How to Get Hot Legs Fast

Co-authored by Danny Gordon and Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA

Last Updated: July 28, 2022 References Approved

Bodyweight Exercises

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Weights

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Lifestyle Changes

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Expert Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

If you’re unhappy with how your legs look, you’re in luck! Your legs have large muscles that respond to exercise, so it might be easier than you think to get hot legs. For an easy leg workout, do bodyweight exercises that engage your leg muscles. When you’re ready, add weights to make the exercises more challenging. Additionally, make a few lifestyle changes to help you get sexier legs even faster.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Bodyweight Exercises

1
Perform 3 sets of 15-20 squats to work your thighs and glutes. Stand up straight with your legs shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees and slowly lower yourself down into a sitting position. Make sure your knees don’t go out past your toes. Pause for 1-2 seconds, then push through your heels to rise back to your starting position.^{[1]
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- Start with 3 sets of 15 squats and increase to 3 sets of 20 squats when it’s easy to do 15.
2
Do 3 sets of 15-20 lunges on each leg. Start in a standing position with your back straight and your feet hip-width apart. Step forward with your right foot, then slowly lower yourself toward the ground. Bend both knees at a 90-degree angle, with your right knee forward and your left knee pointed toward the ground. Make sure your front knee doesn’t go out past your toes. Push through your right heel to rise back to the starting position.^{[2]
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- After you do 15-20 reps on your right leg, switch to your left leg and do another 15-20 reps. Repeat for 3 sets of 15-20 reps on each leg.
- Start with 3 sets of 15 reps, then increase to 20 reps on each side when you’re ready.
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3
Complete 3 sets of 15-20 calf raises to improve your calves.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Danny Gordon
Certified Personal Trainer
Expert Interview. 18 October 2019.} Stand up straight with your feet together. Engage your core and legs muscles, then slowly rise up onto your toes. Pause for 1-3 seconds and slowly lower yourself back to your starting position to complete 1 rep.^{[4]
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- Do a total of 3 sets of 15-20 reps.
4
Do 3 sets of 8-12 wall sits to build your thighs and glutes. Place your back flat against the wall with your feet shoulder-width apart. Step about 2 ft (0.61 m) away from the wall, but keep your back, shoulders, and head pressed against the wall. As you do this, slide your back down the wall so that your knees are in a 90-degree angle and your body is in a sitting position. Hold your position for as long as you can, then slide back up the wall.^{[5]
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- Challenge yourself to hold your wall sit for 1-2 minutes. To motivate yourself, listen to your favorite song.
- Make sure your knees never go past your toes.
Variation: If it’s too hard for you to go all the way down, try bending your knees at a 30-degree or 45-degree angle as you build up the strength in your legs.
5
Stretch after your workout to improve flexibility and prevent injuries. Your legs will likely be sore after you begin your leg workouts, but stretching can help minimize soreness. Additionally, it’ll help improve your flexibility and may make your legs look sexier. Here are some simple stretches you can try:^{[6]
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- To stretch your hamstrings, cross your right leg over your left. Then, bend at your waist and reach your arms down toward the ground as far as you can go. Hold for 15-30 seconds, then slowly rise and switch legs.
- To stretch your quads, stand behind a chair and hold onto it for support. Then, slowly bend your right leg behind your back and reach back with your right arm to grasp your right foot. Gently press your right foot toward your bottom and hold for 15-30 seconds. Switch legs and repeat.
- Do a straddle stretch by sitting on the floor and spreading your legs in a wide “V.” Slowly inch your legs as wide as you can, then bend forward at your waist and reach your arms forward as far as you comfortably can. Hold for 30 seconds, then slowly release.
6
Work your legs 3 times a week for fast results. You might be tempted to work your legs every day to get sexy legs fast, but your muscles need time between workouts to recover.^{[7]
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Expert Source

Danny Gordon
Certified Personal Trainer
Expert Interview. 18 October 2019.} Schedule your workouts for every other day so you have 24 hours for your muscles to recover. On days you don’t do your leg workout, it’s okay to do cardio exercise or an arm workout.^{[8]
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- For instance, go for a walk, play a pickup sports game, or take a dance class on the days you don’t do your leg workout.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Weights

1
Do weighted squats using dumbbells or a barbell. Start in a standing position with your back straight and your legs shoulder-width apart. If you’re using dumbbells, hold a weight in each hand at your sides or at your shoulders. If you’re using a barbell, balance it on your shoulders. Then, slowly lower yourself into a sitting position without letting your knees go past your toes. When you reach the lowest you can go, slowly rise back to a starting position.^{[9]
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- Do 3 sets of 8-15 reps. Start with 8 reps per set and work your way up to 15.
- Pick a weight that feels heavy for you. For instance, start with 10 pounds (4.5 kg) per arm and work your way up as the weight becomes easy to handle.
2
Perform weighted lunges while holding dumbbells at your sides. Stand up straight with your legs hip-width apart. Hold dumbbells in each hand at your sides. Step forward with your right foot, bending your knees into 90-degree angles. Pause for 1-3 seconds, then slowly push through your right heel to rise back to your starting position.^{[10]
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- Do 3 sets of 8-15 reps. Start with 8 reps per set and work your way up to 15.
- Use a weight that feels heavy for you. You might start with 10 pounds (4.5 kg) per arm and increase the weight as you get stronger.
3
Hold dumbbells at your sides while you do calf raises. Stand tall with your back straight and your legs together. Hold your dumbbells in each hand at your sides. Slowly rise up onto your toes, then lower yourself down to the floor.^{[11]
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- Repeat for 3 sets of 15-20 reps.
- Choose a weight that feels heavy to you. For instance, start with 10 pounds (4.5 kg) per arm and increase the weight as you get stronger.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Lifestyle Changes

