Best Lower Body Exercises to Try at Home for Women
No matter the cause, women seem to gain lower body fat faster and more often than men. Not saying that as a bad thing, it just happens to be true. As a woman myself, I know that though it’s nothing to be ashamed of, it can make you extremely self-conscious. Of course, most of us don’t have time to hit up the gym. We have jobs to get to, mouths to feed, and homes to clean.
Never fear! You can hit the snooze button, skip the guilt about not going to the gym and read this blog instead. For strengthening your lower body and losing the fat on the hips and thighs, there is nothing like lower body exercises to get the job done.
High Knees
What it Targets:
- Calves
- Glutes
- Hamstrings
- Quads
High knees aren’t that hard of an exercise to do. To start, stand straight with your feet close together, put your hands in front of you with your palms facing downward. Once you’re in position, start jogging in place, bringing your knees higher as you go. While doing this try to gently tap your palms with your knees for the best results. Do 3 sets of 20 for the best results.
Squats
What They Target:
- Glutes
- Quads
- Hamstrings
- Calves
This is another exercise that targets the lower body well. Most people already know how to do squats, by holding your arms out in front of you and kneeling to where your butt is just about to touch your calves. Doing these in 3 sets of 12 reps will certainly make a difference in how well-toned and fat-free your lower body is.
Wall Sit
What it Targets:
- Glutes
- Calves
- Quads
- Hamstrings
This simple exercise is much more effective than you might think. It’s also a game we used to play in high school to see who could do the most and hold the position the longest. In case, you aren’t sure how to do these, here are some instructions. Stand with your lower back, as well as your hips against the wall. Once you are against the wall, squat down into a sitting position without actually sitting, of course. Breathe as you place your hands on your thighs, holding the position for 30 seconds. Get up, rest, and repeat. No equipment or special moves are needed for this lower body exercise. For the best results do 3 sets of 30-second holds.
Other Exercises to Try
These are the main exercises that can help you tone up your lower body and get rid of that fat that you are embarrassed about. However, there is a long list of other lower body exercises you might want to try as well. We will list those below.
- Jump squats
- Alternating side lunges
- Plie Squat Calf Raise
- Lunges
- Standing side leg kicks
- Hip thrust
- Donkey kicks
- Spider climbers
- Leg circles
- Leg raises
- Side-lying leg raises
- Butterfly pose
All of these lower body exercises target a few different areas of the lower body. You can determine which is the right exercise for you or you can do them all. The choice is yours.
Now that we know a few exercises you can do at home to help with your lower body, it’s time to discuss the safety tips you need to follow when doing so. In this next section, we will do just that.
The last thing you want is to end up injured when doing the very exercises that are supposed to be helping you.
Talk to your doctor: The first thing you want to do is talk to your doctor about the exercise routine you want to start. While exercising your lower body is a great idea, you need to be sure you don’t have any preexisting or undiagnosed conditions or injuries that could end up being worsened by certain routines.
Instead, talk to your doctor and let him help you get started on the best routine for you.
Avoiding injuries when exercising is extremely important as well. Make sure that you take 5 to 10 minutes to warm up before you begin, and the same 5 or 10 minutes to cool down properly after your session is completed.
Don’t just rush into things and do all of the lower body exercises at once in the very beginning. Start with one or two a day at half the reps and sets, then work your way up from there until you’re doing the amount you want to be doing.
You should always listen to your body when it comes to how hard you work it. If your muscles are so sore you can barely walk or you’re super exhausted, then you probably don’t need to exercise that day. As a matter of fact, it’s probably best to start by exercising one day, then taking the next day off. Skipping a day can allow your body to rest, yet still, be able to go when you are ready to exercise again.
You probably don’t need to be reminded of this, but it does bare saying. You need to stay hydrated when exercising. Some people think that just because they’re exercising at home, they don’t need to drink as much water. It’s just as important to drink water when exercising at home as it is when exercising at the gym. Staying hydrated keeps you from becoming sick. Severe dehydration can land you in the hospital or worse. So drinking water is very, very important.
This concludes our blog on the best lower body exercises and safety tips for exercising for women. Remember, the shape of your body should not embarrass you at all. However, if you are looking to lose fat and tone up the lower part of your body, these exercises will certainly help you head in the right direction. Until next time, keep exercising everyone.
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