You may wish to build your leg muscles to improve your balance, your endurance or the overall appearance of your physique. Exercises to build these muscles can be done at home or at a gym and require little or no equipment. Working with a personal trainer can help you improve your exercise technique and fine-tune your muscle-toning schedule.
Standing Leg Curl
This exercise works your calves and hamstrings. Roll a yoga mat or a towel up and put it behind your right knee, making sure it is parallel with the floor. Raise your right foot behind you with your toes pointed and bring your heel toward your bottom to secure the mat behind your knee. Put your arms out in front of you at shoulder level and clasp your hands. If you are unsure of your balance, grab the back of a chair to keep yourself steady. Use your leg to squeeze the mat and bend foward with your back flat while raising your right knee behind you, about half a foot or so. Lower your leg. Repeat this movement 20 times, then switch legs and do 20 more repetitions.
Long Jumps
In an article for "Women's Health" magazine, the director of the Institute of Human Performance, Juan Carlos Santana, notes that plyometrics, or explosive movements, can improve your leg strength and assist your body with impact absorption. Long jumps are one such exercise. Stand with your legs at shoulder-width apart and position yourself into a quarter squat. Jump forward as high and as far as possible. While jumping, swing your arms out in front of you to keep your balance. "Women's Health" suggests incorporating obstacles such as sticks or cones to make the workout more difficult. Perform two sets of eight repetitions twice a week.
Standing Calf Raise
You can use a machine for a standing calf raise or stand on a stair. Stand on the balls of your feet, making sure they are shoulder width apart and that your toes are pointed forward. If you're using a machine, stand up and hold the weight on your shoulders, then lower your heels down until you feel your calf muscles stretch. Hold the position, then lift yourself up again on to your tiptoes. If you are not using a machine, you can do the exercise using the resistance of your own body or while holding dumbbells.
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