The Blue Jean Tone Up

You pride yourself on your denim collection. Skinnies, bootcuts, trousers – they’re hanging in your closet ready to hug your lower half. But lately, you’ve been longing to tone up that tush and tighten those thighs so that you can really show off your assets.

By CC Staff

Well, we found six awesome moves in a back issue of SELF that will make you a blue-jean babe in just one month. Just perform three sets of 12 reps of each exercise three days a week and on non-consecutive days:

Pigeon Toes

Stand with toes together, heels out, hands on hips. Contract abs as you slowly lift heels, rising onto balls of feet. Hold for two seconds. Lower to start and repeat.

Seated Leg Raise

Sit with right leg extended, foot flexed, and left knee bent, foot flat. Grasp the shin of left leg. Raise right leg a few inches off floor and sweep away from body. Hold for one count. Return leg to center. Switch legs.

Glute Sweeper

Start facedown, supported on forearms and right knee. Extend left leg behind you as high as you can, toes pointed. Contract abs and butt and slowly cross left leg behind left foot, reaching toes toward floor without touching down. Return leg to start and switch.

Sumo Strut

Stand with feet wider than hip width apart, toes out and extend arms at chest level, toes out, and extend arms at chest level, palms together. Bend knees at 45 degrees. Maintain wide squat as you take baby steps forward. With each step, move arms mechanically in a semi-circle, from left, to center, to right, then back to center to complete one rep.

Leg Tap

Stand with feet hip-width apart, hands on hips. Step back into a lunge with left leg, lowering until right thigh is parallel to floor. Shift weight to right leg and stand, knee soft. As left leg comes forward, tap back of right calf with left foot Return to lunge. Repeat and switch.

Butterfly Crunch

Lie faceup, arms at sides, palms down. Raise legs, bend knees to 90 degrees and hold legs together. With feet touching, opens knees and crunch up, then close legs. Continue to flutter legs open and closed while you crunch up and down.