Get stronger leaner legs faster: kick your rear—and fat-burning—in gear with these high-octane cardio exercises

Muscle & Fitness/Hers, Sept-Oct, 2003 by Lori Gross Incledon

Four score and seven years ago, our cardio mothers gathered together and proposed that all cardio exercise was created equal. They stated that whether you ran or climbed, you'd burn lots of calories and shape and tone your lower body. They figured that because cardio exercise mainly involves moving your legs, you must be working them. We still pay homage to our cardio ancestors, but we can tell you that some types of aerobic activity work your lower body more effectively than others. So don't be content to just burn calories while doing cardio. Do the cardio activities that will get your glutes and thighs in the shape you want them (and burn a ton of calories while you're at it).

KICKBOXING

Like the name implies, kickboxing involves a ton of kicking moves that will tighten your butt faster than you can throw 10 roundhouse kicks. Many moves are done while you stand on one leg, which incorporates all of the stabilization muscles in that leg. You'll burn calories, your legs will be in fighting shape and who knows? You might even gain some self-defense skills. To burn the most calories, keep the pace of your workout moderately intense.

INLINE SKATING

You might be having too much fun on your blades to realize how hard your legs are working during this cardio activity, but don't let the wheels fool you. Your quads, hamstrings and glutes get a tremendous workout from propelling you forward, and your calf and hip muscles must work overtime to keep you from falling. If you become a really skilled skater, blading backward will give your legs an extra challenge. Work out at a steady pace, and don't forget your pads and helmet!

STAIR RUNNING

Your legs work really hard while climbing steps because they must lift your entire bodyweight onto the next step. The quads and glutes work together to give your body the push it needs, and the calf muscles come into play as well. When it comes to defining your legs, nothing works like stairs. And lucky for you, there are stairs everywhere! You can run stairs outdoors in a stadium, inside on a staircase, climb them on a stair-stepping cardio machine or in a step aerobics class. With every step you take, concentrate on full extension of the leg while contracting your quads and glutes. On a cardio machine, make sure not to do the "death-grip hold" on the side rails. That reduces the amount of work your legs do and reduces overall effectiveness and calorie burn. Try walking without holding on or just resting your fingers on the rails for balance. For the maximum calorie burn (indicated), find some stadium steps where you can run up and walk down.

INCLINE WALKING AND RUNNING Of course, walking and running are already great lower-body exercises, but when you add an incline, you kick things up a notch. Overcoming an incline forces all of your leg muscles to work even harder than they do on flat ground. Working out on a treadmill makes it easy to gauge--and set--the degree of incline, but if you live in an area that's hilly or mountainous, give an outdoor workout a try. Because Mother Nature's inclines aren't graded precisely, you'll have an even harder--and better--cardio workout for your legs!

CYCLING Next time the Tour de France is on, take a good look at the legs on the cyclists. Their muscles are cut and defined because the legs act like pistons to propel the bicycle. Try using toe clips for more emphasis on your calves and hamstrings. Ride outside and climb some hills or work against the wind. Your legs will thank you (much later, of course)!

The Real Cardio Secret to Shapely Legs

Doing a cardio activity at a set pace for a long period may seem like the best way to increase your calorie expenditure, but the best way to shed calories and sculpt your lower body during cardio is to shoot for intensity, not duration. The more intense the exercise, the harder your legs have to work. The harder your legs have to work, the more muscle you create. And if you can increase muscle mass, you'll burn more calories throughout the day because muscle is highly metabolic. In addition, nicely muscled legs look great in short shorts! So, instead of going for 30-45 minutes at a certain speed or level, try the interval program on your cardio machines. If your cardio machine doesn't have an interval program, or if you exercise outside, you can always set up a program yourself. Use either the manual selection on the cardio machine so you have a time clock or use a stopwatch of your own. Plan on a five-minute warm-up and five-minute cool-down, and start with a 10-minute exercise bout. Try working at a moderate rate for 30 seconds, then working at a very high rate for 30 seconds. For example, if you're on the treadmill, walk at 4 mph for 30 seconds, then run at 6 mph for 30 seconds. On the stair-stepper or bicycle, start at level 4 and progress to level 10. You'll definitely feel and see the difference in your lower body!

Lori Gross Incledon is active as a writer, speaker, personal trainer and rehabilitation professional. She can be reached at lori@thomasincledon.com.