3-In-1 Workout: Tone and Tighten Your Thighs, Butt and Abs

Plant both feet on the floor slightly further than shoulder-width apart. Point feet slightly outward. Looking straight ahead, bend at both the hips and knees, making sure your knees point toward your toes. Continue bending your knees until your upper legs are parallel with the floor, making sure your back forms between a 45- and 90-degree angle with your hips. Extend your arms for balance if needed. Once in position, propel your body upward into the air, extending your legs before landing back into squat position. When you come down, land on the balls of your feet first before rolling through the flat and heel of your foot, and maintain soft knees to prevent injury. Do 15 repetitions.

Standing tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, place your hands on your hips and keep shoulders back and chest out. If you are using dumbbells for weighted lunges (optional), hold them by your side. Take a big step forward with your left foot. As you plant your left foot on the floor, bend both knees about 90 degrees. If done correctly, your front knee should be aligned with your ankle and your back knee should be hovering just off the floor in lunge position. As you extend both knees, transfer your weight completely to your left foot and take a large step forward with your right foot. As you plant your right foot, bend both knees at about 90 degrees.

Do 24 lunges, alternating legs.

Lie flat on your back with your head raised and hands behind your ears. Bend your knees so that they form a 90-degree angle with your upper legs and your upper legs are at a 90-degree angle to your hips. Extend your right leg so it’s about 45 degrees from the floor, while simultaneously bringing your left knee into your chest. Immediately after you bring your knee to your chest, extend your left leg completely so that it’s 45 degrees from the floor and bring your right knee into your chest. This creates a pedaling/bike-like motion. Once you’ve grasped the movement, incorporate a twist with the upper body by meeting the knee with the opposite elbow. For example, as you bring the right knee into the chest, twist your upper body over to the right so that it can meet your left elbow. Do 40 reps, 20 on each side.

Lie flat on your back with your arms extended above your head and legs together and straight in the air, forming a 90-degree angle with your hips. Engage your abdominal muscles by drawing your belly button in toward your spine. Bring your hands up toward your feet, slowly lifting your head, shoulder blades and torso off the floor and allowing your hands to meet your toes (or close enough). Squeeze in tightly before extending your torso, lying back down with your arms above your head. Do 20 reps.

Start in push-up position with arms slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Position your body weight over your hands. Keeping your left foot on the floor, bend your right knee and lift it towards your chest before extending it back. Then place your right foot back on the floor and bend your left leg and lift it in towards your chest. Increase speed so it’s as if you’re running on your hands. Never allow the leg that is moving to touch the floor. Do 40 reps, alternating legs.

With a bench horizontally in front of you, firmly plant your entire left foot on the bench, making sure your knees are not past your toes. Place your hands by your side or, if using weights, hold one weight in each hand. Straighten your left leg, but keep your knee soft. As you step up, focus on pushing through the heel so that you work your glutes and hamstrings, rather than pushing through your toes. As you straighten your left leg, bend your right knee and lift it up into your chest. Make sure that you push your hips forward at the end of the movement in order to maximize the work done by the glutes. Slowly release your left leg from your chest and place it back on the floor, followed by your right leg. Do 24 reps, 12 on each leg.

Place a bench horizontally in front of you. Firmly plant your entire left foot on the bench, making sure your knees are not past your toes. Place your hands by your side or, if using hand weights (optional), hold one weight in each hand. Straighten your left leg, but keep your knee soft. As you step up, focus on pushing through the heel so that you work your glutes and hamstrings, rather than pushing through your toes, which places additional pressure on your shins, knees and quadriceps. As you straighten your left leg, bring up your right leg so that you are standing with both feet on the bench. Reverse this pattern back to the floor, starting with your left leg. Do 24 reps, alternating legs.

Plant both feet on the floor wider than shoulder-width apart. Point feet slightly outward. Looking straight ahead, bend at both the hips and knees, ensuring that your knees point toward your toes. Continue bending your knees until your upper legs are parallel with the floor, with your back forming a 45- to 90-degree angle with your hips. Lean your body forward slightly so you can place your hands on the floor in front of you. Push up through your heels, and propel your body upwards in the air. Extend your legs while in the air before landing back into sumo squat position. Land through the balls of your feet first before rolling through the flat and heel of your foot, and maintain soft knees to prevent injury. Do 15 reps.