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      8 Ways To Build Stronger Thighs

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      The power of being able to build strong thighs lies in the ability to move better. Think about how much you walk around, trek up and down stairs, and go from sitting to standing all day. Every single one of those movements will become easier the more you work out your legs, particularly your thighs, or what would include your quads (the muscles on the front of the upper leg), abductors (outer thighs), adductors (inner thighs) and even your hamstrings (back of the upper leg).

      “If you want to live for a long time, you have to be strength training. There is no substitute for strength,” says Danielle Barry, a certified personal trainer. Plus, the more you move and the smarter you train, the better your movement patterns, making everything from running, walking and jumping smoother too.

      To get you to peak performance in and out of the gym, check out the best types of exercises that build strong thighs.

      1. Combine strength and cardio

      “People get fearful of putting on too much muscle and having big legs, so they turn to cardio for the solution to that issue,” says Barry. “But I like to make it known that if you’re looking to change the composition of your legs—more muscle and less fat—you have to do a combo of both strength and endurance training.”

      In other words, while you can run around town as much as you want, or hit the elliptical too, you still have to pick up some weights if you want to build strong thighs.

      READ MORE: Use These 5 Resistance Band Moves To Ease Knee Pain

      2. Squat, squat and squat again

      Focusing on functional movement patterns — think: squat, lunge, push, pull — is the smartest way to train your legs. And squats are a top-notch way to specifically target your thighs, working 360-degrees of your upper leg. Even better, squats mimic that stand-up and sit-down pattern you move through during the day. Plus, you can easily scale them to your fitness level, says Barry.

      Begin with bodyweight squats: Start standing with feet hip-width apart. Send the hips down and back and bend the knees, keeping weight in your heels. When you’ve mastered that, move up to a goblet squat, holding a kettlebell or dumbbell at your chest.

      Next up, graduate to squatting with a barbell or dumbbells held in a racked position (weights at the shoulders). The key is to keep your torso vertical and spine neutral—the more upright you are, the more quad-dominant the exercise.

      3. Learn to love lunges

      Lunges copy the movement pattern you take when you go for a walk, shifting weight from one foot to the other. And they seriously tone your thighs, while strengthening most leg muscles. Start this exercise out bodyweight style, just like a squat, until you’ve built up the confidence and form to take it up a notch.

      Begin standing with feet together and then step one foot back about 60cm (depending on how tall you are) and lower down so both knees bend 90 degrees. Then press back up to the top. Aim for 10 reps on each leg for three rounds, Barry suggests.

      To up the ante on your lunge, add weights, holding a dumbbell or kettlebell at your chest, or one on each side, with arms straight down by your sides. You can also place the back foot on a box or bench behind you to turn your lunge into a Bulgarian split squat, which ups the stability challenge. (See above for example.)

      4. Do more single-side moves

      Speaking of lunges — along with moves like pistol squats, staggered deadlifts, or split squats — these types of single-side exercises help you pay better attention to the differences in strength between your left and right sides.

      “I tell people: Our limbs are sisters; they are not twins,” says Barry. “You have a dominant and non-dominant side, so when you’re running or biking or lifting or doing Pilates, you’re going to find one side works harder than the other… Your goal should be to try your best to get your non-dominant side as strong as your dominant side, or as close as possible.”

      Next time you do any single-side exercise, focus on how each side feels and spend a little more time on that weaker side to help fix the imbalance. This will make you less injury-prone and can increase overall health and body composition, Barry says.

      READ MORE: Tone-Up From Head To Toe With This Killer 15-Minute Workout

      5 Step on a machine

      Almost any cardio machine — the treadmill, elliptical, stair climber and rower — will help you build stronger thighs. Your legs do a lot of the work after all. (Yes, even on the rower — push off that board!)

      Barry recommends opting for intervals on any of this equipment, working at an all-out effort for 30 seconds, then resting for another 30. Try to hit 10 rounds.

      “If you’re constantly working then resting, your body will burn fat to keep up with the work put into each interval,” she says. To really make your legs feel like Jell-O, she suggests opting for the bike or Stairmaster.

      6. HIIT it big

      Of course, you don’t have to do interval training only on a machine. You can take your HIIT workout anywhere. If you’re running outside, simply add sprints into your typical jogging pace. “Running is a fantastic way to develop those thigh muscles,” Barry says.

      Or if you’re in your living room, add plyometrics to your routine. Squat jumps and jumping lunges, along with burpees or skaters require powerful legs to propel you to the top.

