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The countdown begins. With spring just around the corner, nothing better than a shock plan to recover from the ravages caused in our anatomy by sedentary life that covers bad weather and low temperatures. And in this mission, the area that is always in the spotlight is one of the most conflictive in anatomy. Three were three... hips, buttocks and legs.
The good news is that this part of the body is also one of the most responsive when we subject them to specific exercise routines. And another one: there is an infallible training that always gives results and that can be practiced anywhere and with any physical condition. Which one? The squat, the star exercise for this area. "They are fundamental when it comes to training the lower body. If we want to tone the legs and buttocks we must definitely include squats in our training routine, "says Júlia Ndocky Ribas, graduate in Physical Activity and Sports Sciences, personal and technical trainer of the Division of Physical Activity of Metropolitan.
In addition to being the best exercise to get steel legs and lift the buttocks – because "they directly affect this musculature," says Júlia – squats and all their variants are a very complete activity that also helps us lose weight without resorting to restrictive regimes. "In the legs there are large muscle groups, with great capacity to consume energy, so training them helps us maintain a weightwithout resorting to a diet." In addition, having toned legs and buttocks allows you to get more performance from cardiovascular exercise, because it facilitates doing them with the appropriate intensity and minimizing the risks "for the ankle, knee and hip joints," says the coach.
Which exercise is most effective?
To tone the buttocks and legs, which are also the areas most affected by cellulite, cardio exercises are best, "such as running, cycling, skating, walking on the elliptical or steps," explains Vanessa Navas, a fitness professional specializing in pilates and functional training with more than 15 years of experience and 12.1 K followers on Instagram. "The most recommended in this case are GAP classes (buttocks, abdominals and legs), since we work locally. Also those of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), that is, high intensity interval training. These are routines of shorter duration, but of more intensity, so they not only help to increase caloric expenditure during exercise but also after it, "says Navas. The top of the tops? "Combine cardiovascular exercise with muscular exercise," he says.
How many times a week do we have to do them?
"So that they are really effective and we notice the changes, between three or four times a week," advises Vanessa Navas. "Of course, the training has to be well planned, taking into account the physical form of the person and the pathologies or problems they may have so as not to risk suffering an overload or future injuries."
What are we going to notice?
With good nutritional habits and a specific exercise routine for three or four days a week, the legs and buttocks will look firmer and toned and, if there is, the appearance of cellulite will also improve. "Although it will depend on each person, the results could begin to be seen between four and eight weeks," says Vanessa Navas. And not only on a physical or aesthetic level – where we will notice "the hardening of the muscles, the improvement in the skin (cellulite) and greater muscle definition," he points out – but also at a psychological and physiological level. "This routine greatly improves self-esteem, because it favors the release of endorphins, which produces a feeling of happiness and euphoria, as well as reducing stress and anxiety." Therefore, it also helps to sleep more and better.
10 exercises for buttocks and legs
SHUTTERSTOCK
The key to showing off steel legs this summer is to get down to work. In addition to perseverance, "we will need to follow a healthy diet and stay well hydrated," advises Vanessa Navas. This is the specific training that she has created to achieve it, ten very simple exercises for which no physical form is needed and that include the squat and the strides as stars of the program. If you have doubts about how to perform the exercises well, you can see them in the video that appears below the routine.
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Cosmetics that help
Along with exercise, specific cosmetics to treat cellulite is the other pillar of gravity-defying buttocks. Specific treatments will help end fluid retention, lose some of the accumulated fat and improve the appearance of the so-called 'orange peel'. "The combination of exercises and cosmetics is the key to success," says Vanessa Navas. In this sense, she recommends the intensive anti-cellulite serum (€ 78.20) and the gel-cream (€ 68) of LPG, two concentrates rich in flavanols with lotus, orange blossom and algae that "eliminate fat, drain and decongest, improving the elasticity of the skin," explains Laia Puig, responsible for cosmetics of the brand.
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