Leg Strength/Toning Exercises

 

 

Exercise Name

Wall Sits

Exercise Code

TLWS1

Exercise Description

Participants sit against wall with
back up against wall-thighs parallel to ground, knees bent at 90 degrees,
lower legs parallel to wall and ankle joint at 90 degrees.  Have participants squeeze knees tightly
together for 10 seconds. 

Exercise Teaching Hints

Back must be straight and against
wall.  Can hold longer if too easy or
add more repetitions if needed.

 

 

Exercise Name

Calf Raises

Exercise Code

TLCR2

Exercise Description

Participants should stand on a flat
surface. Have them push up on toes as high as possible and come back down
slowly to flat feet. 

Exercise Teaching Hints

Motion should be slow and
controlled up and down.  Should go up
as high on toes as possible.   Can be
done both feet together or one foot at a time.

 

 

Exercise Name

Leg Lifts from Lying

Exercise Code

TLLLL3

Exercise Description

Participants lay on back, with
arms at side and legs extended.  Slowly
lift legs off ground and hold in position with feet a few inches off
ground.  Relax then repeat.

Exercise Teaching Hints

Concentrate on abdominal muscles and
not back muscles.  Keep lower back
rounded, do not arch to maintain proper form.



 

 

 

Exercise Name

Leg Lifts from Straight Hang

Exercise Code

TLLLH4

Exercise Description

Participants hang on a bar with
arms straight and legs down.  Bend at hips
and lift legs to a pike position, and if possible higher to touch the
bar.  Hold, then release slowly to
straightbody position and repeat.

Exercise Teaching Hints

Legs should not swing to raise
them up, start and finish in straight body position.

 

 

Exercise Name

Partner Hamstring Curls

Exercise Code

TLPHC5

Exercise Description

Participant one lays on floor on
stomach, participant two sits on knees at ankles of partner.  Participant one is expected to bend knees
and raise heels to bottom and resist against partner while bringing feet back
down to start position.  Partner two is
expected to hold just above ankles and provide slight resistance while heels
are being lifted to bottom and pull feet slowly back down to ground in
starting position. 

Exercise Teaching Hints

Minimal resistance is provided
during this exercise.  Object is to get
muscles to fire during entire range of motion, not to “tax”
muscle.  30 percent of strength should
be used when providing resistance during this exercise.

 

 

Exercise Name

Squats

Exercise Code

TLS6

Exercise Description

Participants stand with feet hip
width apart.  Concentrate on
leaning/pushing back.  Squat should go
as low as 90 degrees or so thighs are parallel to floor.  Squeeze all muscles while exercise is being
performed.

Exercise Teaching Hints

Squat towards back, pushing bottom
to floor behind, knees should never go over toes.  



 

 

 

Exercise Name

Fire Hydrants

Exercise Code

TLFH7

Exercise Description

This exercise is done in four
parts simultaneously-on hands and knees (all fours)-1. Lift one leg up
parallel to floor and knee bent to 90 degrees. 2. Keep leg lifted and extend
straight.  3.  Bend leg back to position number 1.  and 4. bring leg back down to resting
position.  That is one repetition.   

Exercise Teaching Hints

Do several exercises in a row, do
not stop in between.

 

 

Exercise Name

Mat Jumps

Exercise Code

TLMJ8

Exercise Description

Line up various sized mats in
line.  Have participants jump on and/or
over each mat.  Have mats placed far
enough that participants need to use legs to jump to clear mats.

Exercise Teaching Hints

Do not to put mats on a slippery
surface-test mats before performing exercise. 
Can have participants perform specific jumps such as tuck or straddle
to enhance exercise.   

 

 

Exercise Name

Cross Jumps

Exercise Code

TLCJ9

Exercise Description

Tape crosses on floor or use a
line on gym floor.  Have participants
jump front to back and side to side simultaneously.  This should be done with one foot at a
time.   

Exercise Teaching Hints

Jumps should be low and
controlled. 



 

 

 

Exercise Name

Point-Bend-Flex-Extend

Exercise Code

TLPBF10

Exercise Description

Have participants lie on back with
feet in air.  Start with pointed toes
and straight legs, then bend knees, when legs are completely bent flex toes
and straighten knees again.  Repeat
simultaneously and concentrate on tight muscles and good form.