      READ MORE: 30 Plank Variations That Will Transform Your Core From A Trainer

      7. Grab a booty band

      Follow almost any trainer on IG and you’ll probably see a band wrapped around her thighs at some point, especially if she’s a runner. And that’s because that band strengthens the abductors of the hip, or your glutes and tensor fasciae latae (TFL) — a muscle of the thigh that helps to move the leg away from your midline (aka abduction).

      With the band placed around your thighs, you can easily turn moves like squats and leg lifts into a serious leg-burning sequence.

      Barry’s favourite move to do with the band to target the thighs and glutes is a lateral step: Holding a shallow squat position and keeping your legs hip-width apart and feet parallel, take 10 to 15 steps to one side and then back in the other direction. Embrace the burn on your backside.

      8. Squeeze something soft

      Don’t forget about those inner thighs! Your adductor muscles pull your legs in toward each other and to strengthen all of them, you should grab a squishy ball or a foam yoga block, Barry says.

      Take the block between your legs and squeeze, holding for a second, then release. Do 10 to 15 reps.

      You can do this standing, while holding a wall sit, as you maintain a plank position, or in a glute bridge exercise (seen above). The harder you squeeze, the more you burn out those inner thighs.

      This article was originally published on www.womenshealthmag.com by Mallory Creveling More

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      Tone-Up From Head To Toe With This Killer 15-Minute Workout

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      This killer tone-up workout ticks a few convenient boxes. It requires zero equipment, fires up your muscles, tones and gets up your heart rate. The best part? It takes just 15 minutes of your time.

      This tone-up workout was designed with the help of exercise physiologist and fitness trainer Amy Dixon. It’s perfect for when you’re stuck somewhere with no gym access, or just want to get a workout in with little time to spare.

      How to do this tone-up workout:

      Do these moves one after another with no rest between them. When you’ve finished the last move, pause for 30 to 60 seconds, then repeat the circuit twice more.

      The Tone-Up Workout

      One-Leg Squat, Floor Reach And Press

      Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your sides.

      Bend your left knee, lifting your foot behind you.

      Squat and raise your right arm out to the side to shoulder height, then reach your left hand down across your body, touching the floor outside your right toes.

      Stand up as you lift your left hand toward the ceiling, lower your right arm to your side, and raise your left thigh to hip level in front of you.

      Lower your left leg and repeat on the other side. That’s one rep. Do 12 to 15 reps.

      READ MORE: The 15 Minute Bodyweight Home Workout You Can Do On Your Couch

      Push-up Crawl

      Get in a high plank position (top of a push-up) with your hands wider than shoulder-width apart.

      Lower your chest as close to the floor as you can. Holding that position, lift your right knee to the outside of your right elbow.

      Return to a high plank, then push back up to the starting position; repeat on the other side. That’s one rep. Do 12 to 15 reps.

      READ MORE: 18 Feel-Good Workouts That’ll Boost Your Mood, Stat

      Front Lunge Floor Reach And Reverse Twist

      Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your sides.

      Lunge forward with your left leg so your right knee is nearly touching the floor and your left thigh is parallel to the floor.

      Bending forward, try to touch the floor on either side of your left foot.

      Push off your left foot; using that momentum, step forward with your right foot, shifting your weight to that foot, and swing your left leg behind you.

      As you sink backwards into a lunge, rotate your torso 45 degrees to the right. Return to standing. That’s one rep. Do 12 to 15 reps.

      READ MORE: 9 Bodyweight Exercises That Will Improve Your Mobility

      Grand Plié Squat, Reach And Jump

      Stand with your legs wide apart, toes turned out, and arms at your sides.

      Squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor and you’re low enough to touch it with your fingertips.

      Immediately jump as high as you can, keeping your legs wide and extending your arms straight overhead. That’s one rep. Do 12 to 15 reps.

      Watch one of our WH staffers perform the moves:

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      Use These 5 Resistance Band Moves To Ease Knee Pain

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      Niggling knee pain can make it hard to keep up your exercise habit, even if you aren’t running marathons. These resistance band knee exercises could help. They strengthen the joint so your knees can cope better with the demands of your workouts.

      Where does knee pain from exercise come from?

      You don’t need to be a long-distance runner to suffer from knee pain. It can show up during squats and lunges or even just climbing the stairs. And it’s hard to ignore. Typically, knee pain from exercise occurs when the muscles and joints are overused, leading to pain either during or after the workout. You’re not alone: one estimate is that about 25% of adults experience knee pain. Among women, the number is higher and affects around 30% of female runners and is called runner’s knee.

      How to ease knee pain

      Often, strengthening the surrounding leg muscles can help take pressure off your knees. But the trick is not to do more squats and lunges, but rather to target the smaller, stabilising leg muscles with small, precise movements. Hayley Schuter, a physiotherapist at HSPhysio in Cape Town, often prescribes these five strength exercises to patients suffering from knee pain. Bonus: All you need is a light, stretchy resistance band and something sturdy to attach it to. 

