Outer Thigh Lift & Standing Side Stretch

Slip into those jeans with ease doing the outer thigh lift!  Think about it?!  What?s making it hard for those pair of pants to get on?  Lower body need some toning?!  Say goodbye to saddlebags and say hello to sexy!  The outer thigh lift is great for toning and shaping the outer thigh muscles.  This pilates move will slim you down in no time.  Be a ballerina with this exercise!  Lay down on the floor.  Turn to your right side.  Keep the body in a straight line.  Prop yourself up with your right elbow or stay down on the floor.  Keep the lower leg on the ground.  Point your toes.  Lift your right leg squeezing the outer thigh muscles.  Lift as high as you can.  Release back down without touching the ground.  Repeat and switch sides.  Firm up!  Lose the cottage cheese and gain lean muscle with the outer thigh lift!

Now try it!  Get into position on the floor.  Lift the right leg for 2 counts and back down for 2 counts.  Do this 20 times.  Switch sides and repeat.  Complete 3-4 sets.  Really squeeze the thighs and glutes.  Challenge yourself by adding ankle weights.  Get the legs you?ve always wanted today!

You?ve worked hard this week!  Time to unwind and distress those tense muscles!  Why not stretch your whole body out with an easy standing side stretch!  This is a perfect exercise for those of you who worked extra hard on your abs and obliques!  This is an equally a super stretch for all the runners out there who can occasionally get a sore side!  Lets get the sore muscle all worked out!  Stand up tall.  Raise your arms parallel to the ground.  Bend from the waist but keep your upper body straight.  So you will bend down and twist.  Touch your left foot with your right hand and switch sides.  Feel the side muscles stretching and elongating.  Do this stretch after any abdominal exercises or running workouts.  Get flexible with the standing side stretch!

Now try it!  Stand tall.  Bend and twist down to the left foot for 2-4 counts and return to the starting position.  Repeat on the right side.  Do this 20 times.  Complete at least 3 sets.  For a deeper challenging stretch, touch behind your foot instead of the toes.  Stretch out those sides!