Exercise Teaching Hints

*Participants should hit every
position before going to next one.

 

 

Exercise Name

Frog Jumps

Exercise Code

TLFJ11

Exercise Description

Participants are instructed to
squat down and touch floor, jump high reaching arms up and land back in squat
position.  Jumps should be done one
right after another.

Exercise Teaching Hints

Work on extending legs off floor,
pushing toes against floor to maximize muscle contraction.

 

 

Exercise Name

Step Ups

Exercise Code

TLSU12

Exercise Description

Have a mat that is about shin
height in front of participants. 
Participants are instructed to step up and down on mat.  Can alternate feet one after another or do
on one leg and switch to other.

Exercise Teaching Hints

Make sure to do same number of
repetitions on each side so muscle groups are worked equally.



 

 

 

Exercise Name

Star Jumps

Exercise Code

TLSJ13

Exercise Description

Start with feet hip width apart,
arms down.  Squat, explode up, reaching
arms and legs wide (star postion). 
Land with knees soft, feet hip width apart and squat low again.  Repeat simultaneously.

Exercise Teaching Hints

Tighten all muscles when in
squatting position and in star position.

 

 

Exercise Name

Front Lunges

Exercise Code

TLFL14

Exercise Description

Participants stand with feet
together hands on hips.  Step forward and
bend at knees, back knee should come very close to touching floor.  Bring back foot up to close.  Step forward with alternate foot.

Exercise Teaching Hints

Step out far enough to keep knee
over ankle, not out in front of toes.

 

 

Exercise Name

Side Lunges

Exercise Code

TLSL15

Exercise Description

Participants stand with feet
together, hands on hips.  Step outward
with one foot and bend only that knee. 
Keep torso upright.  Step to
close and lunge in opposite direction with other foot.

Exercise Teaching Hints

Try not to bend upper body
towards  direction of lunge.  Knees should always be even with ankle, not
over toes-press bottom back.

 

 

 

Plie’s

 

TLP16

 

Participants stand holding onto
something for balance.  Knees are bent
at 90 degrees, with bottom pressed back. 
Feet should be placed in different positions to work different muscle
groups.  Toes can be turned out, toes
in and/or on high toe while plie’s are performed.

 

Knees should always be over
ankles, never over toes.  Push bottom
backwards while performing exercise.



 

 

 

Exercise Name

Single Leg Hip Lift

Exercise Code

TLSLL17

Exercise Description

Participants lay on back with
knees and feet flat on floor.  Lift one
knee up towards chest while pressing up to lift hips off of ground and hold with
weight bearing on stationary foot. 
Slowly press to relax position and alternate legs.

Exercise Teaching Hints

Keep trunk tight and put weight on
foot that is on ground.  Dig heel into
ground.

 

 

Exercise Name

Single Leg Wall Squats

Exercise Code

TLSLS18

Exercise Description

Performed similar to standard wall
squat mentioned above, but with one leg for base.

Exercise Teaching Hints

Stationary leg may need to be
moved slightly inward.  Stress proper
form with back pressed into wall.

 

 

Exercise Name

Inner Thigh Leg Raise

Exercise Code

TLIT19

Exercise Description

Participants lay on side with top
leg bent and that foot resting on floor for balance (arms should be used in
resting postion for balance as well). 
Bottom leg is lifted-inside ankle lifting to ceiling and toe
flexed.  Leg is slowly relaxed down to
resting position and exercise is repeated again simultaneously.  

Exercise Teaching Hints

This exercise can be done for a
number of repetitions.  Can be held at
top of contraction as well and/or pulsed at the top of contraction to enhance
performance. 



 

 

 

Exercise Name

Hip Rotations

Exercise Code

TLHR20

Exercise Description

Participants sit in a straddle position
with hands touching the ground inside legs. 
Toes are lifted to get legs off ground and leg lifts are
performed.  

Exercise Teaching Hints

Hands in center are to be used for
balance.  Lifts can be performed as
static holds or in circles as well.