Exercises that will help firm and shape your legs

Yesterday we contracted the leg muscles to increase muscle strength, tone muscles and eliminate fat. As contractions work the muscles, they can also leave them sore and so it is important to now do some asanas that stretch and relax these muscles. These asanas specifically affect the hamstrings, quadriceps and calf muscles. Contracting, toning and stretching these regularly will firm up and shape your legs, improve your figure and make your body swift and agile.

Exercise 1

EXERCISE 1

•  Sit with your legs stretched out, feet together
•  Exhale and bend forward from your hips
•  Hold your toes or heels, touch your forehead to your knees and hold 30-60 seconds
•  Inhale slowly as you raise your arms over your head and return to starting position.

Exercise 2

EXERCISE 2

•  Sitting, bend the right leg so that the heel touches the groin area
•  Inhale slowly stretching both arms up over head
•  Exhale slowly as you bend and stretch forward.  Interlock the fingers and hold your heel
•  Stretch forward placing the chest and abdomen on the thighs and the chin on the knee. Hold 30-60 seconds, breathing normally
•  Inhale slowly as you stretch your arms up and return to starting position
•  Repeat on the other side.

Exercise 3

EXERCISE 3

•  Sit between your heels
•  Holding the heels, lean backwards and place your elbows on the floor with the head and neck stretched backwards
•  Place your palms on the soles of your feet as shown
•  Hold for 10-30 seconds
•  Place palms on floor, press down and slowly return to start position.

Exercise 4

EXERCISE 4

•  From position above, slowly straighten your elbows and lie down on floor
•  Try and keep knees together, place your palms on thighs and hold 30-60 seconds
•  Hold your heels, pushing down on elbows, move up. Press palms down on floor and slowly come up and return to start position.