Glam Slam: Hot Bodies Week — Achieve Aniston’s Legs

Jennifer Aniston has been giving us plenty of reason to talk about her legs lately… showing off her shapely gams time and time again while recently promoting her film “Horrible Bosses.”

Today kicks off our week-long “Hot Bodies” series with leg toning tips from celeb trainer Joe Dowdell, who has worked with Natalie Portman, Eva Mendes, Anne Hathaway and Claire Danes.

“Everyone knows that Jennifer Aniston has an amazing set of legs and truth be told, you can train your legs all you want, but if you’re not following a clean diet you are never going to lose enough body fat in order to get that lean look,” Joe says. “I always tell my clients and athletes, that leanness starts at the mouth.”

Here is Joe’s comprehensive plan to get that “lean, sculpted look that you truly desire.”

Dumbbell Plie Squat:
Set Up: While holding a dumbbell in front of you, stand with your feet turned outward and slightly wider than shoulder width. Keep your torso as upright as possible.
Movement: Brace your abdominals, bend your knees and lower your hips into a squat position so that your thighs are parallel to the floor or just slightly above. Take 2 seconds to lower yourself, pause for one second and then 1 second to return to the start position. Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.
Tips: Make sure your knees are in line with your toes throughout the movement. Keep your shoulders blades drawn down and back. And, as you rise back up, push down through your heels/mid-foot and contract your glutes powerfully.
The Details:
Sets: 3
Reps: 10-12
Rest Period: Wk 1 – 60 secs, Wk 2 – 45 secs, Wk 3 – 30 secs, Wk 4 – 15 secs

Reverse Lunge:
Set Up: Stand with the feet hip-width apart and hold a pair of dumbbells at arm’s length next to your sides with palms facing each other. Pull shoulder blades down and back; keep your chest up; brace the core (i.e., tighten) and hold it that way throughout the movement.
Movement: Step backward with your right leg. Then, lower the body into a lunge while keeping your torso upright. The front lower leg should be nearly perpendicular to the floor and the rear knee should nearly touch the floor. It should take 2 seconds step back and lower yourself; no pause and one second to return to the start position. Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions on one side then do the other.
Tips: Keep your shoulders blades drawn down and back.
The Details:
Sets: 3
Reps: 10-12/side
Rest Period: Wk 1 – 60 secs, Wk 2 – 45 secs, Wk 3 – 30 secs, Wk 4 – 15 secs

Low Box Lateral Shuffle:
Set Up: Stand with your left foot on the center part of a low box (like a 3-4 inch aerobic step) and your right foot on the floor and about a foot from the box. Lean your torso slightly forward (i.e., an athletic ready position) and both knees should be slightly bent.
Movement: Jump sideways so that your right foot lands on the top of the box and your left foot on the floor. Continue to shuffle on and off the step from side to side for 30-45 seconds. The speed of movement should be as quick as you can while maintaining good posture and control.
Tips: Keep your shoulder blades drawn down and back. Form before speed. Master the shuffling movement before you increase the speed of movement. Once you have mastered the movement, you can attempt to increase the speed of movement.
The Details:
Sets: 3
Reps: 30-45 seconds
Rest Period: Wk 1 – 60 secs, Wk 2 – 60 secs, Wk 3 – 60 secs, Wk 4 – 60 secs

Rest Periods:
Each week you do the circuits, lessen your seconds of rest between each exercise. For example: Week 1: Rest 60 seconds between each exercise. Week 2: Rest 45 seconds between each exercise. Week 3: Rest 30 seconds between each exercise. Week 4: Rest 15 seconds between each exercise. Weeks 1-4: Rest 60 seconds after each circuit.