      READ MORE: Try This 30-Minute HIIT Workout At Home For A Total-Body Burn

      How these resistance band knee exercises work

      While these moves may not look as impressive or torch as many kilojoules as, say, a box jump, you’ll feel the burn as you isolate those smaller muscles. And the stronger they become, the better your box jumps, squats and other big movements will be. Perform each of these moves until fatigue – you should feel a slight exercise burn, but not pain – then move on to the next. Do two to three rounds in total.

      A dose of common sense: If you’re suffering from debilitating pain or have recently injured yourself, skip the online workouts and head directly to your physio – there could be something more serious at play. 

      1. Standing Knee Extension

      Tie a loop in your band. Close it in the door or tie it around a sturdy chair or table leg.

      Step into the band at knee height and move back to create resistance in the band, causing your knee to bend.

      With a slow and controlled movement, straighten your knee into the band, then bend back to start.

      2. Clam

      “This is a nice exercise for people who have pain with standing exercises, like squats,” says Schuter.

      Lie on your side with knees bent and the band looped around your knees.

      Without rolling back, lift your top knee up into the band.

      READ MORE: Hunch Over Your Desk? These Moves Will Sort Out Your Shoulders STAT

      3. Lying Knee Extension

      Another good one if you feel pain during standing exercises.

      Lie on your back, band looped under one foot with the knee bent, holding the ends in your hands.

      Straighten your knee as you press the band upwards.

      4. Sumo Side Walks

      Tie the band around your knees and stand in a mini squat position, legs close together.

      Walk sideways, then reverse back to start.

      “You can vary this one by taking a few steps to the one side then coming back or walking forward and back in the mini squat position,” says Schuter. “When you get stronger, progress by putting the elastic around your ankles.”

      5. Standing Adduction

      “Most knee exercises concentrate on strengthening the outer leg muscles and this one balances it out,” says Schuter.

      Tie one end of the band to a sturdy chair or table leg and the other end around your ankle.

      Walk out to get enough resistance from the band and hold on to something for balance.

      Start with feet apart, pulling your banded foot in towards your other foot.

      As you get stronger, progress to kick your banded foot past your other foot.

      READ MORE: We Asked A Yoga Instructor For The Best Back Stretches To Tackle Upper And Lower Back Pain

      Watch one of our WH staffers perform the moves:

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      Get Moving The Fun Way With This High-Energy Dance Workout

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      The gym isn’t for everyone and if that includes you, it’s totally fine. There are many ways to get a good workout in. And right up there, is dancing. You might not think of shaking your booty as exercise, but spend a Friday night burning up the floor at the klurb and don’t be surprised if you struggle to get out of bed the next day. This dance workout from Toka Lintsa is perfect for women who love to move on the dance floor, not so much on the gym floor.

      Work Out Without Even Realising It

      So how do you turn your love of dancing into a workout? It’s easier than you think! “Dancing comes from the inside,” says Toka. “What you see inside a club, try to see which muscle groups it targets – like if you get down low, this is a squat and it benefits your thighs.” Similarly, moving your arms works your shoulders and the muscles of your upper back. You may not be holding any weights, but do it for long enough and you’ll feel the burn, don’t you worry!

      READ MORE: 6 Dance Fitness Lessons From The Fitness Marshall

      Toka’s 15-Minute Dance Workout

      Ready to give this whole dance workout thing a try? Try this routine from Toka. Spend five minutes learning the moves, then when you’re feeling confident, dance along with Toka in real time. Got it down? Repeat the dance, feeling free to improvise as you go along and feel the beat. Just like any dancing, a dance workout should be free and fun.

      READ MORE: Tone Up The Fun Way With This Strength And Cardio Dance Workout

      [embedded content]

      Your Moves

      1. ‘Roll It Dance’

      Walking squats: 8 steps to the front

      Spin punches to a dynamic shoulder roll: alternative sides x4

      Reversed walking squats: 8 steps/counts to the back

      Spin punches to a dynamic shoulder roll: alternative sides x4

      2. ‘Kick and side-tap’

      Kick and side-tap: alternating sides x8 times

      3. ‘Upper body roll-tap’

      Upper-body roll and toe-dip: alternating sides

      Report To The Dance Floor!

      The WH editors have dropped their go-to dance workout jams and trust us, resistance is futile! Try not to groove along as you add these tracks to your playlist. Feel free to throw in your own signature moves and make it a dance party workout. More

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      30 Plank Variations That Will Transform Your Core From A Trainer

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      I’ll admit, I sometimes sigh when an instructor cues up a plank. I know, they will *always* burn. Planks are a classic core move for a reason and offer so many benefits.

