then immediately follow with jump rope or star jumps. Perform 3-5 sets 25-100 reps depending on fitness level.

Best leg burner: Sissy Squats, Step 1 start in a squat position on balls of feet entire time with arms locked and straight in front of you. to make very effective pulse in this position 1-2 inches at the end or exercise for another 10-20 reps

step 2 of exercise — step 2 of Sissy Squats: Go back and down towards ankles and return to step 1 and repeat.

Below is an Expert Training Tip from Pro-Trainer Doug Bennett. Change the direction of feet to laser focus the leg extension to target your inner thighs (toes out and heels together), outer thighs (toes together and heels out) or front quads (feet parallel). Always flexed toes throughout (toes pulled back).

Example of what to do: Advanced training> after performing heavy squats and/or leg press perform 5 sets of 30 reps of leg extension @ 60% max. 30 reps = 10 reps feet parallel, 10 reps toes in, 10 reps toes out. After each set perform 1 minute high knee running.

Need help then simply comment.

Need an expert leg workout plan to get muscular, skinny and fit legs with most of these exercises you can do anywhere without a gym?

Then take a look at Pocket Trainer for Legs ( a 21 day lower body fix) for only 99 cents on Kindle. Note: also in printed version.

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How to get the legs you desire (muscular, skinny, fit).

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