3-In-1 Exercises Trainers Say Women Over 40 Should Try To Firm And Slim Legs, Thighs, And Glutes

May 28, 2023 by Georgia Dodd

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As we age, it’s crucial to incorporate leg exercises into your everyday fitness routine. Strong legs can help you stay active, strong, balanced, and stable to perform everyday tasks. Leg exercises can also help prevent injuries and improve mobility by working some of the largest muscles of the body including the thighs and glutes. But, with so many leg exercises to choose from, it can be tricky to know where to begin. One of the best kinds of workouts to work multiple muscles in your legs are combination exercises, specifically 3-in-1 exercises. Not only will you engage more muscles simultaneously, but you’ll also be saving a lot of time you would have spent working those muscles one by one.

To learn more about the best 3-in-1 exercises to target your legs, thighs, and glutes, we spoke with Bally Bhogal, a fitness expert at BBX Fitness. She said that squat lunges and leg lifts are combination workouts that target the glutes, hamstrings, quads, outer thighs, and calves to tone and shape legs. Find out more about these workouts below!

1. The Squat Lunge

“To perform the squat and lunge combination, start with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands on your hips. Squat down as low as you can go, keeping your back straight and your weight on your heels. As you come back up, step forward with your left foot and lower into a lunge, making sure your knee is directly above your ankle. Push back up to standing, then repeat the lunge with your right foot. Alternate between squats and lunges for 10–12 reps each,” Belly explains. This exercise works the glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves and it helps to tone and shape the legs, thighs, and glutes.

2. Step Up With Leg Lift

Another exercise that Belly recommends is the step up with leg lift. “To perform the step-up with leg lift, stand in front of a bench or step with your feet shoulder-width apart. Step up onto the bench with your left foot, then lift your right leg out to the side, keeping it straight. Lower your right leg back down, then step back down with your right foot. Repeat on the other side, stepping up with your right foot and lifting your left leg out to the side. Do 10–12 reps on each leg,” she describes. It works the glutes, hamstrings, and quads. Plus, it focuses on the other thighs as well.

The Bottom Line

So, Belly suggests two 3-in-1 exercises to target the legs, thighs, and glutes. She says that the squat lunge and the step up with leg lift are great for working all the major leg muscles. However, Belly also advises that you incorporate cardio and strength training into your workouts as well. "If you want to slim the legs, thighs, and glutes faster than incorporate cardio exercises such as running, cycling, or jumping rope into your workout routine. Be sure to do exercise you enjoy helping you to stick to a consistent routine," she explains.

And, strength training exercises can further firm and slim the legs, thighs, and glutes. "These exercises can be done with or without weights to get the desired results. Don't forget to use proper form to ensure the muscles are targeted properly and that no injuries occur. I recommend you allow for adequate rest days between workouts to give the muscles time to rest and rebuild," Belly notes. And, of course, remember to stick to a healthy diet to really boost your metabolism and fuel your workouts. Your body will thank you for it!

READ MORE: 3 Best Exercise Methods To Tone Up Your Abs Faster

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3-in-1 exercises, according to a personal trainer, fitness, glutes workouts, leg lift, leg workouts, squat lunge, thigh workouts, weight loss

Tags: 3-in-1 exercisesaccording to a personal trainerfitnessglutes workoutsleg liftleg workoutssquat lungethigh workoutsweight loss

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