      “Planks target and strengthen the core muscles, including transverses abdominals (the deepest abs muscles), rectus abdominis and the internal and external obliques, so in simplest forms, a simple plank will fire up all of your core muscles,” says Jade Morning.

      But planks are also kind of, well, boring. Holding a plank for 30 to 60 seconds means I have nothing but the floor to distract me from that deep burn quaking up through my whole bod. The burn is a good thing; the boredom is not. The good news, though, is that there are tons of plank variations to spice things up depending on your skill level and core strength.

      Meet the experts: Jade Morning, CPT, is a certified personal trainer and Alo Moves instructor. Kaisa Keranen, CPT, is a NASM-certified personal trainer and the founder of KaisaFit.

      Plank variations don’t just target the core, either. Many will also strengthen other muscles, like your quads and glutes and can reduce back pain, improve posture and increase balance, she explains. To maximise your gains, Morning suggests incorporating plank variations into your weekly workout routine *at least* three times a week.

      “I recommend finishing each workout with core activation, so doing a plank challenge before heading out of the gym would be ideal.”

      Once you’ve nailed proper plank form, it’s time to have some fun to the tune of the 30 best plank variations.

      1. Down Dog To Knee Drive

      How to:

      Start in a high plank position.

      Lift hips into a downward dog position.

      At the same time, lift right foot from the ground and extend right leg toward the ceiling while keeping hips square.

      Return to plank, driving right knee to tap right elbow.

      Continue for 30 seconds.

      Repeat on the opposite side.

      2. Side Plank Crunch

      How to:

      Start in a side plank on right forearm with left arm bent and hand resting behind head and legs extended, feet stacked. Head to heels should form a straight line.

      Bring left knee toward left elbow in a crunch, engaging obliques as you do.

      Return to start and continue for 30 seconds.

      Repeat on the opposite side.

      3. Side Plank Knee Raise

      How to:

      Start in a side plank on right forearm with left arm extended overhead.

      Slightly lift left foot and bend knee to bring it forward and up to hip height while swinging left hand down toward shin.

      Reverse the motion to return to start and continue for 30 seconds.

      Repeat on the opposite side.

      4. Side Plank Toe Tap

      How to:

      Start in a side plank on right forearm with your left arm toward ceiling.

      Slightly lift left foot and swing it forward while bringing left hand to tap toes.

      Return to start hovering left foot over right and continue for 30 seconds.

      Repeat on the opposite side.

      5. Forearm Plank Saw

      How to:

      Start in a forearm plank position with elbows under shoulders and head to heels aligned, core engaged.

      Lift hips slightly and rock backwards slowly, allowing shoulders to shift behind elbows and heels to push back.

      Then shift forward to bring chest beyond elbows and heels slightly forward.

      Continue moving back and forth for 30 seconds. (Toes and forearms stay rooted to the mat throughout.)

      6. Forearm Plank With Knee Touch

      How to:

      Start in a forearm plank position with elbows under shoulders and head to heels aligned, core engaged.

      Slowly and with control bend and lower right knee to touch mat.

      Reverse the motion.

      Repeat with left knee.

      Continue alternating for 45 seconds.

      7. Plank Knee-To-Elbow

      Why it rocks: Your obliques work extra hard as you pull your knee to your elbow in this move, which is a staple in many a yoga flow.

      How to:

      Start in high plank position.

      Lift left foot up off floor and drive toward left elbow while keeping hips level and back flat.

      With control, reverse movement to return to start.

      Repeat on the other side. That’s 1 rep.

      Modify it: Drop into a tabletop position and complete the movement from there, pulling one knee to the corresponding elbow, says Jones.

      8. Bird Dog

      How to:

      Start on all fours with knees under hips and wrists under shoulders.

      Engage core and lift left arm and right leg off the mat at the same time, keeping hips level and core engaged so back doesn’t arch.

      Slowly return to start.

      Repeat on the opposite side. That’s 1 rep. Complete 10 reps.

      9. Plank Hip Dips

      How to:

      Start in a forearm plank position with elbows under shoulders and knees, hips and torso in a straight line.

      Drop right hip toward the floor, then return to centre.

      Immediately drop the left hip toward the floor.

      Continue alternating for 45 seconds.

      10. Plank Shoulder Tap And Jack

      How to:

      Start in a high plank position with knees, hips and shoulders all in a straight line.

      Simultaneously tap right hand to left shoulder and jump feet out wide.

      Simultaneously jump feet together and replace hand on the mat.

      Repeat with the left hand to right shoulder. Continue repeating for 45 seconds.

