Butt Exercise Mini Series - Outer Thigh Leg Lifts

Butt Exercise Mini Series – Outer Thigh Leg Lifts

by (updated 303 days ago)

The Outer Thigh Leg Lift exercise sometimes referred to as the Abduction Leg lift, the main muscle groups targeted are the gluteus maximus (main butt muscles) and your hamstrings. Incidentally the main muscle that is used here for lifting the legs sidewards is also the gluteus maximus, it’s just the extension of the muscles that wraps around the side of the leg down into the knees.

It has to be said that outer tight leg lifts are great at toning and defining, however since you are not working with any weights, the amount of sheer muscle building as compared to Squats or Lunges is minimal, this exercise is great for adding definition to the side of the thigh and create a rounder, more wholesome look to both the thigh and the butt.

Outer Thigh Leg Raises

Outer thigh leg raises, when done properly will add tightness to the outer side of the thighs to pull up any saddle bags that might be present. If done properly will also work the outer thigh area aerobically and help to reduce any fat deposits such as unwanted cellulites or access fat.

An important point to note here is that because this exercise does not involve weights, you need to push the reps rather than the weights. Look to be doing as many reps as possible on sets, don’t just do 12-15 and call it a set. The final rep should be quite difficult and a challenge.

As with doing other exercises with weights, the final rep is the most important rep, it is the rep that will do the most benefit to you and in this exercise will create the best muscle tone, don’t short change your work-out by not going to the final rep. At the peak of the final rep it is also important to try hold rep for a moment before finishing the set.

Keeping the chest lifted, exhale and raise your right leg out to the side away from the body to a height of at least 45 degrees. Flex the foot, holding the lifted position for two seconds. Breathe in and slowly lower the leg back to the start position. Repeat 10 to 15 or more times on the right side before switching to the left. Slowly build up to three sets of 15 repetitions or more. For variation this exercise can also be performed with the leg turned in or out.

You will read in most other places that you should do 10-15 reps at most, I would like to again restate that I feel it is vitally important that you reach that last difficult rep before giving up to gain the most from your exercise. This may take up to 25 or even 30 reps and as you get more fit it may even extend to 40, in either case it should still be done.

More articles from the Butt Exercise Series:

Can A Workout Guide Help Guide You In The Right Direction?

You’ve decided to start working out. However, when you look into the best types of exercise to suit your purpose, you’re faced with an overwhelming plethora of choices! Do you join a gym, do aerobics or just start jogging around the block every day?

Different types of exercises suit different people and different weight loss / fitness goals. You also need to factor in things like – what type of exercise do you most enjoy doing. Or to put it another way – what type of exercise is going to be sustainable for you in the long term. There is no point deciding to take up running if you hate running or have health issues that would make running unfeasible. Likewise, joining a gym is out if you can’t afford the membership fees or there isn’t one convenient for you.

The Walking Workout – Walking Your Way To Better Fitness

One of the most convenient, easiest and popular ways to exercise is walking. Walking is an excellent form of exercise and suits pretty much every level of fitness. Additionally, nearly everyone can fit some walk time into their daily routine, even if it’s just walking the dog on a daily basis. It’s relatively easy to find an exercise partner to go walking with you, which provides added incentive to keep doing it. As you get fitter, you can increase the distance and intensity at which you walk too.

Aerobics – A Great Fitness Workout Option

Another very popular type of exercise, especially for women, is aerobics. In some countries, free or cheap council-run aerobics classes are a popular alternative to joining an aerobics club. If you think aerobics might be something you’d like to try, be sure to get hold of an aerobics for fitness guide. This will show you how the various types of exercises will benefit you and importantly, how to do them correctly.

Joining A Gym To Work Out

Yet another option is joining a fitness center or a gym. This gives you the option of having a variety of workout programs and equipment available to suit. Most also have trainers who can help you plan an appropriate workout and answer any questions. When choosing a fitness center, there are a couple of things to bear in mind. Good service is essential and well-maintained equipment of paramount importance. Exercise equipment in good condition and maintained correctly doesn’t generally squeak, rattle or make a lot of noise when used!

The Ultimate Convenience – Working Out At Home

You may even decide to purchase your own exercise equipment to set up at home. That’s the ultimate in convenience! However, it is an expensive outlay so be sure to select the best equipment for losing weight the way you want to lose it. If you don’t plan to do much strength training, don’t go overboard buying a ton of strength building equipment.

Choose The Right Exercises With A Workout Guide

Regardless of the type of exercise you choose, most workout guides advise you to start out the same way. Begin with a low level of intensity then build up to higher levels of intensity as your strength and fitness improves. If you start out by doing too much too soon you’ll run the risk of injuring yourself, possibly seriously. Also, bear in mind that depending on the type of exercise being done, workout guides written for women may differ from those for men simply because of differences in muscle bulk and strength.

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About Donald Bryant

Donald Bryant didn’t start out wanting to write. He stumbled upon it as a career after he was asked to contribute to his high school magazine by way of a short bio. At the time, Don was a passably good athlete and for reasons known only to the mag’s editors, they thought he’d make an interesting topic. As it turns out, they were right. Or at least Don was able to write his bio in such a way that it made him sound a lot more interesting than he actually was. Combine a love of athletics with an interest in health and a talent for the written word and just like that, Don’s future path in life was mapped out.