Now became a mother of two, Jessica Simpson says she finds herself wearing leggings everywhere. "You can chase your kids around and maybe put a heel on at night," she says. And nothing completes a pair of sick leggings like sculpted gams. These three moves from Jessica's trainer, Alicia Strom, are some of the star's favorite go-tos. Do three sets of each exercise as a mini leg workout twice a week, or mix them into any strength-training routine whenever you're craving an extra lower-body burn.
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Begin with a squat position with your feet shoulder-width apart and your elbows bent; shift your hips back until your thighs are parallel to the floor (a). Jump as you shift your right foot in front of your left, keeping an upright torso (b). Land in a lunge position, your knees bent at 90 degrees and your left knee inches off the ground (c). have your left leg forward into a squat, then jump into a lunge with your left leg in front. Bring your right leg forward into a squat to return to start. That's one rep; do 10 reps.
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Start in a squat position with your feet shoulder-width apart, and hands holding dumbbells at your shoulders; shift your hips back until your thighs are parallel to the floor (a). Thrust your hips up and forward as you straighten your legs, coming to stand on your toes (b). Engage your abs as you lower your body as far as you can go by pushing your hips back and bending your knees (c). Slowly push yourself to stand as you soften your left knee and kick your right leg straight out to the side, then step your right foot back in (d). That's one rep; do 10 reps, then repeat on the other side. (For more strength-training moves to sculpt your entire body, pick up Women's Health's Lift to Get Lean by Holly Perkins!)
SINGLE-LEG DEADLIFT TO BICEPS CURL
Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs. Keeping your back flat, lift your left leg behind you as you bend forward at the hips and slowly lower your body until the weights pass knee level (a). Pause, then push through your right leg to stand, bending your left knee to bring the leg up to hip height in front of you. Rotate your hands so palms face each other, then bend your elbows and curl the weights as close to your shoulders as possible (b). Lower the weights to return to start. That's one rep; do 10 reps, then repeat on the other side.
Love this move? Here's how to use dumbbells to sculpt your body from head to toe:
This article was originally published in the September 2016 issue of Women's Health, on newsstands now.
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