      READ MORE: The 15 Minute Bodyweight Home Workout You Can Do On Your Couch

      11. Side Plank Thread The Needle

      How to:

      Start on left side with left forearm on mat and knees bent.

      Raise right arm toward ceiling and lift hips up and away from the floor until body forms a straight line from head to heels.

      Keeping hips lifted, rotate left arm down and underneath torso and allow gaze to shift toward the floor.

      Reverse the movement to return to start.

      Continue repeating for 30 seconds, then switch sides and repeat.

      12. Forearm Plank Knee Tap

      How to:

      Start in a forearm plank, with elbows under shoulders, head and spine in line and back flat.

      Without moving hips, slowly bend and lower both knees to the ground with control.

      Gently tap the mat and straighten legs back out.

      Continue repeating for 45 seconds.

      13. Plank Jumps

      How to:

      Start in a high plank position with knees, hips and shoulders all in a straight line.

      Bend knees and jump both feet in toward arms.

      Jump both feet back and extend legs to high plank position.

      Continue repeating for 45 seconds.

      14. Plank Up Downs

      How to:

      Start in a high plank with back flat and shoulders over wrists.

      Lower right forearm to the mat.

      Lower left forearm to the mat and pause in the forearm plank position.

      Place right hand on the mat and press to straighten right elbow.

      Place left hand on the mat and press to straight left elbow into high plank.

      Continue repeating for 30 seconds.

      15. Side Plank Hip Dips

      How to:

      Start in a side plank on right forearm with left arm extended toward ceiling. (Holding a dumbbell in left hand is optional.)

      Use obliques to lower hips toward the mat with control.

      Reverse the movement to return to start

      Continue repeating for 30 seconds, then repeat on the opposite side.

      16. Single-Leg Knee Drive to Kick Out

      How to:

      Start in high plank position with shoulders over wrists and body in a straight line.

      Drive right knee to tap right elbow.

      Straighten right leg back and up without moving hips.

      Lower right foot to return to start.

      Continue for 30 seconds, then repeat on the opposite side.

      17. Quad Hold Knee Taps

      How to:

      Start on all fours, in tabletop position.

      Lift knees to hover two inches off the ground.

      Squeezing core and keeping back flat, lift right hand and left foot and tap left knee.

      Return right hand and left foot to floor.

      Then, lift left hand and right foot and tap right knee.

      Replace left hand and right foot on the amt.

      Continue alternating for 45 seconds.

      18. Bear Plank Shoulder Tap

      How to:

      Start on all fours, in tabletop position.

      Lift knees to hover two inches off the ground.

      Squeezing core and keeping back flat, lift right hand and tap left shoulder.

      Replace right hand on the floor.

      Repeat with opposite side.

      Continue alternating for 45 seconds.

      19. Side To Side Plank Hops

      How to:

      Start in a high plank position.

      Jump both feet toward left elbow, then return to the center.

      Repeat on the opposite side.

      Continue alternating for 45 seconds.

      20. Sprawl

      How to:

      Start in a high plank position.

      Jump feet in toward hands, planting them behind or just outside arms.

      As soon as feet come in, lift chest into a low squat position.

      Raise arms next to ears.

      Place palms down on the ground and jump back to start.

      Continue for 45 seconds.

      READ MORE: 9 Bodyweight Exercises That Will Improve Your Mobility

      21. Forearm Plank

      How to:

      Start on forearms and knees with elbows under shoulders and palms pressing into the mat.

      Extend legs straight and lift hips so body forms a straight line.

      Hold the position for 45 seconds.

      22. Scapular Pushup

      How to:

      Start in a high plank position, with shoulders stacked directly over hands.

      Engage core and glutes, inhale and squeeze shoulder blades (scapulae) down and together in your upper back.

      Exhale and separate scapulae again, with back moving upward to the starting position.

      Repeat for 45 seconds.

      23. Modified Side Plank

      How to:

      Lie on right side with legs bent at 90 degrees, right elbow directly under shoulder and left-hand palm down.

      Lift hips off the mat, keeping right knee and right forearm and elbow in contact with the ground.

      Hold the position for 30 seconds.

      Repeat on the opposite side.

      24. Side Plank

      How to:

      Lie on right side with legs bent, right elbow directly under shoulder and left-hand palm down.

      Lift hips off the mat, extending legs to form a straight line from head to heels.

      Hold the position for 30 seconds.

      Repeat on the opposite side.

      25. Renegade Row

      How to:

      Start in a high plank position holding a pair of dumbbells with hands under shoulders and feet wider than shoulder-width apart.