1
Drink at least 11.5 c (2.7 L) of water daily to stay hydrated. Keeping yourself hydrated helps your legs look great because it improves the look of your skin. Your skin will be more supple, and cellulite may be less noticeable.^{[12]
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Research source} Generally, you need about 11.5 to 15.5 c (2.7 to 3.7 L) of fluids daily to stay hydrated, so drink up!^{[13]
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Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
- Everything you drink and all of the watery foods you eat contribute to your hydration. That means foods like fruits, veggies, and soup all help you meet your hydration goals.
2
Apply lotion daily to keep your legs soft and smooth. Soft, supple skin will help your legs look their best. To keep your legs moist, slather on a body lotion, body cream, or body butter every day after you shower or bathe. This locks in moisture so your skin stays soft and smooth.^{[14]
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- If you like to wear scents, choose a fun scent that makes you look forward to putting on lotion!
Tip: Use a lotion with caffeine to temporarily smooth out cellulite on your legs. The caffeine will tighten your skin for several hours so cellulite is less noticeable.^{[15]
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3
Exfoliate your legs once or twice a week using a sugar scrub. Dead skin cells can build up on your legs, which makes your skin look dull and dry. For sexy legs, rub a body polishing sugar scrub into your legs using a circular motion right before you shower. This will scrub away the dead skin cells so your legs look their best.^{[16]
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Trustworthy Source
American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists
Go to source}
- Do this once or twice a week to maintain smooth, healthy skin.
Variation: You can also find body washes that contain a chemical exfoliator. These exfoliators will feel like regular body wash instead of a scrub. Read the label to find a wash that’s labeled as a chemical exfoliator.
4
Use a self-tanner to give your legs a bronzed glow. A self-tanner will hide any imperfections on your legs, minimize the look of cellulite, and give you a beachy glow. Follow the directions on your product to apply self-tanner to just your legs or to your entire body, depending on your preference. Re-apply the product as needed to maintain your glow.^{[17]
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- You’ll probably need to reapply the self-tanner once or twice a week.
5
Wear shiny flesh-colored tights to make your legs look sexy fast. Tights can be your secret weapon for sexy legs! Pick a pair of tights that look close to your skin tone and have a shine to them. Then, wear your tights with shorts, a dress, or a skirt to make your legs look better instantly.^{[18]
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- Ideally, people won’t notice that you’re wearing tights at first glance. They’ll just be thinking how hot your legs look!
6
Choose heels because they elongate your legs. Heels give you extra height and engage your leg muscles to make you look more svelte. Pick a pair of heels that doesn’t have straps to avoid breaking up your legs. Additionally, pick a pointed or rounded toe to create the best look for you.^{[19]
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- Pointed toes make your legs look the longest.
- Pick the highest heel that you can comfortably walk in.
Tip: Nude heels are the best option for creating the look of long legs because they visually elongate your body.

Expert Q&A
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Question

Does walking tone your legs?

Danny Gordon
Certified Personal Trainer
Danny Gordon is an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Certified Personal Trainer and Owner of The Body Studio for Fitness, a fitness studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 20 years of physical training and teaching experience, he has focused his studio on semi-private personal training. Danny received his Personal Trainer Certification from the California State University, East Bay and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).

Danny Gordon

Certified Personal Trainer

Expert Answer

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Both running and walking are great exercises for your legs, but it depends on the intensity of your exercise. If you're power walking, walking uphill, or hiking then you're going to build muscle. It all comes down to the person and what you're doing.
Question

How do you get your legs in shape in 2 weeks?

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You may not notice a dramatic difference in how your legs look in just 2 weeks, but you can make a good start! Do cardio exercises, like running, walking, or biking, for at least half an hour per day, 5 days a week. Make sure to set aside a couple of days for strength training, and focus on lower-body exercises to tone your legs, like lunges and squats. Drink plenty of water and eat a balanced diet rich in vegetables, whole grains, lean protein (like chicken breast or tofu), and healthy fats (such as olive oil, fish, and nuts).
Question

How do you get nice skin on your legs?

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Any time you bathe or shower, slather on some moisturizer to prevent your skin from drying out. You can also gently exfoliate your legs with a loofa, washcloth, or soft brush when you shower. If you shave, make sure to use a shaving cream or gel to reduce the risk of irritation and razor bumps.