Four score and seven years ago, our cardio mothers gathered together and proposed that all cardio exercise was created equal. They stated that whether you run or climb, you’ll burn lots of calories and shape and tone your lower body. They figured that because cardio exercise mainly involves moving your legs, you must be working them. While still giving homage to our cardio ancestors, there are some cardio activities that can give you a little better bang for your buck in the lower body department. So don’t be content to just burn calories while doing your cardio. Start a war against fat and do the cardio activities that will shape your glutes and thighs to the extreme!

Cycling
Calories burned by 130-pound woman in 30 minutes: 150
Next time the Tour De France is on, take a good look at the legs on the cyclists. They are cut and defined because they act like pistons to propel the bicycle. Because cycling is mostly a lower body exercise, naturally the legs get a great workout. Try using toe clips for more emphasis on your calves and hamstrings. If you can take a bike outside and climb some hills or go against the wind, your legs will thank you (but much later, of course!)

Inline Skating
Calories burned by 130-pound woman in 30 minutes: 220
You might be having too much fun on your blades to realize how hard your legs are working during this top cardio choice, but don’t let the wheels fool you. Your quads, hamstrings, and glutes get a tremendous workout propelling you forward and your calf and hip muscles must work overtime to keep you from falling. If you become a really skilled blader, try blading backwards to give your quads an extra challenge. So get outside, grab your blades, and don’t forget your pads and helmet, just in case!

Kickboxing
Calories burned by 130-pound woman in 30 minutes: 270
You know the latest trend in group exercise classes that incorporates martial arts, boxing, and non-stop action? Like the name implies, kickboxing involves a ton of kicking moves that will tighten your butt faster than you can throw 10 roundhouse kicks. Many moves are done while standing on one leg which will improve all of the stabilization muscles in that leg. You’ll burn calories, your legs will be in fighting shape and you’ll gain some self-defense skills.

Incline Walking and Running
Calories burned by 130-pound woman in 30 minutes incline walking at 4.0 mph and 5% incline: 210
3 running women
Calories burned by 130-pound woman in 30 minutes incline running at 6.0 mph and 5% incline: 390
5 running women
Of course walking and running are primarily lower body exercises, but when you add an incline, you kick it up a notch. Overcoming an incline forces all of your leg muscles to work even harder than they need to on flat ground. It is easier to gauge your incline walking and running on a treadmill, but if you live in an area that’s hilly or mountainous, give it a try. Because mother nature’s inclines aren’t graded precisely, you’ll have an even harder cardio workout for your legs!

Stair Climbing or Step Aerobics
Calories burned by 130-pound woman in 30 minutes for a 4-inch step: 145
Calories burned by 130-pound woman in 30 minutes for a 6-inch step: 175
Calories burned by 130-pound woman in 30 minutes for a 8-inch step: 202
Calories burned by 130-pound woman in 30 minutes for a 10-inch step: 226
Your legs are working really hard while climbing steps in order to lift your entire bodyweight up onto the next step. The quads and glutes work together powerfully to give your body the push it needs. The calf muscles come into play for the elevation needed to clear the step and for stability. When it comes to cutting up your legs, nothing works like stairs. And lucky for you that there are stairs everywhere! You can climb steps outdoors in a stadium, inside on a staircase, on a stair climbing cardio machine, or in a step aerobics class. With every step you take, concentrate on full extension of the leg while you contract your quads and glutes hard. On a cardio machine, make sure not to do the “death-grip hold” on the side rails. That takes the pressure off of your legs and leads to an upper body workout instead. Try walking without holding on or just rest your fingers on the rails for balance. If you are climbing steps outdoors, increase your calorie expenditure and lower body strength by running down the steps.

Sidebar: The Real Cardio Secret To Shapely Legs
While doing a cardio activity at a set pace for a long period of time may seem like the best way to increase your calorie expenditure and give you the legs you long for, the best way to shed calories and sculpt your lower body during cardio is to shoot for intensity, not time. The more intense the exercise, the harder your legs have to work. The harder your legs have to work, the more muscle you create. And if you can increase more muscle mass, you’ll burn more calories throughout the day because muscle is highly metabolic. In addition, nicely muscled legs look great in short shorts! So instead of going for 30-45 minutes at a certain speed or level, try the interval program on your cardio machines. If your cardio machine doesn’t have an interval program, or if you exercise outside, you can always set up a program yourself. Use either the manual selection on the cardio machine so you have a time clock, or use a stopwatch of your own. Plan on a 5-minute warm-up and 5 minute cool-down and start with a 10-minute exercise bout. Try working at a moderate rate for 30 seconds, then working at a very high rate for 30 seconds. For example, if you are on the treadmill, walk at 4.0 mph for 30 seconds, then sprint at 6.0 mph for 30 seconds. On the stair machine or bicycle you could start at level 4 and progress to level 10. You’ll definitely feel and see the difference in your lower body!