      Drive left arm into the floor, stiffen entire body and row the right hand up and to the side of rib cage—elbow should be pointed up and back.

      Pause for a second, then keep body stable as you slowly lower back to the starting position.

      Repeat on the opposite side and continue alternating for 45 seconds.

      26. Plank Jacks

      How to:

      Start in a forearm plank position with elbows under shoulders and palms pressing into the mat.

      Engage core and jump both feet out wide to each side.

      Quickly jump both feet back in together to the starting position.

      Continue jumping in and out for 45 seconds.

      27. Plank Punches

      How to:

      Start in high plank position with shoulders over wrists and body in a straight line, back flat.

      Lift left hand and punch forward with force, while keeping back and hips stable.

      Replace hand on mat.

      Lift right hand and punch forward with force, while keeping back and hips stable.

      Continue alternating for 45 seconds.

      28. Reverse Plank

      How to:

      Start by sitting on the ground and prop yourself up on hands (hardest) or forearms (easier).

      Keep elbows in line with shoulders and fingers facing toward feet. Extend legs out in front of you (harder) or bend knees (easier). Raise hips so your body forms a straight line from ankles to chest and hold for 5 to 30 seconds.

      29. Plank Jacks

      How to:

      Start in a high plank position with wrists under shoulders and palms pressing into the mat.

      Engage core and jump both feet out wide to each side.

      Quickly jump both feet back in together to the starting position.

      Continue jumping in and out for 45 seconds.

      30. Classic Plank

      How to:

      Start on the floor on your hands and knees.

      Place your hands directly under your shoulders.

      Step your feet back, one at a time. (For more stability, bring your feet wider than hip-distance apart and bring them closer for more of a challenge.)

      Maintain a straight line from the top of your head through your heels, gaze down just above your fingertips.

      Now, tighten your abs, quads, glutes and hold. Think about digging through your heels, squeezing your quads and keeping everything nice and tight. (If you feel your body shake, that’s a good sign you’re creating enough tension from head to toe.)

      This article by Andi Breitowich & Ashley Mateo was originally published on Women’s Health US. More

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      The 15 Minute Bodyweight Home Workout You Can Do On Your Couch

      by

      Forget raising the bar – put your feet up, woman! Seriously, we mean it when we say put.your.feet.up. “Lifting them onto a step or bench is the simplest way to build strength faster,” says strength and conditioning specialist Don Bahneman. Yup, you *can* sculpt a better body without lifting a dumbbell. All you need: this bodyweight home workout.

      READ MORE: 18 Feel-Good Workouts That’ll Boost Your Mood, Stat

      How Does Putting Your Feet Up Build Muscle?

      It boils down to basic physics: for upper-body exercises, this tweak changes the angle of the exercise and forces your muscles to work harder to support your body weight.

      For lower-body moves, raising your feet increases how far you have to move with every rep (aka your range of motion), which calls more muscle fibres into action. And for all moves, your core has to work harder to keep you stable and locked into position.

      The 15 Minute Bodyweight Home Workout

      Instructions: Complete the exercises in this bodyweight home workout in order. Move from one to the next without resting. Rest 45 to 60 seconds at the end of the circuit, then repeat for up to five rounds.

      Make it harder: Feeling extra fired up for your bodyweight home workout? Increase the cardio challenge by adding 30 seconds of star jumps or running in place between each move. Get the best out of your chill with this couch workout.

      READ MORE: A 4-Week Home Workout Plan To Get Fit And Strong AF

      1. Bulgarian Split Squat

      Stand about 60 centimetres in front of your couch and extend your left leg behind you, placing the top of your foot on the seat (A). Keeping your chest upright and core tight, bend both knees to lower your hips as much as you can (B). Push through your right heel to return to start. That’s one rep. Do eight to 12, then repeat on the other side.

      READ MORE: Try This 30-Minute HIIT Workout At Home For A Total-Body Burn

      2. Travelling Plank With Leg Raise

      Get into push-up position with your toes on the couch (A). Raise your right arm and rotate your torso to the right until your feet are stacked and your body forms a T. Without dropping your hips, lift your right leg (B). Hold for 20 seconds. Reverse the movement to return to start and hold for 20 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

      READ MORE: 9 Bodyweight Exercises That Will Improve Your Mobility

      3. Single-Leg Hip Thrust

      Lie on your back on the floor in front of your couch with your left heel on the edge, knee bent about 90 degrees and your right leg straight up, arms at your sides (A). Press through your left heel and raise your hips as high as possible, keeping your right foot in the air (B). Slowly lower your hips back down. That’s one rep. Do eight to 12, then repeat on the other side.

