If I had to ask you how to tone my legs, what exercise would you suggest? Running? Squats? Step ups? I am sure there will be a lot of different answers, all with valid points. But what exactly is toning to begin with? For a term thrown around the gym so casually it can easily be misunderstood.

Toning is the process of becoming leaner by reducing the subcutaneous body fat and increasing muscle definition without creating muscle bulk. Toning exercises can include a variety of different forms of cardio and resistance training.

So How do Resistance Bands Help in Toning the Legs?

The general rule for resistance training is to do higher reps with lower weights. This allows the muscles to get stronger while burning more calories without the associated bulk. You also want to use compound movements to work as many muscles as possible in one exercise so you can burn more calories.

If you had a resistance band around your thighs just above your knees during a squat, you would not only be working the glutes and quads during the exercise but you would also be required to have the muscles on the outside of the quad working. This increased muscle recruitment requires more calories to be used, resulting in a better toning effect. This can be applied to numerous leg exercises. These are my favourite banded exercises to help tone the legs -

Resistance Band Squats

This is the first stop if you are looking to tone the legs. Squatting works the big muscles of the leg, namely the glutes and quads. By including resistance bands you can increase the intensity of a normal squat and activate more muscles. You can also include weights at the same time as using the resistance bands to make the squat more intense.

How to Do This Exercise

Place the glute band around both knees. Stand with feet hip width apart and toes slightly out. Slowly lower yourself into a squat. Make sure that you keep tension with your legs on the band and don’t allow your knees to collapse inwards. Drive through the heels and glutes to return to the standing position.

Side Step To Squat

Tone those muscles on the inside and outside of the leg by doing a combination of side step and squat. You will still get the benefit of working all the muscles of a normal squat.

How to Do This Exercise

Start with the band just above the knees and feet together. Step sideways, taking a big enough step that you will now be in a wide squat stance but not too far that you are now lunging and losing control of the band. In the wide stance, lower yourself into a squat. As you drive up from the bottom of the squat, push off the ground with the leg that you stepped to the side so that you return to the starting position with your feet together. Complete all the reps on one leg before changing direction.

Single Leg Squat to Bench

A normal single leg squat to bench is hard enough. By including the resistance band in this exercise you are increasing the intensity of the exercise as well as activating the glute medius to maintain your balance.

How to Do This Exercise

Start with the band around both legs, just above the knee. Start in a seated position on a Plyo Jump Box or a Flat Weight Bench. Lift one foot off the floor while maintaining the tension on the bands. Lean the chest forwards and keep a neutral spine. Drive off the heel of the foot that is still on the ground to get to a standing position. Slowly return to the bench.

Curtsy Squat

This is a great squatting exercise that places more resistance on the side glute muscles of the glute medius.

How to Do This Exercise

Start with the resistance band slightly higher than just above the knees. Now step backwards and diagonally behind the front leg. Bend the back leg towards the floor and then step back up to the starting position. Complete all the reps on one leg before changing sides.

Should I Choose Fabric Resistance Bands Instead of Latex?

Fabric Resistance Bands should be chosen for no other reason than the fact that they do not pinch your skin when you use them. I am sure all of you know what I am talking about. However there are also other benefits associated with the fabric resistance bands. Fabric resistance bands are made from durable elastic material. This material provides greater resistance than the normal latex bands.

Additional Resistance Band Benefits

Apart from just providing additional resistance and helping to tone the legs, the resistance bands offer another very important benefit. They provide external feedback to help correct muscle imbalances. When you do the variety of leg exercises with a band on you will very quickly notice if one of your legs is weak and collapses under the additional resistance of the band. By making sure you keep proper form while doing these exercises with the resistance band you ensure that you are correcting muscle imbalances in the legs.

Resistance bands also add a different element to your training to keep your training different! Good luck with the training!

Written by guest author Brendan McBirnie.

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Tags: Equipment > Resistance Bands ; Exercise Type > Conditioning ; Misc > Workout