• Endomorph/Mesomorph -- Do routine only two times per week.

  Body type: Your body is not thin. You may have a large or medium bone structure. You may have curves like Jennifer Lopez. Your body generally does not show definition. You may be very overweight or just 5 to 8 pounds overweight.

   

• Ectomorphic -- Do routine three times per week.

  Body type: Your body is thin. You may generally eat whatever you want and see little to no weight gain. You are able to see some muscle separation/definition in your body. Your body may resemble Gwyneth Paltrow.

  The Moves

  The following exercises will take your legs and buttocks to a new level in just three weeks.

   

• The Plié Squat -- This exercise will focus on your inner thighs.

  Do this exercise for one (beginners) or two (advanced) sets, from 12 to 30 reps each.

  Use a pole or broomstick for balance. Take a stance with your feet a little more than shoulder width apart. Your toes should be pointed outward and your heels inward toward the middle. The pole should be to your front-middle, vertical to the ground and in your hands for balance. Now lift your heels off the ground a couple of inches. This will allow for isolation of the inner-thigh area. From here, bend your legs down to a 90-degree angle and no farther. As you bend, your hips should move backward, as if sitting in a chair. Conversely, as you come up, your hips should move forward. Do this in a smooth and controlled motion. Remember, not too fast and not less than a 90-degree angle at the bottom of the range of motion. Focus on the inner-thigh area as you execute this movement.

   

• Elevated Leg Lunge -- This exercise will focus on the buttocks.

  Complete this movement for one (beginners) to two (advanced) sets, from eight to 18 reps each.

  You may do this without an elevated leg. This is especially true for the beginning exercise participant. Place one leg on an elevated surface (i.e. a chair or bench). Keeping your back tall, hop your other foot in front of the bench or chair so that your feet are positioned as shown in the illustration. Now you're ready to go! Just as with the plié squat, your hip will move backward and forward as you go down and up. This is the proper anatomical movement, which will allow you to protect your back and knees and isolate the legs and glutes. Bend your thigh to only a 90-degree angle. Maintain a smooth and controlled motion. Hint: If you're losing balance, focus on one spot to maintain steadiness. As with all exercises, inhale down and exhale up.

   

• Narrow Stance Squat -- This exercise will focus on the front thighs/quadriceps.

  Squat for one (beginners) or two (advanced) sets, for 15 to 30 reps each.

  Your feet should be placed a little more than shoulder width apart. Most of your body weight should be on your heels for this exercise, although not entirely. About 80 percent of the weight should be on the heels and 20 percent should be on the front of your foot. Try to maintain this pressure throughout the entire range of motion. For example, do not rock your weight from the back of the heel to the front of your foot as you go down and up. This will take practice to improve. Again, bend your legs to a 90-degree angle and allow your hips to move back as if sitting down. You may choose to add weight to enhance exercise fatigue (only if you are an advanced participant). If you are a beginning exercise participant, additional weight is not recommended. Keep your chest up and your back tall! This will be a challenge for all of the exercises shown, but it is a must.

  There you have it -- an awesome leg routine. Do this consistently and properly and your legs will reach their potential. Along with muscle conditioning comes the issue of body fat. Please incorporate good eating habits and an aerobic routine to decrease your body fat percentage. This will show off those improved muscles. Finally, keep your back tall and abdominals tight when executing all of these exercises. There's a balance of keeping your back tall and allowing your hips to move backward and forward as mentioned. The illustrations will give you a good idea. When your legs start burning to an 8 or 9 on a scale of 1 to 10, then you've found your personal repetition for each of these exercises. I don't suggest doing more than the recommended sets and reps, as it has been my experience that women in particular can see an increase in girth with an increased workload. The suggested workload is ideal. You've got three weeks! Stay with it.

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