      READ MORE: 10 Best Kettlebell Core Exercises For Strong, Sculpted Abs, From A Trainer

      4. Reverse Inch Worm

      Get into push-up position with your toes on the couch (A). Bracing your core and glutes, slowly walk your hands towards the couch, lifting your hips into the air and keeping your legs as straight as possible (B). Pause, then walk your hands back out to start. Make it harder by adding a push-up here. That’s one rep. Do four to eight.

      Excerpted from the Women’s Health Little Book of 15-Minute Workouts. More

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      Hunch Over Your Desk? These Moves Will Sort Out Your Shoulders STAT

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      Picture someone hunching over their keyboard for the majority of the day, shoulders creeping up towards their ears. Does that hypothetical person sound a lot like you? We’re all guilty of being that person at some point or another. And while we should be more vigilant about sitting up straight, it’s easy to forget when you’re rushing towards that 3pm deadline. That’s why we found four simple shoulder strength exercises that will help you get better posture in very little time.

      READ MORE: The 3 Stretches You Should Be Doing Daily

      Why You Should Strengthen Your Shoulders For Better Posture

      Building up your shoulder strength and mobility will help counteract that urge to hunch, even when you didn’t even realise you were doing it.

      “The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body, which means there are a lot of things that can go wrong with it,” says physiotherapist Mike Riccardi. “If your shoulders hurt, it’s probably from a combination of a few things, because the shoulder joint is complex. But the one overarching cause is poor posture.” (Did we just see you straighten up?)

      The key to beating the hunch is to increase shoulder mobility and build shoulder strength. But you don’t just want to target your traps and anterior deltoids (the showy muscles that you obviously think of as ‘shoulders’). Remember how the shoulder is a complex joint? It also has a whole lot of muscles round back that help stabilise the joint and pull your shoulders back and down away from your ears.

      The Workout: 4 Shoulder Strength Exercises For Better Posture

      These four simple exercises from coach Lushwill Rossouw will help you get there.

      You need: Barbell, two medium to heavy dumbbells and a PVC pipe (don’t have one? A broom or mop will do too, as long as they’re not heavy).

      READ MORE: Try This Shy Girl Upper Body Workout If You Lack Confidence At Gym

      1. PVC Pipe Complex

      Good for: Mobility Do: 3 sets of 5 reps of each move

      This is a great warm-up to do before any upper-body workout that’s going to be using your shoulders because it targets different muscles around the joint. The first part hits the traps and anterior deltoids in the front and on top of your shoulders, while the next two hit the muscles at the back.

      2. PVC Pipe Shoulder Rotations

      Good for: Mobility Do: 10

      Another good warm-up, this move takes the joint through its full range of motion. The wider apart your hands, the easier it will feel. Your goal is to warm up, not become a contortionist!

      READ MORE: 18 Feel-Good Workouts That’ll Boost Your Mood ASAP

      3/ Push Press

      Good for: Strength Do: 3 sets of 6-8

      Lifting any weight above your head is an easy way to strengthen your shoulders. They difference here is that your stabiliser muscles have to work to control the clumsy barbell. Using your legs for a little boost helps you lift a heavier weight than you would with shoulder strength alone. The real work is controlling that barbell at the top and on the way down and that’s where those rear stabilisers come into their own. Bonus: It’ll also do wonders for your core and triceps.

      READ MORE: The Best Back Stretches To Tackle Upper And Lower Back Pain

      4/ Dumbbell Press With Isometric Hold

      Good for: Strength Do: 3 sets of 5

      Pushing the weights overhead will sculpt those showy muscles at the front and on top of your shoulders, making them look seriously toned and sexy. But here’s the catch: Once they’re overhead, hold them up there, with straight arms, for a count of three. This brings your stabilisers into play to keep the joint, well, stable. Bye-bye hunch, hello toned upper back! More

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      18 Feel-Good Workouts That’ll Boost Your Mood, Stat

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      When it comes to exercise, one rule is paramount: you’ve got to enjoy what you do, whether that’s hitting balls playing padel, swimming or dancing. Whatever your movement, study after study confirms that the more you enjoy exercising, the more likely you are to continue. These six trainers champion feel-good workouts and will inspire you to move more in a way you truly enjoy.

      Kirsten Johnson

      Everything about Kirsten Johnson’s workouts screams joy. Her dance-inspired workouts are all about rejoicing in the way your body can move.

      An ex-dancer and founder of the Find Balance Kindly workout app, a series of dance-inspired functional workouts, she muses: “Growing up in the harsh dance industry, I was very aware of how words, comments or corrections could either encourage or deflate me as an artist. The classes on my app are all real-time, follow-along workouts so that I can encourage and motivate through positive affirmation.”

      Why Does Kirsten Love Feel-Good Workouts?

