| It's every woman's dream - shapely hip | | | | Starting Position: Lie on your left side on a |
| muscles. From a human anatomy point of view, | | | | mat with the legs straight. Support your |
| women tend to have larger hips relative to | | | | heard in your hands and keep the left leg |
| the waist (unlike men) since women tend to | | | | bent. Movement: Slowly raise the right leg |
| store higher amounts of body fat in the hip, | | | | 8-12 inches up in the air, keeping the knee |
| buttocks and thighs. | | | | straight. Lower it gradually. Complete 15-20 |
| | | | repetitions and repeat on the opposite side. |
| Each person is different and fat gets stored | | | | To make this exercise harder, you can try |
| in the body in a certain order. That order is | | | | using weight cuffs around the ankles. Start |
| determined by gender and genetics. It's a | | | | with 1 lb and work your way up to 5 lbs |
| myth that women can selectively lose fat in | | | | within 4-6 weeks. Another way to make the |
| the hip region. In fact, 'spot reduction' is | | | | exercise harder is to raise the leg and then |
| something that advertisers use to prey on | | | | trace large circles clockwise 10 times, |
| unsuspecting customers desperate to try | | | | followed by another 10 repetitions |
| anything to shape up certain areas of the | | | | anticlockwise. |
| body. You have probably wasted time and money | | | | |
| on gadgets, weight loss creams and other | | | | Seated Hip Toning - Hip toning. |
| gimmicks. When one loses weight, the | | | | |
| 'reduction' is general i.e all over the body, | | | | Starting Position: Sit on an exercise matt |
| but never in one 'spot'. Think of the body as | | | | with your legs together and your palms on the |
| if it was a balloon, which inflates and | | | | matt for support. Movement: Lift your right |
| deflates every time, you gain / lose weight. | | | | foot 8-12 inches off of the matt. Point your |
| | | | toes and moving only at your ankle trace a |
| Here's the good news - specific exercises for | | | | large circle in the air. Complete fifteen |
| the hip, as outlined below will help tone the | | | | circles clockwise and fifteen circles counter |
| hip muscles (but not spot reduce them). The | | | | clockwise. Repeat as required on other side. |
| following exercise routine has been designed | | | | To make this exercise harder, you can try |
| to tone the hip muscles. It works best when | | | | using weight cuffs around the ankles. Start |
| combined with an aerobic exercise program and | | | | with 1 lb and work your way up to 5 lbs |
| a healthy diet. | | | | within 4-6 weeks. Another way to make the |
| | | | exercise harder is to trace smaller circles. |
| Combining hip toning exercises with a well | | | | |
| rounded aerobic exercise and weight training | | | | Standing Single Leg Wall Squat (Advanced) - |
| program requires more energy and more | | | | Hip And Thigh Toning |
| strength. Your body responds to high | | | | |
| intensity execises by adding lean muscle. | | | | This is an advanced exercise since it shapes |
| This increases the rate at which the body | | | | the hips and thighs. Starting Position: - |
| burns calories and helps use up excess stored | | | | Place your upper back against a smooth wall. |
| fat. You cna burn more calories by doing a | | | | Stand on one foot and lean back against the |
| variety of activities, and mixing up the | | | | wall. Movement: - Inhale, keeping your heel |
| exercises, intensity and duration every 2-3 | | | | in contact with the floor at all times, |
| weeks. All weight training exercises are not | | | | slowly lower into a squat position while |
| created equal. Exercises that involve large | | | | sliding down the wall. Exhale as you slowly |
| muscle groups such as squats and lunges for | | | | straighten your leg, keeping your head and |
| your legs, bench presses for your chest, | | | | chest up, returning to the starting position. |
| overhead presses for your shoulders and lat | | | | Repeat as required. This is an advanced |
| pull-downs for your back build more muscle | | | | exercise. Please discontinue the exercises if |
| mass. A combination of cardiovascular | | | | you have any pain and consult a physician |
| exercise and weight lifting will make you | | | | prior to this exercise routine if you have a |
| stronger and leaner. This kind of effort | | | | history of hip or knee pain. |
| takes time, but the results are permanent. | | | | |
| | | | Standing Single Leg Dumbbell Squats |
| The following routine has been specially | | | | (Advanced) - Hip And Thigh Toning. |
| designed for toning hip muscles. | | | | |
| | | | Starting Position: - Stand on one leg with a |
| For best results, start with 15-20 | | | | slight bend in your knees. Hold a dumbbell in |
| repetitions and one set. Increase gradually | | | | each hand and allow them to hang down at your |
| to 2 sets. Complete the routine at least 2 | | | | sides. Movement: - Inhale, keeping your heel |
| times a week and you will see results within | | | | in contact with the floor at all times, |
| the first few weeks. These numbers are | | | | slowly lower into a squat position. Exhale as |
| general guidelines. For best results, consult | | | | you slowly straighten your leg, keeping your |
| a personal trainer. If you have any injuries | | | | head and chest up, returning to the starting |
| or medical ailments, please obtain a | | | | position. Repeat as required. You can start |
| physicians clearance before starting any | | | | with 2 lb dumbbells and work your way up to 5 |
| exercise program. | | | | lbs within 3-4 weeks. |
| | | | |
| Side Lying Hip Raises - Hip toning. | | | | Lying Leg Bridge - Hip Toning. |
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