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Work Out With Denise Austin: Leg Lifts

They can help strengthen the glutes and the backs of your thighs

By

Staying Sharp

Updated July 30, 2024

Updated July 30, 2024

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Try This Today

Watch the video above for Denise Austin’s Leg Lifts demonstration.
Holding the back of a chair, lift one leg at a time as far as you can. Do 20 lifts with each leg.
Squeeze the buttock muscles to help you lift your leg.
Keep your upper body stationary with your back straight.
Adapt the exercise to suit your level of fitness. For example, you may not be able to lift your leg very high at first but may gain flexibility as you repeat the exercise over time.

Why

Adding Leg Lifts to your exercise routine can help strengthen the glutes and the backs of your thighs. Strength, or resistance, training does consistently over time may improve blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels, weight, body composition, sleep, and mood — as well as reduce the deterioration of white matter in the brain, according to a review from the American Heart Association reported in Circulation in 2023.

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Legal Disclaimer: Staying Sharp, including all content and features, is offered for informational purposes and to educate users on brain health care and medical issues that may affect their daily lives. Staying Sharp is based on a holistic, lifestyle approach to brain health that encourages users to incorporate into their daily lives activities that are associated with general wellness. Nothing in the service should be considered, or used as a substitute for, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Features including the Cognitive Assessment and Lifestyle Check-Ins, Additional Tests, exercises, and challenges assess performance at a particular moment in time on certain discrete cognitive tasks. Staying Sharp games are intended for entertainment and recreational purposes only. Various factors may affect performance, including sleep, tiredness, focus, and other social, environmental, or emotional factors. Performance is not indicative of cognitive health and not predictive of future performance or medical conditions.

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