      “I believe that movement is medicine,” says Johnson. “Being able to move your body every day is such a huge blessing and showing up for yourself, even on the hard days, is an act of self-love and gratitude, which is something I think we should practise daily.”

      Try Kirsten’s Workouts

      READ MORE: 20 Fitness Apps To Kickstart Your Wellness Journey

      Teal Hogg

      Teal Hogg’s workouts are all centred around lifting heavy while treating your body kindly. That also means tailoring your workouts around your menstrual cycle to accommodate your body’s ups and downs. Find her workouts on her Hustle Fit app. How’s that for feeling good?

      “Learning to understand and work with, and not against, the natural hormonal fluctuations as a woman has been the most empowering thing I’ve ever done for myself – and for other women as well. Instead of shying away from the stigma of periods, we’re starting to honour the beauty of the female body.”

      Why Does Teal Love Feel-Good Workouts?

      “Not only is it nice to feel good from working out but it’s actually essential for women to train according to how they feel, because of our continuous hormonal fluctuations,” says Hogg.

      Try Teal’s Workout

      READ MORE: Tone Up The Fun Way With This Strength And Cardio Dance Workout

      Nomvula Khuzwayo

      Nomvula exploded on our Insta feeds some time ago with her always-happy dance moves. She also champions tough-as-nails workouts, while doing it with a smile. Who doesn’t love a challenge?

      “I dance – a lot! I don’t have to preach anything to my followers, they can see from the joy I exude in my videos that the lifestyle I live has a positive impact on my life. They love that and they too want to have that kind of energy.”

      Why Feel-Good Workouts Work For Nomvula

      “The more people feel good, the more motivated they are to live, work and be present members of society,” says Khuzwayo. “Most of the workouts I post are full body, which allows those with busy lives to get a workout in without having to focus on one muscle group at a time.”

      Try Nomvula’s Workouts

      READ MORE: The Best Back Stretches To Tackle Upper And Lower Back Pain, From A Yoga Instructor

      The Movement Lab

      Pilates is having a hot moment. But Pilates with upbeat music? Now that’s even hotter. The Movement Lab, with trainer Jessica Mandel at the helm, offers this in buckets: fun, feel-good Pilates set to thumping good tunes. We’re sold – and we’ve been for a while!

      “Feel good movement is at the heart of each of our classes. Our repertoires are designed around functional movement patterns – ensuring we can move through life confidently, pain-free and efficiently. We want people to find joy and fun in their workouts,” she explains.

      Why Jess Loves Feel-Good Workouts

      “For years, I didn’t consider myself sporty or fit because I hadn’t found an exercise routine that I loved,” reflects Mandel. “It wasn’t until I did my Pilates Instructor Training that I fell in love with movement. I leave every class feeling better than when I walked in and I look forward to moving my body.”

      A Peek At The Movement Lab’s Classes

      READ MORE: Step Into Your Best Shape With The WH Walking Challenge

      Takkies

      Cover star Takkies stole our hearts when she entered the WH Next Fitness Star competition back in 2016. Years on, her dance classes, centred on self-love and body positivity, continue encouraging women to love their bodies in all shapes and forms.

      Find her workouts at a Rockingnheels studio in Joburg, with a team holding down the fort while she runs the London classes. “I create a safe space where women can come, let go and just be. There’s so much power in being in a space where you feel comfortable enough to be yourself, accept yourself or even to be able to find out things you love about yourself,” she says.

      Why Does Takkies Love Feel-Good Workouts?

      “I feel that you have a more positive approach to life, people and all that you do when you feel good,” says Takkies. How you feel contributes so much to what you pour out into the world. I also believe that we can tackle anything that life throws at us a little better when we feel good.”

      Try Takkies’ Workouts

      READ MORE: Here’s How To Make Weight Loss Goals That Will Actually Stick in 2024

      Lisa Raleigh

      Lisa Raleigh literally bounces for joy. Her workouts, called bounti, which take place on the rebounder, will have you feeling like a kid again – while working all the major muscle groups on one tiny feel-good tramp.

      Find her classes in Joburg.“bounti rebounding takes you right from the absolute basics of, not just rebounding, but fitness as a whole. Rebounding is a low-impact, totally enjoyable way of becoming fitter, stronger and happier! We’re literally guiding our clients towards jumping for joy,” she enthuses.

      Why Lisa Loves Feel-Good Workouts

      “Movement that heals, not harms is our business mantra when it comes to downloadable workouts, programmes and classes,” Raleigh explains. “The goal is restorative exercise that gives you an effective workout, while also being kind to your body. Who said no pain means no gain?”

      See Lisa’s Workouts More