It’s hard to imagine that quality time with the kids can be any more rewarding…but it can! Squeeze in a few of these thigh-slimming leg lifts during game time and get more out of your time on the floor.

Jenny "connecting" with her son.

Lie on side with legs extended straight out, resting head on lower arm for support (see photo). Keep head aligned with spine and core engaged throughout this exercise.

Concentrate and control the movement!

With the side of your top foot facing the ceiling, slowly raise top leg to a 45-degree angle. Keep hips aligned with the rest of your body. (Hips should not drift backward or tip forward.) Raise leg only as high as you can while maintaining control of the position. Hips and shoulders should never come off the floor.

Bring your top leg slowly back down to within an inch of the bottom leg, but do not let legs touch. If you do this exercise very slowly and concentrate on the movement you will feel the burn after just one set of 12. Take a break, shake out that leg and repeat on other side. Continue with a second set of 12 on each leg if you can.

Variations:

On your last repetition before switching sides, lower top leg to within an inch of your bottom leg and do small pulses for a set of 12.

Instead of lowering your top leg down in one movement, bring it down to a 3-count of “Squeeze-It-In.”

Related posts:

1. Exercise: Inner-Child Inner-Thigh Slimmer
2. Exercise: SuperMom
3. New Exercise: Scribble and Squeeze
4. New Exercise: Crayon Kicks
5. Exercise: Trusty Side Kick