Toning tricks for perfect pins

Your route to lean, lithe and lovely legs with our definitive lower body workout.

A healthy diet, cardiovascular exercise and a little resistance training are the key to getting divine legs. For added insurance, try yoga or Pilates to lengthen and tone muscles.

In addition to eating healthily, you need to include at least three cardio workouts a week in order to get the best results - try walking, aerobics, swimming or cycling. Add to this our resistance training programme and you are well on your way to perfect pins!

Do the following moves twice a week. Be sure to warm up for 10 to 15 minutes (walking, jogging on the spot or stationary cycling), and stretch properly afterwards. While you perform the movements, breathe out on the exertion and in on the return. Contract your stomach muscles throughout the exercise.

The perfect squat
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Your toes should be pointing slightly out to the side. Squat so that your thighs are parallel to the floor, keeping your back straight and your abdominal muscles held in firmly at all times. Make sure your knees don't travel beyond your toes.
Hold that position for a second.
Now push up from your legs until your body is upright in the starting position.
You should squeeze the muscles in your thighs and bottom throughout the movement.
Breathe in as you squat down and breathe out as you push back to standing. Avoid holding your breath.
Do one to two sets of 15 repetitions.
You can also do this move with a dumbbell in each hand.

Lunges for lithe thighs
Stand up straight, with your feet slightly apart. Take a big step forward, using your right leg. As you do this, your rear left leg should bend (at about a 90-degree angle) so that your knee nearly touches the floor. Make sure that your right knee does extend past the front of your right foot.
Push up from your right leg and return to the starting position.
Repeat for the number of required repetitions. Then, perform the exercise with the other leg.
Remember to keep your head up and your back straight throughout the exercise.
Do one to two sets of 15 repetitions.
You can hold a dumbbell in each hand if you want more resistance.