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GreatLegs!
Photos courtesy of House of Payne (first from left), Sawyer Photography (second from left), Erin Howell Photography (third from left), EVOLUTIONS Total Wellness (fourth from left), John Randall Scott (fifth from left)
Fitness experts speak the language of legs RACHEL PAYNE House of Payne Personal Training
Describe your opinion of great looking legs. In my opinion, great looking legs have long lines, are athletically toned and firm, clean-shaven and tanned. What is your favorite outdoor spot in Atlanta to exercise your legs? My favorite outdoor spot in Atlanta to exercise legs is the handrail portion of the trail that leads to the top of Stone Mountain. Can people really change the shape of their legs? You can absolutely change the shape of your legs. There are specific movements you can do to elongate the muscles for “cankles,” and adding a little muscle to shape the leg will improve the look of skinny thighs and fill out wrinkled knees. What is the best thing you ever did to improve the look of your legs? Without a doubt, weight training and a good nutrition plan is the best thing I ever did to improve the look of my legs! What is one leg exercise people should do every day? While it is not recommended to exercise the same muscle group two days in a row since muscles need time to recover from a workout, you can flex your leg muscles everyday to keep them tight and defined. www.bestselfconnect.com
MISSI WOLF BLAST900 The Ultimate Workout
Describe your opinion of great looking legs. Honestly, I see so many legs in a day I have a lot of opinions! No matter how tall or short you are, toned legs always look great. What is your favorite outdoor spot in Atlanta to exercise your legs? There are so many trails in Atlanta, and since hills shape your legs, I love to hike on the outdoor hilly trails. Can people really change the shape of their legs? Absolutely. Genes do play a huge role in how our legs look, but with the right workout you can change anything. What is the best thing you ever did to improve the look of your legs? BLAST900 of course! There is no other workout that continually works your legs in so many different ways in one hour. What is one leg exercise people should do every day? There isn’t one. Variety truly is the key. You have to switch it up. Squats, lunges, hills, resistance work - try something different everyday for the overall best look.
JESSICA LONCAR Stability Pilates and Physical Therapy of Atlanta
Describe your opinion of great looking legs. Healthy, smooth, supple-looking skin with good, balanced muscle tone from the buttocks to the calves. What is your favorite outdoor spot in Atlanta to exercise your legs? I enjoy hiking the trails of Kennesaw Mountain. Can people really change the shape of their legs? Yes. By balancing all of the muscle groups around the leg with stretching and exercise with resistance, you can change the appearance of them. What is the best thing you ever did to improve the look of your legs? Using the Pilates Reformer with resistance for lengthening and toning on a consistent basis. What is one leg exercise people should do every day? A hamstring stretch.
BRIAN J. JOHNSTON
VALERIE BARTH
Describe your opinion of great looking legs. Tightly toned thighs, healthy hamstrings and curvaceous calves. What is your favorite outdoor spot in Atlanta to exercise your legs? Running around Chastain Park, trekking up Stone Mountain and the free family fitness boot camp on Saturday mornings at Evolutions Total Wellness. Can people really change the shape of their legs? Everyone can improve the look and shape of their legs in various ways. However, some limitations do exist, either due to genetics and/or lifestyle choices (over-stretched skin caused by obesity, wrinkles caused by sun damage, muscle atrophy due to injury, etc.) What is the best thing you ever did to improve the look of your legs? I made a conscious effort to create a “balanced” look between my upper and lower body, and really focused on my natural strengths (calves). What is one leg exercise people should do every day? Lunges are, in my opinion, the best all-around movement to develop great legs. Additionally, stretching should be done every day to maintain flexibility.
Describe your opinion of great looking legs. Great looking legs to me are toned, athletic-looking legs. Basically legs that look like they do work every day whether it be running, biking or weight training. I normally start looking at someone’s legs by noticing their calves. What is your favorite outdoor spot in Atlanta to exercise your legs? My favorite outdoor spot in Atlanta to exercise my legs is along the numerous running and biking trails of the Chattahoochee River. Can people really change the shape of their legs? People can absolutely change the shape of their legs. This happens by decreasing your percentage of body fat through combining weight training, cardio, and most importantly, what you put in your mouth. What is the best thing you ever did to improve the look of your legs? The best thing I ever did was start running. What is one leg exercise people should do every day? In my opinion, one leg exercise that people should do every day is the traditional squat with good form, of course.
Concourse Athletic Club
EVOLUTIONS Total Wellness
BEST SELF ATLANTA
JUNE 2013
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