9 easy exercises to strengthen legs

Following an illness or injury, it’s important to regain strength your body. With these easy exercises, you’ll develop strong legs in a short time.

These gentle leg exercises are not just effective if you’re recovering from an illness but if you just need a boost in activity. You’ll need:

• Light to medium dumbbells
• Towel
• Pillow
• Supportive chair
• Wall space

• Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor and hold onto the sides of the seat for support.
• Slowly lift your left leg until it's straight in front of you.
• Pause for one to two seconds, then slowly lower your leg.
• Repeat with the opposite leg.
• Alternate 10 times for one set.

• Stand facing a wall with your feet about hip-width apart and place your hands against the wall for support.
• Keeping your back straight, slowly bend your right leg at the knee, raising your heel toward your rear until your shin is parallel to the floor.
• Pause for two seconds, then return to start. Change legs.

• Stand with your left hand on your hip and the other on a chair back or tabletop for support.
• Raise your left knee until the thigh is parallel to the floor, with the foot flexed.
• Straighten your left leg, pressing the heel forward and toward the floor as you lean your torso slightly backward.
• Return to the knee-lifted position, then straighten your left leg behind you, leaning forward with your torso. Change legs.

• Stand behind a chair with your feet hip-width apart and one hand planted on the chair for support.
• Using your calf muscles, slowly rise onto your toes as high as comfortably possible.
• Pause, then slowly lower your heels back to the floor.

• Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
• Cross your right ankle over your left knee so your calf is parallel to the floor and your right knee is pointing to the right.
• Keeping your back straight, lean forward from the hips until you feel a stretch deep in your right glute muscle. Switch legs.

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and both feet flat on the floor.
• Raise your right leg toward the ceiling, then clasp your hands around the back of your right thigh and gently pull it toward your chest (use a towel if you can't reach). Change legs.

• Sit on the edge of a chair with your left foot flat on the floor and your right leg extended with the foot flexed.
• Loop a towel around the ball of your right foot and, keeping your back straight, gently pull your foot toward you as far as comfortably possible. Change legs.

• Lie on a mat on the floor (or if more comfortable, on a bed) with your knees bent and your feet flat.
• Place your hands on the inside of your knees and gently let your knees fall out and down toward the floor or bed.
• Gently press down to deepen the stretch as far as comfortably possible.
• Hold, relax, then repeat.

You just need to spend a few minutes each day to strengthen your legs. If you follow these steps, you’ll have fit strong legs in no time.