Sonam Kapoor Ahuja’s exercises are not for the faint of heart; the actress prefers to concentrate on strength and fitness through long, rigorous sessions. “I try to exercise for two hours a day—I do a mix of Pilates, yoga, dancing, and weight training,” she explained. While her workouts are often full-body routines, Kapoor Ahuja prefers to focus on her lower body. “She is 5’10” tall and extraordinarily limber. “Our main focus is on building long, lean muscle mass,” said Radhika Kalre, a professional Pilates instructor and Ahuja’s long-time personal trainer.
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Leg day is the most difficult workout in the gym for a reason: there are so many muscles to work. “The hamstrings and glutes are important muscles to work on.” “You often only work out what you can see, but creating a balanced musculature begins from the back,” Kalre explains. “In addition, 60% of your muscles are in your lower body.” The more muscles you train, the more calories you burn, making your workout more efficient.” Ignoring the lower body and concentrating solely on ab training can be detrimental to the body.
“Because your feet are the foundation of movement, it will eventually work its way up if your feet are not strong and stable, and if your gait is not good.” This can impact your lower, mid, and upper back, as well as your shoulder and neck.”
Sonam Kapoor Ahuja’s lower body workouts look like this
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“When Sonam first came to me, she had hip issues, which we’ve overcome very well through exercise,” Kalre explains. “Because of family issues with knee pain, we wanted to avoid that from the start.” Because she is “hyper-mobile,” all of her workouts are geared towards strengthening her glutes and the backs of her legs. “Supine leg pools on the trapeze and side-line leg work on the reformer are two of my favourite moves with Sonam.”
The exercise includes a lot of functional motions. Static exercises, such as a basic lunge, only engage the hamstrings, quadriceps, and glutes. “However, a reverse lunge plus step up will also involve your calves, foot, and ankle, which increases the calorie burn of the exercise,” she explains. “To improve efficiency, you can squat and step out, lunge and reverse lunge, or side lunge.”
Pilates and functional movements are full-body workouts that require you to engage every muscle. While it is simple to follow along with videos and virtual workouts, Kalre recommends working on your form first before plunging into the practice.
“From the start, you should concentrate on lower-body alignment. Your hip bones and knees should be in line, and your knees should not rotate or twist. “You also want your abs and core engaged when you begin your lower body exercises,” she adds. She agrees that keeping your spine in a neutral position is critical, especially because a rounded or stretched back can cause serious back issues.
The three workouts that can help you develop your lower body strength
Bridge:
The glutes and hamstrings will be worked in this workout. Hip bones should extend all the way to the ceiling. After you’ve hinged them up, lie back flat and in control. “Keeping a flat back is critical to avoiding injury,” adds Kalre.
Plie:
This Pilates-style barre workout works the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and abdomen. “First, try it against a wall. Bring your knees together and zip up your inner thigh. “Then, while bending your knees, unzip your thighs and keep your sacrum against the wall,” she explains. Tucking the tailbone as you lower yourself will maintain your back arched.
Alternate between backward and forward lunges:
While this exercise appears to be simple at first appearance, completing it correctly necessitates maintaining solid form throughout. Pretend you have a cup of coffee on your head and can’t spill it as you lower and slide it back. Furthermore, your hip bones should be like headlines, pointing straight forward.”
