Alongside a nutritious and balanced diet, cardio and weight training will work wonders for reshaping your legs, bums and tums. By blasting away body fat and toning your muscles, you can chisel their appearance and leave them looking firmer and more toned. Get ready to shape and tone your lower body with this legs, bums and tums home workout plan – all you’ll need is a mat, plus some weights if you want to up the intensity…
Best cardio exercises for legs, bums and tums
When it comes to cardio, the stepper is ideal for your butt as this involves a large range of motion and stability of the hips which will be challenging for the glutes. For the core, running is ideal, as it requires you to brace the core to keep the hips facing forwards. Finally, for the legs, use the rower as the large majority of this movement comes through the power of your legs.
Read more: Your gym guide – A-Z of gym equipment and classes
After your cardio session, it’s time to turn to toning and strengthening exercises to target those muscles and sculpt your form. Try this legs bums and tums home workout plan, compiled by personal trainer Ian Gardner, featuring eight exercises that really work!
Legs, bums and tums home workout plan (with optional weights)
Note: we’ve demonstrated some of the exercises in this legs, bums and tums home workout plan with the use of added weights – however, if you’re a beginner, feel free to first practice this workout using your bodyweight only. As you progress, you can add in weights to increase the intensity!
1. Goblet Squats
Works the legs (quads, hamstrings)
What to do:
- In a standing position, place your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, with your toes turned out a little bit.
- If possible, hold onto a weight at chest height close to your body.
- Keeping the heels down, your weight centred in the middle of your foot, bend at the knees to bring the bum down level with the hips or slightly lower.
- Push up to the start position, keeping your chest up, as if someone is pulling you up by your t-shirt.
Safety tip: Keep the heels down throughout on this exercise otherwise you risk knee injury.
2. Kickstand RDL
Works the hamstrings
What to do:
- Standing with one of your legs straight and the other slightly bent, holding a weight in your hands down by the hips.
- On the standing leg keep your foot flat and on the bent leg have just your toes touching the floor.
- Push the hips backwards so your weight is in your heels, leaning forward so that your torso comes to parallel with the floor, whilst keeping your back straight.
- Reverse this motion so that you come back to a standing position.
Safety tips: Concentrate on keeping the back as flat as possible throughout the movement. Any sort of bend in the spine risks back injuries.
3. Reverse Lunge
Works the quads, hamstrings & glutes
What to do:
- From a standing position, holding a weight at your chest, step backwards with one leg.
- Place the foot down so only your toes are touching the floor and your knee is a couple of inches off the ground.
- Pause for half a second and then push back to your standing position.
- Alternate legs.
Safety tip: To protect your lower back and get the full benefit for your legs, ensure that you keep a straight back as you step back and lean forward slightly from the hips.
4. Bicycle Crunch
Works the obliques & upper abs
What to do:
- Lying flat on the floor, bend your knees to 90 degrees and have them directly above your hips.
- Lift your shoulders off of the floor and make sure they stay off throughout, placing your fingers on the side of your head.
- Extend your left leg out straight and bring your left elbow to the right knee.
- Hold for 1 second and then return to the start position and repeat on the other side.
Safety tip: Support your head with your hands if you suffer from any neck issues.
5. Flutter Kicks
Works the lower abs/whole core
What to do:
- Lying flat on your back with your shoulders and head down, lift your feet 6 inches from the floor.
- From here move one leg up by 6 inches and immediately return it back to your other leg.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Whilst keeping both feet off of the floor keep alternating between sides for a certain amount of time.
Safety tips: Like all other core exercises keeping your back flat to the floor is important to make sure the lower back is protected. If you can’t perform the exercise with straight legs while having a flat back, then try with the knees slightly bent.
6. Toe Touches
Works the upper abs
What to do:
- Lying flat on the floor, bring your legs directly above your hips whilst keeping them straight.
- Bring the upper body off the floor as high as you can to try and touch your toes (you may only get as far as mid-shin).
- Pause for 1 second and then slowly lower yourself back down.
- To increase difficulty, hold a weight in your hands.
Safety tips: Although you are trying to reach for the toes don’t over-reach for them. Keep your shoulders back slightly, especially if you are holding onto a weight, to prevent injury to the upper back and neck.
7. Single-Leg Glute Bridge
Works the glutes
What to do:
- Lying flat on your back, bring both of your heels as close to your bum as possible by bending at the knees.
- Lift one foot off of the floor and extend it out straight.
- Pushing through the heel of the foot of your bent leg, bring your hips up off the floor so you create a diagonal line from shoulders up to knee.
- Slowly lower yourself down and perform all reps on one side before repeating on the other.
Safety tips: Try to not to over-extend at the top by arching your back. To stop this, make sure to flatten the back on the floor before you lift and keep that tension in the core throughout.
8. Frog Pumps
Works the glutes
What to do:
- Lying flat on your back, bring both of your heels as close to your bum as possible, but with the soles of the feet touching and the knees relaxed out to the side.
- Lift your hips up, by thinking about and using your glute muscles, as high as you can.
- Slowly lower yourself back to the floor.
- Place the feet onto a raised surface such as a chair for increased difficulty.
Safety tips: Keep your back flat on the floor before moving and the core braced throughout.
Model: Lauren Rees / Photos: Dave Collison
If you enjoyed this legs, bums and tums home workout plan, check out more workouts with and without weights below…
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