The legs carry a large percentage of your body weight. Two of the bigger muscles in the body, the quadriceps in the front of thighs and gluteals located in the buttocks, are in the lower extremity. The legs are the main stabilizing force that controls standing , walking or running. To lose weight off your legs, you will want to combine aerobic and strength exercise.This will maximize fat loss and develop lean muscle tissue.
Leg Press
The leg press recruits three major muscles in the lower body---the quadriceps, gluteals and hamstrings, which are in the back of thighs. Situate your gluteals against the bottom back of the machine seat. Your hips, knees and feet are aligned together. The feet are flat against the platform. Initiate the movement by pressing your heels through the platform. The knees extend, forcing the legs to straighten. The concentric, or resisted, phase is complete at a full knee extension. Slowly allow the knees to bend to bring the machine inward. Stop the eccentric, or lowering, phase once the legs are at a right angle. Pause for one second before beginning another repetition.
Split Squats
Split squats engage nearly every muscle in the lower body. Set yourself up in a split leg position, with one leg in front of body and the other in back. The front foot is flat with the heel elevated in the back foot. Allow your hips to move downward to flex both knees. Cease the downward motion once the back lower leg is about parallel with the floor. Elevate the hips upward to get the legs straight. The upward movement is stopped at full extension of the knees. At completion of a desired number of repetitions, you will switch leg positions. You can progress this exercise by holding a dumbbells.
Aerobic Exercise
Another way to lose weight off the legs is cardio/aerobic exercise. Cardio for fat loss should be performed five to six days per week. This will produce energy expenditure, or calorie burning, nearly every day. Weight-bearing aerobic machines are preferred because they maximize calorie burning. A treadmill or an elliptical would be an ideal choice. You want to exercise for 30 to 45 minutes at 70 to 75 percent of your max heart rate. Your max heart rate is the result of the equation 220 minus your age. The exercise intensity is based on your fitness level. Keep in mind, continuous activity is paramount for caloric expenditure.
References
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning - 3rd Edition" ; National Strength and Conditioning Association ; Human Kinetics ; 2008
- "Cardio Training" ; Keith Littlewood ; Thunder Bay Press ; 2007
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