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squat2Who doesn’t love a great set of toned, shapely legs attached to a tight, firm butt?

If that vision appeals to you and you are looking to create sexy, toned, shapely legs it will take patience, determination and consistency. It is not going to happen overnight.

The body does not willingly or easily change and will stubbornly resist attempts to create a new body shape and your legs are no exception.

Haphazardly approaching exercise is not the way to go if you are looking at creating permanent changes to your body structure.

However, this does not mean that you start training by “going for the burn” using high repetitions with light weights and working like a mad-man.

What it does mean is that you need to develop a regular, consistent approach with your exercise program that brings to you the desired bodily changes you are looking for.

Exercising on a regular basis and eating nutritious foods to fuel yourself with is going to help you lose body fat and increase muscle tone and strength. That’s when your legs…along with the rest of your body takes on a lean, tighter, shapelier appearance.

There are two primary elements that are responsible for the appearance of your legs…fat and muscle. They will both need to be addressed if you hope to successfully reshape your legs.

If you just lose fat off your legs, they will appear smaller but they won’t be tight and firm. They will be small and soft rather than large and soft. But they won’t be shapely and toned.

And, you can forget about your little pink weights or that latest gadget you purchased that was going to miraculously give you a tight butt while you sleep. Don’t waste your time on exercises like bicep curls, or hours on the treadmill…these kinds of exercises are simply not effective for 99% of people.

In order to truly be “in shape” and sport some tight, sexy “gams,” you must have the minimum amount of fat on your body while having the maximum amount of muscle. Strength training is the only way you can bring about these changes.

Big compound movements such as the deadlift and squat are far superior to machine, isolation type movements for firming up your thighs and butt as they allow you to use a good amount of weight while training a number of muscle groups all at once.

Yes, these exercises are hard, require some work and take time to master, but that’s exactly why they work. In other words…”you get what you pay for” and this could not be truer when it comes to exercise.

The dead-lift is quite possibly the biggest “muscle working exercise’ on the face of this planet. It pretty much engages every muscle in your body and as a result burns a large amount of energy. Your metabolism sky rockets after training and you’ll be burning a high number of calories between sessions. This is the perfect exercise for both fat loss and muscle toning programs.

Even though you have hundreds of strength training exercises to choose from…very few will actually get the job done and are worth doing. The ones that are worth it are those that provide the most bang for your buck. They are your direct line to fast, effective results.

Why use 4 different gym machines to accomplish what a simple squat can do? Not only will you get better results with squats, but you will be out of the gym in half the time.

These two powerhouse exercises, the squat and dead-lift pay off big when done at the correct intensity level and contribute up to 95% of your end results.

Remember, when you are working out, don’t be day-dreaming elsewhere. Focus on your posture, technique and form and concentrate on the muscle you are working. “Feel” and “squeeze” it as you take it through the resistance stage. When you release the move, maintain the tension in the working muscle.

And, don’t fall trap to momentum. If you perform your exercises too fast than you are actually using momentum to get the job done, robbing your muscles of work and opening yourself to injury. The slower and “squeezier” you do your leg exercises the greater the results because you will be using more muscle fibers.

In the end, the result of adding lean muscle to your legs from dead-lifts and squats is very sexy legs that are firm, toned and tight. Getting on a first name basis with these two fantastic compound exercises along with patience and consistency is key to getting the body you want.

Let’s face it…not only are tight, firm legs and a tight butt appealing to look at…but healthy, well-trained legs are a big part of a healthy body.

For more tools and resources to assist you in attaining your goals and achieving the success you desire in life, please visit: Carolyn Hansen Fitness

“I help clients take charge of their health before circumstance remove this option. If your quest for peak performance living is a journey I’ll put you in the driver’s seat.”