Want sexy skirt-worthy pins? Just do these exercises three times a week for a toned and tightened lower body.  Feeling panicky about an up-and-coming party? There’s no need! These leg exercises will target your lower body while boosting your metabolism and improving your balance.

Side lunge 
Benefits: Side lunges will target your legs from different angles, working your gluteals, inner thighs, hamstrings and calves.

How to do side lunges

1. Stand tall with your legs hip-width apart, your core in tight and shoulders back.
2. Lift your right foot and take a step to your right as you push your hips backwards.
3. Lower your body by dropping your hips and bending your left knee. Make sure your knee doesn’t go past your toe and then quickly push yourself back to the starting position.  Repeat 10 times for each leg

Caution: Don’t lunge too far to the side. Your knee should line up over your foot. Your standing foot should remain on the floor at all times and your foot should point straight ahead.

Squat jacks
Benefits: A bend of the knees turns the humble jumping jack into a tough leg and bum booster. It makes great cardio exercise too.
How to do squat jacks

1. Stand with your feet close together, hands touching the sides of your head, and lower down into a narrow squat so that your weight shifts back to your heels (a).
2. Staying low, push off your heels and jump your feet wide, landing in a wide squat position (b). Lift and jump back to the start position (a). Continue jumping your feet out and in with a squat as fast as you can.  Repeat 15 times

Overhead squat
Benefits: Legs, bum and shoulders. Overhead squats are a great compound move, which hit every muscle from your head to your toes. They also target your core and co-ordination while increasing shoulder mobility.

How to do overhead squats

1. Hold a light weighted bar overhead, with your hands shoulder-width apart and your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart (a).
2. Keeping the bar over your head, squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground (b). Pause then push through the heels and return to standing, squeezing your glutes as you rise.

Repeat 15 times

Romanian dead lift   
Benefits: This move blitzes your hamstrings and gluteals while improving strength and power. Don’t be afraid of lifting a heavier kettlebell than usual.   
How to do Romanian dead lifts

1. Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent, hold a kettlebell with your hands in front of hips (a).
2. Tilt your hips back and bend forward from the hips, until your back is nearly parallel to the ground (b).
3. Once you feel a stretch in the backs of your legs, reverse the movement, keeping the kettlebell close to your body.

Repeat 15 times

Stretch it out: V stretch 
Benefits: As well as reducing your heart rate and stretching hamstrings and inner thighs, this move relieves back pain caused by tight leg muscles.
How to do V stretches
Sit with your legs spread out in a V shape and extended straight out. Slowly lower your torso to touch the floor in front of you, but only go as far as is comfortable for you.  Hold the stretch for 20 to 30 secs

*Images courtesy: © Thinkstock photos/ Getty Images